I held my breath as I heard the stomping of feet against the wooden floor below me. Kayla and I hardly dared to blink. When they went away, I nearly jumped out of my skin when the door was pulled open, revealing the woman who let us hide here. Kayla jumped down and I followed. How they managed not to find us, I would never know. Maybe they didn't have that Lycanthrope with them this time, though that was unlikely.
Wordlessly, we followed the woman into one of the rooms. She didn't look older than twenty, but the worry lines spoke for themselves. She'd been through a lot. She opened up a truck, pulling out a pile of neatly piled clothes and hands them to me. "These should fit you. My brother was small." Brother? Sure enough the clothes were for a guy. She notices my confused look. "They're looking for a pair of girls. They won't think twice about two boys. And bind your chests flat, just in case."
It was so perfect. I wished I had though of it before. Besides, who was I to turn down a chance to wear pants again? I thanked her before she left the room to let us change. I was more careful this time to hide the rune than before, keeping the shoulder away from Kayla's line of sight as I wrapped my chest with a long piece of cloth. I didn't know what her reaction to it would be, no matter how much I trusted her by now. The clothes fit me just fine, as she said they would. Better than the dress did, anyway. Kayla plaited my hair into two braids and wrapped them around my head then pinned hem flat. Under a hood you would never know. I did the same to hers, and we examined each other.
Kayla giggled a little. "You look like a thirteen-year-old little boy. You're face is too feminine"
"You don't look much older!", I complain.
The woman was waiting for us when we came out. She nodded in approval. "Perfect. Just try not to walk like girls, that'll give you away."
I nod, understanding. I owed her so much. Without her I didn't want to think of where I would be right now. "Thank you. May I know your name? Once this is over, I'd like to send you compensation for your trouble. Whatever you wish."
"There's no need for that, I'm happy to help you any way I can. But my name is Celine." I respected that. But I would still try to send something if I got back to Camelot.
"I won't forget everything you've done. I wish you the best."
"And you, my lady."
I grimace, hating the title. It seemed I would never escape it. It followed me everywhere I went. "It's just Sarah. You don't need to call me any different."
Celine smiles a little, which made her look much younger and prettier. "Goodbye then, Sarah. May luck follow you both on your journey."
The road was packed with people just as it was yesterday. Nobody gave us a second glance when we passed, which gave me a bit of hope. Maybe we could make it to Camelot after all. Waltz through right under their noses. We bought horses with some coins Elsa had placed in our pack. That woman seemed to have prepared for everything.
Another advantage to being a boy? No stupid side-saddles. I was rather enjoying being able to straddle the horse, allowing me to hold on much better, rather than having my legs hang over the side uselessly simply for the sake of being lady like. I still wasn't the greatest rider, but I was getting along better than I had before.
We were stopped abruptly by a group of knights on patrol. They searched our bags, making me nervous. We didn't have anything with us that would give us away, but I couldn't help fidgeting as one of them rifled through my saddle bags. Once he finishes he nods approvingly at his superior and moves away. I try not to look too relived. Kayla was standing beside her horse, waiting for permission to mount up and continue on our way.
"You're names ages, boys?", asks the leader.
"My name is Kendal, and I am sixteen. My brother, Alexander, is fourteen.", Kayla answers in a fake gruff voice, giving me an extra year from her original assessment of my looks. It wasn't my fault I was short.
"Old enough.", one of them mutters.
Kayla cocked her head questioningly, but doesn't say anything. Neither do I. "Congratulations boys. You've been enlisted."
"My brother is too young for that!", Kayla snaps instantly.
"Age was just lowered. We need every man, every sword that can be spared. You should both be honored.", but even as the man said it, I could see the sneer on his face. They made us follow them to an encampment. It sprawled out along a valley, full of knights. An army. I shuddered to think of what it would be used for. Many of the men looked to be like us. Enlisted last minute and shipped here. Many of them were young too, barely old enough to be considered more than kids. They clutched their weapons as if they were a lifeline. Maybe they would be when the time came. The thought sickened me.
Once inside the camp, we were no longer the concern of the party that brought us here. They left us alone. "This is just great.", I mutter. She doesn't disagree. We stay apart from the others, speaking to no one. I wasn't surprised when the men who were looking for us at the boarding house showed up, the Lycanthrope now in tow. I hadn't seen him at the boarding house. The man who enlisted us looked surprised to see him, and came out to meet him.
"Meliorn. What are you doing here? Still on the hunt, I see."
So that was Mr. Scary's name. Meliorn glared down the other man. "I wouldn't be so quick, Malik. Our tracker picked up their scent not far from here. Seems they have slipped through your fingers as well." That didn't make Malik very happy.
"I'll double patrols. If their around here, they'll be found."
Meliorn shook his head, laughing. "You are a fool. This isn't just some girl. You do know what family she belongs to, don't you? Do not underestimate her because she is female."
Malik pales. "Of course not. I'll make sure my men take the threat seriously." It was hard not to smirk. These men thought I was worth extra precaution. Yet part of me knew that was bad. It wouldn't make things any easier. Yet I stood well within their sight, and they didn't even realize it. "Come, Meliorn. You must be tired. Let us speak of the seige on Camelot in the comfort of my tent."
The dark man nods in agreement, following the other further into the camp. I stood there with my eyes wide. "Alexander?" It took me a minute to notice she was speaking to me between my sheer shock and my little recognition of the fake name. I look over at her, and she grimaces.
"They won't be able to take Camelot the way they took Taharah. They'll be prepared.", She whispers harshly, pulling me out of hearing range of anyone's ears.
"Not if they don't know.", I hiss back. "We need to warn them."
She huffed indignantly. "We can't do that if we get caught. I know what you want to do, and I won't let you."
"Then don't look" I walked away, following the men to the tent. I needed to know their strategies if I wanted to be any use. Just knowing there would be an attack coming wouldn't be enough. Taharah was proof of that, and for now it was lost. I wouldn't let the same happen again. Kayla stomped after me, bent on getting me to stop. But I was sick of doing everything other people's way. No more hiding. No more running. I was going to do something useful for once.
Being in the middle of their home court made them lazy. Not a single guard was posted around the tent, and the rest of the men were to busy eating around fires to notice us. I crept silently around the back, straining to listen. Kayla was right on my heels, having realized I wouldn't listen to her.
They weren't even speaking of battle plans, much to my disappointment. "Raul will be quite angry if we fail in bringing her to him.", says Meliorn. I flinch at Raul's name. I had been right. Raul was connected with all of this, somehow. And he was still after me. But now it seemed he prefered to send others to do his work for him.
"We?", Says Malik, clearly not liking the inclusion. "He appointed you and that beast of yours to find her. Not me."
"She is somewhere in your camp, Malik. My beast, as you call him, found trace of them here. Wouldn't it be a shame for you to be held responsible for letting her slip through your fingers?" Silence proved that Malik didn't like this idea at all. Kayla tugged on my sleeve, wanting to leave. I shook my head. We might hear something useful.
"I have better things to do then bicker with you.", Malik says angrily.
A laugh comes from the other man. "Yes, my friend. Go tend to your gars. I'm sure they need to be in their best condition to be set loose on Camelot." Kayla sends me a horrified look, and I comply as she pulls me away. But it was too late. As we rounded a corner she collides with a man. Tattoos in strange designs covered his arms from his wrists up to his elbows. His black eyes lit up at the sight of us, his mouth curling into a pleased smile.
"Hello Darlings.", he purrs in a soothingly creepy voice. Kayla's grip on my wrist tightens. And we ran.
Well, that turned out more fillerish than I intended. It kept getting longer and longer so the part I wanted to include will have to wait until the next chapter. Don't hate me too much about the cliffie! I couldn't resist!