Chapter Five

After escaping from the castle, Rose finds herself meeting a fellow escapee within the forest.

Rose darted through the forest her heart pounding hard against her chest. She suddenly fell face first to the ground, hard, weak from lack of power. With short excessive breaths, she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees sweat dripping from her forehead onto the forest floor beneath her. Her gaze then fell a few feet before her where she realized she was no longer alone. She looked up from the person's feet to their legs and all the way up to the face. Surprise and relief were the first things to run through her mind when her eyes locked with that of a young girl.

The girl backed away slightly, clearly afraid of the encounter. "Uh, wait!" Rose pleaded as she stood wearily to her feet. "It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you! I don't have any weapons or anything so you don't have to be afraid!" She held her hands out to her sides turning in a circular motion so the girl could see for herself that she was telling the truth. Rose allowed her hands to fall to her sides as she smiled kindly to the girl. "What's your name?"

The girl watched her carefully as she tucked strands of reddish brown hair back behind her ear. "M-my name is Gina…"

Rose's eyes opened wide for a moment as she examined this girl named Gina more closely. She was no taller then Rose, having a deep tan which helped to bring out her emerald green eyes that matched the green of her vest and pants. But what had surprised her to start with was none of that, but the fact that her ears seemed to be pointed. This girl standing before Rose now seemed to be an elf.

Rose shook her head quickly, realizing she had been staring at the poor girl for too long. She smiled once again meeting her gaze once more as she placed a hand unto her chest. "Don't worry I won't hurt you."

Gina seemed to relax if only a little. "A-aren't you one of Alester's guards?"

"No," Rose answered lowering her hand. "I just escaped from that place."

Behind her voices could be heard. She wasn't sure how many there were but she new there was quite a group and something told her, that they were looking for her. She grabbed Gina's arm pulling her in the opposite direction of the voices, running at top speed.

"What is going on? Why are we running?" Gina questioned however running just the same.

"Those voices back there," Rose began as she weaved through the trees within her path. "I think they're Alester's guards. They're probably coming out here to search for me."

"Is that so…" she questioned, keeping up with Rose with ease. "Since we are running together, what is your name?"

Rose turned her head back to look to her. "My name is Rose." She looked back down the path continuing to run and began to fill Gina in about how she had come into this world in the first place.

The two girls stopped, deciding to take a break from running for the time being. Gina looked to Rose questioningly. "What I do not understand is why Alester is after you?"

Rose took in some deep breaths before meeting her gaze. "Well, in actuality, I'm a-"

"I think she went this way!"

"Damn, they don't give up easily!" Rose said frustrated as she looked back towards the voices.

Gina looked out before her squinting to see if there was anything ahead they could use for the time being for shelter. She tapped Rose's arm. "There!"

Rose turned and looked to where Gina was now pointing. A little ways more into the forest stood a small building. "Come on!"

After a few moments longer of running, the two had reached the cottage. Rose rushed towards the door with Gina not too far behind and in one quick motion she opened the door throwing Gina inside shortly following after, slamming the door shut behind her. Once inside, they took a quick look around. Within the center of the room was a large table with a white table cloth draped over it, dulled with age, the edges of the cloth just touching the floor. There were counters placed along the right wall and cabinets set along the wall above. At the far end of the room were two doors leading into more rooms of the cottage.

The yelling had come closer and without anymore time to think, Rose grabbed Gina's arm pulling her over towards the table. She held up the table cloth and motioned for her to crawl under. Once Gina was situated Rose crawled under as well, quickly pulling the cloth back down over the edge of the table.

Footsteps could be heard on the porch outside the cottage followed by more voices. However, they were much quieter now making it hard for the girls to hear what was being said when one of them hollered, "I think they went this way!"

The two girls remained quiet, both holding their breaths, as they heard their pursuers leave the porch, rushing in whichever direction they believed the girls had gone.

After a few moments longer, Rose could feel her muscles begin to relax. "Phew."

"That was close." Gina stated allowing herself to relax as well.

"I see you." The two girls heard a voice announced just as the table they were hiding beneath was suddenly thrown from them. Rose turned onto her back to see a middle aged man standing over her. He quickly bent down grabbing her by the throat raising her up off the floor. "You're coming with me."

Rose scratched desperately at the man's hand trying to somehow free herself from the man's clutches. The fleeing of dread beginning to creep through her mind just as it had with Alester before.

"Let her go!" Gina cried as she pulled on the man's arm.

With his free hand the man grasped Gina's wrist, yanking her close. "What do we have here? Aren't you that little elfin girl that escaped a few days ago?" The man looked to Rose then back to Gina. "I certainly have the luck! With the two of you I'll be promoted to General for sure!"

"Let them go."

The man turned back towards the cottage door seeing a man in brown slacks and a white shirt staring back at him, his sword drawn at his side. "Who in the hell are you?" The man threw Rose into the corner of the room and let Gina fall to the floor where she immediately went to Rose's aid.

"My name is Haru." The man answered. "Why are you after these two girls?" He questioned, looking to Rose and Gina then back to the man.

"I'm ordered by Alester, the new lord of this land, to bring these two girls back to him immediately." The man answered and with a self important gesture, he pounded a closed fist against his blackened chest plate. "And for your information, my name is Ti one of the renowned warriors of the demon realm."

Haru shook his head. "Never heard of you."

The man stepped back slightly then smiled as he unsheathed his sword at his side. "You will."

Ti swiped out with his sword, aiming for Haru's midsection where he merely brought up his own blade, blocking the act. "Not bad…" Ti commented as he brought up his free hand. Black spikes soon emitted from his hand, nearly hitting Haru within the chest if he hadn't jumped out of the way.

Haru straightened his posture as he took a quick glance behind him. He had somehow managed to move closer towards the girls. "So, you have some tricks up your sleeve." His gaze then locked onto Ti's. "However, if you want your bounty, I wouldn't come any closer with them just behind me." 

He stated turning slightly towards the girls, raising his sword, the blade's tip only inches from Rose's baffled eyes.  She looked from the blade up to this stranger's hardened expression as he watched the other man named Ti.  He glanced to her briefly and deja vu seemed to hit her. 

Ti lowered his hand raising a cynical brow.  "You're bluffing. You came here to save them."

"Or so you think. Maybe I just want the bounty for myself." He looked back to the girls once more who looked to him with apprehensive eyes. "It doesn’t matter to me in any case. If they die, I just won't get the bounty. It's only money I haven't had before."

The man's jaw set tight as he resheathed his sword. "Fine, have your bounty." He turned away from them walking away. "Their deaths are not worth my own if Alester finds I let you kill them." Black smoke slowly emitted from the man's body as he walked away engulfing his body. Within seconds, the smoke had engulfed him, and then vanished, leaving nothing in its place.

Haru sheathed his sword as well once he was sure he had gone before turning back to the girls. "Are you two all right?"

Gina jumped to her feet, pulling a dagger from beneath her shirt. "Stay away from us!" She swiped out at him.

Haru backed away his hands held high. "Easy! Easy now! I'm not here to hurt you!"

"You think we are dumb?" Gina questioned her eyes burning with fury. "We heard you admit your plans to that man!"

"It was a bluff!"

"Liar!"

"Gina!" Rose yelled grabbing her attention at once. She stood to her feet brushing her clothes free of the dirt from the dust covered floor. "If you are not here for the bounty, what do you want?"

Haru took in a deep breath meeting her gaze. "You."

Rose blinked rapidly. "What?"

"I told you he isn't to be trusted." Gina stated stepping towards him her dagger grasped tightly within her hand.

Haru placed his hands up again. "Let me explain!" He said turning from them heading back towards the door. Stopping within the doorway, he bent down grabbing a cloth bag. He turned back to the girls and walked over handing the bag to Rose. "This is yours."

Rose looked to him cautiously before taking the bag. "Oh, it's heavy!" She pulled open the string holding the bag shut. Inside was a hooked blade attached to a long golden chain. "Wait a minute…" she looked to Haru. "This is my weapon!"

"Yes, that's what I've been trying to explain to you." He smiled briefly as he looked between the girls. "I'm one of Lady Karina's elite guards."

"What?" Rose questioned unsure of what she had heard. "Did you say Karina?"

"Yes, lady Karina sent me here to get you out of Alester's castle. Seems as though you did so on your own, however." He stepped towards her. "Your friends are here as well."

Rose smiled. The thought that they had come all this way for her had really touched her. "Where are they?"

"Not too far from here." He turned back to the door. "Follow me, I'll make sure you get to them safely."