The King's Secret

Chapter 12: Taken!

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Isidro.

"Wake up!"

Isidro jerked upright, becoming instantly aware of the noise outside. Matilda was rushing through the house to a cabinet, pulling out an old sword she kept there.

He hurriedly stood, grabbing his sword from its sheath. Jamaal was already at the door, yanking it open. Isidro kicked Hiram, who was also getting his weapon out, in the seat of his trousers. "Your snoring kept us from hearing sooner." He growled as he rushed out after Jamaal.

Hiram didn't respond, following quickly behind him into the moonlit air. Flames met their eyes at once, as screaming villagers ran from their now burning homes. Large, lumbering raiders chased after them, kicking doors down and tossing torches onto houses.

The pair didn't bother to glance at each other as they rushed towards the chaos, both erupting in battlecries that pierced the night. The heads of the raiders turned in their direction as they ran, smashing their blades into the head of any who dared stand in their way.

Within moments they were being swarmed by attackers, who were eager to extinguish the threat upon their raid. But now others were joining in the fighting, some were villagers armed with crude weapons and pitchforks, others were old knights with fine swords and much skill.

Glancing around, Isidro realized that the fighting would end very quickly, as the warriors were completely unexpected. He had to smirk at the bad luck on the part of the raiders. They had chosen the worst village to raid, the one that knights prefered to live in when they retired.

Towards the edge of the village, away from the fighting, Isidro spotted horses being loaded up with what spoils had been gathered, as the raiders prepared to flee from them.

Shouting to the others, he began running in that direction, hating to let anyone get away with a single piece of stolen bread. As he drew nearer, he saw something that made his blood run cold.

Two of the raiders were dragging a dark, limp object, and tossing it onto the back of a horse. He recognized the brown hair, the sword belt... It was Caspian!

"No!" Jamaal shouted from behind him, evidently seeing the same thing. The raiders spotted them and quickly mounted- Just then a panicked horse ran out from the building he was passing, and nearly ran right over him.

Thinking fast, Isidro grabbed the animal's mane. The next thing he knew, he was being dragged through the street, the animal picking up speed as his presence spooked it all the more.

Isidro managed to get his feet again, running at top speed to regain his balance as he was pulled along. Finally he managed to jump, pulling himself up onto the terrified animal's back.

He saw the fleeing raiders ahead and dug his heels in, urging his mount on, all the while trying to figure out how in the world he would control the panicked animal without any reins. But that didn't matter, because it was following the other horses, probably seeking safety in the herd.

In his rush, he'd dropped his sword to grab the horse, and now he began wondering how he hoped to fight the raiders, should he catch them. His mind raced as he hung onto the bouncing animal. Maybe this wasn't his best idea...

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Caspian.

Pain shot through his ribs as they bounced along, grass whipping his face and hands. He'd temporarily thought about just sliding off the horse and getting trampled, in hopes of surviving the escape, but then he'd realized that his wrists were tied to a length of rope that led to a ring on the saddle.