Yawn, it's really late…I'm really sleepy.

Chapter Eleven:

In which the scar knows all

"A warning?" Finn asked.

"Yes," Darrow snapped.

"How is that possible?" Anna asked.

"I don't know, but I'll find out soon enough," Darrow said.

"How is that possible?" Finn asked.

"Gerard likes the sound of his own voice," Darrow said, "If he did something to the knife, that did this…" Darrow broke off and gasped in pain.

He was clutching his arm tightly,

"Darrow!" Anna cried pulling his hand away, she gasped, "It's bleeding, and it's actually bleeding!"

"That's not good," Finn said shaking his head.

Darrow was still grimacing in pain, "It burns," he gasped.

Anna stood and pulled him up, "Finn it's a warning! It's like Darrow said!" she screamed.

It was almost too late, at that moment the sound of many hooves pounding harmoniously on the well-worn road reached them. She turned and saw the horses and riders round the corner in a cloud of dust Gerard at their front.

"Hurry! Come on!" Finn shouted shoving Darrow towards his horse.

Anna climbed into her saddle and watched Darrow climb clumsily into his. Finn was shouting something but it was lost amongst the angry and triumphant shouts.

"RUN!" Darrow shouted and dug his heels into Cloud's sides.

They took off from the confusion Darrow's arm still bleeding, Finn still shouting something that was starting to sound like…

"WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE!"

Anna was only halfway on her saddle and bouncing around an awful lot, how she managed to stay on would remain a mystery to her.

They clattered off the road and into the forest. They were still following Darrow who was looking less than miserable. Anna looked back, and saw the cloud of dust close behind Gerard and his companions thundered after them.

Finn had been right about the numbers thing, unfortunately Gerard didn't care if he stayed with his men or not. Therefore he was gaining on them,

"Go faster!" Anna shouted to Darrow who had now fallen behind Finn.

Anna took one glance at the blood spreading across his shirtsleeve and knew they had to stop and bandage the cut. It occurred to her that Gerard knew, he knew exactly what he was doing to Darrow and he knew that they needed to stop! He was clearly much more clever than Anna gave him credit for.

She thought rapidly keeping an eye on Finn who was still shouting and on Darrow who was getting paler by the second.

Then the idea struck her, Gerard didn't know that the scar was a warning, he didn't know that it warned them. There was something strange about that scar, whatever it was Gerard had done it intentionally. Yet it had warned them, without it's warning they would've been caught off guard!

Perhaps the scar was much more than a warning, maybe whatever sorcery Gerard had used on it could also help them. Anna didn't know how but the closer Gerard was the more it hurt. Anna was thinking hard, how could it help them?

She had an idea, "Finn!" she called.

Finn stopped shouting about being too young to die and looked back, "Follow me!" she yelled and he slowed a bit reluctantly.

Anna felt her horse tiring which was just as well, she seized Darrow's saddle horn and she slung herself behind him.

"Darrow! I have an idea," she yelled in his ear.

Darrow nodded looking pale and didn't answer.

Anna looked around they burst out of the trees and into a clearing this was the perfect opportunity for Gerard and his men to catch them!

"Darrow turn left!" she shouted.

Darrow did and gave a cry of pain; Anna knew that she was right, "Turn right!" she ordered and the confused Darrow listened without objection.

"How does your scar feel?" she asked.

"It's not as bad…" he answered breathlessly.

"Good, keep going this direction…follow your scar!" she said.

Darrow looked confused at first then it donned on him and he nodded gripping the reigns tighter.

"Hold on! We're heading for a river!" he yelled suddenly and Anna didn't need to be told twice, she gripped his waist as tightly as she dared.

It was then that she remembered their companion.

"Finn!" she looked back Finn had fallen too far behind and Gerard was only feet away and slicing at him with his sword.

Darrow pulled back on the reigns so suddenly that Cloud reared and Anna slid off the back and hit the ground so hard it almost knocked the breath out of her.

Darrow was still on Cloud and looked worried, Finn was barreling toward them with Gerard's blade inches from him.

Suddenly Finn jerked back on the reigns and his horse slid to a stop; this was when Anna expected the blade to go straight through Finn. However Finn jumped from the saddle and rolled before Gerard had the chance. Which landed Finn rolling right at Cloud's feet.

Gerard pulled his horse to a more graceful stop with his sword raised and a smirk.

"Dearest cousin, we've been seeing quite a lot of each other lately," he said.

"Too much," Darrow's voice was weak and this made Gerard's smirk broaden.

"Darrow it seems that your old cut has reopened…whatever could be the cause of that?" Gerard asked in obviously fake concern.

"You tell me," Darrow snapped.

"Perhaps I will," Gerard smiled and Anna realized that Darrow was stalling! He had said before that Gerard liked the sound of his own voice!

"You're a monster! What sort of human being could kill their own mother?" Anna shouted from her sitting position on the ground.

"Women are meant to be seen not heard," Gerard said.

Anna raised an eyebrow. Both Darrow and Finn looked at each other knowingly.

She stood, "I'll speak if I want to speak!" She snapped.

"Well then there you have it, I killed my mother because I wanted to kill my mother. I'll kill my dear Uncle and Aunt because I want to and I'll kill Darrow because nothing would give me more pleasure. In fact I'll kill you and that little stable hand with you just because I want to," Gerard said triumphantly dismounting.

He reached into his cloak and pulled out a knife, as soon as the blade caught the sunlight Darrow gave a sharp cry and fell out of the saddle clutching his arm.

"Darrow!" Anna screamed kneeling beside him. Her scream unfortunately spooked Cloud into taking off in a wild running spree.

It was then that Anna noticed the river rushing past only a few feet in front of them. Finn knelt down by her and whispered so softly she could barely hear.

"What do we do?" he asked.

"Keep him talking…I might have a plan," Anna whispered so softly that she wasn't sure if he heard her.

Finn stood and looked at him, "You could've been only very young when you killed your mother," he said.

"Indeed, I was eleven, and Darrow was a scrawny nine year old boy," Gerard laughed.

"You were far to young to even consider killing Cecilia," Anna said ripping off some of her skirt to bandage Darrow's arm. His eyes were closed tightly and he was breathing heavily it clearly caused a lot of pain.

"Not nearly, all that sneaking around Darrow and I did together, it seems quite meaningless now," Gerard stopped and watched her for a moment his smirk growing.

"Of course it wasn't completely my idea," he said thoughtfully, "Heavens No! I was a mere child incapable of coming up with something as brilliant as that. Yet at the time being a child was quite handy."

"You killed your mother?" Finn said, then he brought his finger up to his head and started spinning it around, "Can you say, 'loon'?"

Anna shot him a glare that clearly said: keep him talking! Don't insult him idiot!

"Well then who gave you the idea?" Anna asked wrapping another dark blue piece of fabric around Darrow's arm. He cried out in pain and his brilliant green eyes shot open for a moment.

"Sorry," she whispered soothingly.

He didn't seem to notice closing his eyes tightly again and suppressing another cry.

"That's for me to know…and I'm not telling you who it was," Gerard said.

"What have you done to him?" Anna asked near tears.

Darrow was in a horrible state and it was growing worse by the second. He was in a cold sweat and growing still paler. He was shivering, and clutching his now bandaged arm against his chest.

"The knife is bewitched, if he stays near it much longer he'll die…hah! And you thought stalling me would save him!" Gerard laughed.

Anna looked up at Finn who was standing there clearly stretching to the limits and trying to think of an actual idea. Anna's gaze was brought back to Darrow who was coughing blood onto the grass.

"Darrow," she whispered calmly, "It's alright…don't think about it, it'll be alright." She was trying to be soothing while tears were streaming in hot trails down her face.

"Calm down Darrow, you're all right, it's going to be all right," she continued; it was no use, Gerard was killing Darrow! And he hadn't even touched him!

She looked around and saw in the grass several pebbles just lying there, not really opposing or eye catching. However it did spark another idea, she looked up past the rocks at the river. It was rushing menacingly past Anna knew what to do.

Anna glared up at Gerard, "You're evil…he's your cousin! How could you just watch him like this?"

Gerard raised an eyebrow…but Anna wasn't finished, "Especially after he saved your life! When I would've let you hang! Darrow is a better man than you'll ever be, and technically he's not even a man yet so…." Anna paused, "Therefore you're pathetic! You don't deserve to rule over anything! A child is better than you!"

Gerard laughed, throwing his head back, Anna used this opportunity to gather the pebbles and stuff them in her dress pocket. She stood reluctantly leaving Darrow's side.

"You're a horrible person! You don't deserve top be related to…to even Finn! A rock would make a better King! You have a black heart! You're cold and emotionless and…I hate you!" Anna was just rambling really, stalling.

She reached into her pocket and her fingers closed around a pebble pulling it out, she continued her ranting.

"I hope you rot! I hope you suffocate in your own slime! You evil, despicable, disgrace of a human being!" Anna cocked her arm back and threw it. Taking Gerard completely by surprise when the rock hit him right between the eyes.

He raised a hand to his shocked face and felt the bruise that was welling up where the rock had struck.

"Finn! Get Darrow! The river! The river!" Anna was screaming.

Finn didn't need to be told twice pulling Darrow off the ground and winding his good arm around his neck. Finn couldn't walk very well with the shivering Darrow. Darrow didn't seem to be conscious at the moment.

Anna pulled out another rock; soon she was throwing rocks at the speed of light barraging Gerard with pebble after pebble. Then she ran out of rocks, and that was ultimately her cue to leave.

She turned and ran after Finn who was hobbling under Darrow's weight she took Darrow's injured arm and helped to support him to the bank.

"Finn you can swim…right?" she asked.

"Uh huh," he said nodding.

"Good," Anna glanced back at Gerard who was lunging at them, "JUMP!"

(DUN, DUN, DUN!)

(A/N: A cliffy! Will Gerard get them, or will they escape? Well I might…just might tell you in the next chapter. Anyways I've been wondering what you guys think of Finn, and about the whole scar thing. Also I want your opinions on Finn and Darrow and who you think Anna should end up with- R&R!)