Oh dear. He had not been prepared for that sort of reaction at all! What was this silly lass about? Surely, a harmless kiss on the cheek had not caused her to swoon so! Or did she have some illness he wasn't aware of? Concerned , Laighean returned to the door and knelt down, reaching through the bars , "M'lady?" He touched her leg, which was the closest thing in his reach, " Are you alright?"
No response. Laighen pursed his lips and frowned. He glanced down the hall in both directions , looking for guards. One would be due back to his post near his cell very soon and if they saw Aella here...
"Guardian preserve me. " He sighed and stood up. Key still in hand, he slipped it into the lock and opened the door to his cell, carefully and as quietly as he could. Aella's body was partially in the way and so he could not open the door wide enough to get through comfortably. He squeezed though though and shut the door quietly behind him. Then he knelt down beside Aella. He studied her face for a moment then took her shoulders gently in his hands and tried to shake her awake, " M'lady, wake up. Wake up!" He pleaded with her in a hushed , urgent tone.
Alas, Aella was out cold!
Laighean lifted his head, glancing left first and then right anxiously, expecting a guard to be in sight at any moment. He sighed and tugged on the patch of hair on his chin that he prided in naming his "epic beard" (which was really more like a baby goatee but one couldn't argue such silly points with him!).
What to do? He could not linger outside his cell , he couldn't stay in the cell . He should just leave, but he could not leave Aella here. Her dress was getting dirty! And he didn't want the lass getting in trouble on his behalf! He also wanted an excuse to put his hands on her but that really wasn't the driving reason here!
Without further delay, he gathered the lady into his arms, slung her over his shoulder and carried her off down the corridor, passing one cell after another. Most of these cells were empty though one of them contained a shady looking man who reached towards him through the bars as he passed, " Escapin' , eh? Help a fellah out."
Laighean ignored him and kept moving. He would regret his action in a moment.
"OI! GUARDS! THE BLOKE THAT ASSAULTED THE DUCHESS'S DAUGHTER IS ESCAPIN'!"
Laighean cursed and broke into a run, rounding the hall and crossing into another. Around the bend stood a guard who, hearing the prisoner's yelling , had come to investigate. When he saw Laighean carrying Aella, his eyes bulged and he started drawing his sword. "STOP!" He commanded but Laighean wasn't about to .
"Sorry. I'd love to but, " He kept charging forward, bull-rushing the unprepared guard and knocking him aside, " I'm kind of in a hurry!" The guard staggered up against the wall, slightly dazed. He recovered quickly though and chased after them, calling out as he ran, "HELP! A PRISONER IS ESCAPING!"
Never once losing his speed or momentum, he rounded yet another corner. And he could hear the clinking sound of armor resounding off the stone walls behind him and the pleas of damned prisoners for freedom as he passed each cell.
He rounded one more corner and came face to face with an imposing man in quite fancy looking armor with a sword drawn. Behind this man stood two knights each with their swords drawn as well. These knights stood between him and freedom!
Laighean skidded to a halt and stood well enough beyond their reach.
"I advise you to put Lady Aella down and return to your cell," The knight spoke in an almost regal manner , strong and commanding . It reminded him a little of Draven.
"And if I did, you'd see me hang afterwards. I don't think so. I've got a better idea. Stand aside or I'll kill her. "
"Monster!" One of the knights behind the commander snarled.
"You're unarmed, " the commander smirked, "you're in no position to make such threats."
Laighean sighed and mumbled under his breath, "Forgive me, mother." Then , he lifted his right hand and concentrated, calling upon the forces of nature, upon the element of water and ice from just beyond the door outside. Gradually ,an icy glow licked his fingertips, springing up like blue, ethereal flames.
"The hell!? He's a mage!"
"That's right. I'm a big, bad scary mage! Now, kindly get out of my way before I case a spell on you!"
The two knights behind the commander did move, intimidated by Laighean's bold display of magic despite how minor it was. The commander, however, remained where he was. "I won't let you take her."
"So be it. " He'd gathered just enough energy to cast a minor freezing spell, a frozen mist spraying forth from his fingertips and enveloping the man's limbs.
"What!?" The knight commander tried to move but he was so sluggish that by the time he'd regained circulation and movement in his arms and legs, Laighean had gone!
Laighean ran up the stairs and , much to his dismay, he emerged within the lower levels of the castle proper. There were servants and guards...guards EVERYWHERE. He sought hiding place behind a pillar near the far wall. This was a more isolated corner of the room where he could pause to formulate a strategy on how best to proceed with his escape.