One
First a word in praise of my Editor; meathead96, who has done a hero's job in correcting my punctuation and grammar
It is set in a world where a day is twenty six hours, the sun bluer, years longer and the seasons less harsh.
All characters are older than eighteen earth years.
*
I was startled awake by the master's dragonlet. It's keening cry piercing my head like a knife. Jumping out of bed I rushed down to my master's study, where the creature was kept. As I approached the window where it was perched, I saw the raiders in the fields outside the castle walls. I looked to the main gate and saw that they had overwhelmed the guards on night patrol. How they had done it was beyond my knowledge. I ran to my master's bedchamber to awaken him. Unfortunately he was already up, almost colliding with me at the chambers entrance. He told me to go to the king and protect him. I ran down the stairs of our tower three steps at a time.
Our soldiers, Surprised and unarmoured, were emerging from their barracks to meet the surging wave of invaders. I dodged my way through the skirmishes, alarmed at how many of our men were already fallen on the battlefield. Making it to the kitchen's entrance, well away from the assault on the main door, I pelted up the servants stairs. I entered the King's chambers only to find that it was full of raiders, looting the king's chests and cupboards.
As they saw me, I created the illusion that I was an old crone in servant's rags, who scuttled away at a wave of a sword. I raced up the next level, changing my guise to that of an upstairs maid. Through the open door of the bedchamber I could hear screams, and the sound of a man laughing. Crouching I peeked through the door.
There were three raiders there; one stood with his back to me unbuckling his belt, the two others were knelt upon the bed holding the struggling Princess down. I looked around the door into the rest of the room, it was empty.
There by the main door was a fallen defender, bow still in hand and his arrows scattered from the quiver. I looked back to the bed, the thin wiry one had his feet on hers pinning them to the ground while he was letting his trousers drop, I looked to where the arrows lay and focused my mind, seeing its elements, it's iron wood and feather. I looked from the arrow to the man, tracing the path it must take. Then narrowing my eyes on the arrow, I created the image of it flying into his buttocks.
The arrow I had selected rose slowly from the ground as I exerted my will, then flew swiftly to pierce the muscle of his thigh. He screamed and clawed at it, releasing her feet. The other two were startled and distracted from the struggling Princess as they saw their companion topple.
As they scrambled from the bed. I selected another arrow. Focusing on the nearer man, I loosed the arrow at him, seeing it lodge in his leather jerkin. They were on their feet and drawing their swords as the naked Princess sat up still screaming.
The fat one gave her a back handed blow, which sent her sprawling back across the bed as they made their way to the main door.
As they peered cautiously round the door, the thin one was grasping the ankle of the Princess, pulling her from the bed.
As the two disappeared beyond the door I rushed over and slammed it shut, dropping the crossbar into place. The Princess was kicking furiously at the hand that gripped her ankle, as I rushed to help her free herself. Pulling the man's dagger from its sheath at his shoulder, I plunged it into his belly, leaving him screaming wildly.
The main door gave a crack as the two outside tried to force it open.
The thin man released her, clutching at the dagger still stuck in his stomach.
I grabbed the Princess's arm and pulled her to the servant's door.
"Girl wait! I need my clothes." She still seemed disorientated.
The main door gave another crack as the thuds of the bodies hitting it forced it in, bending the crossbar.
I shut my eyes briefly and she was clothed in a sleeping shift.
"Come; that door will not hold them for long." I ordered pulling her once more to the open door before us.
"Wait." She resisted.
"Come if you value your life," I shouted, and she allowed herself to be dragged out and down the servant's stairs.
We made it down the stairs and I paused at the door to the servant's hall. There were raiders in here, raping the servant girls and causing mayhem. I changed my appearance to that of the wiry man I had slain upstairs. The Princess looked in amazement.
"Magician," she uttered as I dragged her into the servants hall. I strode purposely across the hall, still with the princess in tow, and straight into the storerooms, where yet more raiders lingered, searching through the chaos of broken racks and bottles for remnants of the wine and beer once stored there.
Safely at the back of the store I sought the ladder to the stables, climbing up to the granary where the equinininys feed was kept. The place looked deserted, I scouted round, even the stable hands that slept here had gone. The safest place was atop the haystack, pushing her in front of me we climbed to the top.
I relaxed, releasing the stress inside me. At the same time I inadvertently let the illusion of her clothes, and my disguise as a raider, slip from my mind. A mistake no novice should make. She cried out and I rudely thrust my hand across her mouth.
"Quiet," I hissed in her ear, "You'll have them upon us."
She looked imperiously at me, her hands covering her breasts and private parts.
I quickly recreated her shift. She stepped back and slapped me hard across the face.
"That is for looking at me naked," she snarled.
I was stunned. I had rescued her from certain desecration and probable death, and all that was important to her was her dignity?
"Why have you dragged me here, hiding like raticus from the kitchen scattercat?" she pouted.
"Look you out on the courtyard," I said pointedly. "Your father's forces are defeated and the keep is taken."
"No matter," she said. "Prince Hallit will ransom me."
"Prince Hallit will not hear of this in days," I whispered hoarsely, "And will not care for a bride who has been despoiled by the hands of these invaders."
She looked at me silently, a look of fear creeping into her eyes.
I left her and scaled the wall into the loft. There I spied out the land.
The moon was high in the sky casting its light over the scene. All around our soldiers lay dead or dying. The angle of the greater moon showed that there was but six hours of darkness left.
The loft had a hoist that let down outside the outer walls. Peering through the hatch, a studied view revealed no raiders to be seen.
I retreated back down to the Princess who was huddled sulking in the corner, knees drawn up, hands clasping her ankles.
"I am cold here. Get me some warm clothes."
I looked at her in the gloom of the stables, feeling still the sting of her blow. Dutifully I crawled across to her, creating a cloak and passing it to her.
"I am going to investigate the kitchens and see if I can liberate some food and drink," I said. "We need to make good our escape before the morn."
She scowled at me and I left her there.
The storeroom was in near darkness, a single guttering candle lighting the scene. Spoilt food littered the ground, nearly tripping me twice, as my eyes gained their night vision.
The bakery held several loaves and I stuffed these into a flour sack. Rummaging further, I found the soldiers field rations; dried strips of meat, hard biscuits and cheese. These too went into the sack. The wine racks were mostly fallen and empty but for broken bottles, but in the corner I found several stone flagons of cider. I doubled back to the bakery and retrieved another flour sack, returning to bag four of the flagons, and a bottle of plum brandy, that had miraculously survived being tossed among them.
Back in the stables I left my booty against the hay. Then donning the illusion of a scattercat, I made my way cautiously into the courtyard. I wandered round the bodies, collecting a few coins from the purses and a fine woollen cloak from the captain, before scuttling back.
Donning the cloak, I hauled the load up to the loft before going back to collect the Princess.
She was in a foul mood. "Where have you been, what took you so long?"
