Will looked across the landing at Pauline, who crouched behind the tapestry, and nodded at her. She nodded back, and he glanced over at Rodney, who also nodded. He was hiding on the same stairs landing they had been at just an hour before, except now they had a plan to get all the soldiers out. They all got up and slowly made their way down the stairs. They all stopped at the base of the stairs and they ducked into a small room just inside the hallway. Will shut the door soundlessly, then whispered, "Rodney, Pauline, you know what to do, right?"
Rodney nodded. "Of course we do, Will. Just tell us when."
"Alright. Go."
Rodney grabbed the door and pushed it open, then crept out into the hallway, making his way toward the anteroom. Will turned and let Pauline through. "Alright. You remember what to - "
"Yes, I do. Will, stop worrying. This is going to work out fine."
Will glanced worriedly at her, then looked down at his hands. "I just - I feel like Halt would do something different. I'm sure there are flaws in my plan, he would notice them. And if anything happened to you, I would - "
"You need to stop worrying about me, and worry about yourself. My part in this plan is not nearly as dangerous as yours. I am going to be just fine, it's almost easy for me. I'm worried more about you. And Halt is worried about both of us." She put her hand on his shoulder. "He will stand by any decisions you make in the field, because he trusts your judgement wholeheartedly." Pauline smiled faintly at the young man in front of her and marvelled the man he had become. So young, with so much responsibility.
Will grinned nervously at her. "Thanks, Pauline. You had better go now. Rodney is waiting for us."
She reached up and touched his cheek gently. "Oh, and one more thing. I know that something is off about your plan. I understand why you didn't tell me the whole truth about it, but all the same... Don't take unnecessary risks. Good luck, and I hope for yours, mine, and everyone out there's sakes that you get out." She pointed out the window, where the Araluen war camp could be clearly seen. Then she got up and left the small room.
Will didn't reply, just stared after her as she left. Then he sat back and thought about what she had said, all of it had been true. He knew that part of what he had told Pauline was a lie. When he constructed his plan, he knew that he wasn't going to be able to escape with them. He took a few deep breathes, and then got up and left the room.
He ran lightly down the steps and, without any attempt to conceal himself, entered the anteroom. Thankfully, no one was in there, and he slung his bow off his shoulder and notched three arrows on the string. Then he brought his leg up and kicked the large doors open with a resounding CRASH! and entered the audience hall, pulling his bow up to full draw.
Pauline moved into position, which was behind a potted plant in the anteroom. She watched silently as Will entered the room shortly after her. He notched 3 arrows in his bow, kicked open the door, and lept through it. Immediately she heard him call out, "King's Ranger! Drop your weapons and surrender!" Pauline waited a moment longer until he advanced farther into the room, then she got up and moved toward the doors. She peeked inside. Will had moved up farther into the hall, holding his bow at full draw. The captured soldiers on the ground looked up, their eyes wide with awe and fear, and they made way for Will to walk through. The seven Genovesans at the front all had turned around and had drawn their knives or loaded their brows bows, and had them all trained on Will's distant but quickly advancing figure. "As I understand it, you are all looking for some jewels, are you not?" Will said cheerfully, picking his way through the bunches of soldiers.
The Genovesan in the front hissed at him. "Ranger Will. You finally have revealed yourself. Where is the lady you were also with... Lady Pauline?"
Will just kept walking forward. "She is safe at the war camp outside the castle, along with Sir Rodney. Now it's just you and me."
Pauline, certain that all their attention was focused on Will, slipped silently into the hall and hid behind another plant. She made her way along behind the plant and passed through into the curtains. She inched her way along the wall until she was halfway down the hall. She peeked out again at the Genovesans. Not a single person had noticed her, and she continued to make her way down the side of the hall as Will kept conversing with the assassins. "Just you and me? What about my six colleagues behind me? I think it's more like just you and us."
"That makes no difference to me. Now put down your weapons and surrender."
Clink... Pauline almost swore under her breath as a button from a guard's jacket was kicked by her slippered foot and went skittering across the stone floor. The Genovesans all turned and looked in her general direction, but Will didn't even twitch in her direction. He released his three arrows. One of them hit an enemy soldier, punching through his leather armor. He was dead before he hit the ground. Another hit a soldier next to him in the thigh, and he grunted and toppled over on top of a third guard. The third arrow screeched on the steps just under the Genovesans' feet. They all hissed and immediately turned back toward him. But a Will had already notched another three arrows and now was within point blank range of all seven Genovesans. "Don't look away from me when I'm talking to you!" Will called out loudly. Pauline recognized this as Will's attempt to draw the attention back to himself.
Well, you certainly have done that, if not decreased your chances of survival from little to nothing, Pauline thought. She slipped along behind some more curtains, ghosting past multiple enemy guards. Then she saw her target: the small group of prisoners huddled in the far corner of the hall. This group included Baron Arald, Lady Sandra, Sir Nigel, Master Chubb, a few more nobles, and a couple of high rank guests that had been staying in Redmont Castle. They had their wrists bound in front of them with leather thongs. Pauline glanced around furtively to see if there were any soldiers looking her way, then, seeing that the coast was clear, she smoothly walked out from under the bush and sat down right next to Baron Arald. She then sat completely still as she saw a guard turn his head to look over at the group. She had sat down so that her face was cast in shadow, and the guard didn't see anything unexpected; just another group of prisoners. He turned away without a second thought, and Pauline breathe out a quiet sigh of relief. Only then did Baron Arald notice her. He turned his head slightly and gave a small gasp as he saw that it was Pauline. He started to whisper something, but Pauline shook her head slightly, and the Baron stopped. He turned away from her and continued looking off into the distance, not warning anyone of the new arrival to the group.
Pauline turned her attention back to Will. "... Your employer? Why would he send seven of you to steal some pitiful jewels?"
The Genovesan in front hissed again. He seemed to do that a lot, thought Pauline wryly. "Those are not just 'some pitiful jewels'. Those are the Twelve Rubies of King Durcham. He was one of the first kings of Picta, and during his reign those rubies were mined out from under a mountain. They are extremely valuable, worth almost as much as half of your kingdom of Araluen. And as for my employer...." The Genovesan smirked. "You don't need to worry about him. He is just the average greedy bastard who already has way too much money. We work for his kind all the time. He is no one of importance."
Will shrugged this off as if it was no big deal. "Well, so what if this random lord wants these jewels? You still haven't answered my question."
"He wanted to ensure that he would get them, so he hired all seven of us." The Genovesan turned around and gestured to the other six behind him. Then he turned back and puffed out his chest. "I am Guido, the paid leader of this job. And behind me is Mario, although I think you know him already."
Mario stepped forward, brandishing his crossbow threateningly and scowling at Will. "Next time it will not be you and your friend sneaking up on me, it will be me sneaking up on you."
Will just shrugged again. Pauline could see that the Genovesans were very angry with Will's nonchalant manner. "I don't think you'll ever get that chance, my friend," said Will.
Pauline finally turned to Baron Arald and whispered in his ear, "It's me, Pauline. Don't turn or look at me while I talk to you." The Baron nodded slightly to show he understood and kept looking away. "Will has a plan to get us all out. Rodney and I are standing by to help get everyone out while Will is going to lead the Genovesans away from this room so we can get out." The Baron said nothing, and carefully kept his face relaxed. "I have a knife in my hand, I want you to move your hands over to me and I will cut the ropes. Do not take them off, just leave them so that it looks like you are still tied up. Do you understand?" The Baron nodded again. Pauline drew her knife as the Baron slowly moved his hands over to her, and she sliced one of the ropes. Immediately the binding went slack, and the Baron's face flashed a small smile of relief before he got a hold of himself. Then Pauline whispered again, "Now I am going to give you my knife. I want you to lean in and tell Lady Sandra the same thing I told you. Then cut her bonds, and give her the knife, and so on. Pass it around until everyone is free, but make sure you don't remove the cut ropes. It will make it look like nothing has happened."
The Baron nodded one final time. He turned his head every so slightly, gave Pauline a small smile, and whispered hopefully, "I knew Will and you would come through."
Pauline smiled. "He always does. He made up the plan, I'm just doing my part."
"Well, you are doing your part very well." The Baron turned back around.
Pauline listened to what Will was saying. "...Well, then you'll have to come and get me, because I have no intention of doing that."
Will turned suddenly and ran at full tilt for the main doors, his boots thumping on the stone floor.
"After him!" cried Guido, and he and Mario, as well as six of the seven Genovesans sprinted after Will. As he ran, Will whirled around and let off a volley of three arrows. Two of them hit enemy soldiers trying to follow him in the chest and neck, killing them almost instantly. The final arrow flew off into the pack of running Genovesans and punched through the leather shoulder armor of one in the back. He screamed in pain and fell to the floor, clutching his bleeding shoulder in agony, which was gushing blood. None of the other Genovesans even flinched. They kept running down the hall after Will, who had already disappeared out the door. Now the only people left in the room were some confused enemy soldiers and two Genovesans, one standing at the end of the hall, keeping watch, while the other lay on the carpet, moaning in pain as a small puddle of blood formed under his shoulder. The hall was silent, all except for the heavy breathing of the remaining Genovesans and moans of pain from the bleeding one.
Then Rodney charged in through the side door, his sword shining and swinging, yelling a war cry.
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Wow, that was intense... It was intense writing it too. More coming very very soon, fast updates as promised! Still need suggestions for another fanfic... It doesn't even have to be RA, I'm in plenty of other fandoms. Thanks all for reading! Please vote and comment... ;)