Chapter 2
It was evening. Another day was almost over. I sat just outside my tent, watching them. Everyone had begun to relax, winding down. If Redd and her army were to attack right now, they would most certainly have the upper hand. We shouldn't relax at all. And I never did. Whenever I sat down I was on the edge of my seat waiting to jump up to wield my sword when the moment came. Whenever I slept I was on the boarder of being awake, so if an unfamiliar sound was heard, I would be ready. I never relaxed, and I couldn't afford to, and neither should everyone else.
The last time I had felt safe enough to relax was too long ago. In a time that seemed as ancient as the beginning of Wondertropolis. It was two nights before her birthday. Because the night before her birthday I was too jittery with nerves about giving her the birthday present I had brought her. I yawned just as I saw the Rook approaching me. 'Alright, Rook?' I ask him.
'Yes', he answered standing beside me and looking out from my view. 'If you're tired maybe you should have a good old sleep'.
I smiled slightly, the Rook knew me better than anyone else. I didn't exactly want everyone to know me well, but the Rook had gone with me afterwards so that I could bury my father. There was a bond there no matter what, and it was unbreakable.
'You know I can't do that', I answered and narrowed my eyes as I imagined how joyous the cat would be if they broke into the camp to find me vulnerable in sleep. One claw and I would have my throat slit. The Rook made a sound that obviously meant, 'you could' but I ignored it. 'Any news?' I asked.
'None, of yet', he said. 'But Redd is sure to send Jack of Diamonds with bribery any day now', and he sighed.
When the rebels had first rose Redd had screamed that we would be hunted down and exterminated. But she hadn't counted for our intelligence and desire to remain hidden, which meant that she never found us. After her countless failed attempts she reluctantly tried to bargain with us. At first we would win our lives if they turned traitor. Slowly she learnt that that wasn't enough, but she still hadn't got the message. We wanted her out. We wanted her dead. None of us had turned traitor because we had all lost something in Redd's reign of terror. Whether that was our homes, possessions or families, we had all lost too much.
'Anyway', the Rook sighed. 'Where were you today?'
I shrugged, 'Out and about,' it was always my answer. The Rook sighed again. When I'd first ventured out alone they'd all been frantic with worry. I returned unscathed holding a part of a Glass Eye to show my success. I was young but not naive and stupid. I had known what I was doing. They had all asked where I had been and what had I been thinking. My reply had been, 'Out and about,' and 'I was helping our cause.' It took a few more escapades for them to realise that I was good at fighting Redd and her Glass Eyes. That they could trust for me to leave and come back in one piece; unlike the Glass Eyes that I left behind.
'Alright', the Rook said resigned to my answer before it had come.
'Anyway I'll be off; the Knight wants a game of cards'.
'Okay', I replied and watched him walk away. After he'd gone from my sight I went into my tent. I didn't have much in my tent, just a few things I had scavenged from the home that once belonged to me and my father. But I didn't count this place as a home, a home was permanent and we never knew when we would have to leave. I yawned again and lay down on my makeshift bed. I stared up at the tents canopy wondering as I always did; what Alyss would look like now if she had survived.