Heirs of Avaline: The Journey Begins

Chapter Two: Chasing Gold

The 5th of Yaesoot, 1428

Jane

The ride to Ekron was shorter than I had anticipated. Of course, we did travel throughout the night, only stopping when the horses grew too tired to carry on. I didn't speak much with Gesta's servant boys, and they didn't speak with me. The only thing we both cared about was getting the gold and getting back to Clairwood in one piece. We arrived in Ekron just as the sun began to set. I could see the treasury house through the trees. The wall surrounding the building was old and crumbling. It would be easy to scale, and we did so without much trouble. I scouted out the place to see how many guards would be surrounding the building. To my surprise, there weren't many. Usually, the number of men guarding a shipment of taxes was greater, but only four guards were present outside, two on the backside and two in the front. This meant the shipment was below the average collection. The taxes collected from the impoverished villages wouldn't be enough to warrant a full battalion, and, luckily for me, the captain shouldn't be here either. I found a path leading to a window that wasn't barred. I would only have to pass the two men guarding the back of the building. I was able to easily lure them away by throwing rocks toward the thicket where the servant boys were lying in wait for them. Once the two men had been taken care of, I climbed through the window and into the treasury house. And again, to my surprise, no one was inside the guardhouse. All the men were stationed outside. Something felt wrong, but I couldn't leave without the gold. I found the safe in the back room and began picking the lock. After a few tries, I was finally able to make it inside. I took several bags of gold coins and gently placed them outside the window for the servant boys to take to the wagon. I watched as they took the sacks, and then I turned my attention back to the remaining gold still in the treasure room safe. Just five more sacks of gold were all that was left. I placed the sacks one by one in my satchel and silently reached for another one when I heard a noise coming from the next room. My heart nearly stopped when I peeked out into the room. The guards were returning inside and were now standing between me and the window. I grabbed the final bag of gold and tried to find a way to make it past them quietly. Perhaps they wouldn't stay long.

They were deep in conversation and had their backs to me. I had a clear shot to the window where the servant boys were waiting. I sat on the windowsill and reached out my hands for them to take and help me through, but neither of them helped me. The two looked at each other and nodded. That didn't seem good. Before I could react the two pushed me back inside causing a loud crash. I heard them run back to the wagon that had all the gold I just risked my life for. "Dirty backstabbers," I mumbled under my breath.

I stood and turned around toward the door. The guards were staring at me in shock. "It's her," one of them said.

I sighed. "Oh dear. Hello boys, long time no see," I said.

"Well, if it isn't the Bennet girl. Looks like it's our lucky night." The guard turned to his friend "Go fetch the Cap'n. He won't wanna miss this."

The captain...no...he couldn't be here he...

My courage began escaping me. I couldn't let Captain Mitchell capture me. I knew I had to think of something quick. "The Cap'n will be very pleased to see your face again." The soldier pulled out his crossbow. "He's really been working hard to find you, you should hear the way he talks about you all the time."

I had to find a distraction. If I had time, I could make it through the window.

"Really, and what's in this for you? I know Captain Mitchell will take claim on my bounty, that's something he's wanted for years." I said, trying to buy time.

"Cap'n Mitchell wants you, not the money. I'll be taking claim on that reward," he laughed.

"Not unless the captain has anything to say about it. Like you said, he's worked pretty hard to catch me, he would want something out of it," I said.