"Last time I saw you, Manning," the man drawled, twirling his knife, "you were working on your pop's little farm." He smiled, showing far more teeth than necessary. "Now you travel in the company of Princess Lilyra Evilliana herself. You've gone up in the world, huh?"

Joan kept the blade of her jakhri pointed at him as she eyed the ones behind her, an arm in front of Lilyra to shield her. They were surrounded. Great. "And you still can't give me a moment's peace, can you, Graham?"

Graham chuckled softly, flipping the knife to his other hand. "A lot has changed since you left, but you're feisty as ever. Shame we're not interested in you."

Lilyra's hand had frozen on the hilt of her dagger, halfway out of its sheath. She longed to draw it fully, to brandish it like it might make a difference. Would it? Likely no. But they were surrounded, and two against...a lot? Little chance of escape either way.

Anlyn, give me strength. In a single, smooth movement, she drew her dagger and held it aloft, blade glinting in the dulled moonlight, bracing herself. Just in case they weren't interested in taking prisoners either.

They didn't attack.

Instead, they did possibly the most humiliating thing they could have done.

They laughed.

"And what do you plan to do with that toothpick, sweetheart?" One of them said, moustache twitching as he laughed. They were laughing at her. It took a few seconds to process it. They underestimated her.

She wondered if that would change when they realized that she'd lodged her dagger into the man who'd laughed loudest. Right into his gut. He screamed, bone scraping against metal.

Joan's eyes widened a bit, and a slow smile spread across her face. "You have impeccable timing."

Graham bellowed "Get her!"

Lilyra snatched her dagger from the man's gut, and blood coated the blade. She tried not to think about it too much, and didn't pay attention as he fell to the ground, gasping in pain. The others rushed them all at once. Dodging was her new best friend, and she grabbed Joan's arm to pull her into a sprint.

They weren't trying to harm Lilyra. They were trying to grab her, restrain her. Like she was some unruly prized goods that were useless if damaged. Ransom, then.

Joan threw herself into the horde, carving a path through them, her viciously curved jakhri blades swinging and slicing in deadly arcs. But Joan wasn't using her magic. Why? Lilyra slashed her dagger across the hand of a man who'd latched onto her shoulder, then ducked under the reach of another, dancing out of the way.

There were too many, and two couldn't keep up the pace forever.

Someone struck a quick blow to the back of Lilyra's knee, and just like that, she crumpled to the ground. Instantly, they were on her, holding her down, yanking the dagger from her grip as she thrashed.

The man - the ringleader - hauled her to her feet, then barked at the others "Kill the nuisance!"

Strong, he was so strong as he pulled her away from the fight, and it was getting harder and harder to crane her neck, praying they'd give Joan the mercy of a quick, simple death-

Thunder cracked above them as lightning split the sky, and Alina was there, shoving a rapier through the ringleader's chest up to the hilt. For good measure, her fist smashed his jaw, sending him to the ground in a heap, blood bubbling at his open lips.

Alina put a foot on his shoulder, yanked her rapier free, then looked to Lilyra. "Did he hurt you?"

"Doesn't matter!" Lilyra said, pointing to where Joan was barely keeping out of the hands of the mob. Some lay wounded at her feet, but the effort of keeping as many as she could from swarming Lilyra had her strength flagging. Her teeth gritted, and as she gave ground, step by step, Lilyra didn't think it was a ruse this time.

Alina got the idea and moved for the nearest attacker, who turned to face her and lifted his longsword. She feinted for his chest and struck at his leg, faster than his heavy blade could follow, leaving a deep puncture that had him dropping, hands grasping to cover the opening as blood poured from it.

Lilyra moved to pick of her fallen dagger, skittered far to the side when one had caught up to her. As she did so, shouting voices neared, and armored men rushed for them - Siluman townsguard, she realized, relief flooding her entire body.

Seeing the guards, most of the would-be kidnappers disengaged, not wanting to deal with the force of the law, slipping off into alleys.