Now, all they needed to do was wait for dinner to be prepared and served by the temporary chefs. Among the bandits, there were a dozen who possessed cooking skills. They were organized into three groups of four, with rotations every two days. This arrangement ensured that there were always fresh meals being prepared for the group.

 

"Dinner is provided to all by nightfall, and the granary is left unprotected five minutes before that, as all the bandits go for supper," said Edward.

"So that is when we will commence?" asked Nathan.

"Yes, as they say, strike the iron while it's hot," said Edward.

 

Half an hour later, Edward and his men approached the unguarded granary and entered it. Instead of going there for food supply, they headed toward the cages where the captives were held. As they entered the view of the captives, the children started crying and the women began cursing. It was a terrible sign of the torture they had endured. Edward and his companions paused at this sight as the chaos continued. With some courage, Edward decided to move forward and addressed them, "Attention!" he commanded.

 

The cries and curses quieted down as the women turned their attention to him. Edward continued, "I am Edward Plantagenet, son of Earl Thomas."

 

The women gasped with shock as they heard the last line.

 

"I am here to rescue you all from this hell. I've prepared the necessary setup for you to escape this place," he explained.

 

"How?"

 

"Please tell us!"

 

"Save me!"

 

Many voices started coming from the cage.

 

"Okay, let me explain."

 

Edward went on to explain his plan to the women and asked them to tell the children to act according to the plan, even though he didn't expect much from the kids.

 

"We will do as you ordered," a woman, probably in her twenties, with tattered clothes and dirty blonde hair, said.

 

The once somber and despairing faces of the women now held a glimmer of hope, and who could blame them? Edward had become their beacon of light.

 

"So, prepare yourselves!" Edward proclaimed.

 

The women began to collect stones, selecting the sharpest they could find. Edward carefully unveiled his meticulously crafted last pouch of Wymon, placing it gently on the ground. The women stepped forward, ensuring their stones were coated in the potent paralyzing poison.

 

As they listened to the bandits' voices, engaged in their communal prayer before supper, Edward took swift action. He led the women to a concealed spot at the edge of the cave, where they could remain unseen by the bandits. However, before leaving the cave, Edward and his knights had to convince the women to leave their children behind, as they would only hinder the plan. In the end, the women counted to around 70.

 

As the bandits started eating, signifying the countdown to Edward's attack, tension filled the air. After a couple of minutes, Edward whispered, "Just a few more seconds."

 

Then, unexpectedly, a teenage girl with disheveled black hair, likely a result of the nightly torture inflicted by the bandits, charged toward the bandits with her stone, screaming in defiance.

 

This audacious act startled both Edward and the bandits. The bandits scrambled to arm themselves, but the girl drove the stone deep into one of the bandit's eyes. The bandit screamed in agony as the girl continued to stab him while shouting, "For my mother!" "For my father!" "For my little sister!" She relentlessly attacked for a few more seconds before breaking into tears and leaving the stone deeply embedded in the man's chest. Edward realized that his plan had been botched as Victor, the bandit leader, ordered four men to investigate the girl's escape. Victor himself, wielding a broadsword, advanced and swiftly decapitated the girl.

 

The gruesome scene of the girl's decapitation had left many of the women horrified. Some couldn't contain their revulsion and vomited, while others wept silently. Edward understood that they had little time to process this shock. With every passing second, the four bandits investigating the incident were drawing closer. In response, Edward and his knights extinguished their torches and concealed themselves in the shadows of the cave.

 

As the four bandits approached, each knight silently ambushed one of them and swiftly ended their lives. The women, witnessing these covert actions, began to calm down somewhat but were still trembling with fear. Edward sternly addressed them, "If you don't summon your courage today, you will endure a lifetime of regret. These men will continue to torture you, have their way with you, and eventually sell you to a slave trader, treating you as mere objects until your dying day."

 

His words seemed to have an impact, as the women quieted down further, making an effort to remain silent.

 

Victor's impatience grew as he waited outside the cave, pondering why Edward and his group hadn't emerged yet. He had dispatched four of his men to investigate the circumstances surrounding the girl's escape. In his mind, that girl could have fetched a handsome sum, likely around £50-£60, if they had managed to dress her up and sell her to a foreign slave trader.

 

Growing increasingly concerned, Victor called out to Marcus, one of his trusted men, "Marcus, take nine more men with you and find out what's taking Pierce and his men so long. We can't afford any unnecessary delays."

 

Marcus nodded in acknowledgment and quickly assembled his group of nine men. Together, they set off toward the cave to discover the cause of the delay and ensure that everything was proceeding according to their plans.

 

Inside the cave, Rufus observed, "It appears more are on their way, perhaps twice the number we dealt with earlier."

 

Edward turned to the women and asked for their assistance, although he was aware that their skills were limited, and this would be their last attempt to weaken the enemy before a full-scale frontal assault.

 

Inside the cave, as the bandits ventured into the shadows, they met their swift demise at the hands of Edward and his knights. However, the inexperience of the women in the art of battle became evident as a few muffled screams escaped while they attempted to silently eliminate the bandits.

 

As the skirmish intensified within the dark cave, Edward couldn't help but think, 'So, this is where it all begins.' The women, despite their earlier fear and inexperience, had resolved to fight for their freedom. Edward positioned them in an aggressive formation, with his knights leading the charge to protect them.

 

On the opposing side, Victor, realizing the betrayal, gathered his bandits for battle. He stood at the center of their formation, ready to confront the unexpected threat. The bandits entered the cave, armed and prepared for a fight. What they didn't expect was the sight of women armed with stones, some even displaying a mocking attitude.

 

The realization hit Victor hard, and he immediately shouted to his men, "We've been betrayed! Prepare for battle!" The two groups collided in a chaotic clash, with women hurling stones and bandits swinging weapons. Unfortunately, the women suffered heavy casualties as the battle raged on, their numbers quickly dwindling to around 40. In contrast, the bandits seemed to have sustained fewer casualties, with the majority of their losses coming from the actions of Edward and his knights.

 

As Victor's legs grew stiffer and his movements slowed, his thoughts raced. Panic gripped him as he realized that his comrades were experiencing the same immobilizing effect.

 

A voice from nearby remarked, "Huh? Why is my legs getting stiffer! What! They can't even move now."

 

Victor struggled to look around and saw that his fellow bandits were in a similar state, their limbs becoming increasingly unresponsive. Desperation set in as he tried to defend himself.

 

Victor managed to stab a charging woman in the neck with his weakening arms. But soon, his strength gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, paralyzed.

 

As he lay there, a young voice cut through the chaos, saying, "Seems like it worked."

 

With the knights and women continuing their attack, Victor's mind raced with regrets and questions.

 

'Where did it all go wrong? Was it when I deserted the church? Was it when I formed this group? Was it when I plotted with the baron?'

 

But in his immobile state, introspection was futile.

 

A final thrust of a sword pierced Victor's chest, and he coughed up blood. Struggling for words, he managed to ask, "Who are you?"

 

The reply came softly, sealing his fate.

 

"Edward Plantagenet."

 

And with that, Victor's life came to an end, leaving only the victorious, yet somber, group led by Edward Plantagenet amidst the grim aftermath of their battle.