Part Six

"She didn’t wait … while everyone was speechless, she turned and rushed out. A couple of guards lunged in her direction but recoiled when the stench hit them – and so she was out of the hall, and soon out of the town, as well.

"A distance out of town she left the road and rushed to the copse where the horse and the rider she'd contracted were still camping. 'Go get twenty riders and horses¹, with bags to hold as much treasure as they can carry, and quickly,' she shouted. He needed no further instruction and left. She next ran to where she'd stashed her armour, and quickly put it on² Sword in hand she returned to the road, and waited.

"By this time the mayor and council had managed to act and a dozen city guards came trotting up the road. 'So, twelve big, strong men against a single girl,' she shouted, 'weak, as the mayor said I was? I hope you don't begrudge me if I improve my situation.' She pronounced the invisibility spell. 'Come, you cowards,' she shouted again. Confused but compelled by orders the guards still approached, fixing on her voice. Narlesha rushed at them. Not wishing to seriously harm anyone, she nevertheless danced around them and wacked them with the flat of her blade from all directions, shouting taunts, getting in a few solid kicks and punches as well. The guards rushed up and down, they swung at the empty air, they twirled around, they bumped into and tripped over each other. She kept them going like this until she was sure her friend had enough time to bring the horses from the farm. 'I don’t even need this,' Narlesha shouted and pronounced the spell that turned her visible again. The guards by now were beaten and bruised, bewildered and confused, exhausted, frustrated and fed up, while Narlesha still had the advantage of her impregnable (not to mention still exceedingly smelly) armour. Only a few more blows were exchanged and then the guards turned tail and ran. Narlesha jumped up and down, theatrically waving her sword about, squealing, 'bested by a girl, bested by a girl, bested by a girl! Yahyahyahyahyah!'

Willem

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