My Fair Lady: Chapter 8

Kezia opened her eyes a crack.  Again, there was a knock at her door.  She slid out of bed, and headed for the door.  Her body ached from the night’s fight.  She slowly opened the door, and peeked her head out.     “What can I do for you, Jack?”  She asked. 

“I just wanted to make sure you were all right.  You got it pretty hard last night.”  He said.

 Kezia shrugged.  “I’ve gone through worse.” 

“You didn’t have to do it.” 

Kezia shrugged.  “Not many can beat me.  Besides, I had to prove that I can keep my own.  Can’t having the rest doubting me.”    She studied him for a moment. “Was there something you needed for me to do?” 

Jack shook his head.  “Turner was busy, and he wanted me to check on you for him.” 

“I see. Well, I’m fine.”  She closed the door and headed back to bed.

  Jack sat at the table, his fists tight. 

“Is there something wrong?”  Turner asked. 

“She closed the door in my face.  She has no respect for me.” 

“You told her to rest.”  Turner said. 

“That’s not it.  I should have beaten her when we were fighting.  Since she’s beaten me, she acts like she doesn’t have to listen to my authority.” 

Turner cocked his head slightly.  “I don’t think that’s right.  She’s tired that’s all.” 

“I need to beat her.”  Jack said standing up.  He marched out of the banquet hall, and headed to Kezia’s chambers.

There was a rap on her door.  Kezia groaned.   She started to slip out of her bed when Jack burst into her room.  He grabbed her by the arm and drug her down the hall.  “Jack, what is the matter?  What is going on?”  Kezia exclaimed.  She was so stiff that she had a hard time walking.  Jack didn’t answer.  He drug her to the gym, and closed the door. 

Kezia stared at the wild man that was before her.  “What is wrong with you?”  She whispered fiercely. 

Jack shoved her to the ground.  Kezia stared up at him, bewildered.  He had his fists in front of him, ready to throw a blow. 

Kezia shook her head.  “What is this about?” 

“You mock me.”   He said. 

Kezia frowned.  “Is this because I beat you when we were fighting?”  She asked.  “Look, I closed the door because I was tired.   I beat you because, well, I can.  But just because I did, does not mean I have lost respect for your authority.”Kezia said cautiously standing up. 

Jack sighed and lowered his fists.  “I can’t figure you put, Kezia.  Just something about you makes me feel like I need to prove myself.” 

“It’s from the tension of war.  Things will seem to come together when we start. After that we’ll go our separate ways, and probably never hear from each other again. So if it’s alright with you, can I go back to my chambers?”  She asked.  Jack nodded his head.  Kezia walked past him, and headed back to her room.

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Everything was ghostly quiet except for occasional noises from the horses.  The time had come. 

War.

 Kezia stood with her feet firmly on the ground.  She only stared in front of her, motionless.  Bow and arrows hung on her back.  A sword hung from her belt with a dagger on the other side.  The generals and officers were the only ones with horses.  The soldiers were stamping their feet anticipating for what was to happen.  

“My brothers, the time has come.”  Jack’s voice boomed.  Kezia couldn’t see him because she was somewhat in the middle, and because she was a good couple feet shorter than the rest that were around her. 

“We will fight courageously till the death.  If any man wants to leave do so now.”  He said fiercely. 

Not a man moved.  To leave now, would be a certain death.

“Lets move out.”  He shouted.   

The army moved down the path through the woods towards Melkola, where the king’s castle was located.  Allies were to come and meet them so that they could attack from all sides.

****************

Turner exited out of the commander’s tent, and walked through the camp. The soldiers were sitting down and eating supper.  They had been walking all day and were tired. He stopped at the end of the camp where the horses were tethered.  Amongst the rows of horses, was Kezia, taking care of them.  She was rubbing them down, and checking their hooves and legs to make sure they were alright. 

“I swear, you never run out of energy.”  He said walking towards her. 

Kezia laughed softly, and dropped the horse’s hoof to the ground.  “I like to stay busy.  Someone needs to take care of the horses anyways.”  Kezia said walking over to the wagon and dropping her tool bag into it.  “So you’re officer.”  Kezia said turning. 

“That I am, and you’re….?”  Turner paused.

Kezia shrugged.  “I don’t really have a position.  I’m a here and there.” 

“I see.  Well, I guess you’d be the first here and there person I’ve met, and from what I have seen they are very good at their work. Quite fascinating really.”  Kezia started to walk through the camp. 

Turner ran to catch up with her.  “You don’t take compliments well, do you?” 

“I don’t believe in flattery if that’s what you mean.”  Kezia said picking up her pace. 

“I wasn’t flattering you.”  Turner said. 

“No one compliments a person with no position let alone in a low class especially someone with class.” 

“I don’t judge people by their classes or place.”  Turner said.  “You’d be the first then.” 

“I thought you didn’t care about classes.”  Turner said.

 “I don’t because I have none.  All higher class people draw the line somewhere.”  Kezia said.

 “But isn’t that what you’re doing now?”  Turner asked.  Kezia stopped quickly.  Turner turned around to face her.  She stared at him. “Is it because you’re surrounded by people of lower class and feel out of place?”  Kezia asked. 

“No, Kezia!  I simply told you that you’re a hard worker.  I’m trying to belittle you in anyway.”  Turner said. 

Kezia searched his face.  She rolled her eyes and sighed.  “Thank you for telling me I’m a hard worker.” She nodded her head then turned and disappeared into a tent. 

**************

  Jack looked through the scope and searched the ridge for the sign.  Sure enough there were two red flags waving back and forth in the wind confirming that the two ally armies were there. Waves crashed against the bottom of the cliff. He looked through the scope at the castle. One of the spies had reached the tower, and had the signal flag hanging out, confirming that the battle was in their favor. 

Jack wrote something on a piece of paper, and attached it to an arrow.  He drew his bow back, and let it fly.  He looked through the scope.  The general signaled back to him.  Jack closed the scope, and turned his horse.  “Gentleman the war has now started.”

Kezia ran as fast as she could so that she wouldn’t get ran over by the men behind her as they charged towards the castle.  She had tied the bands around her arms as tight as she could to make sure they didn’t fall off.  It was to make sure that no one mistaken the wrong person for the enemy.  The spies had attacked the gate watchers, and had opened the two tall gates for them to enter through. Arrows hammered down on them, but few were hit by them since they were holding their shields above themselves for protection.  The other armies soon formed behind them as they entered through yelling their battle cry. 

There was great confusion from the enemy.  Men everywhere rushed to fight against them, but were plowed down within seconds.  The enemy had caught on that they were going to attack a day before.  Little did they know that there were already a few of them inside the castle. 

Jack rode his horse to the steps and jumped off, running into the castle.  There was already skirmishes going on inside.  He swung his way through heading for the throne room.  Turner was right behind him.  Jack pushed open the doors, and rushed in.  The king sat on the throne, smiling evilly at him.  The doors slammed closed.

 It was a trap.

*****************

“So good to meet you face to face.”  The king said tapping his fingers together. 

Jack looked around the room.  Hundreds of soldiers had arrows pointed at him. 

“Drop your weapons and call this scandalous war off.”  The king demanded.  “Did you really think that you could win?”  He taunted.  “Look at your army.  Disorganized and untrained just like in the first war.  Was it your plan to just storm the castle and kill the king?  Did you really think that was going to work?  Well, it doesn’t matter what you think now does it?  I’m going to kill you, and then the rest of your army.”  The king said raising up his sword above his head.

 

Movement above in the balcony caught Turner’s eyes.  He saw sparks, and then Jameson peeping over the side of the balcony. 

“Sir, look!”  One of the soldiers pointed.

 Turner grabbed Jack by the arm, and raced for the door.  Jameson threw the bomb over the side into the middle of the balcony.

   Turner barred the door shut, and ran down the hall.  Jameson ran out of a side hallway.  “We’ve got to get out of here.  The whole place is set to be blown up.”  Jameson shouted as they slashed their way through. 

The army was trying to escape out the gate.  Jack and the others raced to the gate.  Jack’s eyes widened.  The gate was starting fall.  He and Turner dove underneath before it slammed to the ground, shut.  He looked back over his shoulder.  His heart stopped.

 Kezia hadn’t made it.

 She frantically ran to the gate.  Turner, Jameson and him raced back to the gate.  Turner tried to lift it up.  Jack and Jameson joined in.  They could barely lift it up off the ground. 

“I’ll try a different way.  You guys go.”  She said. 

Men streamed out of the castle.  They had broken out of the throne room.  Kezia ran away from the gate towards another entrance in the castle. 

Jack and Turner ran away from the gate to where the others had gone.  The enemy army tried to lift the gate and get out of the castle.  Apparently someone had broken the lift.  As they lifted it up, the army shot them down so that they couldn’t get out. 

**********************

  Kezia ran through the halls looking for an escape.  She was running out of time.  She exited out of the castle and ran along on top of the wall.  It was too far down for her just to jump.  She stopped at the part of the wall that hovered over the rapids below. 

“Kezia!”  Cole shouted angrily striding towards her. 

Kezia took off in a dead run.  Cole followed.  She dove through a window that was close to the wall.  She ran down the hall till she had crossed across the entire castle to the other side.  The other side showed no promise of escape either.  She rubbed her forehead, anxiously.  “Think, Kezia think!”  She ran up and down the wall looking for solutions.  Her side burned.  She held her hand against her wound to try to block the stream of blood.  She had been shot which had stopped her from escaping in the first place.

She raced back through the castle looking for something that could help her down the wall.  A bomb exploded somewhere shaking the whole castle.  Kezia raced looked in each room she past, but nothing showed any sign of help.  She started to run. 

A bomb exploded nearby, forcing her to the ground.  She couldn’t go back the way she had come.  Kezia struggled to her feet, and continued looking. 

Another bomb went off.  They were setting off faster.  The wall caved in closing the doorway off.  The only way she could go was up the stairs that led to the tower.  The timbers caught on fire forcing her up the stairs.  She swung open the door, and raced about.  It was a laboratory.

 She scanned the tables, but to no avail.  Kezia fell to her knees and cried.  She didn’t want to die.  She put her face in her hands and sobbed.  Her shoulders shook.  Another bomb exploded.  The tower shook.  Things crashed about in the room.  Turner looked through the scope searching for Kezia.  The bombs were really going off now, and still no sign of her.  His eyes darted about searching for her.  “Where are you, Kezia?”  He murmured.  Then all the bombs exploded.  His eyes widened.  “Where is she?”  He shouted.  He ran towards the flaming ruins.