I picked up a shovel that was lying in the cart with me and crept up behind one of men just as he was about to stand. I crowned him with the shovel and let loose a bellow and charged the other. His face went completely white and he turned tail and ran for all he was worth. No doubts he thought the dead have come back to avenge themselves upon the living. I looked down and Williams body and collapsed to my knees beside him. I could not tell if he was alive and I almost started burying him again when an urge overcame me and I placed my hand upon his chest. His heart still beat, but faintly and I could feel him breathing. As quickly as I could I loaded him into the cart and moved got us moving.

The road ahead was dark but I dared no lights incase the other man got his nerve back and came to investigate. Driving the cart blind as I was I never saw the figures that moved out in front of us till it was too late to try and turn or run.

A voice called out something about nobles being out late without an escort and I new we were about to be robed. "Thank Theus! Thieves!" I said and collapsed against the cart. I had already experienced the hospitality of Montaigne nobles, I figured now that we were in the hands of the "underbelly" of society it made sense that we would be perfectly safe. In theory at least.

Lanterns were lit and I got my first look at my new assailants. A man and a woman stood before me. The man was a Montaigne gentleman of middling years. He held a drawn sword and a pistol. The lady was young and fairly pretty. She was also of Montaigne heritage and held a long rifle pointed directly at my groin. Well knowing what would happen if she pulled the trigger I opted for a more final result. I gently took the barrel between two fingers and slowly lifted it to my forehead. After all, a man must have his priorities. The young lady commented that she knew men thought mostly with their nether region's which drew a laugh and lightened the mood.

Instead of being robed we were taken back to their lair where we were treated for our wounds. We were introduced to our captors. Their leader, the gentleman with the sword and pistol was named Jacques and the young lady was Marguerite. We sat and talked about the Viacom. Apparently Jacques had plans for him because he made us swear a vow not to attempt to attack him in any way. Being gentleman we naturally agreed immediately. During our stay the Castillian was brought in apparently also victim of highway robbery.

The Castillian immediately brought his overwhelming charm to bear and succeeded in getting himself in a duel with Marguerite whom he obviously out matched with a blade. Then, to make matters completely worse, instead of merely quickly ending it he attempted to humiliate her by cutting away at her blouse. Then the Castille cut himself and declared Marguerite the winner of the duel, the patronizing bastard! The Castillian has no tact at all and I am still amazed he goes around calling the rest of us barbarians! Of course Marguerite was more than a little upset. In fact she flew into a killing rage and we literally had to completely overwhelm her to stop her from trying to kill the Castille! I should have let her at least stab him twice but it was hard enough to hold Marguerite as it was! She fought like a mad cat and it took three of us to hold her back.

I have taken to calling the Castille a peacock because of the way he dances and prances about trying to make him self appear more than he is. I should not let a man such as he aggravates me but my lord his arrogance knows no bounds! It's hard, but I know I must cease my verbal quips for the good of the group. So for the princess and the success of our mission I will hold my tongue no matter how hard it may be at times. His attitude is horrible and he has no saving grace lest it be he has a fair sword arm and good taste in ladies. Perhaps he shall prove himself to us someday but until that time I will watch and wait before I allow myself to pass final judgement on him. After all, the creator made us all to serve some purpose so he must have a reason to be with us. But it makes me realize that the when they say the creator works in mysterious ways its not just a vague statement thrown out to silence the questioners.

After the entire situation was finally cleared up we settled in and rested up for what little time remained to us that evening. William disappeared when a mysterious summons from Marguerite came to him. He plays with fire with that one, but a man walks his own road through life. Needless to say when we gathered to depart William did not look like he had gotten any sleep what so ever. Jacques presented us with pistols; a sword for me and horses for those who had none.

Apparently I was right about Montaigne, from top to bottom they are completely reversed. The nobles no nothing of honor while the thieves and cut throats of this ass-backwards land are honorable and just. I will be glad when we leave its boarders!

We rode out from Jacques' hidden lair and made for the road and swifter travel. We rode into a small town that had grown in population very recently. Apparently while we were laid up healing our wound's the Emperors Musketeers were hot on our heels. In fact they had passed us up and arrived in the village ahead of us! We slowed our ride and I lowered the brim of my hat to cover my face a little more as did the Castillian, but it did no good. As we rode up a gentleman wearing the emblems of a captain of the Musketeers hailed William. The Captain began questioning William as to his comings and goings and when William told him where we were headed he asked how we could have gotten past the road block a ways back. I knew we were done in at this point and I also knew that the horse I had received from Jacques would not be able to out run a Musketeers horse if it had been in the best of health and not on its last leg. One of the Captains men reached for William's reigns as the Captain asked us to unhorse and come join him for a cup of wine.

Apparently William, the Castillian, and I all had the same train of thought as we all bolted in different directions! William made a mad rush through the Captain's men scattering them every which way and riding his horse right up onto the wooden walkway in front of the buildings! The Castille bolted straight out of town with other Musketeers on his heals. I wheeled my mount and road straight for the Musketeers mounts tethered to hitching post! I dove off my horse flinging myself into the saddle of the nearest horse with a heroic yell. Unfortunately the girth was apparently much looser than I thought because the saddle slid clean over dumping me in a heap on the ground between the other horses tethered there. Not exactly the glorious escape I wished for but at least I was hidden for the moment.

I climbed quickly to my feet and rushed to another horse and started to swing up into the saddle again when a Musketeer rushed up and tried to pull me off. I wheeled my mount but I could already feel the saddle sliding on this mount as well. Theus' apparently was in a joking mood this day as the horse reared I felt the saddle sliding back over its haunches and dove away as the horse rolled onto its side. I stood up just in time to receive a nearly point blank shot from the Captain him self. The ball tore threw my side spinning me clean around and knocking me onto my back. I clamped my hand on the wound as it oozed blood between my fingers. I fought to remain conscious as I climbed under a building like a wounded dog going to die. A Musketeer followed me under and I thought I was done for as I heard him cock back the hammer on his pistol when suddenly there was a girlish scream and a loud crack as the Musketeer tried to force his head threw the floorboards above us. Apparently a largish rat had crawled across his free hand.

As I dragged myself to the far end of the building I heard what sounded like horse's hooves on the floor above me and a loud yell followed by cursing and crashing about. When I popped up from the opposite side of the house William was in the process of knocking a Musketeer senseless and snatching his sword out of mid air as the Musketeer fell senseless from his horse. Of course I promptly commandeered his horse and William and I began riding for the edge of town. We noticed between the buildings the Castillian riding hell bent out of town and apparently taking a passenger along with him as well…