Commander Griff stood surrounded.
The lead bandit had drawn his sword, prompting the rest of his cronies to do the same. Looking over to Joedan and Ralph, he saw they were still locked in the same struggle. Joedan hadn't let up his hold, but Ralph also wasn't down to the ground yet.
Griff tightened his grip on his sword, drawing it forward. He held his sword up slowly. Locking eyes with the lead bandit, Griff dropped his knees and took a deep breath.
"Clhu…ck"
Griff watched as an arrow from nowhere went through the neck of the bandit standing in front of him.
The bandit, eyes still locked on Griff, stilled. His mind still not catching up with the fact he was dead.
The bandit started to fall to the ground and all hell broke loose. Another arrow fired, hitting a second target. One bandit jumped into the circle aiming for Griff, Griff raised his sword to block the strike. Two horse's neighed as Griff looked over his shoulder.
A woman and a guard came charging from the road straight for them.
"Lady Amelia?" Griff gasped.
Still preoccupied in the fight, Griff brought his focus back to the bandit in front of him as he delivered a strike. Amelia jumped from her horse, mace drawn, launching herself onto one of the bandits she swung her mace around connecting with the man's leg. The man buckled from the blow and Amelia brought the mace down, ending the fight.
The other guard dismounted, sword drawn and stood to the back of Griff.
"Commander," he said. They nodded.
Trevor blocking a hit from another bandit intended for Griff. Another arrow fired, dropping another bandit.
Joedan seeing the new additions to their fight, squeezed until Ralph fell limp to the ground. Racing over to his sword, Joedan drew it and entered the battle against the next bandit. Making his way through the bandits, Joedan stopped.
There stood Amelia.
Hair in disarray, such a determined look on her face. Her mace connected with another bandit and Joedan watched the man go down.
"When did she get so good with her mace?" he thought as he made his way over to her. Griff and Trevor were locked in a battle with two more bandits.
"Hey, farmer boy." Amelia blew a strand of hair from her face.
"Princess," he said, winking back to her.
"You need a hand? Kinda looks like you got this covered?" he said jokingly.
A bandit came from behind and went for an overhead strike to take out Amelia, Joedan raised his sword and parried the blow. Dropping his knees, tightening his grip he brought his sword around and swung. A head rolled and the bandit's lower half dropped with a thud.
Standing to Amelia's back, they both looked around at what was left of the battle. Griff delivered a vicious strike impaling the bandit in front of him, dropping the bandit to the ground, he used his foot to push the bandit off his blade.
The battle was over. All of them were breathing heavy. A horse and rider rode up to the group.
"Commander," said the man on the horse, bow across his back.
"That you're shooting out there, son?" Griff barked. "One hell of a shot," he laughed.
Patting Caleb on his back, the Commander turned to the rest of their group, relieved to see they were all standing.
Joedan took off towards the house, ascending the stairs in a single leap, he slammed through the door.
"Hello," he called out.
No answer.
The lights were off. No one was downstairs.
Ascending the stairs up to the bedrooms, he crashed through the doors, checking his room first. Empty. Making his way to his parents room, he opened it and took a sigh of relief. Bending over at the knees, he took a deep breath.
His father and mother were tied up and thrown on the bed. His little siblings tied to the banister by the bed. Rushing over to his siblings, he removed the bindings and they broke apart, thrusting their arms around him as he hugged them back, checking them over to make sure they were okay.
Standing with his siblings in both of his arms. He watched as Griff ascended the stairs and walked through the door. Griff, seeing what was going on, went over to the bed and untied Joedan's parents. Helping them off the bed, Griff checked both of them over. Their eyes were locked on their eldest son. Was that a sword? His hair was long. He had gotten even bigger since they had last seen him.
Joedan looked at his mother and father, fighting back a few tears, that they were okay. Suddenly, his father caught tears in his eyes making his way over to his son. His mother was a sobbing mess rushing over to the group.
Griff excused himself and motioned to Joedan he was headed back down the stairs.
Making their way down the stairs, Joedan carried his two siblings as they reached the main floor. Walking into the kitchen, Joedan placed his siblings down and made his way to the door.
Descending the steps, he saw Ralph on his stomach, bound. One of the soldiers was getting up after securing the bonds. The soldier approached Joedan, "Trevor," the soldier said, offering his hand.
"Joedan," he replied.
Another soldier approached, one with a bow, "Caleb," he offered his hand as well.
"Thank you both for your help back there," Joedan said, pointing to the aftermath of their battle with the bandits. Griff and Amelia stood off from the main group, talking quietly. Both turned, as they saw him, and made their way over. Joedan shook the commander's hand, a tight smile on his face, a simple nod followed from the commander.
Joedan looked to Amelia, she had fixed her hair in the aftermath. Her mace still fixed to her back. He smiled a big smile at her. She returned it. Taking a risk, Amelia stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Joedan embracing him in a tight hug. Joedan, startled, hesitated before returning the hug.
They hugged for several minutes, until a voice said, "Don't suppose y'all are hungry after all that fightin?"
"Ma," Joedan groaned. She hushed him. "Come now, least we could do after all the trouble these folks went to for us." she said happily.
"No trouble at all," Griff said to her, looking her right in the eyes. He gave her a nod after a moment and she turned back to go into the house. Her husband made his way out to the group,
"Can y'all give me and the boy a few minutes?"