Sacrifice
A Sequel to Quietly into the Night
Conventional Couples
Rating: PG-13

Chapter Thirty

Antar – Capitol City

Jereon led Isabelle through the crowded marketplace. All around them, people discussed the edicts Kivar had recently issued. All citizens must carry identification papers. They were not allowed on the streets after sunset, and anybody caught harboring a fugitive would be put to death instantly.
"Sounds a bit like Nazi Germany to me," said Isabelle.
"Stop it," whispered Jereon. "You can't talk like that. We can't afford to have you be overheard making references to Earth culture."
"Sorry," whispered Isabelle, immediately contrite. "I wasn't thinking. I truly didn't mean anything by it."
"I know you didn't, but right now, we have to be especially careful. We need to get ourselves some identification papers.
"Where are we going to get them Jereon? We aren't sure who we can trust and who we can't."
"Watch," he said. He took Isabelle by the hand and led her into the middle of a group of guardsmen. As they walked through the group, Jereon bumped into several of the guards. Apologizing profusely, he led Isabelle away and into a small tavern.

"What was all that about?" demanded Isabelle as they sat down.
"That, was about this," he said laying the documents on the table. "Now we have documents, a few modifications, and we'll be all set."
"Wow, I'm almost impressed," said Isabelle.
"I'm so pleased that I've almost impressed you Princess," said Jereon sarcastically.
"Now who needs to shut up?" snapped Isabelle. "I've told you before, don't call me that!" Isabelle stopped talking as their server approached the table. She waited until Jereon placed their order before continuing. "I don't need to take this from you. You're just some stupid little peon my brother saddled me with!" She stood up and started to leave the tavern. Jereon jumped up and grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply.
"Wh-what did you do that for?" Isabelle sputtered after she broke the kiss. She glared at him, refusing to show him how deeply the kiss effected her.
"If you ever do that again, so help me, I'll kill you," she hissed.

Jereon refused to be cowed by her stare. "Stop acting like such a childish brat, and I won't have to," he countered. "That always was your problem. You just charge in and do what ever you want, regardless of the risk to anybody else."
"Where do you get off making any judgments about me?" questioned Isabelle. "You don't know me, you don't know anything at all about me."
"I know you were the one who went after Ava when she was captured by the skins, and alerted them to your presence in Roswell. I know you married Jesse Ramirez and risked exposure to yourself and the others, and your little fit of pique that your parents took pictures of exposed you to the government. I also know about how you couldn't stay away from your husband after you went on the run, and that put Kivar on your trail. And let's not forget your most recent stunt of using the orbs to come after Lexie instead of letting your brother do it. Need I continue?"
"Oh please, there were mitigating circumstances with each of those things," said Isabelle in a condescending voice. "If you had been in my place you would have done the same thing, and you know it."
"No, as a matter of fact, I know that I wouldn't do anything like that," said Jereon, but he stopped when he realized Isabelle was no longer listening to him. "What is it? What's the matter?"

Isabelle put a finger up to her lips and jerked her head sideways towards the table to her left. Jereon looked over and realized that his father's best friend and confidant Franchet was talking with one of Kivar's guardsmen.
"We almost had them sir," said Franchet. "We got to the warehouse shortly after they left. We tried tailing them, but they were too fast."
"What you are trying to get me to believe is that Naloch has managed to elude capture yet again while at the same time, leading a band of refugees, some of them children? Is that what you are telling me?" roared the guardsman, his fist banging on the table. "Hear me when I tell you this. If they are not captured with in the next paratach, I personally will present Lord Kivar with your head. Is that clear?"
"Y-yes sir," stuttered Franchet. "We think we've tracked them to Tanjanika. I have some men on their way there even as we speak."
"You had better hope they are, or you will be the one to suffer the consequences."
"There is one other place," said Franchet. "Naloch used to own an old hovel up in the mountains, but no, that was destroyed years ago."

Isabelle held her breath as she listened to the two men speaking. Jereon sensed her fear and reached across the table and took his hand in hers.
"Don't worry," he mouthed.
She smiled weakly and squeezed his hand. Franchet and the guardsman stood to leave, and Jereon and Isabelle followed close behind them. Once outside, the guardsman headed back towards the Royal Palace, which was in the process of being rebuilt. Franchet glanced factitively around and set off down an alley. As one, Jereon and Isabelle took off after Franchet. At the end of the alley, he stepped out onto another busy street and mixed in with the crowd. He took every precaution to ensure that he wasn't being followed, but he hadn't counted on the determination of Isabelle and Jereon. They walked in silence, their hands still intertwined. After several minutes they found themselves on the street where Naloch's shop once stood. They watched Franchet pound on Tragenta's door. The door opened slowly, and Franchet pushed it in and shoved his way past Tragenta. They moved closer to Tragenta's dwelling to see if they could overhear any of the conversation.

"I don't know where he is," cried Tragenta. "I haven't seen him. The only ones I ever see are his two children, but I assume they died when the shop exploded."
"You lie old woman!" shouted Franchet. They heard Tragenta give a muffled cry.
"Quick," said Jereon. Change your appearance again, and do mine as well. It is a skill I never mastered."
Isabelle quickly complied, and the couple made their way to what was left of Tragenta's front door.
"Grandmother," yelled Jereon. "It is I, Prencha, and I've brought a surprise for you - - my new bride is with me. Grandmother? Are you home?"

Franchet stepped into the small hallway and tried to block their path.
"Your grandmother is resting, now is not a good time for a visit."
"I think now is an excellent time for a visit," said Isabelle as she put her hand on his chest and gave a small squeeze with her mind. Franchet fell to the ground in an unconscious heap.
"Drag him in here, would you?" she directed Jereon, who willing grabbed the crumpled heap and pulled him into the house. Once inside, they found Tragenta trying to pull herself up off the floor.
"Tragenta, are you all right," said Jereon, rushing to her side.
"I'll be ok, grandson, or should I say Jereon? I'm glad to see you remembered the code. Who is this you have with you?"
"As I said, this is my new bride, Ilondria. That is all you need to know. We need some information if you have it Tragenta. We have been betrayed. Someone gave away our location to the guardsmen. One of them is Franchet. Do you know of any others who have transferred their allegiance?"
"No, I don't, I believe he is the only one. I only learned of it myself yesterday. I had no way to warn you, I am deeply sorry for that. The others, they are safe?"

Jereon looked at Isabelle and quickly interpreted the nervous look on her face. "It is better if I tell you nothing. That way if you are questioned, you can honestly say you do not know anything."
"Your bride is wise to urge you to say nothing," laughed Tragenta. "Come with me and I will get you some provisions. You cannot stay here though, it isn't safe for you."
"Don't worry about us, we are fine. Franchet is going to be waking up soon, what about you?"
"Simple, knock me out the way you did him, and when he comes to, he'll just assume we were both attacked. He's stupid and easily fooled."
Isabelle looked at Jereon, and he nodded. He helped Tragenta to lie down on the floor and Isabelle pressed her hand against her chest and again, used her mind to knock Tragenta unconscious. Jereon grabbed her hand, and they slipped out the back door and into the night.