We'd been walking for about twenty more minutes when Mandy veered away from the road and sat down on a boulder. She looked around at the trees with wide eyes.
"Ella." I sat down on an opposing boulder. I waited, on the edge of my seat, eager for her to finally talk.
After a hesitation, she said, "We're being followed."
I couldn't process this as bad. "I don't understand, Mandy... What's so bad about it? Maybe it's just some--"
"It's Sir Peter." I stopped cold, my eyes wide. "We're ahead of him," she said, carelessly waving her hand. "But we have to move. Lady... I'm afraid. So afraid. I have a feeling he knows."
I was a sponge, slowly soaking in this information, waiting for it to click. It dawned on me suddenly. And a million questions came crashing down. "But Mandy, how? He wasn't home on the nights of the balls! Besides, how do you know it's him? And maybe he's not even following us! Maybe he's just... travelling this way..." I trailed off. Mandy sighed.
"No, Lady, it's Sir Peter. I don't know how he knew we were here, but... rose early and walked about the hammocks, meaning to speak with the chief about a certain spice to flavour what food we'll have during our travels when I saw him. He didn't even speak to he chief, he just snuck in and quietly and lay down." I looked at her doubtfully. "Ella, itrust me/i. Those are not good reasons, I know, but no not forget the fairy blood! I can tell... Ella..." her face became contorted and she got emotional. "Ella, you must believe me!"
I was flooded with fear, sadness, and invisible tears. I wanted to deny it. It just icouldn't be/i! Why would Father be after us? "But Mandy, why? Why would Father want to follow us?"
"I don't know lady..." she shuddered. "But his intentions are not pure."
We sat together, brooding, for awhile. I thought of Areida and Hattie, the way she waddled like a duck, and heaved a bitter, inward laugh at the memory of her under the influence of bogweed. But my thoughts strayed and I was filled with a golden warmth while thinking of Char and I sliding down the railings.
"Lady!" Mandy lisfted me with one hand, her eyes wide, looking at the path we'd walked with a mad panic. I dumbly felt myself being pulled into the forest. I looked up. Mandy was frantic looking, her eyes crazy with terror, her chins quivering. She watched nothingness. I felt scared.
"Mandy," I whispered. "It's all right! Look, nothing th-" She pulled her hand over my mouth, looking stern. She motioned to grab my bag beside me and follow. I did so.
We stopped by a little pool where I could no longer see the road.
"Honestly, Lady! The look in your eyes! As if you feared I was mad!" She stared at me with her cold eye so straight that for a moment I iwas/i afraid, then she burst out laughing. Everything suddenly seemed safe.
"But Mandy, what was that? Out near the road?"
Her face was grim. "They are called slorkers. They are little impish creatures with a powerful magic of their own sort, and can go invisible when they please. But we usually get along well, slorkers and fairies... which is why I could tell that they were seeking us, for no good reason. But fear not, Lady, I will protect you." She smiled briefly.
"Mandy?" I sat down, pulling her with me, and rested my head on her leg. She stroked my hair.
"Yes, love?"
"Where are we going? What will become of us?"
"A place unknown to you, telling you its name with be of no use to you. Telling you its nature would confuse you more. But we can rest today. I feel it, Lady."
We rested there for a moment before she spoke again.
"Your mother would hate to see us in this situation."
I closed my eyes, unwilling to cry.
"But at least we're in it with each other."
I turned against Mandy, seen as only a plump old cook, but was really my holds to the world, and sobbed.

*****

iI know! It's short too! But that's my style, I suppose. I like to keep you all updated, I hate to keep away to long, writing dreadfully long chapters. :)/i