"Have we had a report from the lookouts yet?" Zander asked, entering a buzzing room where the computers had been found. He stopped looking around, finding Alyx in the milling crowds.

"Hey, there you are," Alyx called, "we found weapons through there..." he said, pointing at the room through the archway. "Everyone is gearing up. Ready for combat at ..." he checked the countdown over one of the computers. "six hours."

"Fantastic," Zander said, "but here is what I want to know ... have you heard from the lookouts?"

"Not in the last thirty minutes," Alyx frowned, "that is odd ... it should have been every fifteen minutes."

"Where is the boundary guard?" Zander asked, walking out onto the porch.

Alyx glanced around, "I guess they're getting gear."

Zander leaned on the railing, "This is not the Old Way," Zander shook his head, "get them out here, alert and disciplined."

Alyx disappeared, leaving Zander to inhale the scents of the meadow ... blood and sweat. His eyes snapped open. That was the scent of fear.

"Boundary Guard, you are to withstand the incoming terror," he bellowed.

Spilling out of the house came members of the Guard lining up along the boundary. Zander narrowed his eyes, scanning the shadows for movement. Silence met his hearing ... there ... the sound of thrashing feet through the grass. Alyx joined him at the top of the stairs.

"Kelsie is coming," he said, "as soon as her parents stop trying to pamper her. Your girls got a hot temper."

Zander smiled, "You have no idea."

Kelsie appeared next to him, strapping her sword around her waist, her chest crisscrossed with weapons and her utility belt dripping with more.

"Glad you could make it," he said, "what took so long?"

"My mother didn't want me to fight," she whispered. "She is scared I may get hurt. I asked Dad to talk some sense into her. What is coming?"

"I don't know, but someone is running, fast," Zander said, finding and pointing out the shadow.

"Hold," Kelsie called, "reveal yourself."

"Kelsie," Kim screamed, "Casimir is engaging at the river."

"Kim," Kelsie whispered fearfully, "Casimir was her elder brother until he murdered the entire family. She got away because she could crawl through a vent, making it impossible to get to her."

"Get her in here," Zander called, "shield her. Is that all that is bad about this guy?"

"His name is his motto," Kelsie said, "it means destroyer of peace."

"So it's a fight to the death," Zander nodded, calling to the line, "defend against all intruders."

Turning to the house, his voice rose into a battle cry. A gap opened, letting Kim run through two knives flew after her.

"Kim duck," Kelsie called, twisting Zander out the way, knocking the one knife to the ground, "into the house," Kelsie commanded the girl as Alyx deflected the second incoming knife.

Brethren streamed out of the house, clashing with the forerunners from the river attack.

"How many are we looking at?" Zander called.

"I don't know," Kelsie said, "it's too dark I cannot see."

Suddenly light flooded the meadow, blinding those attacking and giving the defenders the advantage they needed.

"There are more coming over the mountain," Kim called from the far side of the house, "they're heading for the roof."

Kelsie pulled herself onto the roof without hesitation, running straight at the first of the intruders. Ruthlessly she disposed of those raising a blade to her, twisting away from a punch. She felt the slice of a knife across her arm, quickly deflecting the sword; she spun to dispose of the next person in her view instead, a leathered arm caught the edge of the blade. The supposed attacker's blade drove into the intruder, attacking from behind.

"Your Majesty," he nodded, "I hate cowards, don't kill my men and women. We're here to help you."

"Where did you come from?" she whispered.

"The trees," he said, giving a shrill whistle before stepping in front of her and moving through the coming forces.

Kelsie turned, sword raised to find a little over twenty people. With a quick bow of their heads, they ran into battle with a roar. Joining them, Kelsie moved over the side of the house, helping the troops on the ground. She could see the new arrivals garbed in Old School brown leather in the light. Working her way through the attackers, Kelsie made her way to the foot of the stairs. Kim was doing everything she could to keep anyone from getting onto the porch. Zander remained at the top of the stairs milling down anyone who thought they could get past.

Kelsie worked toward joining him; not allowing anyone to get into Jezebel's House was the key to their success and continuing life. Ducking a descending knife, Kelsie drove her sword home, spinning away from a kick that should have sent her flying into the railing of the house. A meaty fist met her bruised jaw. Pain sliced her face, down her back, making her eyes water. Recoiling a few steps, she ducked the second one taking in the thickset, muscled giant facing her. Sucking in her breath and ruthlessly ignoring her fear, she squared her shoulders ... his name fitted him well Casimir, the destroyer of peace.

Kelsie watched him closely, he may be strong, but he was clumsy and too heavy to be fast. Making him all brawn and hopefully little brain. Kelsie watched him lumber toward her trying to move out of the way of his swinging sword. He pulled a knife weighing it in his other hand. Suddenly a circle formed around them. Kelsie saw Zander's eyes find her, anger flare before his voice carried across the space.

"Alyx, defend my position," running along the railing, he flipped over the fighting landing on his feet, in front of Kelsie, his two swords crossing and deflecting the downward swing of the sword. "Go," he shouted at Kelsie, "now."

"Guard to your Captain," Kelsie called, moving toward the house's stairs, delivering a blow to an attacker trying to strangle Kim. Pulling the girl with her onto the porch of the house. An array of weapons lay on Jezebel's table, "pick one and defend yourself."

Turning, Kelsie stayed a sword that would have fatally injured Alyx. He nodded his thanks as he used the post to swing around, dislodging another attacker trying to get into the house. Behind Kelsie, she felt movement. Glancing over her shoulder, she found her parents, Cal and a number of the old Guard filing out, dripping in the old leathers and the black hooded capes.

"What are you doing?" Kelsie called.

"Our duty," her mother said, "defending the house."

Kelsie moved down to the last step as two unfriendlies came toward the house, one had a sword, but the other pulled a gun from his belt. Kelsie deflected the blade, drawing her weapon from its holster and firing into the man's leg. He went down on one knee as she drove the sword through the first attacker. Blood oozed down his leg, yet he raised the gun again, aiming. Kelsie did not hesitate. Lifting the gun, she fired again. The man fell, lifeless. There was a blooming red hole in his forehead, the pistol still gripped in his hand, his finger squeezing the trigger. A sudden silence fell as his gun fired blindly into the fighting. Kelsie watched Casimir look through the crowds to the felled man, bellowing in rage, tossing people left and right as he made his way toward her.

"Kelsie," her mother called, "get out of there."

Keslie felt the world become small, focusing on the giant coming toward her. Taking two steps up, she leveled herself with the man. Lifted the gun, shooting three times. He gasped, first holding his chest and then stopping suddenly pitching forward into a scattering crowd. Keeping the gun at shoulder level, she waited.

The whisper floated around her, "She shot him." She waited on the bottom stair, Alyx at her side, ready to protect her should anyone refuse to surrender. Zander broke through the gathering crowd, pointing to a few of Casimir's men.

"Roll him over," he said, breathing heavily.

They moved forward, struggling to roll the heavy man over. Finally succeeding, they stared in silence before looking toward Kelsie.

"Anyone else want to argue about who owns this house?" she asked, scanning the surrendering attackers. "Take them back the way they came and strip them of their weapons."

"Is that the Old Way?" someone asked from the crowd.

"That is the way of the Order," Kelsie called, "now comply."

She watched as Casimir's men were rounded up and stripped before the long walk across the meadow. Zander joined her on the top step, indicating Casimir's body being dragged along by his men as they were moved toward the river.

"Nice old school double-tap," he said, "Connie teach you that?"

"No," Kelsie shook her head, holstering her weapon, "my father did."

"Nice shooting, kid," her father said, sliding his arm around her shoulders, "I'm glad you didn't forget your training."

"I did for so long," Kelsie whispered, "being here brings back many memories."

"Kelsie," Alyx called sounding desperate, "need a little help here."

Kelsie turned at the panic in Alyx's voice. Kim's eyes were darting everywhere, jabbing with the knife at anything that moved.

"I got this," Kelsie said, attracting Kim's attention, "Hey Kim, want to get a drink?"

The woman panted as though she had been running in fear for a long time, "Stop him... have to ... stop him."

Kelsie moved quickly as Kim jabbed in Zander's direction. Grasping her wrists and moving behind her, Kelsie hugged Kim, restraining her movements with her own body. Alyx pried the knife from her shaking hands.

"He's gone, Kim," Kelsie whispered, "close your eyes. Breathe, remember we're getting a drink. He is nowhere close to you."

"He is coming, running ...cannot stop him," Kim sobbed.

"Did you hear the gun?" Kelsie whispered, cradling the hysterical woman, "if you heard the gun, you know he is dead."

Kim gasped, trying to get air, "Casimir ... dead? Is it true?"

Zander nodded as he watched Kim's reaction, "It's true. They drag his body away right now."

Kim bowed her head, gasping, "Where?"

Kelsie slowly released her, walking her to the railing and pointing to the panting men dragging the heavy body. Kim grasped the top of the barrier, watching them until they were out of sight before bowing her head, the sobbing starting in earnest. Kelsie moved to take her inside, but her mother was there before her.

"Allow me," she smiled, "you have duties to perform ... and that bruise is going to be larger than before."

Smiling, Kelsie whispered, "Thanks Mom."

Walking to the railing, looking over the body covered meadow. Remorse sat heavily in her chest.

"Find our wounded or dead," she whispered to Zander and Alyx, "treat everyone with dignity, for it is the way of the Order."

"What happens if they are Casimir's men trying to complete their mission?" Alyx asked.

"Complete ... you mean to kill you while you're helping them?" Kelsie said, turning from the railing, "They chose their fate. Defend yourself and those around you."

Zander nodded to Alyx, "I need to attend to her wounds."

"Can't a medic do that?" Alyx asked.

"She refused them earlier," Zander said, "she took a beating in that fight and needs to be seen. She will not argue with me."

"I will carry out the cleanup," Alyx said, "plus have a guard protecting the proceedings."

"Get archers on the roof with night vision," Zander said, "who is that?"

Turning, the two watched a group of leather-clad warriors stop at the bottom of the stair.

"We're reporting for duty," a tall red-haired man said, "we were told to report to the head of the Guard. I'm assuming that is you, Zander."

Zander narrowed his eyes on the two waiting men, "No, it cannot be. Jase and Ty?"

The two knelt right fists over their hearts, followed by the rest of the group. Zander met them at the bottom of the stairs extending his hand and arm open to the elbow.

"I accept your company as part of the Guard," he said, "meet my second in command, Alyx."

Both men accepted the arm, "I shall leave you to Alyx's gentle care. We will find all of you a place to sleep and something to eat."

"Zander," George called urgently, turning and meeting Kelsie's father's concerned expression, "it's Kelsie. Now."

"Excuse me," Zander said, running up the stairs into the house, following George to the rooms he was to share with Kelsie, "what is it?"

"She refuses anyone entry," he whispered, "I think something is wrong, and she doesn't want anyone to know what it is. Not even me."

"Damn Connie and her perspective," Zander muttered, "let me see if she will open the door."

"Please try," George whispered, moving away.

"Kelsie," Zander called through the door, "please ... let me in."

"I don't want anyone with me right now," Kelsie called, "please leave me alone."

"You know I cannot do that," Zander said, concern racing through him. She sounded weak, hurt, "if you do not open this door, I will either break it down or find another way in."

"Zander, please," Kelsie's voice whispered, "I don't want anyone here at the moment."

"Do I need to count?" Zander asked.

"I'm not five," Kelsie muttered.

"Don't make me treat you as though you are," Zander said, waiting.

"It's not pretty," Kelsie said quietly, "I'd rather attend myself."

George returned, handing Zander a large medical box packed with supplies. Nodding, he left Zander to the duties of his heart.

"I have medical supplies," Zander whispered, "please, Kels ... open the door."

Silence followed until a click was heard. Opening the door, he walked into the room. Closing the door behind him ... stopping suddenly at the sight of Kelsie, his heart stuttered in his chest, and his blood ran cold.