𝐼𝑁𝑁𝑂𝐶𝐸𝑁𝐶𝐸 𝐿𝑂𝑆𝑇 // 𝐴. 𝐷𝐸 𝑅𝑈𝑁𝐸

𝐼𝑉

"It worked!" Hugo whispered as they exited the grassy area.

Marion quietly hushed the boy, and gently put a hand on his shoulder.

'Quiet, remember?' She mouthed, and he nodded.

They watched as another knight harshly interrogated another servant. He had him backed against the stone fence, on his knees with his hands tied behind his back.

"Go to hell, bâtard!" The Servant insulted, not backing down.

The Knight cocked his head to the side, "Oh yea? You first!" He fired back, and hit the servant so hard that he fell onto the ground.

The Knight turned his back to the Servant and began to walk over to a different, dying servant. Béatrice saw her chance, and quickly guided the children past him. Marion kept her hand on Hugo's shoulder– it made her feel somewhat grounded. They came across a hole in the wall, the perfect pathway to take without being noticed.

"We have to get through, Amicia, help him." Béatrice instructed, as she lifted herself over the high hole.

Marion waited till Amicia and Hugo had climbed up, before doing so herself; she needed to make sure that they would be okay. She let out a soft grunt as she pulled herself over the ledge– she was never the best climber. As quietly as she could, she landed on her feet, and crouched back down.

Hugo took Marion's hand with the one that wasn't holding Amicia's; Marion could tell that the little boy was afraid, who wouldn't be? She gave his small hand a gentle squeeze, in hopes that it would give him some sort of reassurance. The four hid behind a fence, they couldn't move any further, a knight was blocking their way.

"They will see us." Hugo whispered, and looked up at the older girl's worriedly.

"We'll be okay..." Marion reassured, though her voice was shaky.

Amicia looked over to the crate filled with armor– the perfect distraction.

"If I can hit the helmets over there..." Amicia muttered, and Béatrice furrowed her eyebrows.

"Your sling will give us away." Béatrice responded, shutting down Amicia's idea.

"She could throw it instead." Marion butted in, she knew that Amicia had impeccable aim with and without her sling.

Amicia took out a rock from her small pouch, and took a deep breath before she moved to throw it. Just as anticipated, it landed on a helmet in the crate and alerted the knight that blocked their way. Béatrice silently led the children past the knight, and Hugo began to wince.

"Ow... my head." He muttered, and took in a sharp breath.

"What is wrong with him?" Amicia looked down at Hugo, concern evident on her face.

"His illness has awoken..." Béatrice informed quietly. "We need to go faster."

Marion furrowed her eyebrows, how could his weakness wake up? She was no doctor, but this illness... It was not normal. Two knights were blocking their pathways, but Amicia seemed to think ahead, and picked up a small rock. Marion watched Amicia aim at a hanging pan, before throwing the rock.

"I heard something... be right back." One knight said, before stalking off towards the noise.

Marion could tell Amicia had questions, the way her brows furrowed ever-so-slightly, and a small wrinkle formed on the bridge of her nose. The area grew dark; thick, gray clouds blocked the sunlight, a sign of the storm that was to come.

No where was safe, knights lurked behind every fence searching for little Hugo. They were once again stuck, a knight unknowingly mere steps away from his goal... Marion wished she could drive a knife through all of their skulls.