Andrew's POV

Michael and Jack were walking on the other side of the street from Andrew, each hiding a weapon under their cloak. As soon as Andrew spotted the house, they disappeared down an alley out of sight.

A guard was standing outside the front door. It was Robert.

Robert was staring at him as he approached. Andrew said in a deeper voice, "I'm Mr. Davis, the leader of the town council. I learned that the Mayor of Pinecrest is staying at this house, and I want to welcome him."

"How did you know that?" Robert narrowed his eyes at him.

"Mayor Martin is an old friend, we go way back. He sent word to me. Did he not tell you?

"You have to wait here." Robert turned around and went inside the house, locking the door behind him. 

Andrew went to the side of the house. He saw Michael and Jack waiting for him.

Andrew went to the first window he saw. It wasn't locked and it opened with ease. He looked inside and saw a small living room that was empty. He climbed in, knocking over a small table and everything that was on it, making a large crash.

Jack handed him the boy and an arrow through the window.

Heavy footsteps sounded outside the door. The door opened to reveal two guards. Andrew aimed his arrow and fired.

The arrow hit the first guard, making him fall into the other guard, sending both of them to the floor. When two more guards stepped over them to get to Andrew, he brought out his sword, fighting them.

He heard Arthur's voice yell, "What is happening?"

Andrew went forward and stabbed a guard in the neck, but took a cut to the arm in the process. He didn't have time to think about that before the other guard began attacking him. He managed to knock the sword out of his opponent's hand and pushed him into the wall. 

Arthur appeared in the doorway with Robert. 

"Get him!" Arthur shouted.

But at the same moment, a voice from the other side of the house yelled, "The children are escaping!"

The plan was from Michael and Jack to sneak in the house through the back door during the fighting and help the children escape. They must've succeeded.

Arthur ran back the way he came from. Robert looked after Arthur, as if he didn't know if he was supposed to follow him or fight Andrew. 

Andrew bent down and snatched up the bow and loaded it. Robert turned back to Andrew with his sword raised, but when he saw Andrew aim, he turned around and ran down the hallway.

Andrew ran after him, but he disappeared. 

He ran out of the house, hoping to catch up with Arthur and Robert, and hoped they weren't catching up to the children. 

He left his sword back at the house. He dropped it when he picked up the arrow. He only had one arrow and his dagger hidden in his shoe.

He looked down each alley, but he couldn't spot them. He decided to go back to Mrs. Wilson's house because that's where Michael and Jack were taking the children to. 

From a distance, he saw Arthur and Robert peeking through the window of Mrs. Wilson's house. 

He rounded a corner and there was Robert, holding his sword in one hand and boosting Arthur through the window in the other. Robert turned and saw him just as Arthur disappeared through the window. 

"It's Andrew!"

Andrew aimed the bow at Robert, but Robert sidestepped in the last second, making his arrow fall harmlessly to the ground. 

Robert ran towards him. Andrew turned, dropped his now useless bow, and ran.

He ran as fast as he could back to the house where he'd left his sword. He could hear Robert behind him.

Andrew made it to the house. He ran into the room where he'd left his sword. He snatched it off the floor, then dove out of the window, landing on his shoulder. He jumped back to his feet and ran back towards Mrs. Wilson's house.

As he ran, he glanced over his shoulder and saw Robert not far behind. 

Andrew stopped outside of the house, pointed his sword at Robert, and yelled, "This man is trying to kidnap the children in Mrs. Wilson's house!"

People stopped what they were doing and stared. Robert also stopped, lowering his sword and looked around with an angry glare. 

"He is working for a man who is inside threatening to harm the children!"

The people began muttering and looking at each other. One man stepped forward and said, "What's going on here? Who are you?"

"I'm Andrew Wilson, the son of Duke Ben." He pointed at Robert. "Help me stop this man."

Suddenly, Mrs. Wilson appeared at the front door, her eyes wide. She said, "That's not true. No one is trying to steal the children from this house."

Mrs. Wilson was saying those words, but her body was stiff and her tone was tense. Then Andrew saw a glimpse of Arthur behind her.

Andrew started walking to Mrs. Wilson. He saw fear in her eyes, but she didn't say anything.

"The children are safe with me," Mrs. Wilson said, probably because Arthur was holding a knife to her back, or worse, to one of the children's necks.

Andrew changed course and ran straight to Robert, hitting him with his sword three feet away from Mrs. Wilson. Robert's sword met his as their blades clashed over and over again.

Suddenly, he heard the shouts and screams of children coming from behind Mrs. Wilson. The noise distracted Robert, and Andrew was able to knock Robert's sword to the ground. 

They were suddenly surrounded by the guard of Duke Ben. They grabbed Robert. When Andrew looked up towards the doorway, he saw the children beating Arthur's face and head. 

Andrew's father strode towards him as his shoulders arrested Arthur and Robert.

Anne's POV

Anne saw Andrew hugging his father while Arthur and Robert were being dragged away. Arthur seemed relieved to get away from the children. 

When Anne joined the children, they gave her a hug. 

"We did it, Anne," a little girl said. "We stopped the bad man from hurting Mrs. Wilson."

"Yes, you did. And I'm very proud of you. All of you were very brave and strong."

Anne straightened and looked around for Andrew. he was surrounded by his father's men, who kept asking him questions. The ointment must have done its work, because he looked like her had his strength back. She hoped he didn't reopen his wounds during the sword fight.

Finally, the men stopped asking him questions and he started walking towards her,

"I'm glad you didn't get yourself killed," she said as he approached. Should she hug him? There were too many people around so she just smiled and said, "I'm very happy you were able to defeat Robert. How are your injuries?"

"They feel good." He gave her a smile.

Anne suddenly noticed a red line of blood on Andrew's sleeve.

"Your arm." She took hold of his wrist, lifted his arm, and pushed up his sleeve. "Is it bad?"

"Just a scratch."

"It doesn't look deep, but you should still bandage it."

"I will." His smile was gentle as he stared down at her. He brushed the back of his hand over her cheek, and his gaze went to her lips.

She saw Duke Ben walking towards them from the corner of her eye.

"I think it might be best if we take Arthur to Pinecrest and put him on trial there," the Duke said. "I will question the town council and anybody else who might've been helping him."

Ann said, "I have some papers hidden that might prove Arthur was stealing money."

"Have you lived your whole life in Pinecrest, Anne?"

"Yes."

"You must know a lot of people there."

"I do."

"I will need someone's help on forming a new town council. Would you help me?"

"Yes, of course."