The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post

piosenniel · 07-18-2003, 02:08 AM

Pio could smell the acrid smoke on the air, and see the flames of the burning wooden structures reach up high into the night sky. The small number of men who bunked in the southern area of the plantation had roused from their beds and grabbing their weapons made their way to the area of the main dormitories. She watched the guards halt in their haphazard patrol of the southern boundaries, their attention caught by the tumult of noise and flames. Then, they, too, headed north, moving quickly.

One of the figures who had come out of the cottage to the east of Bird’s did not go north to aid his fellows. Blade drawn, he picked his way toward the children’s cabin and up onto the porch. She watched as he rattled the door handle, unable to gain entrance, as Bird had locked it from the inside. He pounded on the door with the pommel of his sword, his voice loud and angry, demanding entrance, and was met only with silence from within. She could see him shake his upraised blade, and then leap over the railing at the edge of the porch seeking, as he landed, the window on the side of the cottage. Two blows to the glass and it shattered. And soon he was pulling his lanky body up to the window sill in an effort to enter.

He did not get the chance to do so.

She had come up behind him at a dead run. Holding her sword in a two handed grip, she delivered two hard cuts to the tendons just above his heels. The sharpness of her blade and the force of her swing drove the blade through the leather of his boots, severing the thick chords. He fell with a loud cry, and found he could no longer stand upright. He lay sprawled on the ground, blood welling into his boots. Above him in the dark, he could hear her speaking.

‘You threatened my children. Put them in danger. Hurt them.’

He whimpered saying it was not his fault, that Ferny had made him do it. She put the tip of her blade to his throat and silenced him with the sharp pressure of it.

‘I care not for your excuses.’

His eyes flew wide and he threw up his hands to try to push it from him. The blade slipped deeper. Sharp at first, the sensation dulled as the blood pumped from his dying form. His hands fell useless at his side.

Pio stepped over him, wiping the blood as she went, on the hem of her tunic.

'Bird!' she called out loudly. 'Gilly! Open up! We have come for you.'

From the corner of her eye she could see Cami and the others approach the fence with their ponies, and she motioned them to come quickly . . .

[ July 19, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

07-18-2003, 02:08 AM	#67
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	Pio could smell the acrid smoke on the air, and see the flames of the burning wooden structures reach up high into the night sky. The small number of men who bunked in the southern area of the plantation had roused from their beds and grabbing their weapons made their way to the area of the main dormitories. She watched the guards halt in their haphazard patrol of the southern boundaries, their attention caught by the tumult of noise and flames. Then, they, too, headed north, moving quickly. One of the figures who had come out of the cottage to the east of Bird’s did not go north to aid his fellows. Blade drawn, he picked his way toward the children’s cabin and up onto the porch. She watched as he rattled the door handle, unable to gain entrance, as Bird had locked it from the inside. He pounded on the door with the pommel of his sword, his voice loud and angry, demanding entrance, and was met only with silence from within. She could see him shake his upraised blade, and then leap over the railing at the edge of the porch seeking, as he landed, the window on the side of the cottage. Two blows to the glass and it shattered. And soon he was pulling his lanky body up to the window sill in an effort to enter. He did not get the chance to do so. She had come up behind him at a dead run. Holding her sword in a two handed grip, she delivered two hard cuts to the tendons just above his heels. The sharpness of her blade and the force of her swing drove the blade through the leather of his boots, severing the thick chords. He fell with a loud cry, and found he could no longer stand upright. He lay sprawled on the ground, blood welling into his boots. Above him in the dark, he could hear her speaking. ‘You threatened my children. Put them in danger. Hurt them.’ He whimpered saying it was not his fault, that Ferny had made him do it. She put the tip of her blade to his throat and silenced him with the sharp pressure of it. ‘I care not for your excuses.’ His eyes flew wide and he threw up his hands to try to push it from him. The blade slipped deeper. Sharp at first, the sensation dulled as the blood pumped from his dying form. His hands fell useless at his side. Pio stepped over him, wiping the blood as she went, on the hem of her tunic. 'Bird!' she called out loudly. 'Gilly! Open up! We have come for you.' From the corner of her eye she could see Cami and the others approach the fence with their ponies, and she motioned them to come quickly . . . [ July 19, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ] __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside.