AN: Any recognizable characters do not belong to me. I'm just having fun with them. You can thank George Lucas for all of them (JA series also referenced, thank Jude Watson for that). Disclaimer applies to entire story.
Lanae's feet seemed to pound on the hard ground as she raced along the deserted streets. She mentally cursed her short legs, and then laughed, she really shouldn't know those curse words, and her legs were a perfectly normal size-for a five year old that is.
Which was the problem, she was FIVE! She shouldn't be the one who had to save the Carment family. But she was the one, she was the only one.
She raced along, coming up to the Carment home, knocking softly she waited impatiently for someone to answer… "Please don't let me be too late" she thought desperately. She couldn't bear to have any more deaths on her shoulders. "Please oh please." She was rewarded by a crack in the doorframe as Mrs. Carment peered out nervously. Spotting Lanae she blanched in fear and hurried her in. It was a blessing and a curse for Lanae to show up at the door, and they both knew it.
"They're coming for Micah and Calli." It was the only explanation that Lanae needed to give.
"Why?" Calli whispered from the corner.
"Your dad was deemed a failure, your deaths will be a reminder to not fail again." Lanae looked down in shame. Oh how she hated to say these things.
Mrs. Carment had a blank look in her face, it wasn't completely unexpected, the so-called king declared many men failures, and the torture and death of their children was almost always the answer. "What do we need to do?" It was her job to keep her children safe; it was her duty as their mother.
Lanae looked ashamed. "You have to split up, let me take Calli, Janet, and Ryan to a family on the other side of the river, they'll be safe there. You need to take Micah and Jeremy, join the Whitlock family."
"Split us up? Why?" the question was on all their lips.
"The king will be looking for your family, a family with a mother with two girls and three boys. He will not be looking for two different families. For all his genius, he rarely thinks to use his brain."
Janet was the first to respond "You're right, if we're going to keep Calli and Micah safe, we have to make sacrifices. We'll see each other again. We will!" She said it with such conviction that it was almost believable.
Lanae took that as her cue, removing the knapsack from her back she quickly pulled out a map, which she handed to Mrs. Carment showing her the safest way to get to the Whitlock home. "We don't have much time, we need to go."
The family looked at her, then looked at each other. Goodbyes were a luxury that no one in this country had. The king had made sure of that. With one last glance, Mrs. Carment took Micah and Jeremy and led them out the door. At the last moment she turned and whispered. "Thank you Princess"
Lanae merely nodded.