Chapter thirty four:
'SNAP'
I flickered my eyes open when I heard the sound. I lifted my head slowly not wanting to get up, and saw everyone was still asleep and no one was up. The horses were still tied up too. I looked around for any sign of something in the woods and rubbed my sleepy eyes but I saw nothing. It was still pretty dark but I could tell it was in the morning.
'SNAP'
I heard it again, but this time behind me. I whipped my head around and still saw nothing but still got up and put on my belt with my sword and left my bow behind, ready to attack if needed while making sure my dagger was still there too.
"Hello? Who is it?" I croaked with my morning voice.
I heard footsteps moving away and I inched closer. Then the footsteps started moving faster into a run so I did too. It didn't make sense why I couldn't see whatever was ahead of me as I chased it further into the woods not thinking about how I would get back.
I chased the stranger until I came to a river and the footsteps disappeared not going left or right because the mud on the ground would have shown them. But no, the footsteps just stop at the edge of the river like they jumped in or something.
My feet kept getting stuck as I walked closer to the water and kneeled down to wash my face to help wake me up so I know I wasn't dreaming. I was about to dip my hands in again when I heard a snap from somewhere but I couldn't tell with the rushing of the water.
I say still for a minute looking across the water for any sign of life but didn't and came to a conclusion that I was being paranoid and went to reach in the water again until someone touched my shoulder.
"Agh!" I spun around so fast I started to fall into the water before I was stopped by a pair of hands.
I looked up to see Alex still tired from sleep as he pulled me up from being mere inches from the speedy water rushing beneath me.
"Nice reflexes." I smirked looking him in the eyes still scared out of my mind from two seconds ago.
"Sorry I scared you, and thanks," he smiled, "but what are you doing out here away from camp?"
"Uh...Well I thought I saw, no, heard someone and I chased them down here but I lost them. I never really saw them, but I'm positive it was real."
"Okay, but lest go eat something before we leave so your brain can work again. Can you register what I'm saying?" he joked, but I could tell something bothered him that he wasn't saying.
"Ugh, what's with you and eating food all the time." I laughed pushing him a little.
"I like food, and, gotta keep these bad boys big and strong." he flexed his arms showing off his biceps.
"Show off." I mumbled smiling before walking ahead smelling food in the direction of camp.
"Hey, wait up!" Alex said running to my side.
"Yeah Mr. Muscle?" I joked.
"This!"
He shoved a handful of mud into my face and rubbed it in smearing it around then took his hand away.
I gasped wiping the mud from my eyes so I could see and hopefully look for something to shove in his face.
"Oh you're just full of jokes today aren't you?" I commented annoyed with the mud and how bad it smelled.
I found some leaves and took what mud I had on my face and splattered it on his face then shot leaves on making him look like a bush. Alex looked surprised and wiped it off too grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder as he started to run back to camp and I pounded on his chest protesting and laughing at the same time.
He set me down when we were back at camp and we both were laughing, Loressa was smiling, Rosetta was glaring at me, and everyone else looked confused because of the mud on our faces.
"Okay then... we have food ready to eat and then we need to pack up and leave as soon as possible, but first, here's some water to go wash yourselves off with." Emily said handing us a container with a enough water to clean our selves with.
Alex took the water and started to wash his face and I did the same wondering if one of us was going to end up soaked with water. Luckily no one did and we emptied the dirty water and handed the container back to Emily as she washed and put it away in her pack.
We put away our beds and washed the dishes from breakfast while we ate so we could save time. Once we finished, we saddled our horses and started on our way as the sun was now almost fully up. Maxton said we should reach Aldoakme by the time the sun started to set and we would rest there and stay a little bit then leave when he decided to( I guess he thinks he's in charge, who knows).
Alex was closer to me this time and Loressa was talking with Emily and I was glad to see them having fun. Rosetta though, was staring daggers behind my back and it gave me the chills.
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"How much longer?" Rosetta complained for the umpteenth time.
"When the sun starts to set is the best answer I can give right now." answer Maxton looking annoyed as ever.
"Well, it could be worse after all. Like, it could just start to rain like crazy." She sighed, angry with the answer she received.
But the little jinx had to go and say that because as soon as she finished talking, thunder rolled across the sky and it just started to fall down on us and we all had Rosetta to thank for the next two hours until the rain had became bearable to be in.
Rosetta pouted the whole time and finally spat, "It's not my fault, it would have started raining like that anyway even if I didn't say anything."
"We don't care Rosetta, please be quiet." Nicholas groaned.
"Hmph!" Rosetta rolled her eyes and folded her arms glaring at Nicholas now and not me.
"Hey Alex, why doesn't Rosetta do anything when Nicholas says something to her?" I whispered.
"They're twins, he's the older one and she doesn't like it." he replied looking at the two twins and I realized they did look a lot alike.
"Huh, interesting..."
"Well, a tip for when we get to Aldoakme, don't get into any arguments, fights, disagreements, stuff like that okay?"
"Okay?"
"It's a good place but some people will be angry if you get into something because you're the princess and you should only deal with matters that you are appointed to."
"Okay then. Thanks for the tip."
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"Rain just keeps coming doesn't it?" I laughed sarcastically.
"Come on, you know you're having lots of fun!" Alex said poking me in the ribs tickling me.
"Stop, stop, st-stop it Alex! It tickles!" I giggled.
"Oh really?" More poking.
"Yes, I'm gonna fall of my horse if you don't stop."
"Well we don't want that to happen!" he stopped, but only after poking me one last time.
"Guys! We're almost there!" chimed Loressa bouncing up and down.
I looked around and started to see people and their houses with little children playing about in the rain since now it was only a slight sprinkle.
I took off my hood and shook my head side to side whipping my hair around because it was sticking to my face in spots that fell out of the braid I had my hair in.
We came to the middle part of town with the stables and housing for travelers where we would stay the night. Our horses were taken to the stables to be rested and fed.
We walked to the inn with a sign above it and a picture of a bird and the words, "The Fiddle Inn" and headed to the front desk were a stubby man with bad breath sat smoking a pipe and coughing every once in a while.
"May I help you?" He coughed, his voice very rough most likely from the smoking which I avoided.
Alex stepped forward and answered, "Yes, we need your biggest room. Preferably big enough to fit six." he pointed to the other four standing and talking.
There was seven of us, but Loressa left to go and stay with her family which would have been easiest for us all any way.
"Sorry folks, by the biggest room we've got is only three beds. So you're gonna have to take it or leave it."
Alex paused deep in thought as he heard this.
"Alex, take it, some of us can sleep on the floor." I whispered.
"I'd listen to the pretty lady if I were you mister." the deskman said wheezing at the very end.
"I... I don't know. I don't want people to have to sleep on the floor who don't want to." Alex sighed.
"C'mon Alex, I can sleep on the floor and I'm sure some of the other will too. It's not a big deal." I said tugging on his arm like a child begging his or her parent fora toy.
He finally gave into it and placed the money on the counter in a small pouch, "Alright then."
"Thank you, now you all have a nice stay at the... *cough*... Fiddle Inn."
"Uh... thank you, Sir. You have a good evening." Alex replied walking to the right of the room where a hall was.
The hall had many doors that lead to rooms and a staircase at the end of the hall. It was creepy as we walked down and the floor creaked as we passed black wall and black doors with only small candles on the walls to light our way.
We walked up the staircase and then walked to the end of the hall again and it was just as creepy as the downstairs.
The door screeched when we opened it from old age and revealed a dark room with an almost burnt out candle on a desk on the corner and three beds all lined up and spaced apart along side the wall.
Alex looked at us all sympathetically and said, "Well, here we are."
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Hey guys! There is way more I want to cram in so I will be making more chapters than I had originally planned :/ and their will be a second book! Please keep reading and voting! Love you all xoxo