PARIS, 1340
Heart pounding in her ears, Elsa ran as fast as her legs could carry her, darting around the citizens gathered to watch the execution. She reached the platform before any of the guard members could react and stop her. She shouldered the dumbfounded executioner and he was thrown backward, landing on his rear with a loud thump. She drew her sword and turned to face Anna. The beggar watched her with mingled fear and bewilderment. A groan from the fallen executioner caught the captain's attention and she glanced over in time to see the man stretch to grip the lever and climb back to his feet. Predictably, the lever buckled under his weight, initiating the mechanism that would release the trapdoor beneath the beggar girl's feet.
Eyes widening in dread, the captain spun in time to have her senses arrested by the sight of the hatch dropping away and Anna plummeting through the air - but Elsa's hand was swift and sure. With one solid swipe of her blade, she cut through the rope attached to Anna's slender neck and instead of ending with a deadly stop, the beggar girl fell straight through the hole beneath her. Elsa's relief was short-lived; soldiers and guardsmen were surrounding the platform, weapons raised and surveying their captain with as much distrust as though she were a wild beast that had broken into the city to terrorize the inhabitants. Their eyes were flickering from Elsa to the girl crumpled beneath the platform, and the captain took the opportunity to lean over and check on her through the hole.
The rope slithered from the girl's neck to coil in the mud beside her and she was struggling to rise without at the use of her arms, as her wrists were still chained at her back. With another glance at the cautiously approaching guards, Elsa sheathed her sword and lowered herself into the hole, careful to kick her boots to either side as she dropped on top of the girl, splattering mud everywhere.
"Get off of me!" Anna said, struggling to buck off the Guard Captain who was now straddling her, but Elsa clapped a gloved hand over her mouth and hissed, "I'm trying to help you!"
"Come out of there! That is an order!"
She chuckled darkly at the irony of one of her subordinates giving his captain a command. In one motion, Elsa tucked both of her hands around Anna's waist, gathered the girl close to her chestplate, and scrambled boldly out from beneath the platform, slipping slightly on the muck under her feet. Escaping the courtyard was fairly easy; Elsa had only deflect a few swords on the way. The guardsmen were mostly too astonished to respond to the threat of treason in front of them. The captain made straight for a narrow side street leading off of the courtyard and the relief of entering the shade away from the accused and bewildered eyes of her men gave her pause.
Elsa was panting hard and realized how much the weight of the girl was wearing on her after the initial exhilaration of the spontaneous rescue faded away. The captain relinquished her hold on Anna, who smelled not of grime and sweat like most street urchins, but fresh bread. The girl tore away from her and stumbled against the stone wall of the alley, fixing on Elsa a pair burning eyes filled with pure mistrust.
"Why did you do that?"
Before Elsa could respond, she heard the clanking of armor and boots entering the opposite mouth of the alley - the guards had finally mobilized.
"Come!" Elsa lurched forward, reaching out to grab the girl's arm - Anna tried to put up resistance but couldn't do much with her hands chained together. Elsa tugged, urging her forward and away from the guards. Anna stumbled as she trailed just behind Elsa, who knew well how efficient the guards were and how much trouble both would have if they were caught. The captain understood Anna's hesitation to trust the woman she believed had been orchestrating her death, but this was not the time for uncertainty - Elsa's impromptu rescue now made this situation a life or death matter for both of them.
The pair rounded the corner at a run, weaving straight into the crowd of the market street they had entered. The mass of people was a good cover but the noise that came with it impeded Elsa's blind, backwards tracking of the guards in pursuit. The captain chanced a glance over her shoulder to find the nearest guard shoving a citizen out of his path only a few yards back.
"This way!" Elsa ordered, swerving left and pulling Anna behind her with a yelp of surprise at the sudden change in direction.
The pair cut in between two market booths of produce and down another narrow alley. Instead of stalling as they had in the first, they continued down the length of the street and emerged into another courtyard. This one was less populated which, to Elsa's dismay, would attribute to easier identification of the fugitives.
They skidded to a halt, Anna bumping into Elsa and trodding on her cape, but the captain was too preoccupied with deciding on a course of action to notice. While the captain deliberated, Anna tried once again to slip her arm from the gloved grip on it, but Elsa's hold tightened like a vice and she shook the beggar girl impatiently.
"Do you want to be executed?"
The girl glared at her abductor. "...no."
"Then you have to trust me! Can you climb?"
Daggers flew from Anna's eyes as she indicated the chains behind her back as though the blame for her restrictions rested solely with Elsa. "Not with these."
"They'll be the first to go. Come," Elsa said again, dragging the girl towards a nearby entrance to another street. The hiatus in the chase took its toll; the guardsmen had finally realized where the pair had gone and were right on their heels. The new street heralded a convenient parade of horses. Elsa ducked behind a chestnut pelted mare, dragging Anna behind her. They shuffled along with the trotting horse, thankful that it was without rider and acting as a guided packhorse, tied to the one in front of it. Elsa stood on tip-toe to peer over the horse's flank and ascertain the guards' positions. They were scattering to search, yelling orders at each other and scouring the street. Feeling cornered, Elsa whipped her head about, eyes training on each doorway and object in turn until she came upon one that wielded promise.
"See those barrels?" Elsa muttered to the beggar girl, whose gaze was trained nonchalantly on the ground as she walked. Anna's eyes flitted over to the aforementioned barrels then back to Elsa's face and she nodded. "Get behind them when we pass. I'll distract the guards away from you and come back for you once it's clear. You must not move from that spot - you must understand that I am your only hope for escape."
Elsa realized that she was asking a great deal of blind faith from the girl, but there was nothing else to be done. Anna's hard gaze had mistrust etched in every feature, but she nodded again, sharply, once. Elsa clenched her jaw, hoping that the girl wasn't going to try and run - Elsa probably wouldn't be able to save her again if she got caught. The adrenaline that had coursed through the captain since the execution courtyard was wearing away and being replaced by intense worry. She could not pinpoint exactly why, but all motivation for her actions was now attached to the assurance of Anna's safety. It was even placed above her own safety, her title, and her own life. But Elsa didn't have time to puzzle it out - the barrels were approaching and they were no sooner upon them when Elsa let go of Anna's arm and watched her dive behind them.
Darting out from behind the horse, Elsa moved rapidly in the direction from which they had come, so as to lure the guardsmen away from Anna's hiding spot. The loss of warmth to her gloved hand was startling and she clenched her fist to her chest as she ran up the street, narrowly avoiding citizens and a few swinging blades. Her cape billowed behind her as she tore around a corner and down another wider street, boots pounding the cobblestones. The citizens were now becoming aware of the mass disturbance of the patrol and were more readily scurrying out of the way. From an outsider's perspective, the chase could appear one-sided. That is, the guardsmen seemed to be simply following their captain in pursuit of a criminal, they would have no reason to believe that the captain herself was the criminal they sought.
Elsa weaved a convoluted path through the quickly darkening city, taking the familiar streets she pounded on her beats. With a pang, she realized she had given up everything from her past life, including her authority and citizenship. The thought, however, was fleeting as Anna's determined glare filled her mind's eye. The girl had been willing to surrender her life to protect the urchins she cared for and even in all of her time as Captain of the Guard, Elsa had never done anything so selfless - until now. It was a fire burning in her veins, allowing her to ignore the ache in her underused lungs and the stranglehold her flying cape had on her neck.
She spotted a doorway swathed in shadow from the setting sun and quickly threw herself through and slammed it shut, listening for the guards to pass with her ear pressed to the rough wood. Once the sprinting footsteps and shouts faded away, she cautiously opened the door and poked a head out to confirm their absence before doubling back to the street in which she had left Anna. She took an alternate route, keeping an eye out for guards but she encountered none. She picked up her pace on every passing street, anxious to get back, hoping the beggar girl hadn't been discovered or had taken it upon herself to flee.
When Elsa reached the barrels her worst fears were confirmed. The space behind them in which Anna should have been crouched was distinctly empty. Elsa let out a sharp breath, panic setting in, and began scanning the area, hoping against hope that Anna was nearby. Then an uncomfortable smack on her shoulder from behind had Elsa spinning in alarm and unsheathing her jeweled sword in case of threat. Anna stood wide-eyed, obviously not expecting such a reaction and it became evident that the bump had been from the beggar girl attempting to get her attention without the use of her hands.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you where I left you?" Elsa hissed, worry getting the best of her temper.
"That was an atrocious hiding spot, I was nearly caught! I'm still here, aren't I?"
Elsa almost laughed from relief but grabbed the girl's arm again possessively instead.
"Have I not proven trustworthy?" Anna grumbled, tugging at the captain's strong grip.
"Not yet," said Elsa, leading the girl away again, always aware of their surroundings in case they encountered guardsmen.
Miraculously, they came upon the blacksmith's forge without further incident. Word had thankfully not yet spread about the captain's traitorous actions, so her authority remained intact in her dealings with the blacksmith. Using a tale of a misplaced key as pretense, she persuaded the man to release Anna from her shackles despite the fact that the girl looked every bit the fugitive. Once freed, the first action Anna took was to untie the noose that still hung loosely about her neck. Then, she massaged her reddened wrists and glanced up at Elsa. "Now what?"
Elsa, well aware that the blacksmith was watching the pair carefully, gestured to the door and street beyond. She refrained the urge to reach for a hold on the girl's arm and to her credit, Anna did not show any signs of wanting to flee. They were starting to trust each other.
Night had truly fallen as they exited the forge and for the first time that day Elsa found herself relaxing slightly, letting her tense shoulders fall.
"So, what is your plan?" said Anna, still trying to wheedle information out of the captain. In all honesty, Elsa had not thought ahead for the majority of the day, acting purely on instinct.
She did have one idea. "The sooner we find passage out of the city, the better. A fast method would be horseback, and there are no faster horses in Paris than in the guard stables."
"The guard stables?" said Anna with incredulity. "Are you sure you're not trying to get us killed?"
"I'd like to hear a better plan," said Elsa crossly.
"Fine. Lead the way."
Elsa did so. The darkness proved an excellent cover and the captain felt invincible. That is, until they came close to the stables and wound a corner straight into a trio of guards. Elsa grabbed Anna's arm once more without thinking and led her away, down an alley that ended unfortunately with a tall stone wall. They were trapped. One of the guards was sent back to the barracks for reinforcements as the remaining two closed in on the pair. Elsa stood protectively in front of the beggar girl, jeweled handle of her sword in her grasp.
"Can you climb now?" Elsa breathed to the girl behind her. The captain guessed the answering silence meant Anna was sizing up the barrier. The girl did not strike Elsa as the kind of person who would back down from a challenge. To give Anna time to mount the wall, Elsa swung aggressively out at the guards in front of her instead of waiting for their offensive. The two guards attacked in unison and it was only by sheer luck that Elsa managed to deflect both blades. The captain had been so long at her desk and out of action that combat was already taking a toll on her and she feared how long she could last. She was not concerned for her own well-being, but rather the fact that Anna might not be safe without her. But that thought re-ignited the fire that had consumed her earlier and she executed a string of strikes that drove the guards back in consternation.
It was then that the bolts began raining down from a nearby building. One caught the edge of Elsa's cape and stuck the billowing garment to the ground, making her choke as she struggled against the force. She turned to quickly rip the fabric free and saw that the bolts were also aimed at Anna. The beggar girl was evading them effortlessly and ingeniously using the ones that were catching on the wall to help pull herself up. Elsa was sufficiently distracted - another bolt sailed and caught the captain in the thigh. She gasped from the pain and hunched over to claw a hand around the bloody hole through which the thick shaft jutted. Even through her injury, she only just succeeded in toppling a guard with a thrust of her sword and went to mount the wall herself.
Elsa felt the second guard grabbing at her boots, but she kicked out and heard a sickening crunch as it connected with his nose and he crumpled to the ground. Ignoring the sharp pains in her leg, Elsa climbed as fast as she could, bolts thudding on the stone around her. Her eyes were trained on Anna above her and she watched as the beggar girl crested the top and disappeared. A last bolt missed her head as she, too, reached the full height of the wall and swung over it, dropping jarringly onto the other side. Anna sat beside her, panting and shivering; the night was proving chilly.
"Here," said Elsa, shakily unclasping the torn and useless cape from the nape of her neck and offering it to the girl. Anna took it wordlessly and watched as Elsa's attention went to the wound at her thigh.
"You're hurt." Anna's expression was unfathomable.
"It doesn't matter, they're still after us," said Elsa, forcing herself to rise and limp a few steps forward. The building that rose out from the darkness before her expelled her preoccupation from her mind. "The stables!"
The two hurried to the building - it was locked, but Elsa still possessed a key. They let themselves in, being quiet so as not to startle the horses. Within minutes Elsa was saddling the fastest steed belonging to the guard. Upon inquiring as to why they were only taking one horse, Elsa only replied that it would be easier to leave the city undetected.
The chill wind that soothed the throbbing wound on her leg and the warmth of Anna's back to her torso made for a surprisingly pleasant ride through the city, despite their status as fugitives seeking to escape. It had only been a couple of hours since Elsa had made the decision to save the beggar girl from the hangman's noose and she found she didn't regret a single consequence.
They were soon clear of the city and the countryside opened before them. Elsa's leg was numbing and she felt Anna fidgeting in her arms so she slowed the horse to a trot. Elsa dismounted, ignoring the needles the movement pricked in her injured thigh and pulled on the reins until the animal came to a stop. She looked up at the girl, who seemed admittedly confused. "We will never be able to re-enter the city without fear of capture. I don't expect you to want to stick with me after all I've put you through, and it was my idea to only take one horse. So here is where I leave you. You're free to go on with the steed and we shall both fend for ourselves."
When Anna said nothing, Elsa turned away, trying to hide the anguish and dejection that must surely have been mirrored on her face.
"Wait," said the beggar girl. The horse shifted its weight and jostled its mane, but the girl continued staring Elsa down, fiercely unabashed. "I'm not going to leave you stranded here with a bolt in your leg. You saved my life today more than once and I intend to thank you properly." She proceeded to pat the saddle behind herself and smiled faintly at Elsa for the first time, and neither of them could fail to notice the magnitude of the invitation - proper trust was finally established.
They found a clearing in which to bed down for the night. Anna braved the task of removing the bolt from her companion's thigh and dressed the wound solemnly with pieces torn from the cape. Then, only a few hours before dawn, the pair fell asleep together under the remnants of the garment, forming a most odd pair - an armored ex-Guard Captain and a grimy beggar clad in rags slumbering side-by-side. The sun would rouse them shortly and send them off with hope and a new beginning, but for now they were content to rest in each other's cordial warmth.
A/N: The one you were all waiting for! I sincerely hope it lives up to expectations...