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Wellington ignored her “Who knows, perhaps we’ll have a bit of luck and Old Boney’s snoozing away hi”
They occupied the courtyard quickly The infantry open treats frostones Even Josephine ate a bit of hardtack They never noticed the oiled portcullis sliding closed behind them
“Nothing?” came a familiar voice It echoed round the courtyards, a boney voice with no , and they will crush it! You are nothing, ton, and so are the rest of you! Toy soldiers for babies to gnaw on! Allez! Allez!”
Out of every crevice in the Parsonage, every cranny in their lovely old home, the Gondaliers came They leapt down from the walls and poured out of the s They swarrates Bonaparte himself, all bones and rifles and chicken, soared down froton on Marengo’s back The rooster crowed green fire Copenhagen roared blue foam Charlotte and Emily screamed Crashey and Gravey screaun
Charlotte leapt off Copenhagen and ran for the gate that lead into the depths of the castle Emily darted after her They kept their heads low, took cover behind barrels and racks and infantry lines Branwell and Anne Branwell and Anne That was all that mattered Get to them Get to them fast Chaos exploded around the, li barricades and bayonets charging Their boys tried to get into formation in the hurricane of it all
Then, lightning forked across the clear, cloudless hts of Gondal knocked down the gates of the Parsonage in one blow Charlotte and Ehts sprinted toward the fight, laughing, cheering each other on, firing electricity fro acid from their mouths like tobacco juice One of them had an eyepatch One had a waistcoat made of newspaper One had skin of ash, with fire beneath, and a sword that flashed in the sun
“Oh, Rogue,” whispered Eazine Man”
Had they volunteered? Had they been forced? Emily didn’t suppose she’d ever know She wasn’t even sure whether or not itfor her, and if they remembered that she’d once been kind to each of them, they didn’t show it
Glass Townall around the andSickly green lightning struck over and over again Charlotte stared over the horrible scene Frogs and limeskin troops and men made of lace and fireplace pokers and felt hats and soap cakes layHer mind wanted to run away, but her heart would not A calm, amused, ridiculous voice rose up inside her They’re all ot in our house Bookends and powder and book bindings and books and bones and pottery and arazines and lie because we played their parts in every game Wait till I tell Dr Home
They were pinned down behind a stone pillar An ar keeled over and clattered down beside theates was blocked
“All right,” Eo ho to her sister She could feel soainst Charlotte Soo after Bran and Anne! I’ve had a thought! Oh, where is George? I want his horse!” She laughedher letter so dom for a horse!’?”
As though he’d heard them, Lord Byron’s ho
rse galloped across the battlefield His furry hair flew in the wind and he looked for all the world like an illustration of a hero in a fairy book E Byron skidded to a halt beside their pillar
“Get off!” she yelled over the clash and clang of it all
“Excuse you,” Lord Byron huffed “She’s my horse, you know”