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a calloused hand and
rubbed away a running tear with a finger. "There,
now, darlin'," he soothed, "we told you to expect
this, didn't we?" He glanced back at the guard's
crumpled and still form, lying halfway down the
stair; at the man's head, that rested at that
unnatural angle, like the bloom of a flower broken
from its stalk after the raging of a storm. Duril
tilted his head again to O'Cuire, who was readying
his rope. "Why, the worst is behind us. Before you
know it you'll be safe at home again, warm in your
bed."
The girl shook her head furiously, blinking back more
tears, trying desperately to be brave for this man
who loved her. Duril moved with her back toward the
window. She began to tremble once more. "I can't do
it," she sobbed, "I just can't do it." Her shaking
grew worse, and she buried her face in his chest.
He pushed her away and held her at arm's length. "Now
you listen to me, girl. You are going to go down that
rope, and another one yet, so get used to the idea."
Timeras anchored the grapnel and tossed
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the rope coil out the window.
"Now, then, me an' Timmy'll be with you all the time,
but we have to go now, while we can. And when you get
over that outer wall, you start running. Don't look
back. No matter what happens. The horses are in a
little hollow due east, just inside the forest, so
you head right into the sun. Home is in that
direction, too, a ha'-score days' ride. You mind me,
girl. You keep going! Timeras an' I have been in
worse pinches than this, an' we've come out grinning.
We'll come out of this one." His words meant well but
the finality of his tone did nothing to convince her.
O'Cuire tested the line, then jumped back from the
opening as something cracked on the wall just
outside. He grimaced. "Company."
Longshanks swore. "I'm cursed tired of this." Taking
up his bow, he nocked an arrow and stepped to the
window. "Take this, you rat bastard," he muttered.
They heard a faint outcry a half a heart's beat
later.
"Right." Timeras said, grabbing the girl into an
embrace. "Enough o' this." He looked into
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