Arriving at the inn, Hunter went over to the innkeeper asking for the best that he had showing and jiggling his money pouch. The guards were sitting at a wooden table with hooded cloaks that covered their office so that Hunter did not know of whom he was addressing when he spoke.

“I drink to a toast of a very special man.”

“Let’s hear your toast.” Said Marquee.

“He is a special man, a man that saw the dungeons of Aquila and lived to tell the tale.”

“I have seen the dungeons of Aquila. Maybe you are talking about me.”

“A blacksmith perhaps, or a carpenter, but a prisoner of the dungeons?”

“I never said I was a prisoner.” At that point, the guards Marquee was with shed their cloaks uncovering their rank. “You should have stayed in the woods Montgomery. You had a chance there.”

“Maybe so.”

“Get him” Marquee ordered.

One of the guards went straight toward Hunter and grabbed him by his shirt and throat but Hunter slithered out of his grasp and ran. He kept ahead of the guards virtually making them trip over each other as he tried desperately to escape yet again. He kept at it for a while and he spotted a structure that had a space he could crawl under and did pushing a chicken out of the structure with his hands as he emerged on the other side. Marquee continued to sit at the table while his underlings kept trying to catch the little man. Upon emerging he bypassed two of the guards and scurried up to the top of the open structure whose roof was made of slats of logs and leaves topping the top of it. The slats were spread out evenly with big gapping square spaces of air but sturdy enough for him to be on them. The leaves helped to shelter the chickens and whatever was below from the sun’s rays. As he got on the top with nowhere to go, Captain Marquee started to clap his hands sparingly, mockingly at Montgomery. He had a bored expression on his face. To him, this was getting tedious. The guards were poking at Hunter through the leaves with their swords so that Hunter couldn’t stay in one place.

Jumping down, Hunter was met by several guards. One of the guards brought him to his captain. He struggled with one of the men confiscating his sword and he swung it around not realizing who was near. With the sword he cut the captain’s cheek and started to apologize profusely only to hear, “Kill him.” I apologized. Isn’t that supposed to negate the incident Lord? I should be forgiven not killed he thought. How am I supposed to learn? I have prospects, you know Lord. I do! I really do. Hunter had fear in his eyes and as two guards held him against a tree while one stood in front of him with a raised sword about to strike at Hunter and kill him, a blur of speed whirled in. The former captain of the guards, Captain Brian Kinney made good use of his crossbow and got the guard in the arm forcing him to drop his sword in midair. He then turned his bow at another guard close to him and shot his arrow perfectly. His hawk was busy flying high above watching out for his master.

“You, out!” Captain Kinney commanded Hunter and Hunter took off as Kinney was reaching for his sword. The two made eye contact. He wanted to go with the boy. He didn’t want to lose him, but first he had some things to take care of.

Captain Marquee spoke. “Captain Kinney, I am surprised to see you here. One of my men told me you had returned. I almost cut his throat for lying because I didn’t think you were that stupid.”

“I am here all right.”

“Captain Kinney!” Francesco said with devotion. He was close to Kinney and had been mutual friends as well as his second in command. There had always been a jealousy on Marquee’s part on how they related with each other while he was kept apart, not trusted. Kinney had seen the aggressive, abusive nature of Marquee and didn’t care for it.

“Francesco.” Captain Kinney responded just as Marquee put a sword through Francesco’s back. It was a dishonorable act, a spiteful act because he knew it would hurt Kinney. Besides with Kinney back in the area, he knew that some of the guards might switch sides especially if Francesco joined forces with Kinney. Now the battle was really on.

He clashed swords with many of the former guards in his command cutting them down to survive and finally he was after Marquee. He slashed him but not in a deadly way and then he gripped him and threw him into the fire pit. Marquee’s ass caught fire and he rolled into a trough for horses to cool it off. As he was doing that, Kinney went over to Francesco to say a silent goodbye and make sure he was dead. He was truly alone now. He had to get this curse removed. How much longer could he live like this? He jumped on his horse and as he was riding away, Captain Marquee screamed, “KINNEY.” He spread out the name like a piece of taffy.

As they were battling, Hunter had noticed two horses and was trying to get on either of them but the horses were skittish of him. He wasn’t their rider and the horses were loyal to their masters. Giving up, Hunter started to run but not before calling the horses filthy strumpets. He wasn’t sure where he was going but he had a reprieve and he needed to get free and clear. A hawk was flying overhead, watching and taking care to know where Hunter was heading. The hawk had helped in the battle knocking one of the guards down when he came in quite low and pecked at his face. Kinney needed this boy and he would keep an eye on him. Hunter did not know the hawk and Kinney were together.

Kinney galloped away and kept looking in different directions to see where the boy went. He also was looking for his hawk. They never were apart too long. The hawk had to be able to be free; it was his nature, but Kinney’s heart belonged to the hawk and the hawk loved Kinney with all his soul. The hawk let out his cry so that Kinney would come quickly. Hunter was in an open space and Kinney galloped faster to catch up with him. As he reached out for Hunter, he veered away while he kept running and yelling, “Nononononoooooooooooo!” It was in vain, Kinney easily swooped him up and over his horse lengthwise. As he was nearing a gate, one of the Bishop’s guards was closing it shut. Hunter ducked his head as Captain Kinney flew over the gate and landed easily continuing their journey, but not before he knock down the offending guard.