Protector of the Line

Lowering her hands, Sannil’s lips began to tremble, as the first of many tears started rolling down her sweat-covered face. She had worked so hard to break free of the stiff bonds that held her, only to be caught in the act by her captors once again. Until that moment Sannil had been fairly optimistic about her chances of escape, but not any longer. The orc had beaten her. As the impact of her situation began to strike home, the cries beneath her hooded veil grew louder and louder. “Be quiet, damn it! You’ll wake the guards,” said a hushed voice, but by then the flood gates within her prison had been released. “Why should I care if my sobbing keeps them awake?” the princess hiccuped between quivering lips, as a firm set of hands worked to restore the strings of her captivity. Yet before she could expand upon that single-minded line of reasoning, the hood which had isolated her over the past few days was ripped off and placed forcibly against her mouth. “ This is very important,” the voice continued. “I need you to pull yourself together and be quiet! I don’t know how long we have until the orcs will wake up.” In the next instant Sannil ceased breathing and the night fell deadly silent. Could this be true? Blinking her eyes in rapid succession, a sudden gulp of air infused her body as she attempted to remove the bitter waters which hindered her vision and regain her minds focus. Yet the man who stood before her left the princess feeling dumbstruck. What is he doing here? Shaking her head, Sannil felt certain that their encounter must be a product of the druid dreams, but the warm touch of his hand soon disproved that notion entirely. The druid had said that someone was coming to rescue her, but in her mind she had always assumed that someone would be Rothgar. As the young ranger began cutting the bonds that held her feet in place Sannil tried unsuccessfully to flash an appreciative smile. How did he find me? Within seconds of their release, blood began rushing into the under used appendages, and the pain that she received was so intense it nearly caused her to scream. She hadn’t stood on her own two feet in days, and the nerves inside her skin were sending out streams of discomfort as they revolted from the neglect the orcs had placed upon them. In the hope of regaining mobility to the affected areas as quickly as possible, Sannil sat upon the hard ground and began moving slowly back and forth as though she was taking a stroll within the caste grounds. The tiny pins and needles that wracked her body each time her legs extended begged the princess to stop, but the freedom of movement she now enjoyed felt wonderful. Looking about the encampment, Sannil was happy to find the orcs still sleeping soundly in spite of the commotion that she had raised. She was far from ready for an encounter with her captors just yet. Suddenly, the familiar feelings of despair which had greeted her each day since her long ordeal had begun were lifted like a new-day’s dawn upon her windows landscape; replaced with a smug sense of satisfaction. She had done it. She had gotten free. “It’s time to go,” a soft voice hummed against her ear, and the man pointed toward a thin weathered path. Nodding, the princess placed her hands against the ground and attempted to rise, but the support which they offered wasn’t quite enough. Though her mind may have been willing, her body was still being less than cooperative. Reaching upward with an outstretched hand, Sannil grabbed a branch from a small tree. She had little more than placed her weight against the sapling when the bough began to break. Yet before the princess could feel the sting of her mistake, the strong hands of the stranger grabbed hold of her slender body and gently lifted her upright. The ranger had moved so quickly that she hadn’t seen him coming, and the princess immediately began blushing from the close contact. Stepping aside to regain her composure, Sannil began striding through the encampment in the opposite direction with the soft shuffle of her rescuer’s feet following frantically behind. “What are you doing?” he asked. “The way out is back there!” The heat within the ranger’s words concealed little about the displeasure he felt toward her actions, but at that moment she didn’t care. She was grateful for whatever assistance he might yet provide in making her escape, but she refused to accept the idea of leaving her weapons behind. They may have been but a gift from the old weapons master, but the attachment that drew her to retrieve the ancient relics was much more than that. Sannil felt a responsibility to keep them safe from foul beasts such as these, and an orc above all other of God’s creatures was definitely unworthy of their possession. Besides, if the orcs ever caught up to them she would need something to defend herself with, and the princess could think of nothing better to do so with then the light handled blades. Pulling her belongings from the tattered sack that held them, Sannil felt better than she had in days, and after a cursory inspection felt a smug grin of satisfaction begin to work its way across her face. It’s all here, she thought happily. The orcs haven’t misplaced a thing. In the next instant a muffled groan rang out, causing Sannil to turn toward the noise with a start. Directly behind her the ranger stood with his short sword buried up to the hilt in one of her captor’s neck. His free hand closed about the orc’s lips like a vice until well after the creature had released its last breath. “Was that necessary?” she asked. “Unfortunately, yes. Now let’s get out of here before the rest of them wake!” “Why not just kill the rest of them now?” she asked calmly, unable to see the gravity of the ranger’s actions in the soft moon light. “I seriously doubt that I could kill fifty orcs in their sleep without alerting at least one of them in the process.” Fifty! She had only seen five. Maybe it would be wise if they did as he suggested. Strapping the belt about her waist in a well practiced motion, Sannil signaled to her rescuer that she was finally ready to depart, and the unlikely couple crept out of camp just before daylight.