Brian Pratt - Warrior priest of Dmon-Li

“Don’t be late!” Uther shouts to him.

He glances over to Uther and gives him a grin. To Miko and Jiron he says, “Let’s go.” Leading the horses, they walk away down the street.

The others gather around James as Jorry asks, “What are we to do for an hour?”

“Let’s make our way over near the jail so we’ll be ready when it’s time,” he tells them. Leading the way, he takes them through the streets until the jail comes into sight.

Stopping a little distance away, he turns back to them and says to Uther and Jorry, “You guys make your way around the building and look for any other exits then come back. When we do this, we can’t run the risk of anyone getting away to warn others.”

“Right,” Uther says. Nodding to Jorry to get moving, they begin making their way nonchalantly toward the jail.

James and the rest move to the far side of the street across from the front entrance and try to act like they’re just hanging around, talking. He casts glances over at Uther and Jorry as he keeps track of their progress. As they disappear around the back he gets a little nervous. When they reappear on the other side, he breathes a sigh of relief, even though he knew it was unlikely anything would have happened.

Once they’ve made their way back to the group, Uther says, “There’s one door in the back and another on the side. But that’s it except for the main entrance.”

Nodding his head while he thinks, James turns to Keril and Hinney, the youngest of Miller’s band. “You two go and watch the back and side doors,” he tells them. “Don’t let anyone in or out.”

“No problem,” Hinney says.

“You can count on us,” assures Keril.

They wait until it’s been about an hour since Illan left with the horses. Looking around the gathered faces, James asks, “Ready?” When they all nod in reply, he turns toward the jail and heads to the front door.

Hinney and Keril break off from the group, Keril heading to the side while Hinney continues around back.

James is a little nervous as he walks in through the front door. The same three men are there, this time they’re all over at the side table playing cards.

They look up when James and the rest walk in through the front door. “Here to see the captain again?” asks the watch captain.

James nods his head and replies, “You could say that.”

The watch captain points at one of the others who gets up and begins moving to the holding cells.

James moves to follow and has Uther come with him. He gives Yern a meaningful glance and receives an answering nod.

The guard unlocks the door and precedes them through into the back. “You got company again,” he hollers back to the captain. When he turns around to leave, he comes to a quick stop. Uther’s sword is out of its scabbard and inches away from his chest.

James reaches out and takes the keys from him. “Thank you,” he says.

“You guys are crazy!” the ship’s captain hollers as he comes over with the keys.

“Probably,” replies James, “but we’re getting you out.” When he’s unlocked the cell door, the captain quickly leaves the confines of the cell. Turning his attention back to the guard, James indicates the now vacant cell and says, “Get in.”

As the guard turns and walks to the cell with Uther’s sword in his back, the watch captain and the other guard enter from the other room. Jorry and Yern have their swords out as they lead them down to join their comrade.

“Take us with you!” the other two prisoners plead.

“Sorry,” James says to them. “Only the captain here.”

“If you don’t, we’ll scream and let everyone know what’s going on,” warns one of them.

Fifer comes in from the other room with some rope and cloth. “I’ll take care of this,” he says as he takes the keys from James and goes to their cell. Opening the door, he says to them, “If you yell, I’ll cut out your tongue. Cause me problems, and I’ll just kill you, understand?”

The two prisoners allow themselves to be tied up and gagged with little problems. He leaves the cell and then moves down to the guards where he does the same to them. Once everyone is secured and silenced, they begin moving back to the main room.

“Go get the other two and meet us out front,” he tells Jorry.

“Got it!” he exclaims as he moves to round up Keril and Hinney.

“Now captain,” James says to him, “let’s get to your ship.”

“Didn’t really believe you when you said you’d get me out of here,” he admits.

“Don’t blame you,” says James. “I wouldn’t have either.”

“How long will it take you to get underway?” Fifer asks him.

“Not very long,” he replies.

Out front, they wait only a moment before Fifer returns with the other two, then they quickly make their way down to the docks.

On the way, the captain introduces himself as Merril Hawls. He had an office in the City of Light but is now working out of Pyrtlin, a city on the northern shore. “Once we’re underway, it shouldn’t take more than a day’s sailing before we reach Fairview.”

“That fast?” Fifer asks.

“Hopefully, but I seldom make the run all the way there from here,” he explains. “But, yeah, it should.”

As they near the docks, James is surprised to see that Illan and the others are waiting for them at the dockmaster’s office.

“Any problems?” Illan asks when they approach.

Shaking his head, James says, “No. How about you?”

He pats an extremely fat pouch at his waist and says, “He was there and quite willing to buy. Seems there’s an increase in demand for good horses so he gave us a good price. Of course my sister happened to be there and wouldn’t let him do otherwise.” He breaks into a short laugh at that.

The Dockmaster is standing there with Illan and when he sees Captain Hawls, he asks him, “Thought you were in jail?”

“Was,” he replies, “but these gentlemen arranged for me to be released.”

He turns an eye to Illan and says, “Oh?”

“We needed a ship,” he says, “and no one else was willing to accommodate us.”

To the captain, James says, “We better get underway quickly, before someone comes looking for us.”

“You got that right,” the captain says as he begins moving toward his ship. When he gets close, he starts hollering to his crew. After a brief exchange, his crew hops to it and begins readying the ship to sail.”

“Make sure he doesn’t leave without us,” James tells Fifer.

“Sure thing,” he replies. Taking several of the others, they make their way down to the ship where they cross the gangplank and position themselves on the deck.

“I better be getting over there too,” Illan tells his friend.

“You’re not getting yourself in trouble again are you?” his friend asks.

“Probably,” he replies with a grin.

“It was good to see you,” his friend says, giving him a warm hug.

“You too,” Illan replies. “May not be back in these parts for awhile, take care.”

“I will,” the Dockmaster replies.

“Let’s go,” Illan says to James and the others who are waiting with him.

James says his goodbyes to the Dockmaster too, and then follows Illan down to the ship. As they reach the gangplank, James hollers up to the ship, “Permission to come aboard.”

Captain Hawls comes to the side and says, “Granted, and thank you for that.”

“It’s your ship captain,” James says as he walks up the gangplank. “Wouldn’t want to presume.”

“Be ready in a couple more minutes,” he tells him.

“Very well,” James says as he joins the others. He watches the sailors as they make ready and when all are in position, two of them run down the gangplank and untie the guide lines from the dock. They toss them to others waiting at the rail and then hurry back across the gangplank, pulling it on board after them.