Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from outside sources isn't mine.
Warnings: 500 bottles of beer on the wall… (People get kind of drunk)
Chapter Six: FlightI ran back to my room, ignoring the cries of the frustrated servants that I knocked into, ignoring the sounds of disturbed noble lovers.
"Milady?" Ashleigh questioned as I flew into my rooms. She jumped up from the chair and curtseyed quickly.
"I'm leaving." I informed her shortly. "Can you find me a pair of britches and a plain shirt, nothing fancy?" I dug through my loaned clothes, staring at the frills and beautiful fine material with distaste.
"Yes, Princess." Ashleigh ducked out the door and ran down the hall. I picked up a book of maps that was in the study, and paper and charcoal. Cringing slightly, I squashed them together in a laundry bag that I found in the washroom.
"Milady Elensar, the clothing that you requested." Ashleigh handed me the britches and shirt and I stepped behind the dressing partition and put them on. They were big on me, but that didn't matter all that much at the moment.
"Can you get some bread, cheese and water skins for me?" I asked Ashleigh, not at all guilty about taking these things. Adrian owed me.
She nodded and ran out again. I worked on getting out the lovely design that was in my hair.
"Here, let me." I turned around and smiled gratefully at Marilyn. Her fingers were deft, and soon the complicated hair weavings were out, and my hair was spilling loosely past my waist. "Do you want me to cut it off?" Marilyn asked.
"No!" I grimaced. "Sorry. No. I'll just braid it." I finger combed the brown mass and plaited it easily, tying it with a green ribbon.
"Elensar, your food," Ashleigh announced quietly from the doorway. She held up a small sack that was bulging with food.
"Thank you both, so much!" A smiled briefly. "Do either of you want to come with me?" I looked hopefully at the two women.
"I cannot," Marilyn smiled sadly, "I have a family."
"I am bound to the palace for as long as I live, so I, too, cannot come with you, milady Elensar." Ashleigh looked saddened at the thought. "I wish you well."
"And I you," I told her, wondering if I would see either of these two women again. "Farewell Marilyn, Ashleigh." I walked out of the room, one sack on my back, and one in my hand.
"This way," Ashleigh appeared at my elbow just as I was about to go down the main stairs. "Not the noble way. Someone would notice you."
"Thank you, once again." I smiled at her, and she smiled back.
"You need the help sometimes, noble lady." She led me down a stairway that was hidden so effectively by a tapestry that I had not noticed it at all. We wound down the flights of stairs that were well lit, to my gratefulness.
Finally, we ended up outside the kitchens. "Which way are the stables?" I whispered to her, planning on stealing a mount.
"I wouldn't take a horse from here. They're all branded with the insignia of Delran. Someone would know you'd taken it right away." Ashleigh grinned as the look of understanding washed over my face. "You're welcome," she said, anticipating my words.
"What would I have done without you?" I wondered.
"Got caught," she said practically. "Before you go…take this." She handed me a neatly folded square of paper. "I think you wanted this, once upon a time." She closed my hand over the thick little square and pointed to a tiny gate. "Don't look at it now. Later. That," she motioned again to the gate, "is where you will be leaving from."
"Right." I squinted in the semi-darkness. "Are there guards?"
"Yes, but tell them that you're going to get more wine for the festivities. They'll believe that." Ashleigh pushed my back. Then she added in disgust, "They're probably drunk by now as well." She smiled again. "Go now. You haven't much time left before the King will have someone after you."
"You are truly a miracle worker," I said in amazement. Then I turned and walked confidently down the pathway, praying that I would get away with it.
"You thar…" One of the guards slurred. "Wha' yer purpose?"
"I'm getting more wine for the festivities in the palace. They ran out and sent me to get more." I wrapped the strings of the bag of books and papers so tightly around my fingers that I couldn't feel the tips.
"Go on! And bring us back some too!" The other man leered down at me. "Ya hear?"
"Yes sir." I said, dropping my eyes.
"Git! Git on outta here!" the drunk waved his hand at me and I obligingly trotted off down the road.
I reached the outskirts of the city by the time that false dawn tinted the sky, and I was trudging through the open fields by full light. My sacks of stuff were feeling like deadweights, and my feet hurt like hell. I was dozing off every few steps, only to catch myself before I fell face first into the dirt.
"Girl!" I twisted around blearily as a man called to me. "Yes, you!" He pulled his horse to a dusty halt beside me.
"What?" I swayed slightly, dizzy for a moment.
He eyed me, his eyebrows raised in a distinct manner of distaste. "Have you seen a girl, about seventeen years old, come through here? She has brown hair, done up all fancy, probably in a fancy dress." I looked at him closer and noticed that he was wearing a soldier's uniform.
After trying to think of the words, I shook my head and told him, "No. Didn't see any girls like that." My speech was slurred from sleep (or lack thereof) and any traces of a noble or Meridian accent that I might have had was covered effectively.
"Thank you, miss." The soldier bowed slightly from his saddle and kicked the horse onward.
I stared after the receding dust cloud and slowly sank to the ground, completely worn out. I crawled off the road, so no one would trample me, and fell asleep with the food sack for a pillow.
When I woke up, I felt much better. Cheerfully glancing at the red sun, I reached into my supply of food and pulled out a loaf of squashed bread. "Great. Just great." I stared at it, willing it to puff back into its proper shape. After that was unsuccessful, I shoved the whole thing in my mouth at once and ate happily.
I picked up the book of maps and flipped through it, looking for a map of the main roads that lead to a port city in Delran.
I found one quickly, and poured over it, searching for my position. Once I found that I was somewhere along the Fendarth Road, I traced a path that took me to the city of Merenwen. My fingers could cover the distance in a trice, but the actual journey would take me over one hundred miles from the Capital.
I sighed and looked up from my maps, glaring at the dusty stretch of road before me.
Distant rumbling hoof beats made me snap the book closed and stuff it into the bag. I shoved the bag with my papers and books into the larger food sack and slung that over my shoulder, preparing to hide if necessary.
The hoof beats neared and I tensed, ready for anything, I thought.
"You there! Wench!" I looked up, affecting what I hoped to be an innocent expression.
"Yes?" I clenched my fingers tightly around the bag.
"Come 'ere!" The speaker beckoned me forward.
I stepped forward cautiously, keeping my head down. I saw boots appear on the ground before me in a puff of dust as the leader dismounted.
"Look at me!" He growled, jerking my chin up with a rough hand. I cried out involuntarily at the sudden pain. "Shove it." He jerked my head from side to side, looking for something.
"You're…you're hurting me!" I burst out, slapping his hand away.
"Is that how you show respect to your betters, wench?" He asked me, leaning in close to my face.
I bit my lip to stop myself from informing that I was his better. I looked at the ground and mumbled, "I'm sorry."
"That's better." He stepped back, folded his arms across his chest, and smirked. "Now, what is in that bag of yours?"
I blanched. No regular person would have books and papers. "My f-food, sir." I choked out. "Some bread and cheese."
"Alright then." He walked back over to his horse. "She's about the right age men; you know what to do."
"The right age for what?" I demanded, my voice escalating in pitch with every word. The man just laughed.
"Get to it!" I turned and ran, dashing for the cover of a nearby stand of trees. Hoof beats thundering after me pushed me faster.
"Go away!" I muttered as I ran. I flew forward as someone behind me grabbed my bag. Then, hands were around my waist and I was being scooped up into a saddle. I kicked, screamed and bit, but to no avail. I was stuck.
Author's Note: Finally! The Escape! So here it is, for those of you who have been begging for Elensar to run away…ta da! Of course, she couldn't get away too easily, but that comes into play in the next chapter.
Chit Chat:
Maple Rose: Right…I did make her promise Raven a dance, didn't I? I'll work it in later…somewhere. Thanks for pointing that out! All questions will be answered in time, so be patient…
Miss Piratess: Complexity in relationships is just one of those facts of life- even Elensar cannot escape! Glad you liked the dancing. J
Aerinha: The plot from the actually fairytale hasn't really come in yet. That comes later (much later). Whee! I'm so happy you like my story!
Flummoxed: Yes, I'm tricksy! grins Where's your story??? I want to know what happens next!!!
Turwen: I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long!
Malista: Many smiles for you who likes my story!
