I don't know how I did it but amidst the chaos, I have reached Beorn and Belethrorn. People around us are screaming and trying to kill us all, claiming we are evil and possessed. Clearly, they have forgotten everything about Galdor, Harlan and everything magic related. Instead, they made up something about witches, which seems odd to me.
I get shoved into the arms of one stranger who pushes me down to the ground. I scramble back up, the crowd now parted away from me. The looks of mothers with children, hiding them behind their backs and judging me with disgust written all over their face. It hurts. The way the dads point their weapons at me, even though some aren't weapons at all. It hurts. How will the Galdor expect me to save Alorne from a threat I have yet to learn if all the people inside said lands see me as a threat?
How?
I spot the young woman that helped me get dressed earlier today. She watches the scene unfold from a dark alley. We make eye contact. 'This way,' she motions. Without thinking I sprint in her direction, hoping Beorn and Belethrorn will follow. She leads us to a small ally a couple of streets away from the square, through a hidden door inside a house. I trip quickly as I didn't see the tiny stairs that lead up to the room above us. Maybe I should've let my eyes adjust to the dark.
I stumble up the tiny stairs and enter a small, cosy livingroom with mustard yellow walls. Behind me, Beorn and Belethrorn tumble through the secret door. Panting they sit up, leaning on their hands or knees as they try to catch their breath. The young woman enters the home behind us and seals the secret entrance with a bookcase. After a soft click, she turns to look at us with a curious expression. When I finally regain the ability to breathe I'm able to ask the question that's been lingering on my mind for a while now. I watch the woman with new found curiosity, who is she to need a secret door inside her home?
"Who are you?" I ask her after I caught my breath. She smiles warmly, her smile reaching her eyes.
"Fawnaya, please call me Fawn," her voice delicate and soft and without any traces of an accent like mine. She must be some sort of high born.
"You don't talk with an accent," I point out.
"I'm the daughter of the commander of the court guard," she states proudly. The pride on her face as she speaks of her father can't be missed. My gaze shifts back to the bookcase. If she is a daughter of a commander why would they need an escape route?
"My father made a lot of enemies carrying out orders from the court, I am an easy target," she answers my unspoken question. "I'm really sorry about your dad," she turns to Beorn and he mumbles a thank you.
"Why are you helping us?" Belethrorn stands up and eyes the surprisingly large woman. She looks him in the eyes and smiles.
"Because I know you aren't the traitors. Something doesn't add up in this city, in this land." She talks slow, choosing her words carefully, "I want to know what." Throrn narrows his eyes at the woman.
"Why would you want to leave this city? As the commander's daughter you must have a life in luxury," he aks her warily. She shakes her head in response.
"As I said, I have to look over my shoulder every day because I am an easy target. I can never go out without altering myself. I can never be myself because if I am, it will get me killed. So I would quite like to get away from this place." Her expression hardened, muscles in her jaw flexing.
"Can you fight?" I ask her. Fawns gaze flickers over to me.
"Of course," she scoffs, "I am the daughter of a commander. Of course, I know how to fight."
"I think it will give us an advantage to have a skilled fighter among us, she could teach us skills to survive. What do you think Beorn?" He doesn't answer and instead, he turns his back to us. I look at Belethrorn and he shrugs. I jerk my head towards Beorn, telling him silently to comfort the guy. He gets the message and carefully approaches him to comfort him in his mourning phase. Fawn watches the scene with great confusion.
"They recently had a fallout, couldn't bear it to see their friendship go down like this," I lie, hoping she believes me. She nods understandingly and let out a little sigh.
"You want to help me with dinner? I think it's best to sneak out early tomorrow."
I nod and get up from the floor. Following Fawn through the house, I notice it is really tiny. Small and narrow staircase across the front door with the kitchen and the living room on the ground floor.
"I'm afraid I don't have much to offer," Fawn apologizes when we enter the kitchen. I immediately smell something that's always going to lift my spirits. Savoury and wild. Meat.
"Oh, that's alright." I walk over to the pan holding the deliciousness. Never in my life will I go back to a life as a royal without meat. "How come your dad made so many enemies?" I wonder what kind of meat is in this pan?
"Following orders that result in taking innocent lives," Fawn grumbles as she stirs in the pot. "There are some serious issues with the council in this city, everybody knows, but nobody is brave enough to do something about it."
We eat our dinner in silence. Fawn told me the meat is from a Tusk Boar, a wild animal that roams the high lands of Alorne, beyond the blue forest. While eating Belethrorn fills Fawn in on where we are heading and she says to have the stuff for it. Beorn is still sitting quietly in the corner his arms around his knees and his head buried between them. I watch him with pity and my heart wrenches, I don't know what I would do if I saw my father at the gallows after years of thinking he was dead. The time after dinner consists of more planning and sharing information until Fawn announces she is going to sleep. Belethrorn leaves the room to the guest bedroom, which was originally offered to me. I sit down on the ground next to Beorn and wrap my arms around him. My own head resting on top of his.
"I'm so sorry Beorn." My voice cracks. "I'm so sorry I couldn't save him." Tears well in my eyes as Beorn continues to stay silent. I sigh and I let my rest head on top of his again. Tears make their way down my cheek as I stay there. Finally giving in to sadness as I mourn the man that was a father to both of us.
The air feels cold against my skin, the streets just as empty as they were yesterday morning. I yawn. Fawn woke us up really early and I didn't get much sleep last night. Her armour reflects the little light the moon emits. It is a silver colour, full body armour and she looks lethal in it. With two thin swords strapped to her back and two tiny daggers hidden in her leather wrist braces.
"We will have to go through that gate," Fawn whispers and points at a structure a couple of metres away from us. Black silhouettes moving on top of the walls. It's guarded.
"Can we distract them?" Beorn asks nervously.
"I could shoot an arrow," I suggest and wait for a reaction. A quiet 'that could work' comes from Fawn and a 'how would you do that' from Throrn.
"I think I have an idea," I grin at the others. Last night I spend some more time reading about my race and I learned I can do some pretty cool tricks. I put my satchel down and grab my bow. I wet my finger and hold it up in the air. The wind is blowing in my direction, perfect. I nock and arrow and aim up to the sky at a small angle. I let go, the arrow shot slow and weak. About its high point the wind picks the arrow up and changes its direction. The arrow now facing the wall as it descends. I imagine the arrow being on fire and just moments after it ignites, crashing on top of the wall. Guards start shouting and firing arrows at the darkness of the forest. I repeat my trick, this time the arrow goes faster and plants itself into the trunk of the trees before bursting into flames.
"We are under attack!"
"From where?"
"From inside the walls you moron!"
"No, the first one came from the outside!"
Confusing shouting let me know my plan worked. I pick up my gear and whisper a few words in triumph.
Fawn pats me on the shoulder, "nice trick with the arrows, which chemicals did you use?"
Shit.
I shrug, "some mixture I got at the market." The first lie that comes into mind. She hums in response. I don't think she believes me. Way to go Arwyn, expose yourself to the new person. Great job. We follow Fawnaya past the entrance and the guards into the forest. I check the compass for our direction and lead us towards our destination.
The forest awakes slowly, bird songs indicate sunrise and the last nocturnal animals scurry off to their dens. Fawnaya and Belethrorn walk behind Beorn and I.
"You alright?" I ask after a long walk of silence. Beorn sighs and turns his head.
"I don't know. First I think my dad was dead, then I find out he isn't at his execution because he was accused of something he didn't do. The next thing we know is that he disappears after they hanged him." He shakes his head and mumbles some more things I can't understand. I give him a side hug and an apologetic smile. I wish I could help him, I feel useless.
"Why don't we talk about happier things for a while?" I suggest in an attempt to cheer him up. "Like what happened at Rosa's place?"
He blushes at my question, "we kind of cuddled," he admits sheepishly. I quirk an eyebrow
"Kind of?"
"I had a hard time sleeping and he rolled over to me until he was laying against my back," he explains softly, never keeping his eyes off Belethrorn so he is sure he doesn't hear what he says, "I don't think he was awake himself." I smile at Beorn's story and give him a quick hug.
"I am so happy for you! You think he likes you back?" He shakes his head at my question.
"I have no clue, it could be. But it was so hard not to drool, he has abs," he sighs.
"Ah, so that's how you knew he shoesize?"
"Oh no," he answers shaking his head once more, "I checked it whilst he was sleeping." He awkwardly scratches the back of his head as he admits it.
"You go, girl," I stomp him on his shoulder. Beorn rubs the place I hit and glares at me.
"I am still very much a man, thank you very much," he mumbles and continues shooting daggers at me. I shrug innocently.
"Sure, whatever you say," I wink.
"What are you talking about?" Fawnaya butts in and slings her arms around our shoulders.
"Belethrorn's abs," I grin at her and her eyes bulge. "I mean, look at him," I continue pointing at the oblivious Galdor walking behind us, "have you seen those biceps!"
Beorn tries not to react on my comments but glares at me when he has the chance.
"And you discuss that kind of stuff with Beorn?" Fawn asks uncertainly eyeing the two of us. I shrug.
"Well I can't discuss it with Belethrorn and before you joined us I had no one else to talk to about it."
"Well Beorn, I have bad news for you," Fawn pipes up, "your services at stand-in girl friend are no longer required, I free you from your duties."
"Thanks," he grumbles at the both of us and I catch the underlying message. 'Do not do anything like that ever again.' I grin as I watch him stomp over to Belethrorn and start a conversation on god knows what.
"So, tell me all about those abs.."
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Comment yours below and give it a little star if you enjoyed the story so far.
Love, OJI