Thievery
Disclaimer: Precious is all mine.....
Oh Goddesses, what am I doing? I must be mad to have even started this whole Alexis saga. [Is firmly slapped by Draco the purple dragon muse]. Ah, thank you, fair muse. [Deep breath] and calm. Right, last chapter, we had Catherine arrive, a bit of a contained row and nice verbal abuse before she woke up. But, now the little carrier is awake, and wondering where the bloody hell she is. (To self) And I have no bloody idea what's going to happen in this chapter. Oh well.
[] = Alexis' thoughts and italics = Memories
"Where am I, and who are the both of you?" she repeated a little more boldly. I stepped towards her with my hands held out before me in the universal sign of peace.
"First off, just know that we don't plan on harming you in any way," I told her softly, trying to be as assuring as possible.
"Well, that's nice and all, but it doesn't really answer my questions," she stood up, and though she was quivering slightly, she managed to remain calm.
"Ah yes – as to where you are..... This is the Temple of Time in Hyrule. This gentleman here is Sheik, and I'm Blaise." A sharp cough came from Sheik, but I ignored it, paying heed to Catherine, who was holding her head and smiling.
"Oh man, I have to stop eating cheese before bed – it's give me freaky dreams."
"This is no dream!"
"Yeah, sure, that's what you all say, right before you turn into pink elephants and form a conga line." Sheik let out a snort of laughter, and she turned to stare at him. "Yep – Sheikah aren't fabled for their sense of humour, and they definitely wouldn't laugh at a feeble joke like that – ack, I'm analysing a dream! I have to stop reading all those old fables." She rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand, and then paused.
She stared at the skin there, and I could see a small trickle of blood coming from her grazed knuckles. Gingerly, she prodded the injury, winced, and then looked up at me with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. "I'm really in Hyrule?" she whispered, mouse-like.
"Aye, that you are," I answered, and then was knocked flying as she launched herself at me and wrapped her arms around my neck.
"YES! I knew it! I knew the old tales were real!" she exclaimed ecstatically. "Oh – oops – sorry," she giggled in embarrassment, and helped me up from the floor. "I'm just – I – wow. I'm really here!" She looked up at the ceiling, and held her hands clasped in front of her, a look of ecstatic joy on her face.
[Oh dear – and I have to burst her bubble.] "Well – um – I wouldn't get too excited about it-"
"Are you kidding? I've always dreamed of coming here. Oh, to see the sun rise over lake Hylia would be fantastic – and Death mountain – everything!"
"Please!" Sheik stood up, hands crossed over his chest. "Just be quiet for one second girl!" I would have yelled at him for being so rude, but the point got across, as she stopped talking immediately, and looked at him with a nervous smile. "Al- uh, Blaise; explain it all to her." Catherine didn't seem to pick up on his slip, and even though I was still terribly annoyed with him, I couldn't help but be thankful for his help in the situation.
"Explain what?"
"Why exactly you're here. I'm afraid it's not for a good reason – have you read in your legends of a Gerudo man named Ganondorf?" She nodded. "Well, then you will know that he bought seven years of darkness over Hyrule, by breaking apart the Tri-Force and trying to gain power that wasn't meant for him?" She nodded again, and slowly eased herself onto a perch on the altar. "He was sealed in the Sacred Realm by the Sages that the Hero of Time awakened – however, that seal has broken." She gasped, taking a small hand to her mouth. "Exactly..... And you have been bought here because of this."
"But – why? I don't know anything about fighting or magic, or anything like that!"
"Because we need you to help us get the Tri-Force pieces back, and get rid of Ganondorf forever. I can't explain it all to you right now, but if you will come with us, we will explain it to you somewhere safer."
Sheik coughed, and then said incredulously, "Excuse me, but where is safer than here? This is the Temple of Time for Goddesses sake!"
"It's not safe to talk here," I said, turning to face him with a sneer, "Because this is a public place, and anyone could wander in here - especially since it's around carnival time." I turned back to Catherine, and smiled weakly. "Will you help us?"
"I..... I don't know what you need my help with, but I'll do what I can," she said with a slight shrug.
"Thank you," I said with utmost sincerity, and then beckoned her over. "Come along, I've rented a room that we can stay in. Sheik," I looked at him, "can no doubt trust me enough to meet us again in the morning."
"Not bloody likely," he murmured, and followed us down the Temple steps. We walked along in silence through the ever-darkening streets, Sheik striding ahead of us by a couple or so paces so that any suspicious people were quickly scared off. Catherine finally managed to pipe up courage, and whispered,
"Do you two not get on?"
"I wouldn't say get on exactly," I whispered back. "More that we tolerate one another."
"Hit the nail on the head there," Sheik called over his shoulder, followed by, "Now which way?"
"Left." He paused, and looked down the little back-alley with disgust.
"Please don't tell me you mean this place?" he said disdainfully, pointing at the 'laughing Din', which didn't look much better by candle-light. "The 'laughing Din'? This place is revolting!"
"It's also the only place I could find – we have to go in anyway, all my weapons are in there," I snapped, tugging Catherine along behind me and through the stable-yard to the inn's front door, which was wide open. "Mind the step," I intoned as we walked over the thresh-hold, closely followed by Sheik, who was muttering a stream of scathing comments about the place. I was used to the stench of the place, but Catherine began to cough loudly as soon as we entered the cramped stairwell. The vicious land-lady came out onto the landing, and I could see a look of surprise upon her face when she saw me returning with both a man and a woman. [I dread to think what's going on in that suspicious head of hers.....]
"Here we are," I fished the key out of my tunic pocket, and fumbled around for the keyhole in the darkness. Finally, I found the damn thing, and turned the key in the lock, which creaked, and then shoved the door open. A few cockroaches scurried away to hide as we stepped in, and Catherine let out a small whimper as she no doubt spied a few of the larger ones on the floor. "It's all I could find so close to carnival time.....at least, all that would keep me a low profile," I explained to both of them, and walked over to the table in order to pick up my weapons.
"That's one mean looking swo- eek!" Catherine screeched, as a cockroach scurried over her foot, and then under the bed. "Gross!" I just shook my head, and pitied her that she wasn't used to this sort of thing – not yet, anyway. "How can you even think about coming in here, let alone staying to sleep?"
"To be honest, I didn't really have the time to think about it if I was to be there to welcome you," I said quietly, moving my weapons onto a pile on the bed, and then taking hold of one end to see just what the hell was under there – with Catherine here, I'd have to try and exterminate as many of the pests as possible. [I wish I'd thought to do this before she got here.] "Help me with this, will you?" I puffed, and Sheik (to my surprise) moved towards the iron bedstead. But, instead of pulling, he began to push it back into place. "What are you doing?"
"Preventing a mass of creatures from scuttling out from under this thing. I dread to think what lurks under it – you two can't stay here. You'd be eaten alive, or die of plague before the morning."
"Don't be ridiculous – we'll be fine!" I said, even though I didn't look forward to staying here at all.
"Uh....." Catherine said timidly, looking around the room. "I suppose – if we could not touch the floor – or the walls – or ceiling – or any of the furniture....." She trailed off, and looked at me pleadingly. "Can we stay somewhere else? I know I've only just got here, and I shouldn't be making demands.....but this place is just.....you know....." She looked around with keen eyes, searching out anymore cockroaches, rats or other creatures that might dwell in the place.
"For Goddesses sake, you can just use my house; I'm not going to have our only hope die in this squalid little place. You haven't already paid have you?" he asked. I nodded, and then scowled,
"Never mind – I suppose health is higher than money."
"Aye; come on, come with me." He strode out of the room in his usual long gate, and Catherine had to almost jog to keep up with him, whereas I was so used to it, I barely noticed. Catherine grabbed onto my arm desperately, and clung on, most likely afraid of getting lost. I didn't blame the child – I was beginning to be worried myself of getting lost without Sheik – it was amazing just how quickly a place could change in fifty years.
Our journey took us away from the dark, dank back alleys, where the lowest of the low slid through the shadows, preying on the weak and unsuspecting. One unfortunate pickpocket attempted his trade upon Sheik, who shoved him away with such force into the wall that I heard something crack. After that, no more thieves bothered us, and Catherine's grip on my arm loosened as we walked out into the wider streets of cosy residential houses. A few still had lantern-light pouring from their windows, and I wondered if any of the people within knew of the impeding darkness that could crash down on them so soon.
Hopefully, they did not.....and they never would.
Sheik carried on, straight past the delightful little houses, into a more upmarket part of the town, where the merchants and traders lived. Still, we carried on, drawing ever closer to the castle. [What if he's just leading us straight to Link?] I thought with sudden sick horror. Would he? I wasn't sure.....I had no idea as to how fifty years might have warped his mind against me. I just hoped that this wasn't a trick.
He began to slow a good mile or so from the castle, so I knew he was not taking us there. We stopped in front of a large house, which towered four storeys above the street, as well as showing the telltale floor-level windows of a basement/cellar. "This is your house?" Catherine spluttered, now letting go of my arm completely, and staring up towards the top floor, mouth hanging open. "It's like twice the size at least of my house.....wow, you must be loaded!"
"Hardly," Sheik muttered, quirking an eyebrow. He fished a plain black iron key from his satchel, and inserted it into the impressive looking lock of the sturdy oak front door. With an ominous click, the door swung inwards to show a shadowy hallway – motes of dust flew out from the hinges. "I don't use it much," he barked at my inquisitive stare. Catherine jumped, and then followed Sheik through the door. With a deep breath, and look of pleading at the heavens, I followed suit, stepping into the cool darkness of the house.
[What have I let myself in for.....?] I wondered balefully, as Sheik lit a lantern, and made his way up a sweeping staircase that reminded me of Xenia's house [I suppose she's dead – Eloise too.....most of them really.] With a shake of my head, I cleared the memories away – I couldn't go through the memory catalogue thing again. [Why is it that this place always brings them forwards though? Damn it.....I'll be mad before this is over.] Strangely, that thought comforted me. At least if I went mad, I wouldn't have to think about Sheik, and what we could have had, and-
[Stop right there 'lex] I commanded myself, and focused on the steps we were ascending. Catherine's shoes clicked upon the wood, and my feet made a soft padding sound; Sheik's footsteps, were of course, silent. "Which floor are we going to?" the carrier asked curiously, straining to see into the murky gloom around us.
"The third," Sheik answered without turning back. "It's the only furnished floor."
"You mean you have this big house, and you don't use it all?" she said in surprise. "I would have thought if you didn't use it yourself, you might have rented it out or something....."
"If you've read your texts closely enough, you will know we Sheikah aren't known for our social behaviour," Sheik said dryly. She didn't say anything after that, just pulled a face at me, and carried on walking. On the second floor, we passed by something which caught my eye – a portrait hung, half- covered by tattered cloth upon the wall. Quietly, so that the other two didn't notice I had stopped, I walked over to it. I swept the annoying Sheikah style fringe from my face, and used my other hand to lift away the cloth-
"Leave it!" Sheik grabbed the back of my tunic, and pulled me away from the painting – however, the cloth was still tightly clasped between my fingers, and it came as well, almost dislodging the painting altogether. In the lantern's light, the faded strokes of the artist were bought to life.
"It's you two – wow – but, who's the guy on the horse? Is that.....Link?" Catherine air-touched the painting, whilst Sheik silently fumed, and I stared at it in shock.
"Who?" I peered at the frame to try and find a signature, but there was none. "Sheik?" he didn't answer. "Demons Sheik, snap out of it you idiot!" He blinked, and glared at me venomously.
"Her Royal Majesty, wife of the Lord Protector, Malon to you," he spat, lifting the cloth from the floor and then throwing it back over the painting. "Come on, before I change my mind and give you and your charge to the guards in the dungeons to look after." It was an empty threat, but I didn't dare cross him again all the same. Catherine didn't need to see displays of violence that I had seen from him in the past. Especially not a display in which he may turn his sword upon me. That wouldn't help anyone.
The third floor was as sparsely decorated as the other two, until he opened the door into the apartments that he used. Throwing a Deku-nut into the empty fireplace, he succeeded in lighting the whole room, which was sparingly, though tastefully, furnished. A pile of papers lay messily upon a writing desk, and on top of them sat a pair of spectacles shaped like half-moons. A quill lay in the dry inkwell, and splatters of ink riddled the tables surface like rampant woodworm.
"There are six bedrooms on this floor – I've only furnished one though, so you'll either have to share, or make up some beds with spare mattresses from the store-room," he instructed, pointing to an inconspicuous door on the other side of the room. "That's the store-room – the bedrooms are all along the hallway from here – the next along is the furnished one."
"We'll be OK in that one, right Blaise?" Catherine asked, stifling a yawn. "Man, I'm tired – I guess inter-dimensional-things do that to you, right?" I just nodded, and opened the door for her to go through.
"Go on – I'll catch up," I whispered to her, and then shut the door quietly. Pressing my ear against it, I listened to make sure that she did indeed go along to the other room, and then looked at Sheik, who was easing himself into the chair in front of the desk, and slipping the glasses on with a tired sigh. "Sheik?" He stubbornly withdrew an inkbottle from the drawer, and stabbed the quill into it with such force that I heard the tip crunch against the bottom of the container. "Please – we need to talk."
"I don't see that there's much to talk about – you are only here to carry out a mission, so get it over with, and then leave me be." He took a sheet from the pile (already half-filled), tapped the quill against his cheek a couple of times, before beginning to scrawl madly over it, hand curled into a desperate fist as the words bled out.
"Please.....just let me explain-"
"I'm sick of your explanations. Just go away, I have reports that need to be done by the morn," he threw the sheet aside onto the floor, and then took another, this time clean, and carried on with the frantic writing. I took a step forwards, checked myself, and turned around, opened the door and left, repressing the urge to slam it behind me. Pressing the heels of my hands over my eyes, I leant against the door and fought against hyperventilation which was trying to race through me.
The door fell back away from me, and I wheeled backwards, flailing my arms clumsily and managing to catch onto the doorframe. Sheik brushed past me, a huge chunk of papers in his hand, and walked to a bookcase that stood against the banister along the hallway. Then, he swept back, and disappeared into the lounge-room without so much as a glance at me. Sick despair twisted my insides, and I hurried along to the bedroom, where Catherine was no doubt beginning to wonder where I had gotten.
I turned over, yawning, and one of the pillows Catherine had thought to pile on the floor for me on discovering that there was no couch, fell away, causing my head to fall and hit the hard floor. "Ow," I rasped in a sleepy haze. Rubbing my aching head, I blinked open my eyes to look for the pillow, and was assaulted by bright moonlight. I'd neglected to close the curtains, and now I had to fight against wanting to stay where I was because it was comfortable, or get up and close them. I decided to stay where I was, and turned over again, to stare at the door out onto the landing.
I'd been thinking about that picture ever since I'd discovered it earlier in the evening. It was impossible to get the blasted thing out of my head, and I hadn't even seen it for more than a few seconds. Listening, I found that the house seemed silent enough; perhaps if Sheik had gone to bed, I could go and have another look. After all, if it had me in it, I was entitled to see it. Wasn't I?
Still with the sleep-haze hanging over me, I rolled off of the cushions (feeling lucky that I was still fully dressed), and padded along the cold floor in bare feet. [What is it with people and wood floors? Does no one buy carpets anymore?] Cursing the cold of the night, I traversed the floor, testing each board before stepping on it to make sure I didn't squeak and wake either Catherine or Sheik.
The door was mercifully silent as I cracked it open inch by inch. Flickering lantern-light startled me, and I wondered if Sheik were still up, writing reports. But – no – that light wasn't coming from this floor – it came from the floor below. I crept across the landing to look over the banister.
Looking down, I saw Sheik sitting on the floor, papers in lap, in front of the very portrait I had been creeping out to see – the cloth was discarded on the floor, and every so often he would pause writing to look up at it.
To look up at the painted version of me at fifteen. [I was ever so young? It seems so very hard to believe it now.] I chewed my lip, trying to figure out his expression.....but, he had replaced his facemask, and it was just as difficult to read his expressions now as I had found it twelve years ago [fifty for him though.]
It was too risky to stay out here for long, in case he looked up here; I turned around, and made it back to the room, inched the door closed, and then shut it with the softest of clicks. Catherine was still soundly asleep, her right arm hanging down at the side of the bed, fist clenched. In the pale moonlight, she looked remarkably sweet, and so young that I wondered if she was ready for all this. [She looks like the kind of one who can only prosper in peacetime.]
Whilst I was still up, I moved to the curtains, and closed them. It was now that my whole plan of stealth was ruined, because of that neglected pillow, which I couldn't see in the now pitch black. The resounding crash I made as I landed caused two things to happen: firstly, Catherine awoke with a scream loud enough to wake a re-dead. And secondly, Sheik crashed through the door about ten second afterwards, lantern in one hand, sword in the other. "What by the Goddesses is going on?" he yelled, heaving great breaths.
"I – fell," I answered lamely. Catherine was rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and held a hand to her heart, still recovering from the shock.
"Well, kindly don't go prancing around in the middle of the night and scaring the living daylights out of us." He sheathed his sword, and ran the back of his hand over tired looking eyes. "Try to get some sleep – there's only four hours of the night left as it is." And with that, he left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
"Are you all right?" Catherine asked, looking down from the bed. "Do you want to switch? I don't mind sleeping on the-"
"No – no, it's fine. Thanks, I'll be fine here. Just.....try and get some sleep, OK?"
"Promise me my wake-up call isn't going to be anything like that," she said, yawning and lying down again.
"I promise."
"Good, good."
The morning came all too quickly, and I doubt I managed to get even an hour out of those left of the night of sleep. The cock crowed twice outside somewhere nearby, and I sat up immediately, happy that I now had an excuse to move. Catherine managed to sleep through the crow, and I didn't like to wake her, so I tiptoed around the room, gathering all my stuff, and searching through it for my remaining money. To my horror, I found that I had dropped some of my rupees along the way, so I had only small change left. "Shit."
Rolling up my sleeve, and hoping that she didn't wake up, I looked at the armlet David had given me. Sure enough, he had managed to ingrain a summons button into the design (upon the snake's eye). After sticking my head around the door, and hearing soft snores coming through the open door of the lounge, I walked out, and strolled along till I found another door. Opening it, I came onto one of the empty bedrooms, which held only the shell of a fireplace. [Perfect.] I pressed the summons button, and immediately, a placard appeared from nowhere, which read 'Please wait one moment whilst we try to connect you'.
[David, you're insane.] A few seconds went by, and I hopped from foot to foot, straining to hear any signs of movement in the house. Finally, David appeared, clad in a towel and scowling.
"Why is it, every time I try to have a shower, I get a summons?" he growled, clutching the towel and shivering. "What?" he asked angrily, but the effect was spoiled by his chattering teeth.
"Uh – I need some cash."
"Visa or Master card?" he asked sarcastically, naming the credit card things from some world somewhere.
"Rupees stupid! I lost them, and I – uh – need some."
"How much?"
"As much as will buy me a light sword and shield for the girl." He counted on his fingers, mouthing numbers, and then grinned.
"About a hundred rupees then – here, have two hundred," he threw four purple rupees at me, one at a time. "Don't spend it all at once now!" He shivered. "Right, anything else, or can I go before Loki nicks the shower?"
I raised any eyebrow, "And you're trying to tell me you'd mind that?" He blushed, grinned, and disappeared. I pocketed the money, and went back along to the bedroom before Sheik could accuse me of something.
"Catherine – get up kid, the sun's up," I called out, lifting my now-packed bag onto my back. She groaned and pulled the covers up over her head. "Come on, get up," I urged, tapping my foot impatiently. She just groaned again, and raised an arm from under the blankets to display a one fingered salute. "Fine," I walked over to the bed, grabbed the end of the coverlet, and whipped it off in one swift motion. The cold air of the house made her gasp, and she curled into a tiny ball before finally succumbing to opening her eyes.
"You're evil," she murmured into the pillow, and then sat up, stretching widely, and gazing out of the window at the rising sun. "What time is it?"
"About six or thereabouts I think – I let you sleep in for a bit."
"You call six sleeping in?" She asked, rubbing her eyes and blinking to clear the sleep from her eyes. "This place in insane."
"You don't say," I muttered to myself. Then, I spoke to her again, "do whatever you need to do – go to the loo, wash your face, whatever, and then come back in here. We're going to need to buy you some weapons." She stopped in her walk to the door, and turned round to face me with a quizzical look.
"Weapons? But.....I don't know how to fight! What use could they possibly be?"
"They may save your life sometime," I said simply back. "And don't worry, we still have three days to teach you how to wield a sword. Now, go on and find the bathroom," she nodded and stepped out of the room, only to wheel around and come straight back in, pushed gently in the small of back by Sheik. "What's the problem?" I asked tightly, slightly annoyed that he was indeed awake already.
"Where was she going?"
"'She' does have a name you know – and I think you could at least ask Catherine where she was going like a civil little boy." He just let out an annoyed sound, and then turned to Catherine.
"All right – where were you planning on going?"
"The bathroom.....is there a problem with needing to pee?" The corners of my lips rose slightly at the little biting remark, and I silently praised her for speaking back to him.
"Oh," he seemed a little taken aback, and then stepped out of the way of the door, "down the hall, fourth door on the left."
"Thanks," she brushed past him, yawning, and wandered off down the corridor. Sheik pushed the door shut, blocking my view of her, and stood in my line of vision.
"What was the idea? Sneak off whilst I was sleeping?"
"You won't believe me, but, it wasn't actually – I wanted to get out to the market before it was crowded so I could get her some weapons."
"Right," he raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing me, just as I knew would happen. "Well, now that I'm awake, we can all go shopping together – what fun."
"Aye, a veritable delight," I frowned. "Don't you have some kind of duties you should be doing or something?"
"Don't you have some duties you need to carry out?" he asked with a sarcastic air, nodding to the door and evading my question completely.
"Fine! I'll go and get her – and no, I won't run off before you ask." I pushed past him to the door and exited as well, walking down to where he had described the bathroom to be. The corridor exposed itself to be tastefully decorated in the light of day, in shades of scarlet and ochre. The carpet was a dark, royal blue, and the Sheikah Eye of Truth was daubed all over the place. It was obvious this had once been a house for the Sheikah – of whom, only Sheik now remained.
[How sad it must be, to be all alone,] I thought, before catching myself and remembering that I had to hate him. [I don't really – he's just so bloody stubborn!] I stopped suddenly, realising I had forgotten to count the doors, and had to backtrack a couple of doors to where the bathroom was. "Catherine? Are you in there?"
"Yeah, I'm here!" she called back, the sound slightly muffled. I heard the merry tinkling of water suddenly cease, and she swung the door open, wiping her face with a towel. "What?" She yawned widely, and then smiled sleepily. "What did you and Sheik talk about then?"
"Not much – he's coming shopping with us is all – and he wants to get going soon so we can miss the shopping crowds."
"Are you sure anything will be open this early?"
"Positive – everything opens early here," I told her firmly. "Excuse – I've just got to wash my face too." She let me in, and then shut the door behind the both of us, still drying her own face.
"Careful – the water's pretty cold," she warned as I took a handful of the stuff straight from the tap and splashed it over myself – some trickled down the back of my shirt, which woke me up more effectively than anything else that morning. "Ah – that's better; here, give me that towel will you," I reached out a hand blindly, wondering why she wasn't talking back, and my hands fumbled against someone – cracking an eye open just enough to see, and not get the water in my eyes, I was shocked to see Sheik standing there looking agitated. "What?"
"You'd best get going quickly," was all he said, nodding to Catherine.
"What? Why?" I asked, this time suspiciously.
"Because her majesty's blasted sorcerer is coming here for some reason – and you know full well that he isn't trustworthy," Sheik hissed so low that it was a strain to hear his words. "Now, get a move on."
"Hang on!" Catherine blurted out, and then blushed when we both turned to stare at her. "Just – I need my shoes."
"Go get them," I said as kindly as I could with my heart racing faster than Nostawen in full gallop. "How does Aghanim know the girl's here?" I demanded as soon as Catherine had left the room.
"I don't believe he does – but he suspects I know something," Sheik answered, rubbing his temples and frowning heavily. "You two have to go – I don't like to let you, but I've got to stay here and put up with his questioning."
"You mean – you're actually going to let me, little 'Miss Traitor backstabber' out of your careful watch?" I said with a sneer. He just growled low in his throat, refusing to rise to the bait. "Fine.....and just to prove that I will be coming back," I unclipped the snake armlet from my upper arm, and threw it to him; he of course caught it perfectly. "I can't get by without it." He stared at it, brow furrowed, probably trying to figure out if this was a trick.
"Fine – whatever – just hurry and go. And make sure you aren't seen by him or any of his men. They're easy to spot – all his apprentices wear-"
"Long black robes – I know." I rushed out of the room, not trusting myself with him. It was either start a fight with him, or beg him to forgive me the past. And neither would be very productive at the moment.
Catherine was standing in the hallway, looking furtively around, and hopping from foot to foot as she waited. "Why's the sorcerer so dangerous? Why do we have to run?" she asked, even as she followed me down the stairs at a hurried pace.
"I'm going to have to tell you later I'm afraid," I puffed as we reached the first floor. [Ah, how many times I have said that in the past.....?] "Just as soon as we're safe, we'll stop somewhere, and talk about it, all right?" I took her silence as a yes, and skidded on the stone floor at the bottom of the stairs on the ground floor, which was slightly wet with condensation. "Now, we'll just creep out of here, and then we'll be safe," I said, more to myself than to Catherine. She hovered next to me, wringing her hands.
However, no sooner had I said it than there was a knock at the door. Sheik cracked into the visible spectrum next to us, and I had to stifle Catherine's shriek (as well as my own). "Go out of the back door – fourth on the right," he hissed, and then raised his voice. "I'm coming – wait a moment!" Then, back to us. "Go!"
OOH! Shock, tension – Aghanim might see them – and then that game would be up. [Gasps].
Til next time, review! REVIEW! (And I'll try not to leave quite so long between this and the next chapter.....)