nothing.” She gave the wolf a
pointed look, before turning to head to her room. Ardin reluctantly
got up and followed her, unaware that her plans involved for him to
stay behind.
Lana threw her wardrobe door open
with a thud, her head was pounding from Ardin's persistent attacks
at her mental wall. He hated not knowing what she was thinking,
especially in this moment. Usually when Lana wanted to be alone
Ardin would let her be, however this time it was grueling. She
constantly had to fight him off. He kept trying to slip in, to hear
her. Lana strained to act as if holding her mental wall was
effortless, while it was anything but. She was careful to allow
Ardin only enough room to speak to her but no more then
that.
Lana rummaged through her things
until she found a riding outfit that might suffice and quickly
slipped it on. It was a blue fitted tunic with camel colored pants,
which she wore with laced boots. She slid a small hand blade into
her boot thinking a whole sword may be too much but then decided to
take a sword too.
So that’s what
you think a Rami woman looks like? His
words entered her thoughts. Lana rolled
her eyes at Ardin while pulling her hair into a loose braded
bun.
“ They look just like us. Don’t you
remember from Ucu?”
Yes, I didn’t mean that… but your
outfit, it’s clearly of a fine material and fitted to you. It is
almost certainly finer than most Rami women are wearing.
“ This is all I have, we shall hope
that it’s enough. Besides surely some of their women dress in finer
clothes.”
None of which fight for their
King’s army.
“ This could be people seeking
refuge, not an army.”
Or you may be wrong.
Lana turned without comment,
walking out the room and began heading down the dimly lit hall,
followed by Ardin. She walked as quickly as she could without
alarming others, her boots slapped the marble floor with every
quick step.
Near the front of the castle door
stood two guards, flanking the entrance. Their presence stopped
Lana in her tracks. Would they stop her from leaving?
She would have to go another way,
so that her leaving may go un-noticed. Lana knew of a few side
doors that she had seen servants take. They were on the side of the
castle and lower on the sloping hill it was built on. Guards would
certainly be posted there eventually, but it was still early and
Lana hoped that they had yet to close off all the ways out of the
castle.
Turning the corner, Lana headed
down a dim hallway, where she snuck down the servants’ staircase
and emerged from the castle unseen. Luck was on her side. Once
outside she turned, looking at the fortress. Breath found her a
little more freely now that she was outside and less likely to run
into her father.
Near the door she emerged from,
the ocean below could be seen. The waves of the water looked to be
more violent than in the morning, thundering against the cliffs. It
was like the ocean knew what was stirring along its boarders, and
didn’t approve.
Lana twisted, heading away from
the castle, swiftly moving past those who were outside. Word was
spreading of the Rami people, providing a thick blanket of
uneasiness amongst the people, allowing Lana to move
unnoticed.
She headed north towards the
forest. This was out of the way but the least likely way to be
seen. Even in the commotion Lana didn’t want to linger for too long
around people who may recognize her. The forest would protect her
from curious eyes. No one should have been wondering the woods at a
time like that.
They had only made it several
yards into the forest when a sound from her right stopped
her.
Four horses stood within view. On
top one was an old man with white hair and a short white beard. The
two horses on either side of him each carried a child. Lana’s gaze
passed over the children, but something familiar pulled her eyes
back to them. It was Alex and Nadina, the children she had met
earlier in the day. The fourth horse was empty, yet saddled. She
turned
pointed look, before turning to head to her room. Ardin reluctantly
got up and followed her, unaware that her plans involved for him to
stay behind.
Lana threw her wardrobe door open
with a thud, her head was pounding from Ardin's persistent attacks
at her mental wall. He hated not knowing what she was thinking,
especially in this moment. Usually when Lana wanted to be alone
Ardin would let her be, however this time it was grueling. She
constantly had to fight him off. He kept trying to slip in, to hear
her. Lana strained to act as if holding her mental wall was
effortless, while it was anything but. She was careful to allow
Ardin only enough room to speak to her but no more then
that.
Lana rummaged through her things
until she found a riding outfit that might suffice and quickly
slipped it on. It was a blue fitted tunic with camel colored pants,
which she wore with laced boots. She slid a small hand blade into
her boot thinking a whole sword may be too much but then decided to
take a sword too.
So that’s what
you think a Rami woman looks like? His
words entered her thoughts. Lana rolled
her eyes at Ardin while pulling her hair into a loose braded
bun.
“ They look just like us. Don’t you
remember from Ucu?”
Yes, I didn’t mean that… but your
outfit, it’s clearly of a fine material and fitted to you. It is
almost certainly finer than most Rami women are wearing.
“ This is all I have, we shall hope
that it’s enough. Besides surely some of their women dress in finer
clothes.”
None of which fight for their
King’s army.
“ This could be people seeking
refuge, not an army.”
Or you may be wrong.
Lana turned without comment,
walking out the room and began heading down the dimly lit hall,
followed by Ardin. She walked as quickly as she could without
alarming others, her boots slapped the marble floor with every
quick step.
Near the front of the castle door
stood two guards, flanking the entrance. Their presence stopped
Lana in her tracks. Would they stop her from leaving?
She would have to go another way,
so that her leaving may go un-noticed. Lana knew of a few side
doors that she had seen servants take. They were on the side of the
castle and lower on the sloping hill it was built on. Guards would
certainly be posted there eventually, but it was still early and
Lana hoped that they had yet to close off all the ways out of the
castle.
Turning the corner, Lana headed
down a dim hallway, where she snuck down the servants’ staircase
and emerged from the castle unseen. Luck was on her side. Once
outside she turned, looking at the fortress. Breath found her a
little more freely now that she was outside and less likely to run
into her father.
Near the door she emerged from,
the ocean below could be seen. The waves of the water looked to be
more violent than in the morning, thundering against the cliffs. It
was like the ocean knew what was stirring along its boarders, and
didn’t approve.
Lana twisted, heading away from
the castle, swiftly moving past those who were outside. Word was
spreading of the Rami people, providing a thick blanket of
uneasiness amongst the people, allowing Lana to move
unnoticed.
She headed north towards the
forest. This was out of the way but the least likely way to be
seen. Even in the commotion Lana didn’t want to linger for too long
around people who may recognize her. The forest would protect her
from curious eyes. No one should have been wondering the woods at a
time like that.
They had only made it several
yards into the forest when a sound from her right stopped
her.
Four horses stood within view. On
top one was an old man with white hair and a short white beard. The
two horses on either side of him each carried a child. Lana’s gaze
passed over the children, but something familiar pulled her eyes
back to them. It was Alex and Nadina, the children she had met
earlier in the day. The fourth horse was empty, yet saddled. She
turned
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