Against

Against - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Elanil woke up in the ‘Flying Gin Inn’ out of instinct. It had to be that as the room was darkened and only faint orange streaks could be seen through her small, rectangular window. It felt as though she had only been asleep for a few minutes and her body was stiff and itchy from the bumpy mattress that had random tufts of hay probing out of the mattress to scratch her skin. Forcing her body to get up, she made her way to the small window. Looking down she could see the stables and a black horse that looked similar to Sylfaen.

Putting her blouse and boots back on, she exited the room and went back down to the lobby to return the key. The large room that was full last night was quiet and almost empty at this early morning. A connecting archway with the sign ‘Restaurant’ looked quite inviting and Elanil quickly went and sat down at a table. After eating a meal that filled her stomach and made a small dent in her pocket, she went back to the stables to collect Sylfaen from Grutil, who winked at her.

The streets were busy this morning, creatures walking in and out of shops. Elanil had mounted Sylfaen as to see over everyone’s heads. But that didn’t mean she could see all the time. Sometimes, a half-giant would walk in front of her and then slow down. That was insufferable and Elanil would often times try to wedge herself around the hulk.

She rode by a store called ‘The Inner Eye’ and saw a Macelio dusting off some crystal balls, jumping whenever the bell rang over his door by some bird flying or sitting on it. She shivered as she remembered Ed from the night before; his glazed over eyes and stretched, spindly arms floating in the air.

A few minutes later, a crowd started to come into eye’s view. Countless of people were crowded around a post, where a Knight, clad in a silver chest plate with his Calling Sword strapped to his back, stuck a poster on the grey lamp post. She slipped off Sylfaen and held his reigns tightly, walking through the crowd to see what was going on.

Elanils’ breath caught in her throat as she read the Wanted Sign. High cheekbones, honey eyes and pale, blonde hair looked straight back at her, painted on with precision. Above the painting was her name, Elanil, and an unbelievably large amount of Silver Stone’s as a reward. Her heart beat erratically and she backed away from the poster, reading it until the end and leading Sylfaen away from the crowd and on, past it.

“Wanted for interrogation.” Interrogation of what? “Parents frightened and scared for her well being.” She explained everything in the letter. “Lost.” Lost? Missing? Her head ran through every sentence, word and syllable on that poster.

She needed to hide if the Knights were after her, and she ducked into a clothing shop, tying Sylfaen to a lamppost right outside. Along one side were beautiful blouses, all of them every colour except purple, which was reserved for priests and Royalty, along the other wall, was trousers. She walked carefully to the very back of the store, keeping her head down, and selected the cheapest and plainest cloak. It was a dull brown, bordering on grey. She paid almost desperately in her fast movements.

Elanil slipped the cloak on and pulled the hood over her head, shading her eyes from view, and hopped on Sylfaen. She walked on, looking at her timescript and map, heading for the nearest exit.

Petitioning will have to wait. She thought, keeping her head angled down but her eyes in front of her. There’s no way she would back down because the Knights were searching for her. She will prove to them she’s strong, capable of fighting and taking care of herself as well as any male. She will prove it to them.

**

Elanil was walking in the woods, Sylfaen mimicking her with his own black head down. Deborah’h was now a small gate behind them that can hardly be seen as tree’s blocked the view. Elanil had strayed off the path so as not to be seen by any travellers or hunters that used this old trade route.