Tahra took up the lead, having a silent argument with Logan who reluctantly took up the rear, just in case the sealed hatch did not stay that way. The tunnel, as Ian had said, lead to the outskirts of the city. Tahra held up her hand to signal to the others to stop, her elven hearing allowing her to hear the distant footfalls of soldiers, no doubt searching the city for her. Silently she drew the bow off her shoulder, leaving the arrows in her quiver for now. [color=CCFC00] “Stay here. If I’m not back in a few minutes head to the forest, the elves are still your safest option.”[/color] Before Logan could argue with her Tahra had left the safety of the tunnel. She stayed in the shadows, moving silently as she stalked the soldiers on patrol, looking for her and her companions. They were the only things standing between them and the safety of the wilderness outside the city. There were five of them, she could go back for Logan but despite the man’s military prowess he had a hard time being quiet and sneaky. No, it would be better for her to handle this herself. Tahra climbed atop a house that gave her a good vantage over the soldiers, waiting until one of them started to straggle behind the others. Stealthily she dropped down behind the soldier, he hadn’t even heard her feet hit the ground just inches behind him when suddenly he found his air supply cut off by Tahra’s bow. He struggled and Tahra fought hard not to lose control of the situation, his body eventually falling limp once he had suffocated to death. Tahra drug his body into the shadows, relieving his body of his coin purse Tahra moved on to the next soldier. [hr] Logan paced irritably at the entrance of the tunnel. Tahra hadn’t been gone too long, but ten minutes felt like an eternity. [Color=008080]“You two can go on if you want, I’m going to wait for the Princess here.”[/color] Logan drew his sword when he could hear someone making their way straight to where they were hiding, he pushed the small boy back further into the tunnel. [hr] Tahra had taken four of the soldiers down without incident. One left to go, but he had just realized that he had not heard from his compatriots in some time – it was too quiet. He turned around as Tahra was making her approach to assassinate him as she had the others. He lunged at her, knocking her bow from her hands and the two wrestled on the ground. The soldier was heavier than her and eventually had her pinned beneath him, his hands wrapped tightly around her throat, crushing her windpipe. [color=B22222] “The King doesn’t care if you come back dead or alive.”[/color] He snarled at her before running his hand down her face. [color=B22222]“Doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun with you first. I’m sure I’ll be the only man to say he had the Princess.”[/color] Tahra was searching desperately for anything to attack the man with, her hand closing around a brick before she slammed it into the side of his head. She rolled away from him, coughing violently as she tried to gulp down as much air as she could while crawling away, hoping to put distance between her and the soldier. He pounced on Tahra again, infuriated that she had attacked him, she felt a small blade sink into her side. Instead of dropping to the ground as he anticipated she threw her elbow back as hard as she could, hearing the satisfying crunch of his nose breaking. She pulled the dagger out of her ribcage and sank in into the man’s throat before pulling it out, wiping it clean on his uniform before taking the sheath for the dagger along with the coins he had on him. She pressed her hand to the wound on her side and winced, she would have to take care of it later. She wiped the blood off her hand and tore a strip of cloth from her undershirt to stuff into the wound for now. She made her way back to the tunnel. [color=CCFC00]“It’s me! It’s just me. I took care of the guards. Now is our chance to leave the city.”[/color] Tahra didn’t wait for argument, they needed to leave before more guards came. She led them as far away from the city into the woods as she could before she had to stop. They would be safe for the night. Logan built a fire while Tahra sat with her back against a log, holding Jaques in her lap, hoping to coax the boy to sleep. He didn’t need to keep watch, the adults could do that, and he was suffering from a terrible hangover. Tahra stared into the dancing flames, absentmindedly stroking Jaques hair as she began to sing. She had a beautiful voice but there was an undercurrent of sadness to it as she sang, she was singing the lullaby her mother used to sing to her. [color=CCFC00] “Te tye ni túl -o ana túl coiv- yare ni anta ar ni lar- ve a manen anann care- tye mére- ana n? Na- ullúme fárea, na- ullúme fárea? Manen anann - tye mére- ana n? Na- ullúme fárea? 'martime- ni'm tye up ni slip -esse caima yare tye're lorna ana hold tye close ar feel your súle tar'll n- so limbe ana - ni'll -esse a ól- as tye manen anann - tye mére- ana-? Na- ullúme fárea, na- ullúme fárea? Manen anann - tye mére- ana n? Na- ullúme fárea? 'martime- ni'm tye ve tye ráne- ter- sina -esse -o ilya vana tye pole- hendu yare tye're miles au- ar lar- mime óma ve a manen anann - tye mére- ana n? Na- ullúme fárea, na- ullúme fárea? Manen anann - tye mére- ana n? Na- ullúme fárea? 'martime- ni'm tye na- ullúme fárea? 'martime- ni'm tye.”[/color] She gently moved Jaques so she could get up, finding a spot where Logan couldn’t see her. She pulled the cloth out of her wound and winced. [hider=Lullaby] It’s just the song “Lullaby” by Dixie Chicks in Elvish. Lyrics provided below if you’re interested. They didn't have you where I come from Never knew the best was yet to come Life began when I saw your face And I hear your laugh like a serenade How long do you want to be loved? Is forever enough, is forever enough? How long do you want to be loved? Is forever enough? 'Cause I'm never, never giving you up I slip in bed when you're asleep To hold you close and feel your breath on me Tomorrow there'll be so much to do So tonight I'll drift in a dream with you How long do you want to be loved? Is forever enough, is forever enough? How long do you want to be loved? Is forever enough? 'Cause I'm never, never giving you up As you wander through this troubled world In search of all things beautiful You can close your eyes when you're miles away And hear my voice like a serenade How long do you want to be loved? Is forever enough, is forever enough? How long do you want to be loved? Is forever enough? 'Cause I'm never, never giving you up Is forever enough? 'Cause I'm never, never giving you up [/hider]