She walked for endless hours, following the path as best she could in the pale moonlight and trying to ignore the noises of the night creatures. Slowly, her eyes began to droop, but she blinked fiercely.

"Not yet. Wait awhile longer," Corey told herself. But she was just avoiding the inevitable.

"This isn't any use. I'll have to sleep out here one night, at least," she muttered, and started looking around. Venturing beyond the treeline, the girl found a clearing and curled up under a bush, nursing her stomach.

"Not tonight. Don't come tonight," she whispered, shutting her eyes at last.

*~*~*~*

Something poked her in the head.

"All right, Rose, I'm getting up, she mumbled.

"Rose? Who's Rose?" A strange voice rumbled. Corey woke fully, gasping. Had she been found? Was her 'Great Escape', as she'd come to know it, over? She crawled out from under the bush and tried to stand, but too fast. Within moments she was kneeling again, trying to fight nausea and the urge to lose anything she had in her stomach.

"Steady there, miss," Someone supported her back and thrust what looked to be a water bottle made of leather under her nose. She took it and drank gratefully, then let herself be pulled to her feet.

"Now, who might you be?" The stranger was a middle-aged man with ratty brown hair and murky blue eyes. Judging by his clothes, he must have been some sort of farmer or herdsman, but they were in a forest, where was his flock, his farm?

"I'm..." she paused. He could be a spy, or someone sent to look for her. Better be careful.

"A traveler." Corey finished. The man smiled, the edges of his eyes crinkling.

"Aye, that I see. A traveler dressed in a fine cloak, one with no signs of wear or dirt or dust on it? Nay, miss. You only been on the road no more than last night, or p'raps a day. But I see you're wary. Wary is smart, in these parts. Here, tell you what I'll do. Come with me a while, and have a meal at my cottage down the road. P'raps after that you'll tell me your name, traveler," he said with a twinkle in his eye. Corey thought for a moment, then nodded, seeing which way he pointed. Away from the castle. He seemed decent enough, she might as well trust him for now.

"I be Thomas, a herdsman, if it comforts you to know my name and profession, young miss," Thomas led her down the road, offering his arm for support. She took it gratefully.

"A herdsman? But I see no animals for you to herd," the girl said in surprise. He laughed merrily.

"Aye, you see nothing. My creatures are hard to see, for the untrained eye. Look just there, by the road," He pointed. Corey looked, but saw nothing unusual, just a rock.

"I see only a rock," she told him. Thomas laughed again.

"'Tis no rock, miss. That be a gertling, you see," he went up and poked it with a toe.

"Hie, wake up!" The man demanded. The rock shook itself, and Corey saw that it merely had grey fur that could be plastered against it's body at will. Two small eyes peered up at her, and she smiled.

"It's so cute!" She cooed, reaching down to stroke the gertling. Sudden pains ripped through her, and she clutched Thomas' arm, gasping.

"Steady, traveler," he grabbed her elbow with his free arm, and Corey leant against him until the pain stopped.

"Come. We'll go on down to my cottage, just there in the distance. My wife'll take care of yer," he helped her walk. Soon they were stumbling up the steps, and being ushered inside by a woman, obviously his wife. Corey was half-carried into a room branching off from the main living area, where Thomas' lady sat by her. Thomas himself went back into the main part of the cottage.

"There, miss, you're fine. I be trained as a midwife, having no children of my own to care for," The woman's smile was sad as she propped Corey against a pile of cushions.

"Naught to do but wait, now. What's your name, then?" She fetched a sheet from a chest. Corey, sweating and panting, forgot all caution.

"I'm Corey, and I'm running away," she whispered hoarsely. Thomas, who'd just come in, knelt by her, face grave.

"You be the girl his Majesty's chasin'?" He asked. She nodded.

"He come by here just this morning, lookin' fer a girl of yer description. I wasn't saying nothing on the road to yer bout it, case yer wasn't the one. Why runnin'?"

"Because I hate him. And because I refuse for my child to be born to him, under that roof," she replied through gritted teeth. Thomas nodded.

"Aye, I know yer point. The child be his, then? Yes, I thought so. Miss Corey, you ought to be pleased with yerself. Not many get his Majesty in a right state as that. I'll be going now, but yer should relax. He'll not lay hands on yer or yer child here," he added as she yelped in pain again.

"Penny will take care of yer right," he let himself out and shut the door. Corey lay back, almost sobbing. He was looking for her. Damn it! Damn him! But she had sworn he wouldn't find her, and with the help of this couple, she might yet survive the birth of her baby. But wait, did she hear voices?

"Yer Majesty, yer was here only this mornin', I be telling yer we hasn't seen no girl," Thomas. From the next room.

"Yes, you told me," that exasperated voice had to be Jareth's. She looked frantically at Penny. The woman looked almost frightened, clutching another sheet in her hands and staring at the door. Another contraction hit Corey, and she moaned as quietly as she could. Obviously not quietly enough.

"What was that noise, herdsman? Coming from the back room. Are you lying to me?" Footsteps came closer to the doorway. Hands pushed a wad of cloth into her mouth for her to bite on.

"Quiet, quiet," whispered Penny.

"Nay, Highness. That be my wife, she has terrible stomachaches. My Penny wouldn't want you to see her like this, please, if you will, spare her the shame," Thomas called. The footsteps stopped, then went away.

"Very well. I shall go," Jareth's voice said. Corey breathed easier. At least, until the pain started again. She heard Thomas come in and say something to Penny, but her heart was pounding in her ears. That was a close call.

Soon, a baby's cry pierced the night air.

*~*~*~*

Please review!!!

Sweet Sunshine

Seul Loup