The air was tense.  MacKensie had no idea why these guardsmen were being so incredibly hostile but it felt like one wrong move and someone was going to get seriously hurt.  Anxiety mounted as she watched the woman with the longbow try to reason with the Commander, but it didn't look like it was working.  Brandished swords all around them, MacKensie's right hand strayed ever so slightly to the one-handed crossbow at the small of her back.

"Bit of a cutey pie, aren't ya."

MacKensie bristled up straight, almost letting out an 'eek!' with surprise.  Did she just hear that right?  What in the world was this man thinking, that such a comment was even necessary or [i]wanted[/i] for that matter!  She felt her cheeks flush red, and the embaressment of this made her angry.

"That is [i]not[/i]- I do not..." she whispered but it was almost like a hiss, she was so flustered. Her eyes searched the ground for words, attempting to be proper.  "You are [i]wildly[/i] inappropriate, sir!" She looked around to make sure no one else was hearing the exchange.  "I do not appreciate it.  Now is not the time," she finished, but then quickly added, "Nor ever."

Glad she got that out of her system, she shook herself of the matter and straightened her posture.  She realised she was missing what was going on, until the Commander yelled for quiet.  [i]Oh yes,[/i] she remembered exasperatedly.  [i]We're about to be killed or arrested.[/i]

What happened next, happened so fast.  She was captured some kind of magical energy flowing through her.  The feeling was strange, frightening even, but it wasn't negative.  She looked at her hands and saw the fientest glow around her.  It made her feel strong.  Courageous. As if she could endure anything.

At the same time as this, another guard came and reported that the town was about to be attacked.  This prompted a once hostile Commander to do a complete 180 and ask them for help.  Before MacKensie knew it, he was running off to the gate.

The young woman was stumped.

"Assuming any of this is real…we should do the right thing and help these people," said the young man with the fishing equipment.  MacKensie listened to his words.  "But we should be alert, and stay close to each other. These guards will probably turn on us once this is done, and we'll need to work together."

Yes.  She could do this.  [i]They[/i] could do this.  Hell, with this magical energy she felt flowing through her, she could do anything!  She drew her crossbow as quick as a flash, and looked at it.  It was not the kind of bow she was used to, and this would be nothing like the Olympics, but as long as it fired properly, she could use it.

"He's right," she said strongly, stepping forward and gesturing to the young man who was now walking off toward the gate.  "These people need our help.  And there's children here, I have no doubt.  If we have the means - and some of us have certainly been given them - then we should defend their lives."

As she looked over them, she made an effort to keep her chin raised and shoulders back, like her father would.  Her father was a strong individual.  She'd always admired him - tried to live up to his expectations.  Graduating. A gold medal in the Olympics. These were the goals she had set to begin doing that.  But now, in this moment, she had to step up.

As her gaze washed over the big buffoon with the sword, her expression soured.  She mouthed 'Jerk' at him as she turned about and followed to catch up with the first of them toward the gate.  The fisherman looked like he might have been younger than any of them.  But he'd showed his bravery already.  She fell into step beside him and gave his shoulder a squeeze of comraderie.  "Let's do this."