Jade Medieval

Chapter 14

The cool stone I was gifted did little to help the throbbing from my temple. Silently as I could I twisted the rope in an attempt to escape. My frustration was growing at my predicament. My focus turned to the cool necklace I wore. Awkwardly I shifted and brought the necklace into my mouth. Bitting it's base I used the sharp end to slowly fray the robe. It felt as if I had been at the task for days but it surely couldnt have been more than an hour. My perception of time was thrown off in the dark room. I sniffed and deduced that I was underground, possibly a cellar by the smell of alcohol. My ears picked up on a muffled sound outside what I assume to be is a door ;by the thin line of light at it's base. I shook my head releasing some anger that had been building up since I heard my sister in pain. I became so engrossed in my anger my mind was foggy on a plan of escape. After a personal moment I came upon a plan of action. There must be at least two captors near enough to hear me. Their baggy faces were scarred and faded with their dark features, at least, I imagined so.

I coughed and complained at an imaginary ailment until I had the attention of my captors. I blinked and looked at the door. A soft moonlight danced in, filling the room in soft waves that ran along the dust.

"Just wanted to see if you were alright."

I looked up at her with disgust and confusion. Her pink dress was fixed tight to her person. She had a curved sword slung around her back. I couldn't hide my hatred of her, nor did I care to try. Her blonde hair was put in a pony tail high atop her small face. The only things i recognize about her is her crystal blue eyes and her voice. She spoke with a bold voice yet her eyes appeared pleading. 

"Why?" I said dryly but I caught myself.

Calmly and as kind as i could i repeated the question, aiming to reason with this increasingly distant friend.

"Because Jade your still my friend. I hoped we could be allies."

"In what? What is going on?"

"This kingdom is going to fail. The army attacking is too strong for ours. You know that, everyone does," her expression was stone but her eyes flickered then she was silent, as if remembering something.

A tear rolled down her cheek but she quickly wiped it away. She looked at me and sighed.

"We need to get everyone someplace else. Far from here before the army harms them. This army...this army is a cruel one," her voice shook," they are sadistic. Everything is for-for power."

"Jocelyn?"

"They killed my mum and burnt my home."

"Hey," I said slowly reaching out with my hand," we wont let them hurt anybody else. I will help you.  I promise but first you need to let me see my family and friends. They'd be worried sick."

I became empathetic but the realized I had unanswered questions.

"Why?" I asked standing up, "How did you enlist so many?" I gestured towards the men.

"Some men in town enlisted a citizen's army so to speak," her face turned to horror," this group didn't murder your maid. I overheard a foreign man speaking of a raid at a wealthy merchant's homestead. Your home. I barely convinced them to come with no reward but I promised food."

"That woman sounded so cruel," I said unblinkingly.

"What woman?"

The face of Jocelyn and the men around her look baffled. They explained that when they arrived a cloaked figure was upstairs. Instead of focusing on a single retreating person they hurried to me. I listened to their apologies on not arriving sooner.

Jocelyn nodded her head slowly and took a deep breath. She gestured toward the door and i followed.

"How did you know i got loose? Also why tie me up?"

"We've known each other for a long time, when we saved you from the clutches of the enemy I knew you'd assume what you did."

A small laugh escaped me but I trusted in her for now. My caution ceased however when she brought me up to familiar setting. I had been in Alexa's cellar the whole time.