Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Rudolph and Isadora, Part 34

After a minute or so sitting on the bed with Alisen, Rudolph stood up.
     "I'm going to try and get these thugs out of my room. You stay here. Rest a bit."
     "Rudolph, if you think you're just going to leave me here--"
     "Stop, Alisen. You're worn out. Just stay on the bed." Alisen relented with a glare, and flopped onto the threadbare pillows. Rudolph took the arm of one of the men- Ern, probably, he thought - and tried to drag him into the corridor. Rudolph got Ern a few feet toward the door when Ern's limp body got stuck between the bed and the dresser. As Rudolph tried to get him un-stuck, Alisen said,
     "Hey, Rudolph. I'm sorry for getting mad. But it was totally justified. I can't believe you thought I'd be safer in the cave!"
     "Look, I explained in the note. Taliss is now going to be combing the countryside for me. If she finds me - us, now - we both die. If you had just stayed in the cave, she would rarely be there because she'd be out looking for me, and if I did get caught, you'd be safe. And if I didn't, I'd bring back help to come get you. You have to understand - I thought it was the best waaaaaaa--"
     With a large tug, Ern came free and nearly flew across the floor, and Rudolph fell back onto his rear.
     "Oh, for goodness sakes, Rudolph. This is pathetic. No wonder you got captured by Taliss." Alisen hopped off the bed, heaved Ern onto her back, which seemed far to tiny to support Ern's large figure, carried him out the door, and dropped him at the end of the hall, several feet before the top of the stairs. She came back into Rudolph's room and looked up at him. "You gonna get the other one, or should I carry him out too?"
     Rudolph reddened, and quickly muttered, "No, I'll get him." With difficulty, Rudolph heaved Al onto his own back, and trying hard not to trip, he just managed to get out the door before he had to put him down.
     Coming back into the room before Alisen could see that he hadn't managed to get even halfway down the hall, he shut the door behind him, and Alisen locked it,
     "So that they can't get back in. They'll probably be waking up pretty soon." Grinning, she added, "I don't envy the headaches they'll have."
     Rudolph smiled briefly, then grabbed a blanket from on top of the bed and spread it out in a corner of the room. "You take the bed," he told her.

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