The Flashes, Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Baldwin stood at the cave entrance looking out to sea. “The first boat is getting close. We need to get down to the water's edge before they land,” he said.

         “No," Elfwine said. "We must be up here to protect the girls when they come back, then we can all go into the cavern.”

         “There is no sign of the girls and the first boat will land soon. The other one has not set off yet.”

         “We are better off here, Baldwin. If they attack before the girls get back we can close the gate and pick them off through the gaps in the gate.”

         The first boat landed and the pirates were running up the beach but they were heading for the marsh, not the cave. One of them stopped and beckoned the leader to the cave. The leader shouted something to the man and then pointed to the other boat before they set off again to the marsh.

         “It looks like they are heading for Mossley,” Baldwin said. “I don't know why. They have no chance of an attack on the town. But they are not our problem now as long as the girls are safe.”

         “Osbert is no fool," Dunstan said. "He will keep them well hidden until the raiders have passed.”

         Elfwine looked out to the second boat. “It will be a while before the second boat lands and because they have not landed together, I think this second lot are coming to raid the cave.”

         They watched until the second boat landed but at the same time, Osbert and the girls came running out from the marsh. The pirates began to charge towards them.

         “Let’s go,” Elfwine shouted and they ran towards the pirates Baldwin and Elfwine with their bows and Dunstan following behind with his sword drawn.

         The pirates were close and one let off his pistol. Arabella screamed and dropped to the ground.

         Elfwine loosed off an arrow and took the man down. He also dropped the next man. Baldwin let two arrows fly but missed.

         Two pirates fired their pistols without success. Elfwine took another out and Baldwin dropped one with a lucky shot. The pirates were now close and had no time to powder their pistols so they drew swords and charged at the men.

         Baldwin and Elfwine dropped the bows and drew their swords. Baldwin easily killed the first and engaged the second. Elfwine struggled but kept his adversary away.

         Dunstan was in trouble. The pirate was a skilled swordsman and was forcing him backwards. The pirate would soon go in for the kill. Osbert ran up behind the pirate and stuck his dagger in the pirate's back. As the pirate turned, Dunstan brought his sword down on top of the pirate’s head.

         Baldwin soon defeated his other pirate. He looked towards Elfwine. “Do you want a hand, Elfwine?” he shouted.

         Elfwine managed to knock the sword from the pirate’s hand before running him through. “I can manage.”

         They turned and looked back at Erica tending to Arabella. “Get going,” Baldwin called out. “I’ll make sure of this lot.” He began checking all the pirates as the others ran over to Arabella and Erica.

         Elfwine picked Arabella up and carried her to the cave.

         After he checked the pirates were dead, Baldwin gathered up their weapons into a heap and checked the pirates for valuables. They were wearing lots of gold and had a few coins. With the gold and coins safely in his pocket, he walked slowly to the cave thinking of Arabella's wound and fearing the worst.

* * * * *

         Morgan finished his shift at the small gate in Mossley and handed over to a lesser guard who would remain as a sentry after dusk. As usual, Morgan set off to The Bull Inn to meet Flora.

         The bearded man was out of sight in an alley and watched as Morgan passed. He waited until darkness fell and walked over to the guard. “I am a hunter for the mayor,” he said. “I need to check my traps for rabbits for the mayor’s supper. Can you put the walkway out for me?”

         “You must know this gate is not used during the hours of darkness. You must use the main gate.”

         “But this is urgent,” the man said. “My traps are in the woods over this side and the mayor will be waiting for his broth.”

         The guard laughed. “Well the mayor will have to wait, and you had better hurry to the other gate.”

         The bearded man pointed towards the gate. “But I suppose you will let those two women in from the fields?”

         The guard turned to look through the gate and the man covered the guard’s mouth with a rag and stabbed him four times in the back. He opened the gate and dropped the dead guard into the ditch before rolling out the walkway. He took the guard's lamp and waved it from side to side and the pirates made their way out of the woods and across the meadow towards the gate.

         Like a group of rats, the pirates weaved their way through the dark narrow streets. Trying to avoid any folk who may raise the alarm. Only one unfortunate old man crossed their path and he was strangled and dumped down an alley. One of the pirates remained behind at the gate pretending to be the sentry.

         They made their way to the mayor’s house and knocked on the door. The mayor always felt secure in the safety of the town and opened the door. The pirates barged in grabbing the mayor, his wife, and his young daughter. Hands over their mouths and knives at their throats ensured the lack of resistance and cries for help.

         The leader pushed the mayor to the floor. “Where’s the gold?” he said.

         “What gold?” the mayor said. “We have no gold.”

         “The town’s gold. Don’t take me for a fool." He went to the terrified child, who was being held by an evil-looking pirate called One Eye, and lifted her chin. "How old is your daughter?”

         “Twelve years. Please don't harm her.”

         “I’ll count to five, and if you don’t lead me to the gold, One Eye will cut her throat wide open and you will watch her die. One, two...”

         The mayor’s wife pulled her captor’s hand from her mouth. “For God’s sake, give him the gold.”

         “All right, all right. The gold is in the town offices across the way.”

         “You two tie and gag the woman and her daughter then wait for us. If we don’t get back, kill the pair of them.”

         They crossed to the offices and stood at the side while the mayor knocked on the door. A sentry opened the hatch. He looked at the mayor and closed the hatch and then opened the door.

         The pirates barged in and three of them attacked the guard with their swords giving him little chance of defence.

         “Where is it?”

         The mayor pointed to a side room. “Under the carpet.”

         The leader pulled the carpet aside and lifted a lid. His eyes lit up when he saw the casket and he lifted it out. “Where's the key,” he shouted.

         The mayor went to his desk and took a box from a drawer. The box contained many keys to fool would-be thieves and the mayor took the right one and gave it to the pirate.

         The pirate opened the casket and grinned. “More than I was expecting,” he said. “Tie him up and let’s go.”

         The mayor was soon tied to a chair. “Something to remember us by,” the leader said and took out his dagger and cut the mayor across both cheeks.

         They set off back for the gate but were seen by an archer who was leaving his dwelling. He shouted for them to stop but one of them turned and fired his pistol hitting the archer in his arm.

         The shot was heard all over town. Morgan jumped up from his seat in The Bull Inn. “That was a pistol shot,” he said. He left Flora and ran from the inn. There was another shot and Morgan ran in the direction of the small gate where the shot came from.

         The pirates cut the walkway restraints and after they crossed pulled the walkway and dropped it into the ditch. They had gone into the woods by the time Morgan got there.

         Morgan saw the wounded archer who had been joined by another archer and he saw the blood running from the archer’s shirt sleeve. “How bad is it?” He asked.

         “Not too bad. They took a second shot but missed.”

         "Who were they, how many?"

         "I don't know who they were; I haven't seen them before but they looked like seafarers. There were about eight or nine of them."

         "A guard came running up. "They've attacked the mayor and stolen the town's gold."

         Morgan took his broadsword from the store and looked at the other archer and guard. “You two come with me.” He looked at the wounded archer. “You stay here until someone else comes and then go and get that wound seen to.”

         Morgan dropped into the ditch and called back up. “Make sure they get this dead guard out of here.” He climbed up the walkway and helped the other men up and they set off in pursuit.

The Flashes. Chapter 14  (18+) Elfwine sets out for revenge. #2253069 by Bruce.