Owin #13 — Out a window

Owin quickly returned to the storeroom where Gwen stood over the Steward and the guard. She held the guard’s weapons loosely in her hands.

“I knew you’d come for me. I knew it. I refused to tell them anything because I knew you’d get me out.”

Owin held back the response he wanted to give her, instead he nodded his head. “We’re not out of here yet and we are fighting time.”

After looking around,Owin set down the weapons he was holding and moved toward the guard. Kneeling down, he rolled the guard over and out of the pool of oil from the jar Gwen broke over his head.

“What are you doing?”

“I need his tunic,” Owin said as he tried to lift the man’s upper body. “This is not easy, especially with a larger man. Believe me, I know.”

Gwen quickly set down the sword and dagger she held and went to Owin’s side. With her assistance, they removed the guard’s belt and oil stained tunic. When the man started to regain consciousness, Gwen grabbed another jar and broke that one over his head as well.

“You might end up killing him if you keep that up,” Owin said, uncertain if he cared. The man may have harmed Elsin, and if he had, Owin would come back later and end the man’s life himself.

<!–more–>Gwen’s expression hardened. “He…he was not nice to me.”

Owin nodded his head and then slipped the oily tunic over his head. With luck, no one will notice or they will just think I spilled dinner all over myself. Picking up the belt, he quickly fastened it. Gwen had gathered the weapons and handed him a sword and dagger. He slid the weapons into their scabbards. “Give me the other ones.”

“What should I carry?”

Owin shook his head and walked over to a shelf and put the weapons up high and out of sight. “I’m going to try to escort you out the front gate, so you don’t get to carry anything.” Seeing her expression he added, “The weapons are marked with the Lord’s House. We can’t keep them.”

She nodded her head. “I’m sorry for this, Owin.”

He smiled at her and then patted her on the arm. “We all screw up sometimes. Let’s get out of here.” Grabbing a jar from a shelf, he walked closer to the Steward and dropped it on the back of his head. The man flinched and then returned to stillness. “We don’t need him following us.”

Owin led the way up the stairs. At the top he stopped for a moment to listen for any sounds. Hearing nothing, he took charge and pushed the door open. If anyone was watching, he could not appear to be hesitant, that would only draw suspicion.

Stepping out into the dimly lit hall, Owin looked both directions. He wanted to get outside into the darkness as quickly as possible. In any lighted area, someone might realize he was not a guard. In the darkness, assuming there were enough men hired to protect the estate, it might be possible not everyone would know everyone else. At least I can hope.

He would prefer to use the exit he was certain of, but if the men who stood guard when he was escorted into the house remained, he would not be able bluff his way out. So instead of heading back toward the servant’s dining room, he turn the other way down the hall to the far door.

By his estimation, he should be close to the corner of the building. Opening the door, he glanced into the room and found it to be a bedroom. A woman sitting in a chair with her back toward him lifted her head up and started to turn toward the open door.

“My apologies, ma’am, just checking to make sure things were alright. Don’t trouble yourself,” Owin added, quickly shutting the door before the woman could speak. Damn it.

Moving back toward the cellar, Owin quickly opened the first door he passed that faced the back of the house. This lead to a small sitting room. Owin could see windows on the far wall and the outline of an open doorway on the side wall. Pulling Gwen through the door, he quickly closed it in case the woman had the gumption to get up and check the hall.

Leading Gwen toward the open doorway, they passed into a well furnished bedroom.  Many windows lined the back wall and fortunately, no one was present.  Unfortunately, there were no other doors.

“How many gates are there for his property?” Owin quickly asked. “Is there a back gate?”

“Yes, mainly used for deliveries.”

He noticed Gwen looking back toward the doorway.  “We’re going out a window,” he said quietly.

Gwen nodded again and followed Owin as he examined the large windows. “Do you know whose room this is?” he asked.

Gwen pursed her lips. “Perhaps the butler. The important servants have these rooms is all I know.”

Owin was impressed that the house had glass windows for servants. The amount of wealth this Lord held had to be immense. He lifted the window and then used a wooden stave from the sill to hold it open.  Sticking his head through the opening, he looked at the distance to the ground. He also checked for the presence of any guards. Finding it clear, he pulled himself back into the room and motioned Gwen closer.

“It’s a good drop; I’ll have to lower you down.”

“I ready for it.”

Hearing noises from the outer hallway, Owin helped Gwen climb up onto the windowsill and slide her legs out into the darkness. Holding her hands, she spun around and Owin slowly lowered her down as far as he could before using one hand to untangle her dress from the sill. When her clothing was free, she let go and dropped the short distance to the ground.

Now hearing actual voices, Owin quickly climbed out the window and worked his way down the outside of the house until he hung from the windowsill by his hands. Fortunately, he was taller than Gwen was and only had to drop a similar distance.

His stolen blades made a small noise when he landed, but he did not wait to see if the sound would draw anyone’s attention. Spotting Gwen’s form in the darkness, he moved toward her and grabbed her hand. “Which way to the back gate?”

Continue to next episode.