CarlysleCoupToRescueRenataPulling away from the Greywoods and their other, newer supplicants, Harold followed Elissa away from them and out of the clinic altogether. He kept up with Elissa but didn't say anything until they had passed by the Carlysle guards and emerged from the clinic. "So where are they holing up out here?" Harold asked Elissa as his eyes scoured the area around the clinic, once outside. "Just a little hiding for protection. Would you rather I take you to Decuma or Giulian? They're in different positions," Elissa asked in a low tone after they were a little distance from the guards and the clinic. She shifted her cloak around her body and looked up at him. "Do you know where they've taken her? Or where you are supposed to meet them? I should go ahead and scout out the location and see what is happening before we decide on a plan." "I was given directions to a building near to the hospital," Harold said. He pulled out the paper and unfolded it, showing it to Elissa. "A crude map, as you can see," Harold continued. Elissa gently took the map from him to study it. "Hmm... Crude, yes. Though it shows its purpose." She studied it closer, looking at the lines and streets with knowledge that came from her older lifestyle. "Hmm... I believe I have an idea of this place..." "I suppose, although I would have it otherwise, that you should bring me to my brother first," he added. Elissa nodded and changed direction slightly to lead him towards the alley where Decuma was waiting for news. As they drew closer to the alley, she let out a slow, low whistle of alert towards Decuma and Giulian. Giulian heard the whistle and sat up, gathering the reins into his hands. He was out of sight of the others, by design, but the whistle told him he might have to move at any moment. He saw Martin in the cabriolet go by the end of the street, circling the hospital. Harold looked alert for signs of his brother or Jules. Giving another low whistle to Jules to let him know all was well, Elissa smiled towards one of the alleys. "Come on, this way," she said and walked down the other alley. "Lord Decuma... All is clear. I have your brother. We have some trouble to attend to," she said in a low tone. Decuma had been watching them approach, alert for any danger, but the street remained quiet. The only sound was the slow clopping of the hooves as Martin drove the cabriolet around a corner. Emerging from the shadow, Decuma answered, with no hint of surprise, "Trouble?" He felt a tightness in his chest. His eyes slid past them to look at the hospital entrance, hoping that Maple would emerge with the other missing party, as he asked the obvious, already guessing the answer: "Where is Renata?" Elissa glanced at Harold and then at Decuma. "That would be the trouble. We should retrieve Jules first so we can discuss it together on our way." Harold nodded, a glum and taciturn look on his face that could not be completely explained by the discomfort between him and Decuma. Knowing that the soldiers had seen Elissa and Harry enter the alley they would have assumed someone had been waiting for them, but the guards wouldn't know who it was who had been waiting in the alley. As it wouldn't be wise for them to appear back in the street, Decuma motioned for them to go back the way Elissa and he had arrived and he would follow them, leading the horses. The alley was just wide enough to turn the horses, but not wide enough for a carriage. The sound of the two horses' hooves echoed loudly in the relative quiet of the night, warning Giulian and Martin that they were leaving. Decuma said softly, "Giulian's carriage should be to our right, and I hear Martin bringing the cabriolet around to our left." "Martin?" Harold asked. And indeed they could hear, off to their right, the sound of a carriage starting to move. When they emerged into the next cross street, they could see Giulian's curricle coming into the intersection of it and Beaudry Street. He looked toward them. Harold raised his right arm in signal to Giulian, relaxing somewhat upon seeing his vehicle. Giulian returned the salute with his carriage whip, relieved to see that Harry, at least, was safe. He turned the carriage and came slowly toward them, at about the same time that Martin and the cabriolet appeared at the next block. "You're here," Harold said to Decuma. "I see Giulian, and Martin. Is that it, then?" he said, his question now for Decuma or Elissa equally. "Dean Gallfrey is with us as well, but is still in the clinic," Elissa said as she turned and smiled softly at Giulian. She looked at the three young men and back at Giulian. "There has been some trouble, Jules. Renata was taken by someone before we arrived. They left a 'ransom' note of sorts for Harry," she said, cutting sharply to the point without wasting time on small talk. "More like a trap for Harry, I'm sure," Giulian said grimly. "They took her out of the hospital? And what about your mother, Harry?" he asked. Harry shook his head, tears forming in his eyes, and could not meet Giulian, or anyone else's gaze. Decuma wasn't surprised by the answer. He felt for Harry, knowing how he had feared for his own mother's life. Yet, as he saw Harry's eyes dim from the unshed tears, he knew that he would never have felt the grief as Harry did, and envied him that depth of grief, for it was born of a deeper love, which Decuma had never felt. "My condolences, Harry," Decuma said softly. Giulian's head bent briefly. "God rest her soul, then, poor lady. I'm sorry, Harry," he said. Then he looked up at the others, his expression hardening. "Right now the best thing we can do in her memory is to see that there aren't any more victims this night. What's our plan?" "Time for me to go and scout this location on the map they gave Harry. I'll see if things are legitimate and what is in store for us. Make sure they truly do have Lady Renata in their clutches." Elissa looked at all of them. "I'm the only one with the experience to get close enough without being seen. You all know this, please, trust me on this one. You can come close, but must stay far out of sight so they can't see or hear you. When I know what we're facing, then we'll make the final plan to rescue her." Giulian nodded. "That makes sense to me. May I see the map?" Decuma glanced at Giulian, expecting him to object to his lady-love going off into danger alone, but he didn't. Just what was her background that she would claim to have such experience? He guessed now wouldn't be the time to ask, Decuma thought, as he looked her over with a slightly puzzled frown. She certainly was a remarkable young woman. "It's not much more than a threat and a sketch," Harold said as he handed his friend the folded, fateful piece of paper. Giulian unfolded it and read it with not much change in his already grim expression. While he was doing so, Martin drew up the cabriolet near them. "All right, I know where that is," Giulian said after a few moments of comparing the rough sketch to the city map in his head. He turned to Elissa. "Where would be a good place for us to wait?" Elissa looked at the rough sketch, seeing the city map in her mind, and moved her finger down and to the side. "Here, by a couple of blocks, out of sight, but within hearing distance. Once I see what is happening, I will return to your side and together we'll rescue her and take care of any other business." "Right," said Giulian. "I think I can get us there without passing too close to where they're holding Renata -- or where they claim they are. We'd probably better stay together till then. "Ride with me, Harry?" he offered, extending a hand to his friend. Still emotionally choked up, Harold straightened his posture, after a look at Decuma, and then nodded. "All right," he said as he took the proffered hand to climb into Giulian's curricle. Decuma offered a tight, but he hoped, reassuring smile to Harry and a nod to Elissa and Giulian before swinging up gracefully into Percheus's saddle. The horse seemed eager to be off, but perhaps he was only reacting to Decuma's own agitation. Elissa took Atalanta's reins from Decuma and swung up into the saddle with her own ease and grace. She settled into the saddle and stirrups and felt the mare dance a little underneath her, before she calmed her slightly. Giulian took up the reins. "We shouldn't linger, but..." He looked over at Martin. "Martin, perhaps you should wait a bit and see if Madam Gallfrey needs you to take her anywhere. And... be someone who knows where we've gone." "I can do that, my lord," Martin acknowledged. "Let's go, then." Giulian flicked the reins and the curricle started off. Harold nodded, feeling a little more garrulous. His tone was still flatly affected. "Fortunately, it's not far away. I mislike letting her remain in the hands of these miscreants for any longer than necessary, which is why I moved to the exit as soon as I was passed the note." Giulian gave Harry a sidelong, worried glance. The fact that he didn't sound like himself was understandable given the circumstances, but the idea that he'd slip off by himself to rescue Renata -- if that was indeed what he'd planned to do -- made the hairs on the back of Giulian's neck prickle. But all he said was, "I'm glad we got here when we did, then." Elissa glanced back at the curricle with Harry and Giulian and then to Decuma. She pressed her heels into Atalanta's sides and felt the mare respond and they moved off through the alleys. "Fair enough," Harold said to Giulian and Decuma. "As the primitive little map shows, they didn't go far off. I don't suppose we are going to be anything but conspicious, but perhaps your friend can supply the element of stealth and surprise." Giulian gave Harry another sidelong look at this way of referring to Elissa. Wasn't she Harry's friend too? And Renata's, even more so. "I'm sure of it," he said. "There, I think." Harry finally pointed at a crumbling building. Giulian nodded acknowledgement but kept going. It wouldn't do to betray their interest in the building to anyone who might be watching. He drove past it and into the side street Elissa and he had selected, letting the sound of the horses' hooves recede audibly -- past the spot where they'd wait, around the next block while he slowed his pair to a walk -- then back to the chosen spot, reining them to a stop. He looked around at the others. The rescue party was out of sight of the building Harry had indicated, but only about a block away. Elissa dismounted from Atalanta and looped her reins on the curricle for Giulian to keep watch. She shifted around her things and made sure she had what was needed in her pack. She looked up at the three men and smiled. "All right. The rest is up to me to scout ahead. I will return shortly with news," she said. She reached up a hand and let her fingers stroke the back of Giulian's hand. "I promise." "We'll be ready," he promised back, a warm look in his eyes as they met hers. "Godspeed." Elissa returned the warmth in her eyes and stepped away. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her hair and walked away from the young men. Soon, she slipped into the shadows and disappeared from their sight as she made her way towards the building marked on the map. Decuma dismounted and eased his sword out of the scabbard, checking the blade out of habit. He glanced out into the street in the direction Elissa had taken. "She seems quite remarkable, Jules," Decuma said softly. He was still surprised by how Harry and Giulian trusted this young woman alone in such a dangerous situation. It was obvious they both felt she could take care of herself. "You'll have to tell me the whole story, sometime...." He looked at his cousin and his brother and wondered how he had ended up in an alley with them. "Not now, of course. Now we have to think of how to rescue Renata." "Yes," Giulian agreed, also looking in the direction Elissa had gone. "Besides, I think Elissa's story should come from Elissa." He tried not to think of a certain dark red file. Instead he turned his attention to Decuma and Harry. "Whatever happens, I stay here and wait ... unless you need me to come get someone. What do you want to use for a signal?" "Something simple and direct. A whistle, perhaps?" Harry offered, looking at Decuma. Decuma nodded. "I can whistle." He paused, hearing an owl's sound. "Speaking of sounds... Did that owl sound odd to you?" He peered out into the darkness to see if he could spot anything. Giulian frowned. "An owl in the city? Not likely." One corner of his mouth quirked. "Not the avian variety, anyway." Down the street came the growing sounds of hoofs on the street. Soon, around the corner, came two horses walking through the streets with figures sitting on their backs. Giulian tensed, his grip tightening on the handle of his carriage whip. Decuma's hand went to the hilt of his sword, loosening the blade. He did not tense, though, he rocked to the balls of his feet, fluid and easy in his stance, ready to fight. Harry looked alert at the approach of the two men. When they reached the small group at the other end of the street, Xavier nodded to his twin and kneed his stallion to move closer. He pulled back on the reins and stopped. His eyes widened when he recognized the young men. He raised a hand up in greeting to them. "Good evening, fellas, I take it we're all here to help out with the situation that is plaguing our fair country," he said. Giulian relaxed fractionally. "Windhaven," he murmured. Not Carlysle. "Good," Harold said with a grazing nod of the head. "That's right," Xander nodded. His dark green eyes were scanning the streets, and he instinctively turned his horse so he could put most of his attention in the direction the men had been facing before their arrival. Decuma nodded, more to acknowledge Giulian's observation. "Gentlemen," he answered the one twin's greeting, not sure which was which. "Your assumption is a good one. As you can see this part of the city has seen quite a bit of unrest." As if the mention of unrest brought attention to them, there seemed to be movement in one of the alleys across the way, but partially blocked from Decuma's view by the two horsemen. Decuma gave a signal with his hand, a small motion, but he hoped Giulian saw it. Giulian caught the motion and slid his eyes in that direction, without moving his head. If someone was lurking there, it might be as well not to indicate to him that he'd been spotted. "And you three are of the upper-crust too, if your bearing speaks truly," Xander said. "Don't you know there are soldiers wandering around taking nobility into 'protective custody'? They almost took my sister earlier tonight." "Almost?" queried Giulian. "So this is a pattern among them," Decuma muttered, almost glad that he didn't have a sister to be so manhandled. Their conversation was a bit too loud for his own peace of mind and he wondered how many were watching and listening to this discussion. Naming them nobles might just get them killed for no other reason that they were such. Voices tended to carry along empty streets. He was also sure that he had seen movement across the way, though whoever was there was doing a very good job of hiding now. He hoped that they weren't watchers for the kidnappers. Whoever it was might just have to be eliminated. "My father got her back to us," Xander explained. "But we've... let's say... I've got a bit of a grudge and don't want to see the same thing happening to others. So Xav and I are seeking fights to pick. Or, as he'd put it, we're looking to help out however we can." "Would-be Knights Errant," Harold said to the brothers, before giving a glance at Decuma and Giulian for a moment for their reaction before looking at the twins again. "We may be able to oblige you." "Would the rescue of a damsel in distress appeal to you?" queried Giulian. "She'll get a kick out of being called a damsel," Harry said, relaxing a bit. "I'll be sure to tell her, afterwards," he said with a note of optimism that had been rare in the last few hours. "You do that," Giulian recommended, a thread of amusement in his voice. Decuma's mouth tightened in what could almost be a smile at Harry's fond musings over Renata and Harry's slight change in attitude. They would rescue her. He was sure of it. Yet, extra swords might come in useful. "Your assistance would be appreciated. Perhaps you'd like to join us to discuss it?" "Rescuing a fair damsel sounds just right to us," Xavier said, then his face sobered. "What happened to this 'damsel'? Who is she...." He looked at Harry again. "It would not be your sister... The Lady Renata?" "There is no way that girl is a damsel in distress," Xander chuckled. "I'd wager on her over me in a fight this minute. Which means, I'd be happy to aid a fist in rescuing her." Harold gave a nod of acquiescence. "Then the help of Windhavens is most welcome in this matter." Decuma made room for the two newcomers and got down to business, "Harry, would you tell us exactly what happened when you received the note? Do you know how long Renata has been... captive?" Harold swallowed thickly, and nodded to his brother. "I was in the hospital, just after holding a conversation." Harold began. "I hadn't seen my sister in a while. Ever since..." Harold closed his eyes and kept them closed as he talked. "...we found out that Mother had died. "Wandering the halls, someone came up to me and slipped me the note, and walked away. By the time I read the note, they were long gone. Still, it's only been a couple of hours, at the most, that they have had Renata. "That is all I know." "Other than the map, did the note give you any specific instructions?" Decuma prompted to better formulate a plan. Xander appreciated their trust and showed this with a quick nod and flash of teeth at his twin, but he stayed as lookout while the others planned. "Only that I come alone," Harold said. "So they could get their hands on you, too," Giulian commented grimly. Decuma nodded. He had presumed that they would. "And the man who handed you the note... Did he take a close look at you, that you can recall? So that he might recognize you... later?" "I don't know, it was a pretty casual encounter," Harold said. "The person who handed me the note might have been paid to hand it to me by the kidnappers, so that they would not risk detection." "Very possible," Decuma agreed, "but one thing they will expect is a lone man approaching them -- not a group of armed men, and as much as it may seem like a wonderful idea to storm in and free her, the last thing we want to do is give those holding Renata a reason to harm her." Again there was a flicker of movement across the way. Decuma was certain this time that he had seen someone watching them. "And first thing we may need to do is make sure that no one carries tales to those who are expecting only one lone man." He kept his stance casual as he glanced at the twins, measuring them up quickly and approvingly. "Perhaps you might like to remove that threat? I believe that there is a connecting alley way at the cross street that will lead behind our watcher," Decuma suggested. Xavier looked at his twin, keeping an eye on things for them while the others planned. He nodded to Decuma. "I believe we can handle that just fine." "Good," Harold said. "Our shadow isn't so careful to elude even my untrained gaze." "Our shadow is?" Xavier asked, wanting to know to look out for. "Ask my brother," Harold said. "I think he spotted him, first. Or did you, Jules?" he asked Giulian. Giulian shook his head. "Decuma saw him first." Decuma shrugged. "He's across the way in the shadow of that alley there. Whoever he is, we don't need him spying on us and reporting when one of us leaves to make the rendezvous. For now, we are just a gathering, not associated with Renata's kidnapping. But as soon as we move, he'll know where we are heading and... If he's part of a gang, he'll know why. We can't let him carry that information to whomever is holding Renata." He looked from one twin to the other to see if they caught his meaning, the hardness in his eyes clearly indicating he hoped the watcher would be silenced permanently. Xander looked decidedly uncomfortable. He'd thrown a lot of punches in his life and fought a few duels, but he'd never killed anyone. Still, he couldn't fault Decuma's logic, so he nodded. Harold looked expectantly at the twins. "Here is your chance to get in on the action," he said to the Windhavens. "Do you want us to come back after we've dispatched your shadow or just give you some sort of signal? Or, one of us could go back and the other could pretend to be him? Give a chance to watch for more footpads?" Xander seemed content to take orders from any of the three men. "I don't think you'd better try pretending to be him," commented Giulian. "If he's a lookout, he probably has ways to signal to whoever sent him, which you wouldn't know about. Better just come back, so we can fill you in on the rest of the plan." He looked at the others. "Whatever that's going to be." Xander shrugged. "Sure." He dismounted and looked at his twin. "Ready, Xav?" Suddenly, with a smile and a silent laugh that was possibly a little inappropriate, but undoubtedly charming, he added, "If someone'd told me when we came to Aquila I'd be knocking out footpads to rescue a beautiful girl, I'd have been a lot more eager to come." From the shadows at the end of the alley, a cloaked figure appeared walking quietly towards them. Stopping a few feet from the twins on horseback, the figure pushed back the hood to reveal Elissa once more. "It seems our rescue party has been increased while I was gone. There is no need to take care of the one on the corner. He's with someone I know. Someone who gave me some information. I have learned what we need to move forward," Elissa said to the two twins. She started to walk past them and towards Giulian and the others. Her eyes met Giulian's, hers softening and letting him know she was all right, once again. She could see the relief in his face and the soft look he returned to her before saying, "Yes, the Windhavens here are going to help us. What have you found out?" Xander looked slightly confused, but he took the arrival of the pretty girl out of the shadows in his stride. "Is the one in the corner the one we were going to incapacitate or not?" Elissa looked up at him. "You're not. No incapacitating, just yet. I'll let you know when," she said and continued on towards the carriages. "Yes ma'am," Xander said. Under his breath he added, "That is so not what I asked." Xavier smiled at his twin. "Almost, almost, Xan. A few minutes more," he softly teased his twin. Xander playfully pretended to punch his brother, but did not even touch him. In truth, if he didn't have to "incapacitate" anyone all night, he'd be far happier. Elissa shook her head at hearing the twins banter and stopped next to Giulian's curricle after patting the noses of his horses. "Jules, do you have a piece of paper and charcoal handy? I can lay out the rooms where Renata is for all of us to see. My informant gave me all the information about the rooms, number of bad gents we need to hit, and other things." "I always carry pencil and paper," said Giulian. He reached into his pocket and produced a small sketchbook and a pencil, which he handed to Elissa. "Thank you, darling," she said as she took both. While she was drawing, he looked around at the others and asked, "What resources do we have?" Decuma frowned, wondering how Elissa could be so certain that the watcher wasn't a threat, but she seemed to know things... And people obviously... And this made him even more curious. "Other than your girlfriend?" Decuma answered Giulian with a bit of a dry chuckle. He patted his sword as if that wasn't worth mentioning and then added, "I've a few knives secreted about my person as well." He looked at the twins sporting their swords and then over at his brother, Harry, who frowned and shook his head. Of course Harry wouldn't be armed, Giulian thought; he'd gone directly from the reception to the hospital, and the reception had hardly been the paralyzingly formal type of occasion that would force one to wear a dress sword. Leaving that aside... he knew both men well enough to know that while Harry had been taught the use of the blade, Decuma was by far the better swordsman. Elissa chuckled softly and smiled up at Decuma. "If that was a compliment, thank you, Decuma. I can go in as well. One of the twins should stay out here with Jules to guard our backs. We'll need another sword upstairs... All right, here is the location of things upstairs," she said turning her drawing around for the others to see. "Yeah. We've got these horses as well as the curricle, if we need to split up," Xander offered. Decuma moved in closer so he could get a better idea of the layout and found himself shoulder to shoulder with Harry. It was a bit disconcerting, yet it wasn't as uncomfortable as he had imagined it should have been, or thought it would have been given their circumstances. Slowly, Elissa began to relay the information from Bailey to her friends and fellow rescuers. She looked up at Decuma. "What about you being a decoy for Harry? Go in first as if you are paying the ransom. I'll be behind you with one of the twins and Harry. We'll rush in. Harry and Windhaven muscle through, grab Renata and hightail it out of there. You and I can keep them back and cover their retreat. I promised... my informant that we'll leave the bad guys to them for final umm... shall we say street justice," she said. "If Decuma's willing, I'd say the decoy plan is a good one," said Giulian. "But I don't think anyone should 'rush in' until we get a signal from him. No matter how much advance information we have, nothing beats a first-hand eyewitness." He grimaced. "And whether we can keep your promise to your 'friend,' Elissa, is going to depend on circumstance. Our first priority is getting Renata out of there safely. Anyone who gets in the way of that is going to have to take his chances -- right?" He looked around at the others. Decuma agreed with Giulian's assessment but added one point that seemed to have been misunderstood. "The note didn't mention a ransom, though?" Decuma stated, having read the note given to Harry. "It was an even exchange... Harry for Renata's freedom... And given the circumstances, I'd be happy to go along with being a decoy. No offense, Harry?" Decuma managed to give his half-brother a smile. "But you've had a much rougher evening than I have, and..." He again ran his hand over the hilt of his sword. Xander looked dubious at the mention of a straight exchange, but waited for someone to suggest which twin should go where. Once sure of Harry's acquiescence, Giulian went on, "We'll need a recognizable signal for attack... maybe more than one. What do you think, Decuma?" Decuma chuckled, but his eyes were hard, "You mean other than the sound of steel on steel?" His hand caressed the hilt of his sword. He then frowned, "Depending on how many guards they have posted, you may not be able to get close enough to hear a signal unless you take them out, and that might get a bit loud and give it all away. We may have to play it by ear... But let's say that they are short handed or just short-sighted and have no guards posted and you can get up close enough to hear the conversation, I'd then I could whistle? Maybe as if I was in disbelief?" He gave a low, long whistle as if he had just heard something surprising or shocking. "Keeping it a simple, recognizable signal would be best," Harry agreed. "That'll be fine if you can hear it," Xander muttered. Giulian was worried about the same thing. The decoy plan was all very well and possibly the best they could do in a bad situation, but fear for his cousin twisted in his gut. He tried to banish the image of assassins lying in wait just inside the door, ready to cut down the heir the moment he stepped over the threshold. A fair exchange seemed ludicrous to expect, and what good was backup if they didn't know when to deploy it? "Can we get closer?" he wondered aloud. "Elissa, I realize you had a bit of luck in encountering this 'friend' of yours outside the building, but... could you make it to a listening post somewhere without being seen? Then you could either relay signals from Decuma or signal to the rest of us based on what you heard or saw." Elissa nodded. "I can find a way to get closer," she said. "How long will you need?" Giulian asked her, drawing a watch from his pocket. "Estimated. We could give you that plus, say, five minutes, then send Decuma in," he suggested. "About ten minutes. I looked around while I was speaking with my friend. There's a way up there and I will be able to keep an eye on things. In and out, fellas, no hesitation. Take them by surprise, get Renata, and get out. Meet back here and then get out of here. We'll leave the rest of the bad guys to my friend. They'll give them a bit of street justice," she said, looking at the other young men. "Friend?" Harry raised an eyebrow at Elissa. Elissa looked back at Harry and grinned. "He's not trying to kill us or attack us at this moment in time. For that, I'll call him a 'friend' in the bare minimum of the definition." "I get the impression that the 'enemy of my enemy' definition might apply here too," commented Giulian. Elissa chuckled softly. "There is that one too. While all of you know the upper echelon of people on Aquila, I have the... fortunate or unfortunate circumstances to know the lower echelon. At times, it's fortunate and I will put it to good use for all of us. Now... It's far past time to rescue a certain young lady and bring her home," she said. Walking towards the curricle, she lifted up on her toes, gently snagged Giulian's coat with one hand, and tugged him towards her. She was careful to not throw him off balance and used her cloak to hide them from the others. She smiled warmly at him. "Kiss for luck?" she whispered. "Luck and Godspeed," he murmured back, before letting his lips meet hers. Meeting his lips with her own, Elissa added a soft punch of need and desire in the kiss. Her teeth gently nipped his as she pulled back. "You, me, empty room, all day and night," she whispered. "Think on that, darling mine." With another press of her lips to his to solidify what her passionate and teasing request, Elissa stepped away from the curricle. She walked past the other young men with a wink and disappeared into the darkness once more. The time of the rescue had been started. There was a slight flush along Giulian's cheekbones as he straightened, though it was hard to see in the darkness of the alley, and he further covered it by flipping his watch open and peering at it. "Fifteen minutes," he said crisply. Xavier pulled his stallion up near the curricle and shook his head in amazement as he watched the interchange between Giulian and the mysterious lady. He looked down at Giulian and smiled. "I may be new to this place, but that is one hell of a lady you found, Lord Giulian. No matter what anyone tells you, never let her go. She is definitely a keeper," he said in a low tone. "Believe me, I intend to," said Giulian, equally low. "I do hope that I find one of those for myself to hold and love for my lifetime." Harry nodded in agreement with Xavier, but something Xavier said struck Harry, and he looked away from everyone from a moment after the gesture. Decuma had watched the exchange with a bit of amusement and real pleasure that his cousin seemed to have found someone who obviously returned his feelings in equal measure. But an unpleasant pang of jealousy tried to insinuate itself in that delight as Xavier spoke. If Giulian had Elissa, then obviously he had no need to renew a boyhood relationship, not that Decuma had really contemplated such a resumption, but still... With a shake of his head, to remove such errant thoughts, he also snapped open his pocket watch. His eye caught Harry's downcast expression and reaching his hand out, placed it on his shoulder, giving a slight squeeze as he murmured, "Don't worry, we'll get Renata out." "Absolutely." Xander loosened his sword in its sheath, and turned to his twin. "So you want to flip a coin which of us goes and which stays?" Relaxing somewhat from his brother's words and Xavier's bravado, Harold regarded the twins expectantly. "How about, I'll go up and help with getting Lady Renata out, you help with the bad guys," Xavier said with a grin. He looked over at the lady's brother with a smile. "That is... if her older brother doesn't mind some help with that." "Now that I've roped you all into this." Harry's gaze ran from his brother, to Giulian, to the twins, to the spot where Elissa had been standing. "I suppose the more, the merrier," he said dryly. "When you have Renata, bring her straight here if you can," said Giulian. "With any luck we'll be on our way to Anderon House before the 'bad guys' have time to turn around." "If for some reason we can't get to you, my horse can take us both and we'll meet up with you at Anderon House. That will be our meeting point in case things get messy and we all go separate ways to throw off our followers?" Xavier asked. Giulian nodded. "As long as you have Renata with you -- or Harry, or Decuma, for that matter -- you should be able to get in. They're all known there." "Anderon House." Decuma nodded, while keeping his eye on the watch. Fifteen minutes had never felt so long. He wondered if this were how a man on death row felt fifteen minutes before taking the final, long walk. Morbid thought, yet, Decuma felt a tightening in his chest. It wasn't fear, exactly. He had been prepared to face his death since he was a boy, but if they had harmed Renata.... Everything was crystal clear. The night sounds, punctuated by far off thuds that could have been artillery somewhere, or perhaps just thunder, seemed sharper than Decuma had ever noticed. He could see the hard contrast of shadow and light; the street was so dark between the puddles of yellow lamp light, some of which were missing, whether smashed that night or some night previous, he could not tell. The watch in Decuma's hand ticked on, and then... it was time. "All right then, Elissa should be in position. Let's do this!" "Take care, Lupo." Giulian's voice was low, pitched for his cousin's ears alone as he extended a hand to Decuma. "Stay sharp. We don't want to lose you." His handclasp, though brief, was almost painfully tight, his eyes dark with emotion as they met Decuma's. Decuma grimaced in what he hoped would be a reassuring smile and headed off quickly up the silent and empty street. |
