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Words in "" means speaking

Words in '' means thought

Words in means elvish

Chapter 3: Escaping Death

Mireiswen found herself outside (thank goodness), but she was in an alleyway with the choice of going right or left. She didn't have time to think, for she heard the clatter of heavy footsteps trailing down the hallway toward the door she had just come from. She ran right only looking once behind her as she heard the door open and saw three figures spring after her. As she reached the end of the alley she made a sharp right and ended up in the middle of Main Street, crowds of people all around. She saw an opportunity and darted out into the middle, desperately trying to remember where she had tied her horse. She heard a nay from far off and stood on her toes to see over everyone. She could just make out the flash of a dark gray mane and sped towards it. In a few moments she reached Luna and flung herself on top of the poor horse, urging her into a fast gallop. Fifteen minutes later she was out of town and speeding towards home. She knew that Reran, Moddyn, and Linyc were probably not far behind. In what seemed like hours to her, but was in reality only thirty minutes, her home came into view.

Mireiswen burst through her front door, her heart beating loudly in her chest and beads of sweat sliding down her forehead and onto her cheeks. At the sound of all the commotion her mother can running out of the kitchen.

"What on middle earth is wrong with you, Mire? You don't just storm in here like." She didn't have time to finish, for Mireiswen interrupted her.

"Where's Elen?" She asked impatiently.

"Upstairs playing with sage" Her mother said in a concerned voice. "Why?"

Mireiswen didn't answer. She rushed upstairs and emerged less than a minute later, ushering Elendawen down while cradling the cat in her arms. "We have to leave now" She said in a hurried voice.

"I can't go gallivanting around right now, there's work to be done." Narathiel exclaimed.

"PLEASE!" Mireiswen said louder than she expected. "Please, mother, just..trust me."

Narathiel let out an exasperated sigh. Staring into her daughter's pleading and frightened eyes, she agreed. They ran outside and while Mireiswen hopped onto Luna, plopping sage in front of her, Narathiel slid onto Flora. She lovingly lifted Elen to sit cuddled against her and looked back with questioning eyes at her eldest daughter.

"Follow me." Was all Mire said as she sped off. A few minutes later they came to some very thick brush and Mire jumped off Luna and gently led her into the protective covering which it supplied. Narathiel did the same. From their position they could just barely make out their cottage. Only moments after they were settled into their hiding place, three figures appeared on horseback. They were closely followed by half a dozen more.

'Oh no,' Mire thought, 'they've brought more men. Outcasts and barbarians like Linyc, most likely.'

They watched on as the figures entered the house searching for them. "What are those men doing in our home?" Narathiel whispered.

"Looking for us." Mireiswen stated matter of factly.

She glanced sideways just in time to see her mother's eyes widen with fright. As she looked back at the scene unfolding in front of her, the men came back out of the house. She couldn't see their faces, for they were much to far away, but she imagined that their expressions were that of pure anger. Then something she hadn't planned on happened. The men lit torches and before it had time to register; their little cottage was set ablaze. They looked on in horror as their home, the place in which they had made their lives, and everything it held inside that was so dear to their hearts, was brutally destroyed.

Mireiswen looked to her family. Her mother just sat there, a frantic pained expression marring her lovely face. Elendawen was in tears, her pale little cheeks splotched, and her eyes filled with confusion and innocence that only a child can possess. Mire felt tears stinging at the back of her eyes and a knot in her throat. She swallowed, trying to rid herself of it, but it was no use. Looking up, she could see the sun setting in shades of golden orange. Taking deep breaths, she slowly got up and motioned to her mother. They had to leave this place. Reran's men would come looking for them soon and they needed to be as far away as possible. Narathiel shook her head in understanding and picked Elen up. Holding her weeping daughter close, she mounted Flora. Mire followed suit, pulling sage into her arms once again. Was it her imagination or did she see sadness in the old cat's bright yellow eye? Nudging their horses into a steady pace, they slowly and quietly emerged from the security of the foliage, carefully eyeing the figures far off. The men wouldn't see them, they knew, for they were to busy laughing and watching the poor cottage crumble under the flames.
After they were a good ways away from view, the broken family urged their horses into a full gallop. They rode on through the night and early morning. Only then did they stop long enough to find food and water. There Mire also explained in full detail the account of what had happened on her visit to town. They knew not where they were going for none of them had ever left the comforts of their home and community. This is how it went for two more days. Riding hard through the day and most of the night. Food was scarce and usually consisted of berries and such. Water was found at rivers and streams. On the morn of the third day, however, things would change drastically. They had stopped, as usual, for a short rest. Narathiel heard the flowing of water near by and went to clean up. Mire and Elen wanted nothing more than sleep so they lay upon the ground and lightly dozed. Mireiswen woke to the sound of hoof beats. They were close.too close. She couldn't yell to her mother in fear of being heard. Luckily, she didn't have to. Narathiel came walking out of the trees and saw Mireiswen awake. She was about to speak, when Mire held a finger to her lips signaling for her not to. Narathiel listened carefully and also heard the distinct sound of horses, then voices.

"Hurry along men." Said a voice that could only belong to Reran.

Knowing they could never escape without a decoy, Narathiel rushed to her eldest child and whispered close to her ear, "You must take your sister and leave. I will catch up to you, worry not."

Mire looked to her mother, silently pleading her to come with them. Her mother only shook her head and hissed sternly "Go, now!"

Mireiswen complied and roused her sister from her sleep. Then, slipping onto Luna, she sat the child in front of her and put the cat in Elen's lap. "Hold to sage, Elen. Don't let him fall." Elendawen shook her head in understanding and they galloped off.

"Isn't mama coming?" Elen asked.

"No, she'll meet with us later," Mire whispered. She chanced a look back and saw her mother making quite a ruckus and riding off in a different direction. 'She's luring them away from us.' Mire's only thoughts, as she sped onward, were for the safety of her mother.