Lost Souls

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Earlier that day

*Raven*

Sweat soaked her clothes making her midnight black hair cling to her face and neck. The tunnel had gotten smaller and smaller it seemed, the longer she crawled through the sewage. The stench curled around her nose but it had gone  numb to the unearthly smell a couple hours ago.  Lola crawled in front of her, her skirts clinging to her plump legs with fecal matter and urine splashing up behind her. They wore scarves over their face to prevent getting anything in there eyes or there mouths. Raven slid her hands over the ground trying not to think about what she was really crawling in. This was the only way out of the city without them getting caught, and now that they had ran they were automatically suspects. Stealing a princess was a death sentence. Her eyes watered uncontrollably and she tried her hardest to breath through her mouth and not her nose.

Suddenly Lola stopped and Raven almost ran right into her. Lola looked up at the ceiling as rays of light pierced through the holes in the grate and she saw that they had come to a dead end where the sewage just fell over a ledge and into an abyss. Clawing up the cobble stone walls the large woman managed to stand. She was pushing on  the grate with all her might, but it wouldn't budge. Raven crawled over to her and stood on her own adding her own strength to shoving the grate off the hole. Slowly it opened and Lola stood to her full height, then she dug her hands into the dirt around the hole and hauled herself out. Raven pushed on her helping the large woman pull herself out. Light pierced her scarf blinding her momentarily as she follows the woman out pulling herself out much more easily. She claws at the dirt, her legs feeling like jelly, and gasps for fresh air tearing the scarf from her face. The large woman beside her just laid on her back covered in god only knows what and hours worth of sweat. Her chest heaves taking in all the air her lungs can hold. Sputtering the big woman sat up holding her meaty hand to her chest. No words were uttered for what seemed like an eternity as the two just sat in the dirt gasping for air.

Raven made her way to Lola slowly helping the woman to her feet. They both hobbled together to the nearby stream. It was crystal blue with leaves from fallen trees sailing on the small ripples they made as they cascaded down on the cool breeze. The trees above were just starting to change colors for the fall. Raven helped the woman into the water. Dark clouds of gunk swirled around them as they rinsed off in the water. It was cool and crisp and Raven thanked the Goddess to be out of that tunnel. Dipping her head under to clean her hair of the ungodly stench of the sewer she finished cleaning herself. She turned to find Lola ringing out her hair, the large woman was standing at the edge of the water ringing out her skirts. Raven smiled and walked over to her doing the same.

“To bad we lost our bags down there.” Raven said looking up at the sky it was nearly noon now they had been down there most of the day. The large woman nodded then looked over at her.

“We are very lucky the stench did not kill us.” Raven laughed at that as they walked away from the stream towards the wooded area beyond. “There is a small village ahead though that we can buy more supplies. She pulled two silver coins from her skirts and looked at them laying flat on her palm, not much but it was her life savings. Raven pulled out her own life savings five copper coins even less. She dropped it in the womans hand.

“Here, there should be enough there for some food for our journey and maybe a horse and a bed rap.” She smiled at the woman as they continued to walk down the forest path.

When they came to the village they were greeted with all kinds of smells and everyone  was trying to sell something to them. They didn’t have many travelers out this way. They made out fairly well since all the villagers were so desperate for money. Raven took stock before they saddled and rode out.

“A pound of dry meat, some rice, water, clothes, two horses, and saddles with saddle bags.” she looked up at the large woman who sat upon a small brown appaloosa mare. Lola smiled her dread locks sliding over her shoulder as she moved the mare forward she was antsy to be farther from the castle and Raven knew the same feeling in her own stomach. She pulled herself into the saddle of her own grey dapple gelding.

“We made out like bandits, with one copper coin to our names.” Lola chuckled flipping the coin to Raven. “You keep it safe ‘lil one, we might need it later on down the road. Raven smiled and nodded as they kicked their horses forward into the unknown woods. It was their plan to only stop when they had to and get to the clan in a little less than a two day's journey. They had gone farther away from the clan’s lands in the sewer hoping to throw off anyone who might follow. The large woman road in front knowing the way and Raven road behind her thoughts on her brother. She had not seen him since she was sent to the castle as a small child. She always wondered why he would send her away and now she would have her answer she hoped to the Goddess she could stay with him that he wouldn’t send her away again.

“I am coming Ajad.” She said to herself quietly kicking her gelding faster.