"Jeremy," Raven stood across from the elderly farmer. He was eating his breakfast. "There's someone I'd like you to meet." The man looked up from his food to face Anelee, who stood behind Raven.
"Katherine, who is this woman?" he asked.
"My friend," she replied. "Anelee Draper," she gestured to the mage, "Jeremy Cornfield. Jeremy, Anelee." The two shook hands and Anelee sat at the table. Raven went to the counter to get some precious munchies for herself and her new friend.
"So," Jeremy began as soon as Raven left the table, "How did you meet my charge?"
"Uh, well you see, we shared a room last night." She was not going to mention the fight. The man look at her, he needed more of an explanation. Time to make up lies. "My room is actually next to Katherine's, we met in the hall and started to talk. Eventually, your charge invited me in, we had some tea and after some talk," Anelee forced the blush and spoke hurriedly, " I fell asleep before retreating to my room."
"Right. Where're you heading?" The man asked as Raven received two plates, "Any particular things that the girl said, that might interest me?" he smiled, he was joking.
"To answer the first question, I'm heading to Corus." Anelee said in her careful manner.
"We as well, for a competition." Jeremy replied with a nod.
"The second question, I am unauthorized to answer." She finished with a grin. That wasn't a true lie considering the fact that Raven had told her not to tell Jeremy about last night. "Now it is my turn to ask you something." The man shrugged sipping whatever was in his mug. "Cornfield, that means you're a farmer, correct?" the man nodded, "Then how in the Realm did you end up escorting a violinist? I don't mean to be rude, but I find that a bit odd."
"Katherine was a farm hand when the invitation arrived. Violin is her hobby." He did not offer any information of when she arrived or for how long she worked for him. Why let this stranger know that Katherine just showed up in his cornfield and he hired her, this woman would think him stupid. After all, he didn't know about the girl's past, he was just compelled to help Katherine.
"Originally she was to merely help with the harvest, but Rosie, my wife, insisted that she practice to keep in shape with her music. Someone in the village likely heard her practicing, word found way to the younger majesty's ear and he had her invited to play for him at his birthday as part of the music competition." He looked at her. Black hair and eyes, swarthy skin, Tyran traits. She had a mixed accent, the sign of a traveller. Draper...wasn't that the original name for that mage Samalín? That is if gossip circles were correct. Anelee saw his examination.
"I am going to Corus to meet my brother." Not a lie, she did intend to seek out her brother once in Corus. This farmer didn't need to know her original intentions, about her own place in Maren court and such. "Katherine," that name really didn't fit the girl, "invited me to join you." Raven smiled as she set the two plates down, she had heard Anelee's last words.
"So can she join our little party?" The girl asked sitting down. Some thing flickered in Raven's mind; she had said that before.
She was cold and wet. An image of an alley flickered in her vision. She had said those words five years ago, they had gotten her kicked out of the Underground Court; junior enforcers did not make such suggestions. The memory disappeared as quickly as it had come. Anelee was thanking Jeremy for letting her tag along.
They hadn't noticed her lapse. What was that? It felt so real. She quickly thanked the Great Gods her food and began eating, the warm food chasing the cold feeling. Demetrus had found her the morning after her 'brilliant' idea. Apparently he had been looking for her for a while, but couldn't reach her. She had been about 10 ½ then. Demetrus had been her hero.
She turned her attention back to Anelee and Jeremy: they were making travel arrangements. Something the mage said caught her attention.
"Portal?" she nearly choked. "But..." she caught the woman's warning look.
"Katherine your friend is a mage."
"I know that but—"
"A powerful mage," Jeremy lowered his voice, "she can cut off a day of travel, take us right to the gates of Corus today. We have to be there in two days to register anyway and don't you want to have sometime to relax before we go to the palace. Your friend can help." Raven was speechless, Jeremy was resolved on this; there was no way she was getting out of this one. She put on a smile.
"That would be rather convenient, if Miss Draper could handle three people and their mounts." Anelee noted the smile, finishing her morning meal.
"Well then shouldn't we be going, considering that I can handle transporting that amount of people." The mage stood picking up the empty plates. Taking them over to the proper counter, she sighed. The girl didn't put two and two together, a blessing and a burden. It was in her name and origin. The Draper family of Tyra was full of mages, but the siblings of her generation were the most powerful giving them fame. She should know not to question her strength in magic-related actions. The blessing however was that she didn't become hero-worshipping like some of the other girls she had met. She returned to the table.
"Katherine, if you don't want to use the portal, I'm fine with that. According to some news brought by a messenger that was here last night, there'll be a group of knights passing this area in the afternoon. They're heading to Corus, and are already escorting some civilians, you can travel with them likely."
Knights! Raven wasn't going to wait around for law enforcers to find her. They were likely the ones who were looking for her, the ones who had stopped with the merchants; they were after her!
"On second thought," she started, "the portal sounds fun." Jeremy raised an eyebrow at her change of mind. "I don't want to travel with knights, think of all the bawdy songs they must sing. Definitely not a place for a young, refined, female musician." She added with a smile. 'Especially one who is considered a fugitive.'
"Definitely not." Anelee agreed. "Don't worry your horse will be alright," she said to the girl, "I'll make him snooze for the portal." She added as the three set off for the stables to collect their mounts.
~~
They bid farewell to the merchants as the group of knights and musicians separated from the caravan. They began to ride...hard...or a quickly as a militia wagon allowed them.
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