Part 13
-We should talk.- said Tully.
-I don't think this is the right time Tully. I need to be alone.- said Connor mounting his horse.
-At least take it.- He said extending his hand..with the ring.
He looked at the ring, -It's not mine to take.- He said, motioning the horse to move.
Tully sighed. His arm dropped. He began to walk back towards Fergus's hut, when he saw Fergus run towards him. -Where's Connor?- asked Fergus out of breath.
-I don't know, he rode away. What's wrong?-
-She's alive.- said Fergus
-Who's alive?-
-Catlin, she's alive.- Fergus looked around for his horse.
-Wait, wait.- said Tully shaking his hands in front of him, -I don't understand, how could Catlin be alive? Who told you this?-
-Molly.- said Fergus.
-She's lying, she's trying to trap us.- said Tully.
-I'm not lying.- said Molly, who had appeared while the two had been talking. She limped and winced.
-Why would Connor think she was dead if she wasn't?- asked Tully.
-Because that was what Longinus wanted....he wanted Connor to suffer...from the inside.- said Molly.
-Why not just kill her then?- asked Tully.
-He will, as soon as Connor surrenders to him, Longinus knows the confederation is failing, with Catlin's "death" it was made possible. He will let the two of them be together and then kill them, in front of their own people, in front of us, as an example.- said Molly.
-He's a bigger monster than I believed.- said Fergus.
-So Catlin is alive...but is she in harm's way?- asked Tully, half believing Molly.
-She's not being harmed physically. She's fine. But she will suffocate with Longinus's poison heart. Not only is he keeping her alive, but he is also trying to poison her mind...trying to make her believe that Connor's fall is her fault.- said Molly.
-We have to get her out of there.- said Fergus.
-No.- said Molly.
-What makes you think I won't?- asked Tully.
-Longinus will kill you. He promised me Da, he told me he would kill you if I told you of Catlin..and now that I've told you..I fear for you...if you go and try and get her, he will know I said something...I can't let that happen.-
-Are you proposing we don't go after her?- asked Fergus.
Molly stayed silent.
-Then we have to tell Connor.- said Tully.
-He will go after her.- said Molly.
-Catlin is in there!- yelled Tully.
People around them stood still, they had heard what he had yelled. Now it was too late, everyone knew catlin's name all too well. They were going to have questions. All three of them looked at one another.
-She's right, we can't tell Connor.- said Fergus.
-Have you lost your mind? We have to tell him...he thinks she's dead, he should know the truth.- said Tully.
-He'll want to go to her, with or without our help, he'll get himself killed.- said Fergus.
-Trust him.- said Tully. -I'm not going to stand here and debate this, I'm telling him, he deserves to know...he needs some hope. Trust that he will do the right thing.- said Tully.
-The right thing in his heart or the right thing in his mind? Men are foolish when it comes to love.- said Molly.
-If you didn't want him to know why did you bring the ring?- asked Tully.
-As a sign of hope.- said Molly.
-For him or you? Why did you come here? Did you think he'd have forgotten of what you did...and welcome you with open arms...replace Catlin with you?-
-Of course not, I know how much they love one another.- said a hurt Molly.
-Then you understand why we must tell him.- said tully. ************
-I have to get out of here, there must be a way out. I know this fort.- thought Catlin. She had managed to find a way to unbind her hands and feet, she now was pacing back and forth..searching for anything of use to her..anything that could be used as a weapon. She thought of climbing out the window, she wasn't exactly wearing something she could run in or even travel in, pink...no one would miss her if they were looking for her..she was a walking target in that stupid dress. That's why she was in it, so that there'd be no possible way to escape. She would have to walk out, but her door was locked. She started pounding on it...the guards were alarmed as she was suppose to be bound down, they immediately walked in, she hid behind the door, long enough for them to go into the room deep enough..she walked out and locked the door, leaving the two guards trapped inside. --Now what?- She stood in the hallway for a couple of minutes before deciding to leave. She ripped the bottom of her dress and she took her shoes and placed them in her hands, the stone was cold beneath her bare feet. She walked the hallway until it came to an opening..a stairwell leading down. She knew the front entrance would be heavily guarded, she should try the sides. She got to an opening to the outside she was so close...and then...she bent over and was forced upon her knees, she had been having pains to her sides if she did too much physical activity, she still had not healed on the inside fully, part of Longinus's plan, she was sure. Just a little bit more and she would be out. She got back up, ignoring the pain. She ran towards the horse stalls. Got on one of the horses...held her breath. This was it, she would make a break for t he east entrance, it was her only chance. She knew it was open, guard change. "Please God, let me get through this." she whispered to herself and then went..as fast as she could as she charged out of there, it was a surprise to everyone, including herself. She made it out of the fort...past all the guards, but now the guards were after her, she would have to head towards the river, she rode the fastest she had ever riden....the air was wet..it was raining, but she was out...and for the most part alive. She could hear the band of Romans behind her. She motioned for the horse to go faster until she reached the river cliff.
"There's no where to go now!" yelled on of the Roman Guards....
Catlin was trapped, it was either jump...or be taken back to a living hell.
"Anywhere but here." She said looking at them and then running towards the cliff. She flew...for what seemed ages....she felt free, until she hit the water..it was freezing, and it hurt. But she swam. She could hear the swoosh of arrows as the guards followed her down the river..she kept with the flow until it disappeared into the thickness of the forest and until the Roman guards could no longer follow. She swam to shore. Freezing, still raining. She knew this river would lead her to the sanctuary.
-We should talk.- said Tully.
-I don't think this is the right time Tully. I need to be alone.- said Connor mounting his horse.
-At least take it.- He said extending his hand..with the ring.
He looked at the ring, -It's not mine to take.- He said, motioning the horse to move.
Tully sighed. His arm dropped. He began to walk back towards Fergus's hut, when he saw Fergus run towards him. -Where's Connor?- asked Fergus out of breath.
-I don't know, he rode away. What's wrong?-
-She's alive.- said Fergus
-Who's alive?-
-Catlin, she's alive.- Fergus looked around for his horse.
-Wait, wait.- said Tully shaking his hands in front of him, -I don't understand, how could Catlin be alive? Who told you this?-
-Molly.- said Fergus.
-She's lying, she's trying to trap us.- said Tully.
-I'm not lying.- said Molly, who had appeared while the two had been talking. She limped and winced.
-Why would Connor think she was dead if she wasn't?- asked Tully.
-Because that was what Longinus wanted....he wanted Connor to suffer...from the inside.- said Molly.
-Why not just kill her then?- asked Tully.
-He will, as soon as Connor surrenders to him, Longinus knows the confederation is failing, with Catlin's "death" it was made possible. He will let the two of them be together and then kill them, in front of their own people, in front of us, as an example.- said Molly.
-He's a bigger monster than I believed.- said Fergus.
-So Catlin is alive...but is she in harm's way?- asked Tully, half believing Molly.
-She's not being harmed physically. She's fine. But she will suffocate with Longinus's poison heart. Not only is he keeping her alive, but he is also trying to poison her mind...trying to make her believe that Connor's fall is her fault.- said Molly.
-We have to get her out of there.- said Fergus.
-No.- said Molly.
-What makes you think I won't?- asked Tully.
-Longinus will kill you. He promised me Da, he told me he would kill you if I told you of Catlin..and now that I've told you..I fear for you...if you go and try and get her, he will know I said something...I can't let that happen.-
-Are you proposing we don't go after her?- asked Fergus.
Molly stayed silent.
-Then we have to tell Connor.- said Tully.
-He will go after her.- said Molly.
-Catlin is in there!- yelled Tully.
People around them stood still, they had heard what he had yelled. Now it was too late, everyone knew catlin's name all too well. They were going to have questions. All three of them looked at one another.
-She's right, we can't tell Connor.- said Fergus.
-Have you lost your mind? We have to tell him...he thinks she's dead, he should know the truth.- said Tully.
-He'll want to go to her, with or without our help, he'll get himself killed.- said Fergus.
-Trust him.- said Tully. -I'm not going to stand here and debate this, I'm telling him, he deserves to know...he needs some hope. Trust that he will do the right thing.- said Tully.
-The right thing in his heart or the right thing in his mind? Men are foolish when it comes to love.- said Molly.
-If you didn't want him to know why did you bring the ring?- asked Tully.
-As a sign of hope.- said Molly.
-For him or you? Why did you come here? Did you think he'd have forgotten of what you did...and welcome you with open arms...replace Catlin with you?-
-Of course not, I know how much they love one another.- said a hurt Molly.
-Then you understand why we must tell him.- said tully. ************
-I have to get out of here, there must be a way out. I know this fort.- thought Catlin. She had managed to find a way to unbind her hands and feet, she now was pacing back and forth..searching for anything of use to her..anything that could be used as a weapon. She thought of climbing out the window, she wasn't exactly wearing something she could run in or even travel in, pink...no one would miss her if they were looking for her..she was a walking target in that stupid dress. That's why she was in it, so that there'd be no possible way to escape. She would have to walk out, but her door was locked. She started pounding on it...the guards were alarmed as she was suppose to be bound down, they immediately walked in, she hid behind the door, long enough for them to go into the room deep enough..she walked out and locked the door, leaving the two guards trapped inside. --Now what?- She stood in the hallway for a couple of minutes before deciding to leave. She ripped the bottom of her dress and she took her shoes and placed them in her hands, the stone was cold beneath her bare feet. She walked the hallway until it came to an opening..a stairwell leading down. She knew the front entrance would be heavily guarded, she should try the sides. She got to an opening to the outside she was so close...and then...she bent over and was forced upon her knees, she had been having pains to her sides if she did too much physical activity, she still had not healed on the inside fully, part of Longinus's plan, she was sure. Just a little bit more and she would be out. She got back up, ignoring the pain. She ran towards the horse stalls. Got on one of the horses...held her breath. This was it, she would make a break for t he east entrance, it was her only chance. She knew it was open, guard change. "Please God, let me get through this." she whispered to herself and then went..as fast as she could as she charged out of there, it was a surprise to everyone, including herself. She made it out of the fort...past all the guards, but now the guards were after her, she would have to head towards the river, she rode the fastest she had ever riden....the air was wet..it was raining, but she was out...and for the most part alive. She could hear the band of Romans behind her. She motioned for the horse to go faster until she reached the river cliff.
"There's no where to go now!" yelled on of the Roman Guards....
Catlin was trapped, it was either jump...or be taken back to a living hell.
"Anywhere but here." She said looking at them and then running towards the cliff. She flew...for what seemed ages....she felt free, until she hit the water..it was freezing, and it hurt. But she swam. She could hear the swoosh of arrows as the guards followed her down the river..she kept with the flow until it disappeared into the thickness of the forest and until the Roman guards could no longer follow. She swam to shore. Freezing, still raining. She knew this river would lead her to the sanctuary.