Café de Nuit

When the horse regains its feet, he turns and gallops hard for the cabin.

Adam wrote:When the horse regains its feet, he turns and gallops hard for the cabin.

Jumping the mare over the man sprawled on the ground, Alfonse gallops her toward the vineyard fence.

He spots two other horses standing with their reins held by a man on his side (outside) the fence, under a tree.
Alfonse recognizes the fellow of Aldron's party of assassins.

He seems to see Alfonse coming, but has not actually yanked his sword or moved clear yet.

Alfonse will guide the horse around the man, trying to stay out of his reach.

Adam wrote:Alfonse will guide the horse around the man, trying to stay out of his reach.

He must veer left or veer right.


Aldron Folbre gallops after him, swinging a sword...

Bitterly regretting not paying more attention during horsemanship lessons as a youth, Alfonse pulls the reigns the left.

ewancummins wrote:

Adam wrote:Alfonse will guide the horse around the man, trying to stay out of his reach.

He must veer left or veer right.


Aldron Folbre gallops after him, swinging a sword...

NORTHSIDE OPEN SPACE




ALFONSE spurs the mare, surging out of sword's reach.

He rounds the north corner of the vineyard grounds, spots the tree that he knows conceals the secret tunnel...

A woman bursts from under the branches. Elissa Holbin, in the mannish clothes GERTIE lent her.

Running straight into the path of Aldron Folbre!


IN THE TUNNEL

GERTIE


After running through the black cellar and into the secret tunnel (Tom has no trouble finding it), the three fugitives and the dog continue down the escape passage.


But GERTIE hangs back at the near end of the tunnel.

She fumbles in the dark, grabs the hilt of one of her climbing daggers, and feels along the doorframe with her off hand.
Finding the hinge, she rams the tool into the crevice just below it.

Even through the door she can hear the pursuers coming.



TOM

Elissa made it out.

GERTIE has just done something to the tunnel door that connects with the cellar.

Not believing his good luck, Alfonse pulls up next to Elissa. He offers her a hand. "Quick! They're right behind me! COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!"

Adam wrote:Not believing his good luck, Alfonse pulls up next to Elissa. He offers her a hand. "Quick! They're right behind me! COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!"

A dark horse thunders past Alfonse on the left.

Aldron in his opera mask.

He leans in the saddle, sword switched to his left hand, and seizes Elissa by her tunic.

She screams as the villain drags her onto the neck of his running mount.

ewancummins wrote:

Adam wrote:Not believing his good luck, Alfonse pulls up next to Elissa. He offers her a hand. "Quick! They're right behind me! COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!"

A dark horse thunders past Alfonse on the left.

Aldron in his opera mask.

He leans in the saddle, sword switched to his left hand, and seizes Elissa by her tunic.

She screams as the villain drags her onto the neck of his running mount.

Just then, Tom and GERTIE run out.

They peer out under the oak that screens the tunnel mouth and see two riders moving past the north slope of the vineyard outskirts.

One looks like Alfonse.

The other, whose face they cannot see, carries Elissa , screaming and kicking , before him.

"Gem! Gem! Sick him! Get him!" Gertie cries at the dog as she runs like a madwoman after Elissa! She grabs her dagger and once close enough, throws it at the horse, not the rider!

"Elissa!"

Tom runs towards the masked man's horse that has Elissa and getting his bow shoots an arrow at the horse.

VAN wrote:"Elissa!"

Tom runs towards the masked man's horse that has Elissa and getting his bow shoots an arrow at the horse.

Tom unleashes a volley at the horse.


It bucks.

Elissa tumbles to the ground.

The rider wheels, stoops and snatches for the lady.

steveflam wrote:"Gem! Gem! Sick him! Get him!" Gertie cries at the dog as she runs like a madwoman after Elissa! She grabs her dagger and once close enough, throws it at the horse, not the rider!

Gem ignores the command, and runs in a circle, barking furiously.


Gertie's dagger hits nothing but the dirt.

She rushes the masked rider, but bounces off the animal's flank.
The sprint and the hard impact leaves her sprawled in the grass, wheezing and unable to help herself or Elissa.

THE FIGHT

read ALFONSE sees it all unfolding before him, a rapidly shifting scene accompanied by hoofbeats and barking:

Aldron riding away with Elissa as his prisoner.
Tom and Gertie desperately trying to down the villain's mount.
The horse bucking.
The lady falling in the moonlight, hitting the earth.
Aldron reaching for her, wheeling his steed.
Gertie slamming into the horse and falling down.



Then Otho , remounted, comes clopping around the edge of the vineyard.
The man spurs his horse straight at Gertie.

And now Elissa, heedless of her own safety, is trying to drag GERTIE clear of the enemy riders!

EARLIER


DAMIEN suggests to FILD and TITUS,

" We should try the Frisky Friar. If something went wrong, they might be waiting there for us."