Get down to the crowd

Even though her instincts screamed at her to wait, gather her strength and strike when she's more prepared, an opportunity has presented itself and DEBUG_HERO had to seize that opportunity. In all her studies, all the generals of old always said the same thing, if you have an opportunity to press, press it. DEBUG_HERO never really understood why, 'Wouldn't being prepared be the more important goal?' she thought.

But for once she decided to act, giving herself time to prepare will also give those who are against her time to prepare. Yes, the ordinary guard will be complacent, but those who are in charge that can move reserves and plan for different outcomes will have time to prepare. Right now they just sent a patch to temporarily close a hole, yes it wasn't the most efficient but it wasn't meant to hold forever, just stall and give them time to prepare. DEBUG_HERO jumped down, pushing her way through the crowd to get up closer to where a line of angry merchants and caravaneers were already in a shouting match with the guards.

"I am a respectable merchant, I have papers from both the Guild and the Crown, let us pass!" Shouted one of the merchants, dressed in fine clothing. Across of him stood two wall guards, fairly young with lost expressions, trying their hardest to control the crowd. Other people shouted wanting to understand what the delay is or why are they even get delayed.

"Please people, just stay in line, go one by one and we will be done with this no need to get angry" One of the guards called to the crowd, "These orders come directly from the King" he shouted. 'The King?!' DEBUG_HERO was caught off guard, who dared to call himself king instead of her father?

"I have been standing her with my goods for an hour already" Shouted another fat merchant, "I have to get to the river ferry before sun down" he added, annoyed at the guards refusing to listen to him.

"You can't even tell us what or who you are looking for, maybe if you did this could've been faster" shouted a different woman from the crowd, many others followed, sharing the same sentiment and tone. Some people started to push the guards, DEBUG_HERO was actually surprised by that since when aren't the common folk respecting the crown guards? And push over this, not even something big. The guards retaliated, one of the people was hit with the pommel of the guardsman's sword in the head. Now the crowd got really angry.

DEBUG_HERO hesitated, the guards themselves most probably had no idea what was going on, and just received an order to funnel the crowd. They were youths and most probably just doing their duty as wall guards. But she understood this was her chance, she had to get out of the city, and the only way she currently saw was by giving the guards something else to deal with. She picked up some horse manure that was piled up on the road and threw it at the guards. Others soon followed chugging horse manure and rocks at the guards, shouts and emotions swelled. There were people trying to hold the gathered civilians from getting too violent, but their words fell on deaf ears, the crowd turned into a mob.

The mob rushed the two guards that tried to keep order and quickly ran towards the gate, there were hundreds of people flooding the guard positions. DEBUG_HERO couldn't but notice how unprepared the guards are for this outcome, they must have been so keen on finding her they neglected properly setting up how to deal with the crowd. There were only a few dozens of Wall Guards, and less than ten Royal Guards who inspecting the people who were let through, but this number couldn't hold the crowd.

DEBUG_HERO's left side hurt as she ran to the side of gate, trying to find a small opening to squeeze through before the order to close the gates would sound, luckily for her, but unfortunately for both the mob and the guard, most people headed straight to a confrontation, arming themselves with different tools and with the swords of the guards that they already overpowered.

Nobody even looked at her as all the guards that were present, both Wall and Royal, ran to deal with the angry mob. She managed to sneak past the gate with a few other individuals and was outside the walls in a few seconds, it was surreal by how easy it was for her. She was unable to not to think about the civilians and guards who were now getting hurt and most probably killed.

But right now, the setting sun was ahead of her, the heavy portcullis of the gates were closing behind her and the first leg of her mission to get out of the city was over.