Part LXIII

The whole mansion was in uproar, the maids were running and panicking. Joel went straight to the little duke's rooms. The child was standing at the window and was trying to see what was going on. His nanny was sitting in the room and knitting. She looked calm and was focused on her work. As soon as Joel entered, she lifted her head and looked at him, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

"Has the war broke out?" She asked indifferently.

"Never know, I'm here to protect your chastity madam, and little duke's life." Joel smiled watching the older woman blushing.

Nathaniel turned away from the window and approached Joel.

"Why do you have so many knives?" He looked with curious eyes at Joel's weapons.

"I like fighting with them." Joel responded.

"Will you show me?" Nathaniel looked at him with sparkling eyes.

"Sure, if you want me to."

Just then a loud bang interrupted their conversation. Joel swiftly moved to the window, it was hard to see anything. The loud bang sound was repeated a few times and then for a moment it was awfully quiet. Joel looked at Nataniel. The little boy was standing still but he was scared. Joel touched his cheek.

"It will be fine, there are many excellent knights fighting out there. We all will protect you." The child nodded and Joel turned to the nanny who was visually anxious.

"Is there any place you could hide?"

"There is a secret room behind the closet." She pointed at the heavy wooden piece of furniture.

"Hide there. I'll go and check what's going on. I will knock three times and then two times. Do not make any sound until I'm back." Joel was fixing the knives behind his belt as the nanny opened the door of the closet and went inside with Nathaniel. Joel made sure the room had no traces of people, he took the toys and the knitting work as well as a tray with thea and cups. All this stuff he carried to the next room and headed to the exit.

He barely managed to get to the hall whe one of the knights bared in followed by two other men. Joel immediately threw one of his knives. He hit the assailant straight in the throat. The man fell to his knees and with a gurgling sound he fell to the ground. The knight looked at Joel who slowly moved towards the next opponent. The other one saw how his commared just died so he was watching Joel's every move. Joel threw two knives one after another, the man dodged the first one but the second got him in the eye. A painful shout followed and Joel quickly cut the man's throat. The knight was watching all this motionless.

"What's going on?" Joel asked, pulling his knives out.

"There is a whole fucking army out there. They have blown the gate and part of the wall. We are surrounded by them. half of the men were killed or buried under the rubble." The knight took off his helmet and it was the black haired one. What was his name again? Right, it was Theo.

"How much time do we have till they reach here?" Joel asked.

"Any moment now."

"Is there a chance that we could escape with the duke?" Joel was quickly thinking about a way out of this situation.

"I'm not sure. It will be hard. They will look for our little duke. That's why they are here." The knight was looking blankly at Joel.

"Come on, let's go." Joel hurried back to the room. On the way he was trying to come quickly with an idea. They will be looking for a young boy. All knights will be killed and so will be the nanny. Escaping with the little boy might be impossible. Joel was thinking frantically what to do. The house was almost empty, most of the maids were gone, the remaining ones were trembling with fear.

"I need some servant's clothes." Joel grabbed one of the girls who obediently showed him to the story next to the kitchen.

Joel grabbed both male and female clothes. He even found small ones perfect for a little girl. Theo was close behind him watching his actions.

"What are you doing? Where is the little duke we need to protect him to the end." Theo hissed with anger.

"Watch and learn, cause I won't be living forever to teach you." Joel was running back to the room where Nathaniel was hiding.

He knocked in the bespoken way and the door opened.

"We need to change clothes, all of us and we need to do it quickly." He ordered.

They were all cramped in one room with the rest of the kitchen stuff, hiding under the table. The sound of heavy steps echoed in the corridor and Joel heard his own heart pounding like crazy. They were all here Theo, the nanny Miss Olivia and Nathaniel dressed like a girl. They were lucky as another young girl was with them, aged ten years or so together with her mother. There were also three more maids, sobbing loudly.

Before they agreed that they will pretend to be a family: Theo was a gardener, Miss Olivia was grandmother of the "little Ann" and Joel, well he was the mother wearing maid's clothes.

The door flung open and five men went inside. All of them were clad in black colored armors. Joel was hugging his little daughter and Theo was embracing both of them, like a caring father.

The man leading the trope was a tall guy with white short hair and a thick scar on his cheek. His gaze landed on them immediately and Joel felt chills. He needed to perform well or else the duke's son would be killed and Joel promised to keep him alive at any cost. The other men behind him were holding swords in their hands ready to attack any minute.