𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴

The Escape (part 2)

Wymond was first to arrive at the lake. As he dismounted Ebony, he breathed in the salty air as he tried to contain the adrenaline of escape. Sitting at the shore, he remembered all the fun he and Hilda had together those secret days. When they got to Oxbourne, he knew it would be the turning point for their relationship and the fate of the town - she was a good person, Hilda, Wymond knew that what they were doing was right, it would all be well soon.

***

Kamden arrived from the opposite direction the girls would be coming from. He could see up the hill and towards the tree line - somewhere there was the castle boundary. He rounded the corner and the lake came into his view: shimmering white in the summer sun and reflecting the blue of the sky on the smoothest surface where there was no wildlife interrupting the mirror.

Wymond was in a dream so Kamden had to dismount Orion and wave his hand in front of his friends face before he came back down to earth.

"Wake up!" Kamden said, laughing at the surprised and worried expression on Wymond's face.

"Thank fuck it is you," he said in greeting, "or else I would be answering a few questions right now if it was one of the Hunters."

"Just make sure you stay alert in future." Kamden warned, becoming serious.

A flash went through Wymonds eyes and he stood up without warning, almost bumping heads with the other.

"They're here." He said.

Kamden followed his gaze and the sisters, one on a light bay horse and one on a snowy white, came galloping down the hill towards them.

***

After we had greeted each other, we went about distributing the load in our packs. Once that had been done, we got back on our horses. Lena and I had no clue where we were headed, so we followed Wymond and Kamden - away from the hill, away from the castle.

After a while, we slowed to a stop. Kamden knew someone that he could trust, someone who worked on the boundary where there was no wall, just a small fence.

As we got closer, I could make out one figure on a horse. I had never been this close to the edge of the town - I did not feel worried, just relieved that we were finally getting away - I did have a niggling thought in my head, however, which was telling me to feel slighting anxious.

We reached the man which marked the boundary. Kamden spoke, "Daniel, we thank you for doing this. We will forever be in your debt."

"Oh, no, my friend," Daniel said, "when Princess Hilda becomes Queen of Mythgrave, I assure you, this will all be worth the risk." He turned to me and bowed his head.

"Please," I said, "don't bow to me, I really dislike it."

"Ma'am." He said, flashing a smile which gave him creases around his dark but light eyes.

"And don't call us that." Lena added.

"Well, maybe I will have to when the throne falls." He said. "Anyhow, you must not waste your time. Onward." He added, turning and opening his arms to the fields and hills and forests beyond.

"Thank you." I said and I meant it.

Everyone echoed my words and we circled back to allow our horses to have a run up before jumping the fence.

Once we were all over, we said farewell to Daniel and took off without a backward glance. The next time we would be entering the towns boundary, we would be in battle.