FROM HERE ✩ Original ✔

CHAPTER SIX

"Well, that's the thing. I haven't been able to find you guys before. And then, the other day, something appeared to me in one of our sessions. I saw you standing over a girl with dark hair and she was dead. Somehow, he knew where to find you from there. I'm sorry."

It was silent for a moment between the pair. Neither really wanted to say anything and Aerona thought she had already said too much. Whether he trusted her or not, she knew she had to do everything she could do to get him out of there.

Even though she didn't know his name or his past, she was determined to help. There was no way she was going to leave him here to rot. And, if she was being honest, she wasn't sure if she could stay anymore.

"Do you really think this will work?" She looked at him, not really knowing if her answer could be true.

"I think, with my help, you could do a lot of things."

"That's not a straight answer."

"Well, that's difficult to come by these days. Now, are you in?"

The boy sighed, looking at the door in front of him. If they ever got out of here, they could find Caron, and all go into hiding together. "I'm in," he whispered.

#

Leon hated the plan. It wasn't going to work in their favour and Aerona was going to get him in trouble.

Still, he listened as she paced in front of him, thinking over every tiny detail.

"Of course, I'd be fine if they found us. No one would dare hurt me. But I can't help but think what could happen to him. Or you, for that matter. But you have to come, because we're lost without you."

"Aerona, could you just stop for a second?" She paused her pacing, staring at him. "I know you think this will all be fine, but you're not us. You're not a commoner. You're a princess. A hidden one, but still a princess. You're safe from everything. We're not."

"Yeah, I know-"

"You don't know. You've never been out in the world, yet you pretend to know it. You don't know how the guards are trained and what they're expected to do. Things are different out there. It's harsh and scary and you never know what's going to happen to you."

It was silent for a moment between the pair, neither really knowing what to say. "I'm not a damsel, Leon."

"I never said you were. You just have no idea what's waiting for you outside of those gates."

"You think I don't know that? That's why I need you. We have to find somewhere to go; somewhere my father will never find us."

"That's not an easy task."

"Neither is being friends with me. Yet, you manage it just fine."

Leon searched her face, searching for where her façade might crumble. But it never did. Aerona was a tough girl, and when she had her mind set on something, nothing could change it.  But he didn't know if he could risk his life for a boy he'd never met – for something he didn't believe in. "I don't know if I could do it," he whispered.

"I need you to. I can't do this alone. Without you, I'd die out there. Please?" Her pleading eyes locked onto his. Neither wanted to break the eye contact, neither wanted to have to return to the reality at hand.

"Where do we start?" A smile grew on the girl's face, her eyes lighting up instantly.

"A place, of course. We need to stay hidden for as long as possible."

"There's a cave in the mountains. I haven't been there in years so I'm not sure of the state. But the rocks are difficult to climb through so I do not believe anyone would be there."

"Sounds perfect. I can get James out tomorrow. Promise you'll be there?" A sigh left Leon as he noticed the girl's pleading look. He couldn't help it; something felt off. But he wasn't about to let his best friend down.

"Of course. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

#

Aerona held her breath as she breezed past the sleeping guards, not daring to make any sort of sound. As she went past, she slipped the key off of the belt of the biggest guard, knowing automatically that it would be the one to James' cell.

Slowly and carefully, Aerona tiptoed towards the boy's cell, hoping that he hadn't yet died of thirst or hunger. Although she had seen him earlier that day, the girl was still anxious of his condition.

But she was also worried for herself. After all, she'd never so much as opened the window without permission let alone broken out a prisoner and fled the formidable fortress.

Her heart was pounding in her throat as she slipped the key carefully into the lock.

James looked up at her as the door swung open, his big brown eyes wide with hope. "Is it time?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper as he stared into the darkness.

"Yes," Aerona replied. She walked towards him, extending her hand when she stood in front of the boy. Before taking it, he stared into her eyes, just praying that this wasn't a joke or a trick. He'd rather die than be tortured into submission. "Do you trust me?"

"No. But you're my only hope." His shaking hand lifted into the air, meeting hers. With very little strength, he managed to stand up.

Aerona put an arm around his shoulder, wary to not let him fall over. With Aerona half carrying James, the pair walked swiftly out of the cell.

Whenever a guard marched passed them, Aerona pulled the pair to the side, doing all she could to hide them from sight.

At some point, James felt heavy against Aerona side and she looked towards him only to find that his legs had given way and she was now dragging him along. "Come on," she whispered, praying that she could get him out of this alive.

Out of a pocket in her bag, she pulled a bit of bread, holding it up towards him.

"Please. Just eat this, it will make you feel better." His head lolled to the side and Aerona could barely hold him up. With a sigh, she pulled him into a corner hidden behind a tapestry. No one would find them there. "If you ever want to get out of here, you're going to need to eat some of this."

His mouth opened slightly as satisfaction washed over the girl. She placed some bread into his mouth, moving his jaw up and down, helping him chew the food.

"There you go." His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, relishing in the food.

"Okay," he breathed. "I can do this. Just give me a minute."

"While we're here, you might as well change into these." Aerona pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt from her bag. "Do you need my help or not?"

A slight pink tinge crept up James throat and onto his cheeks. "I...I can do it myself. You don't have to..."

"You don't have much strength, it's alright if you need me." The corners of her lips tilted upwards into a smile. Nonetheless, she turned around, allowing him to change into the clothes in peace.