The Absconder- Reaconia Chapter 5

A girl runs away after being forced into marriage, which leads to major discoveries and a journey she never imagined.

 

Five: The Absconder

 

            She seemed to be the only one in misery. She sat nervously in an elegant chair in the foyer of her parents’ humble manor. She had been told exactly what to say, what to do, how to act, what to pay attention to and how to respond. Her parents positioned her to be the focal point of the room upon walking through the door, sitting her facing the entrance, two tall painted vases, candles and drapes of fabric framed her. She felt completely ridiculous. Her mother and father stood to either side of her and her two siblings next to them. Her hands were shaking and her quick breathing made her mouth feel as dry as the air above the far-off land of Pyron. Her breaths were short, restricted by her corset and many layers of unnecessary silk cloth and embellishments. She grew fidgety waiting for the guests who had yet to make an appearance. She looked out a small window, which was streaked with rain; It was just after morning, but the sky was still dark, the gloomy outside an exact complement to what she felt inside of her. She really welcomed their delay, the light rain probably being the cause. The longer this day could be avoided, the better she would feel. Her knees bounced and she glanced around, quitting when she got the heated look from her mother.

            “Rosett, please, this is a very important day for you and for this family.”

            An important day for you, maybe. She sighed; she was only sixteen, and never planned on having to do this in her life. She relaxed into her chair a little.

            “Oh sit up, girl, for the sake of Trea!” Her mother gave a stern swat to the back of her head, then fixed her hair where she had bumped it out of place.

            “I will play my part when our esteemed guests make their arrival,” Rosett said, shortly.

            Her father came to her rescue: “I agree, Katharina,” he said to his wife, “there is no point acting for ourselves.” He undid his belt and relaxed, letting his gut overhang his trousers. Rosett giggled at his expression along with her siblings, who stood with hands to their mouths, covering their smirks, her older brother hiding it better than her wayward younger sister.

            “Oh, Goddard, don't fribble. Would you have the Leightons catch you in your state of temerity?” Her mother said, rolling her eyes at the level of disrespect her family showed. The Leightons were a prestigious family of Highland to the north. She was worried of her family being an embarrassment, especially since the two families were to become one.             Rosett was to be betrothed to Sander Leighton: son of Bolero, the Duke of Highland, and his wife Lanai. Katharina had set up the arrangement, despite all the arguments with her husband and daughter. But this, ultimately, was the best decision for her family, albeit a selfish decision. She would not mind to see her family’s name elevated. She could see the loathing in her daughter's eyes. Rosett looked tired and Katharina could tell that she had been sleepless the night before.

            Goddard took his leave back to the kitchens, followed by his youngest daughter, Cecelia, who has been complaining about hunger pains all morning. Rosett heard a sigh come from her right and looked over to see her brother, Endreas, standing by his mother, bored as could be. His hands were behind his back and he was twirling his thumbs. He looked at her in a way that said she was getting what she deserved; Rosett couldn't tell if he was smiling at her or if it was a sneer. He used to be her best friend, the two would tell everything to each other; but as he grew older, something changed. The trust between them evaporated and they grew distant. He had recently been promised to another as well: Almendra Clara, a girl from across town. He had been smitten with her since he was eight years old, though Rosett didn't know why. Everyone knew her reputation, and the way she threw herself about practically with her skirts over her head. She was a little b***h.

            Rosett and Endreas had talked about this day and what she should expect and should do. If they had been younger, he would have been sympathetic, where as now he was cold and harsh. She confided in him that she did not want to marry, and he simply told her that it is expected of her and she should not complain; no emotion in his brown eyes.

            At least he got to choose whom he was going to wed.

            She missed him, and the way they used to play and run and laugh and talk. She knew her mother was behind his change too. Rosett could imagine her mother talking to him, telling him it was time to be a man and not spend time associating with his sisters and their affairs. She was always scheming.

            Suddenly, they heard the muffled clamor of hooves on the dirt outside and Rosett's heart sank into her stomach. Through the wavy pane of rain-soaked glass on their front door, they saw a train of white horses come to a stop in front of their house. Her mother went into a fit and Rosett felt faint. A hundred things started to run about in her mind.

            “Goddard, Cecelia! Return this instant!” Katharina said. She ran to a small stand in their living quarters and grabbed a looking glass from its top drawer. She handed it to the bride-to-be and quickly knelt behind her. Rosett saw herself for the first time that day and she was speechless. A soft white lead had been applied to her face and her mother had gone through the trouble of rouge and lip color and even a fine charcoal line around her eyes, making them look even bigger than they already were. She looked beautiful and for a moment, became a little less nervous. She held the mirror while her mother adjusted her dark brown hair with chubby fingers. She gave her daughter a look of pride that Rosett had never seen before; there was a hint of a tear in her eyes. Rosett turned her wrist a tiny bit so the mirror held her brother's visage in it, and he nodded to her, making her question once again its meaning. She wanted desperately for it to be a smile and for the two of them to be best friends again. Somewhere in that time, her father and sister had come in: Goddard was fixing his belt again as it strained against his weight and Cecelia held a chunk of bread in her mouth and innocently spun her dress around her, not comprehending the situation.

            They watched multiple shapes dance around each other as they were lining up to come to the door. Rosett saw a tall figure, which she deduced to be her betrothed, with two smaller shapes bustling about him. Her breath increased and her father put a loving hand on her shoulder. “You'll be great, Rose.”

            She said nothing in return, she was too busy hoping and praying that her father would put an end to this at the last possible moment. Instead, he was nudging her into place. The door called them with a knock.

            “Would you answer the door, Cecelia?” Goddard asked, and the girl started to skip away. He grabbed her by the arm, and made her spit out her chunk of bread. “Quickly!” he said, giving her a shove forward. Not knowing what to do with the bread, he placed it in the flower pot, and Katharina glared at him.

            “Be a proper lady, Celia.” she barked, and the girl stopped skipping. She reached towards the door and pulled it open with a slow anticipation. The pitter-patter of the rain grew louder and a wet chill filled the room from outside.

            The lady of the family was the first to be seen, nearly a foot taller than her husband, she had a smug grin and seemed to turn up her nose when she saw the inside of the house and the five faces staring at her. They all bowed at once. She looked to Cecelia, “Don't stare at me with your mouth agape, girl, you already let us stand in the rain.” She  carefully took a step inside, “I thank Trea you at least have an awning.” She and her husband, once in, shut the door behind them, closing it just enough as to not reveal the groom before the moment was right, building the anticipation. A voice could be heard from outside, though; a speech by the sound of it, in practice..

            Rosett gulped and her chest heaved. She had never been this uneasy in her life. Katharina hit her son on the arm when he missed his cue and Endreas jumped to his duties, walking up to them in a practiced formality, “I do hope your travels were pleasant, my lord and lady, and welcome to our home. What is ours is now yours to share. May I introduce my mother, Lady Katharina Sehr.” The two women walked to each other and dipped, Katharina going much lower than Lanai, whose simple gesture was much more magnificent. They exchanged subtle titles. Endreas continued, “and to my father---”

            “Goddard!” a booming voice called out, a jolly voice that could only belong to a stout proud man. Lord Bolero Leighton bolted up to Rosett's father. The double golden chains around his shoulders bounced on his large stomach, which swayed in front of him as he hobbled around, His arms where outstretched and he bounded across the room and hugged the other man, completely bypassing his future daughter-in-law.

            “How long has it been, good man? Two years? Three? Seven? Oh, far too long in any case,” Bolero began, not leaving time for anyone to respond. He kissed Katharina right on the mouth, leaving her aghast and his wife scoffing as he moved on to Rosett's brother. “And you, son, you've grown into a fine young man,” he said to Endreas. Bolero hugged him and he awkwardly stood still, arms held rigidly to his sides. “And have I met this one yet? I think I would remember such a delectable thing,” he said, looking at Cecelia, who twirled her short skirts around her in innocence. She was oblivious to the goings-on around her. Finally he turned to Rosett; not have to look down very far to make eye contact. He grabbed her by the shoulders and brought her to her feet, and she stood frozen. “Aye, you have grown into quite the lovely creature, my dear.” He took her hand in a moment of sincere grace, being very gentle, and her heart slowed, becoming calmer. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “And still a maid I'm sure?”

            The moment was gone. Her heart sped up and she nodded to him quickly with a blush to her cheeks, a nervous lump in her throat.

            Lanai spoke up, “Can we get on with it, husband? I am quite sure the girl wants to meet our son.” She leaned in closer and mumbled under her breath, “And I would like to be quick about finding other accomodations.”

            Rosett was about to protest when her mother spoke up, “Oh, yes, we have all been anxious to meet the young lord. We have heard many great things about him, my lady.” Katharina took out a fan and snapped it open, fanning herself as if she was about to start aflame.

            “Right, well, it is indeed time for our affianced to join.” Bolero turned to Cecelia. “My darling, would you be a sweet thing and get the door?” Celia held her hands in front of her and tottered on her feet before spinning on her heels to skip to the door. Lanai glided to the door as well, her arm outstretched in waiting, expecting her sons hand to grab hers when the door was opened; but no hand met hers. The young man stood on the front step, looking away from the house into the rain, his arms behind him as he practiced his speeches in his head. A dainty cough from his mother made him bolt around in a hurry. He must have not heard the door opened behind him and he immediately made eye contact with Rosett. She gasped in surprise.

            She was not disappointed, and her mood changed yet again, this time for the better. The young lord Leighton’s face was a fair one, with delicate sharp features; deep gray eyes and a strong jaw covered in a thin layer of stubble that matched his light brown hair, which endearingly poked out from under his small feathered hat. He was taller than her brother and looked much more mature despite being the same age. She knew Endreas would complaining about it later. The doublet he wore was a dark blue with golden trimmings and slashed billowed sleeves that added broadness to him. Still, she could tell his frame was plenty full without them. She was taken aback by him, in the best of ways.

            She stepped towards him with a new flutter in her heart. She stared at the floor nervously and started to speak in a soft whisper, thinking of what to say to her future husband. “It is a pleasure, sir, to make your acquaintance. I, um, hope this is all to your liking, my lord,” she said, shyly, never taking her eyes off of the floor.

            He took her by the chin with a smooth hand, and lifted her face to look at his.

            “Hm, you will do, won't you,” was his simple response. There was a moment of silence while he inspected her. “I am sure you'll do well in your duties and uphold my families ways.”

            The moment was lost, he has his father’s manner.

            She was taken aback. “I will certainly do all that I can, Sander”

            “Good, then,” he said with the best smile he could force. He took her hand and kissed it like a chore. His mother gave another false cough and gestured with her eyes for them to go to the other room.

            “We would like to have a moment with the lady’s mother and father, dear Sander. You two go along and enjoy yourselves. I am sure there is much to talk about.”

            Sander extended his arm and offered it to Rosett and she looped her own hesitantly through. She lifted the hem of her blue skirts before making subtle eye contact with Endreas. The pair made their way into the main room. Celia had managed to sneak away and they saw her skipping back into the pantry. Rosett laughed at her little sister.

             When they were out of ear shot, Sander grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him in an unexpected force. “Next time you wish to address me, it will be as Lord Sander, do you understand?”

            She simply nodded her head, startled and at a loss for words.

            “Good.” He smiled. “Now we must talk about your first visit to Highland. I want to be wed right away, get it done before a fortnight has gone. Does that suit you? I desire to have my own estates and be free of my mother and father. It's ridiculous for a man like me to be unwed and still living with his parents. I mean, just look at me.” He gestured to himself, not giving her any time to speak. “You are very lucky. Everything you will ever want, I can give you. Our own manor, money, fame. How do you like that?” He finally gave pause long enough for her to get a word in.

            “My stomach is not constant.” She said, having trouble catching her breath.

            “Too much excitement, I suppose.” He said, and she rolled her eyes at his naivety. “It's quite a big step, but I can see that you will make me happy, and everything I said and more will be yours, so long as I get a son inside of you.”

            Their arms broke connection and she began to panic. He reached for her again, grabbing a shoulder and spinning her around. He took hold around her neck, and next she knew their lips made contact, and his beard scratched her face roughly It seemed like minutes had gone by before he let loose. “It has been ages since I had a girl, and you are very beautiful, Rosett.”

            She needed some air, and stated, “Why don't we take a walk outside.”

            “In the rain? What for.”

            “To be alone, of course,” she flirted, needing an excuse. Maybe she could slap him while he was away from his parents. She could find it in her heart to injure him, especially after what he just said.

            It took all the courage she could muster to not be disgusted when she put her arm back through his. “Come this way.” She led him back through the foyer, past their parents, who were undoubtedly talking about the marriage. The four looked ecstatic, staring at them with huge smiles. Sander followed Rosett like a lion who had just tasted blood and was stalking its prey. “We are just going to take a step outside, mother,” she said to Katharina.

            “Be mindful of your dress, dear.” I'll not be cleaning up any mud tonight,” they heard her call after them as they stepped through the door. It was getting dark outside and the rain became invisible in the air, they could only hear it pattering on the roof above them. She released his arm again and walked ahead of him, stepping onto the road and into the downpour. The cool water was refreshing and her heels sank into the mud. She had heard her mother's warning, but refused to pay any attention to it.

            He stood behind her on the porch, complaining about the rain, which Rosett was fine with. She needed her space. The rain began to flatten her hair and made it stick to her forehead as drops ran down her face. There was a group of trees on the other side of the road that she pushed her way towards, walking away from her house and the man that she was growing to hate with every word that came out of his mouth. She felt mud fill her shoes and pull on her dress.

            She reached the grove and placed her hand on the nearest tree, feeling the rough bark between her fingers, she hesitated before looking behind her. Sander Leighton was still standing on the porch with his hand outstretched into the sky, seeing if it was suitable for him to participate. He took a demure step down onto the first stair, overreacting to the drops that landed on his face and hair. He acts more of a woman than I could ever hope to be.

            She tramped through mud in an attempt to be alone, ruining her dress. Sander hung back like a coward, covering his feather hat from the rain while he tried to find a way to her without having to cross the road.

            He called out to her, “Why don't we step into my carriage?” He jumped to a solid piece of ground. “I just had it refurbished for the trip here, and I'm sure you'll like the luxury.”

            She rolled her eyes. “Is that to be taken that I'm not used to luxury?” Her eyes turned to the horses. The white mares looked miserable in the rain, their fur brown up to the knees and on their bellies. She looked up and caught the gaze of the coachman who sat atop the carriage. He looked equally as miserable, but still nodded to her all the same. She was progressively getting angrier with the Leightons as the night went on.

            “Well, not plainly, though with the state of your life here, I thought it would be.. ah, refreshing to see how I, er, the better sorts, experience things.” He knew he had messed up; she shot an evil glance his way and as he stepped closer she let go of the tree and walked further into the thicket. Is this really worth it? he thought to himself; but, to amuse his parents, he gave chase.

            It was dryer under the grove of trees, which he was happy for. He shaped his hair and fluffed the feather on his hat before putting it back on his head. She was well ahead of him, pushing and pulling her way through the brush.

            He yelled after her, “Wait!” Foolish girl. “Please wait, this is ridiculous!”

            “Not ridiculous, I'm merely acting how 'lower sorts' like me are apt to.”

            “Wait, it seems you mistook me.”

            She turned to him, putting the blame on her was the final straw. “Oh, have I?” She said, right in his face.

            She could tell he was speechless, and watched his eyes dart to and fro. It was clear he rarely had to deal with people standing up to him. His whole demeanor suddenly changed. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something before another thought came to mind and he reverted back to thinking. She turned away, defiant yet again, but this time he grabbed her shoulder and turned her to him. “Wait,” he took a deep breath, “Im sor---”

            He was cut off by a voice coming from the house, calling for Rosett.

            “It’s too late.” she said, and brushed past him back through the woods from which they came. He stood, sulking, his arms hanging at his sides. He hoped it would not always be this difficult.

            Rosett was almost to the clearing by the road when she stopped to wait for him. He was moping behind, staring at his muddy feet with his hands in the pockets of his doublet. She felt bad for him actually, but needed to play the part for just a while longer.

            “Rosett, my dear, where have you gone?” the voice called out again.

            “Are you coming, my lord Sander?”

            Sensing the sarcasm, Sander hesitantly came up to her and she looped her arm through his again, just for show and came through the clearing into sight.

            “Right here, mother! We went for a stroll is all,” she called back, then let her voice fall to a whisper, speaking to her betrothed, all while maintaining a smile on her face. “You should know that I do not want to marry you, in fact I do not want to marry anyone at all. It is not because of you that I have made this decision,” she lied, knowing full well that he played a great part of it, “so don't be heavyhearted. I am not going to do anything that I don't feel is right in my heart, or that I am forced to do. But you will pretend for a while that everything is perfectly fine between us, and tell your parents how thrilled you are and how you had a wonderful time, until you receive a letter from my family.” She already had a plan worked out in her mind.

            He seemed shocked but maintained his composure, he seemed more relaxed since she had told him that it wasn't his fault, “So this is all a game to you, is it?” A smile worked its way across his handsome face as his mother and father stepped out of the house, “And am I supposed to be sad when I receive this letter?”

            “Act however you wish. I think we'll both be happier knowing that we never have to see each other after today.”

            “There is no winning with you, is there?” he laughed, “Intriguing.”

            Katharina had a dumb grin on her face. The meeting between the four parents must have gone well, and she was happy that the two children seemed to be getting along. Her fate was sealed.

            “Oh, Trea!” Lanai called out, upon seeing them. “What in the heavens were you two doing?” She had a condescending look on her face. Rosett saw her mother's smile fade as she looked down and saw her daughter's dress with mud splatters up to the knees.

            Rosett was just about to speak when Sander surprised her, saying, “Don't fret mother, we were just out for a stroll. I hope I didn't cause too much hassle, Lady Sehr.” His charms seemed to work, Rosett saw her mother melt before her eyes.

            Lanai looked Rosett up and down and turned away, “How distasteful.”

            Rosett cursed her silently.

            Bolero came bursting through the door again. “Ah, Goddard, this is a very good thing we have going, and I shall write you very soon! Oh, hello, son, and madam.” He dramatically bowed to the two from up on the porch. “Well, my dear, shall we? “

            “Please,” Lanai exasperated.

            Bolero picked up Celia and squeezed her in a goodbye embrace, though all she did was push away from him in struggle. “So long, sweet thing.” Then he went to Katharina, grabbed her by the face and pulled her in for a kiss. “I'll write you soon, eh!” Then he swatted Endreas on the back as he went down the stairs.

            One of the white horses neighed as the coachman woke them from their rest and ushered them to the front of the house. Lanai was the first to move, tiptoeing in a hurry to the coach, seeming fed up and impatient while waiting for the coachman to open the door. Bolero beat him to it and offered a hand to help his wife into the carriage before going back to where his son stood. He grabbed Rosett's hand and bent his knee as far as was allowed to not get dirty. He placed a small velvet purse into her hand. By the weight there seemed to be a few crags, or maybe even some gems in its clutches. She was shocked.

            “If you need anything else, sweet one, there is no harm in asking. We are glad to include you in our family,” he said. For the first time this evening, she felt moved; her heart warmed at his kindness, and she felt a hint of remorse. He had given her the purse discreetly, so she kept it that way and put her hands behind her back when he released them, hiding it from prying eyes. You helped more than you know, Bolero.

            She stuffed the bag up into the bottom of her bodice, her happiness greater than the discomfort it caused. When her hands were free again, she reached up and wrapped them around Sander's neck in a hug. Her face hidden by his, she whispered in his ear, “Enjoy your freedom for a little while longer. Apologies.”

            To everyone else, it looked like she had simply given him a kiss on the cheek, and once again her mother was beaming. “Goodbye, Lord Sander,” Rosett said. He smiled and turned back towards the carriage, nodding to Goddard and Katharina and Endreas as he went.

            Bolero turned too. “We will see you all soon. Goodbye!”

            “Oh, goodbye, my Lord and Lady, it was a pleasure to see you again. Safe travels!” Katharina called.

            Rosett was still in the road when the coach pulled its way through the mud. She turned as the carriage stopped in front of her and Lanai pulled a window down. Rosett made eye contact with her and gave a curtsey: “So long, madam.”

            “Charmed.” was all she said. Then all that could be seen was the back of the carriage as it pulled away from them, heading out of town.

            Rosett pulled her dress up and worked her way to the house, stomping her feet and brushing off her skirts to release most of the mud that clung to her. The others were still on the porch waving and staring in the direction that the Leighton's went. In a fit of boldness and indecency, Rosett untied the back of her dirty drenched overskirt and dropped it to her feet right on the front porch, being careful not to let the money purse fall from its hiding place. Nobody looked until Rosett said:

            “I'm not going to marry him.”

            Katharina was the first to swing around, red-faced and steaming, while Goddard simply bowed his head in defeat.

            “You will so!” Katharina yelled back to her unappreciative daughter, who was already in the foyer headed to her chambers. “Rosett, you come back here this instant!” she raged, bolting through her house after her daughter.

            Rosett was much quicker, though, and went through her door, slamming it shut and putting the locking pin through the handle to keep outsiders at bay. The door rattled and shook as her mother pounded on it.

            “I've made up my mind, mother,” she yelled over the banging. “He is a haughty arrogant pig, and I will not spend my life with him.” As she spoke, she grabbed a linen bag from under her bed and went to the chest in the corner of her room. She started filling it with clothes and food she had hidden in advance, stuffing the money bag that Bolero had given her into the bottom. Part two of the plan.

            Everything was falling into place so quickly. Ever since she had known about her arranged marriage she thought of nothing but leaving and getting away, and that moment was now here. She needed to be careful how to execute the night. Listening to the sound of the progressive knocking, she figured she was going about it all wrong. Suddenly she felt nervous, scared.

            There were muffled shouts coming from the other side of the door, but Rosett could not understand a single word that was said, though she could hear different voices. It sounded like Endreas was trying to console their mother, and Celia was crying. She was sure her father was still on the porch, with his head hung in shame. This was the second time that night she had to swallow her surfacing guilt. The banging on the door ceased after a moment and she heard footsteps walking away, and their front door close. She pushed her pack under her bed and, ever curious, she walked up to her bedroom door and placed her ear against it, listening. She stood in silence for a moment, waiting to hear something in the hall; she wondered what her family would be thinking, or what they were going to do with her.

            After some time she reached down and placed her hand on the lock of the door. She was confident that her family had left, which would give her the perfect chance of escape, but she just wanted to be sure. She quietly pulled the pin from the lock, her heartbeat the only thing she could hear. She pulled the handle and just barely opened the door to where she could see out. She was shocked to see her father standing against the wall across from her. He was a quiet patient man, so she felt stupid for underestimating him. The next thing she knew, her door flew open as her father darted into the room. She stumbled back out of the way, and for only the second time in her life, she felt herself scared of him. Her mind went back to a memory when she was just a little girl, before Celia was born. Someone had robbed them and lit their house ablaze, and she could remember Goddard carrying her and Endreas in each arm, running through fire. There was so much smoke and heat. When her father put them down in the grass once they were outside, he turned around and screamed, pure anger and hatred escaping his lungs. That was the first time she had been afraid of her father. He had that same anger in him this time as he came at her in a rage, tossing a chair aside when he burst into the room. He grabbed her by the shoulders and talked sternly through his teeth.

            “You will do as you are told, Rose, there will be no more of this!” Rosett could tell that he hated fighting with he; even though he was angry, there was still a kindness in his voice, and pleading.

            “You leave me no choice, papa. If you're going to force me to marry him, I must go.”

            Katharina came into the room then, with the same intent as her husband. “Look at my selfish little daughter,” she said. She always got a patronizing tone about her when she was angry. Now that she had taken control, Goddard shied away. “How can you do this to us, Rosett?”

            “Oh, please, mother, I wouldn't be doing this if you two had just listened to me! I don't want to marry. Especially Sander Leighton.”

            “You're willing to ruin all of our lives, make us the laughing stock in this town, just so you can go running about?”

            “You are willing to ruin my life just so you can sleep better at night. I don't see a difference.”

            Her mother was beat red. “This is how things are done, Rosett, you are sixteen years old, it’s time for you to settle down and have a husband. The Leightons are lords, they are a good wealthy family. You would want for naught, and our family would have everything.”

            “It is not time for me to settle down, mother, the exact opposite in fact. I need to go out and live my life! I don't want to marry!”

            “And what about Endreas and Cecelia?”

            “This has nothing to do with them.”

            Goddard spoke up again, “Oh, you're wrong on that. Endreas was to squire for Sander, on a path that would lead him to knighthood. That was another term of the arrangement.”

            “And the Leightons would secure a future for Celia,” her mother added.

            This was all too unfair. Rosett said, “So all of this was balanced on me then? You're relying on me to save this family?”

            “And look at your dress!” Katharina said, ignoring the last comment. “You betrayed a simple order and made a fool out of yourself and of us on your first impression.”

            Katharina was always great at turning a subject. Rosett rolled her eyes. Her hair was in a mess due to the rain and the fighting, she pushed it out of her face. All she could say was, “I don't care.”

            “This is all we will speak on the matter. You will marry Sander.” And with that she turned and began to walk out of the room. Rosett grabbed the chair that her father had thrown and sat at her table, with her head in her hands, a tear fell down her cheek. She feigned sadness, knowing she would do anything possible to not marry him.

            “Listen to us, Rose, this will all be for the best,” Goddard said, before following his wife out of the room. Yes, everything will be for the best.

            When she got to the doorway Katharina turned to her. “You will stay in this room until we decide what is appropriate to do with you.” Her eyes then caught a glimpse of something under her daughter's bed. “What is that?”

            “What is what, mother? Just leave me be,” Rosett said, not noticing what her mother was staring at.

            “That sack under your bed. What is it, Rose?”

            Rosett sat to attention, in a moment of panic. Her mother could ruin her entire plan. “That is nothing, now would you please just leave me alone!” She sat on her bed, with her feet on the floor just in front of her bag, in an attempt to hide it.

            “You will tell me what it is right this instant!” Her mother said, knowing full well now what Rosett was planning. She darted to the bed and ripped the pack out from under her daughter, peeking inside. “You will unpack everything from this bag right now.” She tossed it on the bed, striking Rosett with the back of her hand.  “I can't believe you.”

            Through tears welled up in her eyes and a pain spread on her cheek, she reached for the bag. Her mother watched her the entire time as Rosett took out her clothes and went and placed them back into the chest. She was again careful about the purse of money, keeping it concealed under a shirt she put away. She kept the food in the bag and handed it to her mother without saying a word.

            Katharina left, and Rosett could hear her trying to figure out how to bar the doors. Her plan had been ruined and now Rosett was a prisoner in her own house. She would have to marry Sander Leighton. More tears came to her eyes and for a long time, she laid face down on her bed and cried the night away.

 

            Rosett opened her tired eyes and realized that she had fallen asleep for a while. The sun was setting and it was getting late. Now that she was stuck in her room, and nested into her bed, she realized that she had made quite the fool of herself. Do I really want to leave? Her bed was soft, and her room was dark and comfortable. She had been so sure that she wanted to run away, but now that everything had been found out, she felt like an idiot. A spoiled, selfish, idiot. And maybe it would be the best thing to marry. That would mean her own house, and children, and surety. But then she thought of Sander, and Lanai, and her thoughts turned back to disgust. Her mind wandered for the better part of an hour and a growl from her stomach made her realize that she was hungry. It seemed like the biggest effort in the world to sit up; she was exhausted from this afternoon, getting so worked up about meeting Sander and the pain of dealing with him and the fight with her parents. She lit a candle and the room took on an orange glow, she was shocked when she saw how late it was.

            She looked down and saw she was still wearing her stupid shift and bodice of her engagement dress. She went to the chest in the corner and put aside the clothes she was going to take with and picked out a simple brown skirt and a blue surcoat to go over top. She took all of the pins out of her hair and it draped down to the small of her back, then she reached behind her and undid the bodice lacing as loose as she could and pulled it over her head. She finished changing and went for the door, prepared to apologize if she saw anyone. She pulled on the lock and the door opened, but just a crack until something blocked its way. She peered out and saw a broom stick shoved through the ring of her door handle, she pulled as hard as she could but the broom held strong and the door could not open enough for her to get her hand through.

            This made her angry and stubborn all over again. She gave a dramatic sigh and she was upset with herself for ever second guessing her plans. She turned around and looked about her room for something that she could use for a pack. She went to her bed and pulled off a pillow case and shoved it full of clothes and her money purse. This will have to do. She hid her bag again, this time being sure it was better hidden from prying eyes. Now all that was left to do was wait for someone to unbar the door. The hunger she felt before was no longer there; the rage inside was enough to sate her cravings. She decided to brush her hair. It was all she could do to pass the time. She put her hair into two plaits on either side of her head. Afterward, she walked around her room, trying to find something to entertain herself, until she got to the window. The sky was black and she guessed that everyone else must have been asleep. The stars where as bright as they could possibly be and she studied them for a while, trying to decide which path she would follow once she was free. There was a group of stars, she saw, bright orbs that were easy to spot. They were to the south, and would probably be the easiest to follow. That was the way she decided to go then, south, into the forest. She had nowhere in particular that she wanted to go, no family anywhere, she just wanted to be anywhere but here. It seems I will have to leave on the morrow. She sighed, laying back down on her bed. She blew the candle out and closed her eyes.

            She awoke to an eerie sound, like a scraping, and she realized that it was coming from outside her door. Someone was opening the door, she figured, and pretended to be still; it was probably someone that she had no desire of facing, her mother or father most likely. To her surprise a tiny voice called out to her, “Rosey, it’s me.”

            “Celia!” Rosett said, sitting up in bed. The small girl was standing by her bed, her blonde hair illuminated in the moonlight. Rosett bent down and picked her up, setting her on the bed. “How are you, little sister?” she said.

            “I pudd out the yittoe yockey thing,” she said, she always had trouble saying her 'L's.

            “I see that, and I thank you, Celia. Where are mommy and papa?”

            “Sweeping. Endy woke me up to get you out.”

            “Where is he now?” Rosett asked, only to get a shrug in response. Celia looked so tired. Rosett kissed her on the forehead and went out to look for her brother. After being locked in her room, she felt like she was trespassing as she walked down her own hallway. She tiptoed past the door to her parents’ room and followed the noise coming from the kitchens. Her brother was in the pantry, stuffing food into the same pack that Rosett had forfeited to her mother.

            “What are you doing?” Rosett asked him, making him jump in place and turned to her suddenly.

            “Looks like Celia got you out, and don't sneak up on people, I thought you were mother.”

            “Sorry, but what are you doing, Endreas?”

            “What do you think? I'm getting you out of here,” he said, handing her the sack of food. Her heart soared at the thought. She was hopeful again, unbelievably grateful to her brother.         

            “Really?” she said back. “But what about you and Celia?”

            “Don't worry about us. Mother told us everything after she locked you in there, and I saw your face the entire time you were with Sander, I'm not stupid,” he said, “I know you don't want to marry him.”

            All she could do was smile. “Thank you,” she said to her brother.

            “Now come on, we don't have much time.” he said, and they went back to her room. Little Celia had fallen asleep again, with her thumb shoved into her mouth. Rosett found her pillowcase full of clothes and placed it in the pack.

            “But what will mother and father think?” she asked.

             Endreas had a simple solution to that; he grabbed the broom handle and broke it over his knee with great force, then put it back through the ring, placing the break right by the door's edge. “You broke out,” he said to her, feeling clever.

            “I'm nervous,” she said. Her heart was about to beat its way out of her chest.

            “You must go now. It'll be daybreak before you know it,” Endreas replied. Rosett saw him in a new light; he was more mature than Sander would ever be. Her brother had grown into a man, and they were still best of friends.

            Rosett grabbed Cecelia and took her to her own little bed down the hall, she squirmed and woke again when Rosett set her down.

            “I have to go now, Celia.” Rosett said, tears welled in her eyes as she said goodbye to her little sister. Leaving was already much harder than she had anticipated.

            “Where are you going, Rose?” the little voice said back.

            “Away for a while, but I'll be back soon. I promise.”

            “Ahright, Rosey, I yove you,” she said, most angelically before closing her eyes and rolling over. Rosett felt like she had just been stabbed in the heart. Could this really be it? Am I really going to do this?

            She turned to her brother, who simply took her in his arms and hugged her. “Take care of yourself out there.”

            “I will. I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Endreas. How can I ever thank you?”

            “You don't have to. Go, be free,” he said, always making light of tough situations. She hugged him again and kissed him on the cheek. “Here, take this.” He handed her his traveling cloak, it was heavy, but that was a good thing. It was trimmed with brown fur and was made of soft cotton. “You better hurry, you know da will be ready to pursue you in the morning.”

            “Thank you. I love you.” she said. She turned around and looked out the front door. The rain had stopped, she was glad for that, but she had never noticed how vast the sky was, how much she loved her little town, how much she would miss her family, how much she wanted this. She took a step forward, out the door, beginning her journey.

            “Write to me.” Endreas said, he blew a kiss to her before closing the door, and suddenly Rosett was on her own.

            She took two uncertain steps down the stairs to the road, the muddy wet roads were solid underfoot due to the early morning frost. A still cold filled the air. Her footsteps crunched on the road as she turned into the quiet town, following her stars. She felt strangely out of place, the town of Hidden Falls was a very small village anyways, but it seemed all too quiet. She put it behind her though, the thought crossed her mind that once morning came, her parents would look for her, and if anyone saw her go south into the woods, they would know right where to find her. There were a lot of early risers in the town, so she had to hurry. She started to run, as fast as she could, trying not to make too much noise.

            She could see the trees ahead of her, tall and looming, holding out their arms in a chilling invitation. The cool air bit at her skin. She set her pack down on the last bit of road and wrapped the cloak around her, fastening a knot around her neck. She was much more comfortable once she had her pack secured around her shoulder; it made moving a lot easier. She took a deep breath to assure herself and climbed the first hill into the trees.

            It was so much darker under the canopy of leaves. She remembered as a child playing in these woods with Endreas, but now there was a different mood to the trees, serious rather than playful. They had done quite a bit of exploring in the past, so she knew she could do this, but now she could barely see five feet in front of her. She always did well in the dark, never was afraid of it, but the things that could be lurking in this unknown darkness gave her pause.  And when she looked up, she could hardly see the sky, let alone her guiding lights. She felt foolish for not thinking to bring a torch. I should have waited until morning. She just had to get far enough away from town and then she could stop for the night. Even though Endreas had told her not to worry about them, she still did, she knew her father would be in a rage when he found out, and what her mother would do could not be comprehended. They might take their aggression out on him, or even worse, Celia.

            When she heard a growl in the trees from off to her right, she grew blatantly aware that she had no weapon of any kind, and the fear began to hit her harder. She felt very naïve for not thinking of the dangers of traveling, she had only thought of the outcome when planning her escape. There where wolves and cats in these woods, and outlaws,who would rob her and use her without ever giving a second thought. She jogged a little faster through the dark, ducking under branches and climbing over fallen trees and ravines full of brush.

            She hoped she had gone far enough for the night; she would hate to be caught, but wanted very much to stop and rest and hide. She tried her best to control her emotions and simply focus on her surroundings: the wind rustling through the trees, the rocky, dirty path in front of her with trees and shrubs and roots which scratched at her skin and pulled on her clothes.

            She felt the ground below her start to rise as she came to the bottom of a large hill. Her breathing became increasingly heavier the farther she went, and for the first time, she slowed to a walk. She found a boulder to rest on while she tried to steady herself. In her state of fear, she had completely forgotten about the bag of food her brother had packed for her, and suddenly she realized the hour and how hungry and tired she was. She loosened the string around the bags, opening and peering inside. There where fruits: apples and pears, half a loaf of maslin bread that she remembered was baked fresh just yesterday, a few strips of dried mutton, and a small block of cheese. Bless you, Endreas. He had told her not to be worried before, but she surely was now; their mother would definitely go into a rage when she found all this food missing. She tore small strips of cheese and placed it on a dry chunk of the bread and took out one piece of dried meat, then carefully wrapped the rest up and stored it away. She said a small prayer before she began to eat. All she could think about during her meal was how absolutely insane she was being.

            She stayed seated for a long time, even after she was finished eating, simply thinking, and listening. She knew she should keep going, for a little while longer at least, but her legs were already shaking, and she was so tired. There were wolves in the distance. She could hear their sad, lonely howls echoing all around her and strangely found a relation to them. She laid her head down, using her bag as a pillow and pulled her cloak tight around her. After a moment, the howls seemed almost like a lullaby and she slowly drifted into a light sleep.

            The crack of a branch woke her in an instant, and she froze, wide eyed. It was still very dark, and it took a while for her eyes to adjust to her surroundings. It could have been a twig that fell from high up, she hoped, or a small squirrel jumping to its destination. She wished she had a knife. She looked around her in a frenzy. There was another crack. She could tell that it was far off in the distance, but it was close enough that she hopped down from her rocky bed and ran away from the sound.

            Pure panic flowed through her veins as she ran. She stopped dead in her tracks and crouched as low as she could and listened. Nothing caught her ear for quite some time until the hoot of an owl made her jump out of her skin. Perhaps she was just scaring herself. She heard rustling above her and faintly saw branches moving in the darkness. It would make as good a place as any for a bed, and she wanted desperately to stop and go back to sleep. She thought it best to get out of arm’s reach, so she reached above her and grabbed the nearest branch. It was a harder effort than she had thought it would be to pull herself up, and by the time she struggled into a sitting position on the bottom branch, she was breathing heavily. From then on, though, it was much easier, almost like climbing a ladder. She reached a point where the branches were becoming smaller and started to bend under her weight, so she stopped. She was far from the top, but still sat above most of the trees around her and she could finally make out some of her stars. The cluster she had picked out was still to the south, albeit in a position a few hours later than she had last looked. She gave herself a moment of triumph to know that she was still on the correct path, and she figured that she had gone pretty far tonight. She put her bag around her waist and set the strap over a jutting growth in the tree, to catch her if she were to fall. For the first time all day, ever since before she started getting ready to meet her betrothed Sander Leighton, she felt safe. Strapped to this tree, out of reach, finally on her journey, with nobody else to worry for except herself, she was able to rest with peace of mind, and this time her eyes closed right away, not wasting any moment for thoughts or worry, and she fell asleep.

            A hard jerk to her right made her wake up as the strap of her bag caught against her chest, holding her in the tree.

She gave a little scream and her heart started beating rapidly. Her hands began to shake as she tried to pull herself back upright. She had nearly fallen from her bed to the ground thirty feet below, and was thankful to have taken precautions. Once she was up again, she put her head back against the trunk of the tree and waited for her nerves to subside.

            That was when she heard the voices.

            A lump caught in her throat and she held her breath. She was terrified to make any noise at all and froze. They were resonating from somewhere off to her left, and it was a group of men, by the sound of it, their feet stomping through the undergrowth and laughs resulting from a bawdy joke. There was a different sound that she had trouble making out: a metallic clanking as they walked. She had never seen a man in armor before, but that was her best guess as to what it could be. Nobody from Hidden Falls would have been able to afford such things, she thought, and curiosity got the best of her as she tried to peek down to where they were.

            Their voices were faint now and they must have walked past her. She was glad that they seemed not to have heard her commotion. She unhooked her rescue pack from the knot in the tree and carefully lowered herself down a few feet. She could still not hear anything, so she climbed down a little farther, and listened, and repeated until she was close enough to the ground to be seen by passerby's. When she was sure that nobody was around anymore, she quickly finished the last of her decent, jumping to the ground.

            It was dawn now and the morning sun was peeking through the foliage in a few places, making the dew shimmer on the tall grass that billowed slightly in the breeze. She was grateful for not being in the dark anymore and could clearly see the path where she had come from and the path she would have to travel. It happened to be in the direction she heard the voices, and she became nervous. She slowly got to her feet and took a few hesitant steps further in her journey. On the edge of the path there was a small bush with tiny raspberries and she knelt to grab some. With a chunk of bread it would be a good breakfast. She collected a good handful and was fervently popping them into her mouth when she heard the cracking of branches and a voice call out.

            “Aye, whats that there?” a man yelled.

            Rosett dropped as quickly as she could, almost lying on the ground in an effort to hide. She suddenly became aware of how vulnerable she was: one little girl with no weapons against a group of men in armor.

            A moment passed before another spoke, skeptically, “What’s what, brother?”

            “I thought I saw something, is all. A girl by the looks of it.”

            “Oh great, now he's seeing things he is.” A different voice quipped, “Hey mate, which head is doing the looking?”

            There was a round of laughter and Rosett rolled her eyes, though she gave a quick prayer of thanks that none of the others had seen her. She felt a surge of hope this would all be over soon.

            “Don't be an idiot, now; there is nobody around here. The closest town is at least three leagues to the north, probably five. And there's not a road around here for miles.”

            Rosett also said a quick thanks to the man who spoke last, he had answered all of her questions: He proved she was heading south, and how far she was from home. She was proud of herself for getting so far in the span of an evening. She heard clanking again and it sounded like one of them was taking steps towards her and she could feel her pulse begin to quicken.

            “Aye, c'mon. We're wasting time.”

            The man coming nearer turned after a moment and joined his friends, heading back into the trees. “If a girl comes and offs you in the night, don't say I didn't warn you,” he said to them.

             Always curious, Rosett poked her head out above the tall grass and watched them leave. She was right about the armor, each of their legs were fully covered; greaves, poleyms and fan plate up to the waist, with simple padded gambesons covering their upper bodies, with the exception of gauntlets stained a deep red color. In fact, all of their armor was a dark red, like blood; the glint of the sun making the armor look like it was wet. She looked down at her hands and saw they were about the same color, stained with the raspberries she had squeezed in fear. She wiped them on her skirts, wondering who those men were. She had a guess: everyone knew the blood red armor of Pyron, but what were they doing in the woods?

            She was too panicky to eat; she was shaking from almost being discovered, and was apprehensive about what she was going to do. She had to find out what they were doing here. She stood and reached the point where the armed men had crossed the path, and after she had made her mind up, she turned and followed their footsteps through the crushed grass  through the trees. She could see them, well ahead of her, their voices barely a muffle now. She kept low, only moving when she was sure it was safe.

            She had only been following a short time before she began to worry again. They rounded the top of a hill and, through a clearing. A few round red tents were fitted in between a group of trees, with more men spilling out of them. It was a camp, and she got as close to it as she dared. She watched the group of men she followed walk in and join some others in a circle. in the midst of the shape there were two men, armored as the others, with swords in hands engaged in a practice duel. She tried to listen in between the clang of the metal.

            One man greeted the four that had just come from the woods, “Eh, long enough piss break, ya b******s!” he said, jokingly. He seemed to be the person in charge in the small camp, probably the marshal, shouting orders and choosing the next battle duo.

            Her vigilance gave in and she inched ever closer. She still wanted to know what they were doing here hidden in the trees. Her father would have known, or they would have heard if the king was near, or if his knights were preparing for battle. Perhaps they were on a secret assignment, escorting a lord or a bishop. She strained to hear again. She inspected the outskirts of the camp to look for guards or watchmen, but as she saw there were none; they would have been useless anyways, there was hardly any threat in the middle of the woods with no imposing force anywhere around for a thousand leagues. She moved to where the broad back of a tent would hide her and she continued down, trying to be as quiet as she could. She jumped the final steps between wood and tent and cleared the gap quickly, waiting to see if anyone had noticed. She peeked her head around the corner after a moment and looked about.

            She could see the camp much better from this angle: there were still the two men battling away, one of them cried out as his opponent’s blade caught his arm and the circle of men who stood around them started cheering and yelling. She could also see the tent where arms and armor were stored, with two squires sitting outside polishing blades with great effort, once in a while glancing up to watch the fight. Then there were the barrack tents, with mats and laundry strewn about; that was where most of the traffic was amongst the men.

            Something else caught her eye; a commotion to the right of the tent. Another group of men were coming into the camp, these ones fully armored, seeming triumphant and pleased through their tired, traveled eyes. When the other men noticed, they abandoned the fight and ran over to their friends, applauding and hailing their return. The last man in the returning group pulled on a chain and in from the woods came two more souls, bound by shackles, their clothes were torn and dirty and they were scared and defeated.

            “These ones come from the city Pilant, Sir.” Rosett heard one say.

            “Very good, soldier. Let us see them in the ring,” the marshal said.

            The two captives were on their knees, even though they were both young, strong laborers, the trip to the camp seemed to exhaust them. Rosett was sure they had put up a good fight before they were restrained, too. Now they were scared and shaking. One of them seemed to be praying; he was the smaller of the two, though still well built, and with lighter hair than his companion, who was a bull of a man with lost eyes were surrounded by a jet of black hair.

            The squires ran up to the armored men immediately and began taking off their heavy plate. The marshall told one of them to grab two swords for the peasant boys and then to clean all of the armor of his returning soldiers. Then he took the iron off of the peasant's wrist and handed each of them a sword. Rosett put a hand to her mouth. She did not want to believe what the two were forced to do. Her eyes welled as the marshall told them their instructions: “...the victor will join our ranks and fight for Pyron against the crown,” he finished. All of the other men circled them to ensure there was no escaping.

            The circle of people moved back towards the center of the camp, with the two peasants in their midst. Her view was cut off by the tent, so she moved around to the other side, not able to look away, despite the horror. The two men were now on stage and they spun around each other; they were clearly hesitant. Rosett figured they must have known each other, and a tear finally fell down her cheek. The two men looked awkward with the blades, neither of them had probably ever held one before now. After a moment, she heard a loud “Come on!” from the ring of men and the hesitance was gone from the duelers.

            The black haired man began to swing his blade, double-handed, at his friend with a wild abandon, putting all of his huge body behind the attacks. The smaller man could do nothing but recoil in fear, desperate to get away, until his enemy’s blade came into contact with his upper left arm, and he gave out a cry of pain. The men roared around them. The smaller man's pain seemed to give him a forlorn second wind, he was not ready to go down yet and he started slashing back, using his good arm to throw powerful attacks, surprising the other man. He seemed to gain the advantage, pushing the larger man back to the boundary of their field. The bull of a man attacked back. He knocked his friend’s blade aside with his own and extended a fist, which hit the smaller man square in the face, leaving him staggering away.

            The black-haired man grew more confident as the fight went on, and threw his arms in the air, putting on a show for his audience. All the men seemed to be in his favor. The smaller man was still doubled over in pain and Rosett could tell he was calculating his next move. He could use his opponent’s arrogance to his advantage. He picked up a rock off the ground and threw it. The stone came into contact with the back of the larger man's head and he turned around in a rage, charging. The smaller man waited until the last moment before he made his second move. He stepped out of the way in a turn and brought his blade down in a swipe the whole way across the back of his friend. A line of scarlet red instantly drew itself on the thin cotton shirt of the bigger man and he winced in pain. He had yet to recover before the smaller man stepped in front of his wide target and shoved the point of his blade into the guts of the bull, who looked up in a plea to his attacker. The smaller man quickly pulled his sword from its target, and a cluster of pink entrails followed.

            All was quiet while the life slipped from the defeated man, and he slowly fell to the ground with a growing red puddle around him. Rosett had to avert her eyes once the final blow had been struck; it made her faint to see what was happening. She had never seen so much blood before.

            Her thoughts swiftly changed, though, when she noticed a sword standing against the post of the next tent over, unattended and hers for the taking. She would need a weapon if she was going to continue on her own. She looked back to the group of men, who were now congratulating their new soldier. The little man seemed astounded and relieved to have won. She still felt sorry for him; he would now have to serve in Pyron's traitor army against his will. Voices were rising again.

            “Good show, lad!” one of them called out in a deep, burly voice. Rosett had to be quick while all attention was on the victor. She darted back into the trees and crawled through the tall grass to where the other tent was. She jumped over to it, and again waited a moment to see if she had been heard before peeking around the corner again. In order to reach her new weapon, she would have to step into sight, for only a moment, but she had to make sure nobody was looking.

            “What's your name, son?” the marshall called out. Rosett paused to wait for his answer.

            “Milou,” he said meekly.

            “Well, Milou. Do you know his name?” the marshall asked him, pointing to his dead friend.

            Rosett took this time to step out and grab her sword and leap back out of sight. Her heart was pounding. She heard Milou respond to the marshall's question, but lost attention for what he said the dead boy's name was, though it sounded like 'Reese.' She had found out everything she needed to know about this group, and stole herself an added present. Now she needed to get farther away. She clutched her sword to her chest and darted into the trees, running as quickly as she could uphill, not wanting to stop for a second. A soldier could be on to her for his lost possessions, her father could be after her to bring her back to marry Sander. All she needed to do was get farther south as quickly as she could.

 

           .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .

 

            The day turned out to be a hot one, and Rosett wiped sweat from her brow as she shoved another chunk of bread into her mouth. It had been hours since her run-in with the camp, and in all the excitement and afterthought, she had forgotten to eat. Her first meal of the day, though it was well into the afternoon, was bread and cheese again, and it left her mouth dry. She had nothing to drink since she had left home yesterday and she was starting to feel its dizzying effects.            

            She had secured her sword on her back, in her belt under her surcoat; it was hidden from view, which was good, but it bumped against her legs as she walked and was rather uncomfortable and annoying, though she ignored it in her search for water. She had found the main road going south, but stayed just off the path in the trees in case anyone would pass by. She had seen one man pulling a cart full of vegetables on the road going north past her, but she stayed hidden until he was well away.

            She kept on, hoping to come by a stream or an inn. She still had the purse that Bolero had given her, and she desperately wanted not to sleep in a tree this evening. She would definitely be able to afford a cheap room with a nice comfortable bed, with a hearty breakfast in the morning and all the water and ale that she wanted. The thought warmed her inside, and despite all she had seen today, she was peaceful and pretended to herself that she was simply on an afternoon stroll through the trees. Her feet were throbbing with pain though, having to walk on uneven ground through rocks and hills and trees, and she could feel that there would be blisters once she took her thin shoes off. She was going downhill when she noticed her legs were starting to shake, so she decided to rest.

            She grabbed the sword and sheath and placed it next to her under Endreas' cloak. She felt weak; once she sat and put her feet up, they pulsed in agony, she was grateful to have a moment’s respite. She needed water. The sun was already starting to set in the sky, and she knew she would have a hard time finding an inn or tavern. The closest place she knew of was at the crossings, the intersection of the road going south from Hidden Falls and the road coming west from the coast. She was worried about staying there, though. That was exactly where they would look for her, and there was most likely somebody there who would recognize her.   She sighed, she knew had gotten in way over her head, she was just too stubborn to admit it. She told herself this was all for the better. A light breeze had begun in the late hours and it soothed her skin and made her feel relaxed and tired.

            A noise on the road out of her view startled her. It was two men; she grabbed her blade. To her horror, she heard footsteps coming through the ditch, crunching the dry grass and branches not far from her. She wanted to hide, but there was nowhere to do so, she tried to look as threatening as she could, holding the blade to where they would appear.

            “...st have to piss, brother, I'll catch up to you,” one called out, he was undoing his belt as he came over the hill. He was a tall man, with dark brown hair and a beard to match. Rosett was surprised at how handsome he was, but he was more surprised when she gasped and gave away her location. He jumped back when he realized she had a blade pointed to him. He fixed his belt and adjusted the pack he was carrying.

            “Pardon the language, miss, I didn't know--”

            “Who are you?” she asked.

            “Hey, brother, you should come over here,” he shouted in the direction he had come.

            She grew more aggressive when the other man was called over. “Who are you?!” she demanded again.

            “Whoa, easy there, we're no threat! It's just my brother and me, on the road to Lossain,” he pleaded as she stuck the point of the blade closer to him. “What's your name?” he asked.

            “I won’t say.” She heard the man's brother coming through the ditch. He was just as surprised as the other had been when he saw the girl.

            “What's this?” the other man asked. He was blonde and looked younger than his brother.

            “Both of you need to leave,” she said defiantly; she was shocked at how powerful she sounded.

            “Wait, are you alone?” the blonde one asked. “There’s no need to worry; we can help you.”

            That was when she noticed the older man's skin of water and she let her desperation set in and her guard slip.

            “I'm Rosett,” she said softly. She hoped being open with them would get them to share, she could not take her eyes off the water-skin.

            “Oh, so you'll tell him, but you won’t tell me?” the brown-haired one laughed as he put on his charm. “That’s how it always goes, I guess. Anyways, I am Roanan, and this my brother, Aleks.” He climbed out of the trees, going back out onto the road.

            Aleks, helped her off the ground, “What are you hiding in the trees for?” he asked innocently as he walked with her out into the open. She noticed he was staring the sword she carried and she hurriedly tried to hide it.

            “Now where did you get that from?” he asked her.

            “That's an interesting color to that sword, why do you have it? Roanan piped in.

            “I'll be inclined to talk to you if you would share your water,” she responded, feeling guilty.

            The two boys looked at each other and Roanan took a sheep-skin satchel off of his shoulder. It sloshing as he handed it to her. She drank eagerly, taking a few large thankful gulps before stopping to catch her breath. She handed him back the bag. “That is the first I've had in near two days, thank you.”

            “And what brings a young girl to be alone for so long?”

            “It is a series of events that led me to be here.” She wanted to avoid certain details. “Quite trivial actually.”

            There was a moment where nobody spoke.

            “Well,” Roanan said, “we must be on our way. We need to get to Lossain as quickly as possible.”

            “Of course,” she said, dismissing them, “and thank you for the water.”

            “My pleasure, miss,” Roanan said before turning and continuing west down the road.

            “Is there anything we can do for you, Rosett?” Aleks asked, staying for a moment.

            “No, I will be fine from here on,” she replied.

            He nodded before turning to follow his brother. Rosett stood her ground in the middle of the road, staring after her helpers. Her head was spinning with thoughts on what to do next. She spoke to herself, “Do I go to the crossing, and maybe be discovered? Stay in the woods, fending for herself? Keep going south, or head to Lossain? What's in Lossain?” Nothing. Same as everywhere else. She looked back at the two, can I trust them? Am I better off without them? What should I do?

            “Wait!” she called out to them, they turned when they were summoned and waited for her to catch up. “Can I come with you?” she asked.

            “I was wondering when she would come around,” Roanan said to Aleks. “If you like, we would love to have your company.”

            “Do you have family in the capitol?” Aleks asked, and she shook her head. “Do you have family anywhere?” She shook her head in the affirmative, but this time she spoke:

            “I just came from Hidden Falls, but I didn't tell them I was leaving.”

            The boys left it at that, she would tell them in time, it was a long way to Lossain. “We just came through there yesterday afternoon,” Aleks said.

            “Oh? I must have just slipped past you then.” She wondered how long she could keep up this idle chatter, She needed to gauge them some more and find out their intentions,.“And where are you both from?” she asked.

            “Pilant,” Aleks promptly said. He was the one who seemed to like to strike up conversation, Roanan just stared at her with an alluring grin on his face that she found impossible to ignore.

            She continued, “Are you taking the scenic route? There is a quicker route down the coast to the capitol. What brings you up here?”

            “A series of trivial events,” Roanan teased, seizing his chance. She laughed. “We originally thought our destination was Plock, but as it turns out, we must travel south. I take it as a blessing though, I would much rather travel through the forest than over the mountains along the coast.” he told her.

            “I think it is a blessing as well,” Rosett said back,.“For me anyhow, my journey would be much more lonely without my two new companions.”

            “Oh, we make good companions! We're companions brother.” Roanan said. He stared at Rosett with that looked that could not be ignored, and a flush came to her cheeks.

            “We have been traveling for more than a fortnight already,” Aleks said, “It is a good change to have someone else to talk to.” He hit Roanan on the head jokingly and the three laughed, walking down the road. The sun had set farther in the sky and had disappeared behind a canopy of trees, and night was almost upon them. Rosett felt relieved to have found people to travel with. The past day’s events had made her begin to doubt her travels, realizing the selfishness in her decisions and the weight of her actions, which slowly began to lift and she could breathe easier as the minutes passed. She felt saferand more hopeful than when she had left. Before now, she had nowhere to go, nothing in mind, and now everything she wanted was going to happen. And she had a new determination to be sure it did.

            “So where did you get the sword?” Roanan asked.

            “I'll tell you while we eat.” she said. And they walked on south towards the capitol.