Rae didn't move from her position. Whatever was out there obviously wouldn't know that she was awake and alert. Instead she rolled over on to her other side, continuing to make it seem as if she was still sleeping and was only stirring in that sleep. While at first the noise hesitated, it then got closer. It sounded like footsteps. Whoever they were, they were terrible at a quiet approach. The twigs and leaves that snapped and crunched under their feet was loud enough in Rae's mind to wake the dead.
She slid a dagger from her belt stealthily, without making any sudden movement. Then, without warning, she leaped to her feet and tackled the person to the ground, just as they were close enough for her to seen them in the open flap of her small tent. She held her dagger at their throat. "Who are you?!" She demanded an answer. If only it weren't so dark, she could see their face better.
"Don't kill me!" The person pleaded. The tone of their voice and the deepness of it told her this was a man.
"Tell me who you are!" The red head pressed her dagger a little closer and glared at the person under her, even though she was sure they wouldn't be able to see her expression.
"Alright, alright! But please don't kill me, master Rae…" That certainly caught her attention. "…t-the council... they sent me after you. They wanted you disposed of..."
The note of fear and cowardice in the man's voice told Rae that he wasn't lying. He was telling the truth. She had gotten very good at discerning deception from honesty a long time ago. But why would the council want her dead? She had done nothing wrong, only ever done everything they asked of her. She never disobeyed an order and was always told that she was their most valuable asset.
Rae pulled away from the man, standing up and backing away, but she kept her weapon aimed at him. "Why?" His hesitation led her to think he didn't understand her question. So she elaborated. "Why would the council do this? I've been nothing but loyal to them ever since I joined their organization."
"T-they…" He stopped, clearly nervous. Rae was becoming more and more frustrated.
"Tell me now or I will slay you where you are."
"The council… T-they said… you've become a liability. A danger to what they are. They know you stole that horse from the village you were ordered to destroy, and that you kept it a secret from everyone. They're worried that if you're starting to hold secrets and go against their orders, even a little bit, that it'll become a bigger problem later."
"It was just a horse!" Rae was startled at the harshness of this, over something so simple. "I wasn't ordered to kill a horse!"
"But you were ordered to destroy the village and everything within it. Person or animal alike that you came across. That... That mission was a test of your obedience. By bringing that creature back, you went against orders... I was told to go after you and kill you before you had the chance to come back. I... I denied at first, but they hurt my sister. I had no choice!" There was agony in his voice.
Rae put her dagger back into its sheath in her belt and walked closer to the man laying her hands on his shoulder. "I have a different solution to your situation."
He didn't believe her. She could tell by the stiffness in his posture. Skeptically, he answered, "What might that be?"
"Go back to the council, tell them you killed me. I'll never return and instead I can hide away in a village somewhere else. They won't know the truth. They never will. I'm good at keeping secrets." Then a smile tugged at her lips, "At least, I'm good at keeping them when a large animal isn't involved."
He ignored the joke, "But what if they do find you? I'd be sticking my neck out for you and if they ever found out that I lied to them… they would kill me! My sister included! I…I can't…"
My grip on his shoulders tightened. "What's your name?"
"Yehvon," he answered slowly, unsure if it was okay for him to answer such a question.
"Yehvon. I know you."
He nodded his head, Rae faintly saw the movement in the night, "We used to train together when we were younger."
The red head sighed, thinking over past memories with a smile. "Right... As I recall we got into a lot of trouble, too."
He chuckled. "That we did…"
Then her face went blank and she became serious once again. "Then tell me, Yehvon: in all the times you've known me, have I ever lied or broken a promise?"
He shook his head almost immediately. "Never. You're an honest, trustworthy friend, Rae."
"Then trust me now with this."
She felt, rather than saw, the conflicting emotions going through Yehvon's head. It was a tough decision and she knew it. He either killed her and lived peacefully for a time, or he risked trusting her and let her live. If he chose the latter of the two then she would make it her personal business to never be caught by the council. And if she risked being caught she would just throw herself onto her blade. She wasn't going to let Yehvon and his sister be killed. Not for anything. Not because of her. Whatever the council had against Rae wasn't worth a friend's death.
"Alright, Rae, get out of here. But just know if I run into you again, I won't hold back from killing you. And I'll be better at it next time. No slip ups. I'll make sure you won't know I'm coming. I can't give you this chance twice..."
She sighed silently in relief. "Thank you, Yehvon."
"I'll give you an hour before I go back and tell the council. I want you gone by then."
"I understand."
He then turned and left. Leaving the red head to the small task of saddling her horse, rolling up her tent, and being on her way.