Heronstairs: A Fluff Collection

Day 6 (King and Country Part 2)

James dove over the wall and rolled down the hill, landing on his back beside Will and swearing all the while.

"Are you okay?" Will asked, nearly shouting to be heard over the commotion.

James had one hand pressed firmly to his side, blood staining his tunics and hand. "If one more person shoots a crossbow at me," he yelled back, forcing himself into a standing position, "I'm going to have them beheaded. Damned uncivilized weapon."

Will rolled his eyes and offered a hand, pulling him into the thicket of trees on the edge of the castle grounds.

"Why exactly are they shooting at you? What did you do?"

Jem leaned over, bracing his hands on his knees and catching his breath. "I haven't a clue, honestly. I cannot seem to recall any major decisions recently that would lead to a revolt."

"Come on, we must get you to safety before they find us," Will said quietly, looking around hurriedly. "Surely there must be somewhere..."

"This way," Jem gasped, forcing himself upright and keeping one hand firmly against his side. "Before I bleed out on the ground."

They crept through the wooded thicket, listening to the increasingly distant sounds of chaos and bloodshed and following the small stream with silent footsteps. After perhaps ten minutes had passed, Jem bit back a groan of pain and leaned against a tree. "Will... a moment, if you please..."

Concerned, Will went to his side. "We have to get you to a doctor, James, quickly."

Jem waved him off. "No, no need for that. There is a safe house on the other side of this hill, built for emergency situations and known only to the royal family." His lips quirked in a strange, sad smile. "At the moment, only me. It's well hidden and no one else knows of its existence. Whoever was after me will think I either escaped or died in the attempt. Meanwhile, we can rest and figure out what exactly is going on."

"I still think you need a doctor. James, you've been shot!"

"'Tis but a flesh wound," Jem said with an airy wave of his hand. "I have tremendous faith in your abilities, love. I think I am alright to continue now, the safe house is just up ahead."

They climbed the next hill, one of Will's arms carefully around Jem to help keep him upright, and Will found himself looking down into an empty valley.

Perhaps the blood loss had tampered with Jem's sense of direction?

"James... there doesn't seem to be anything here," he said gently, resting his hand on Jem's hip and fighting a smile when he felt the warm press of a body against his.

"Because you don't know where to look," Jem replied, considerably less flippant than he had been last time he'd spoken, brow furrowed in pain. "Come, this way."

They carefully descended the hill. Once in the valley, hidden by trees and hills on all sides, Jem moved towards one of the larger hills and laid a hand flat against the side, as if searching for something.

"Jem, what..."

Will's question was cut off by a quiet "Aha!" and the parting of a curtain of moss to reveal a thick, wooden door.

"Inside, quickly," Jem said, gesturing for Will to precede him with a small motion. Once Will had shouldered the door open and stepped across the threshold, Jem let the curtain fall back into place and shut the door behind them, barring it and sighing in relief.

The inside of the hill appeared to have been hollowed out and reinforced with stone walls, forming a large enclosed dome with a few walls sectioning off rooms.