The Thief

Chapter Two: Escape

Leanna sidestepped as the Guard came rushing past her, like the old matadors evading a charging bull. She turned around swiftly, breaking the jailors grip on her hands, then eyed the key ring hanging at his belt. Darting toward him, she twirled at the last second neatly snagging the ring off it's hook. Then she darted for the door. Behind her she could hear the guards and the judges yelling at each other. The head judge's voice was the loudest.

"Catch her you fools, she's a magic user, a Crafter! Someone summon Lady Zodiva, quickly!" His voice echoed down the hallway, his word just making Leanna run faster. Lady Zodiva was the royal Mage, or Crafter. If she showed up before Leanna was able to get out of town, her Seeker spells would surely be able to find her. Leanna burst through the entryway at the end of the hall and took a left, trying to get back to the prison so she could orient herself. Another left and she was at the crossroads leading to the prison, and to the market she had heard earlier. Glancing up, she looked for a way out without encountering any townspeople. No luck. Come on my Lady, where are you when I need you? No response. Fine. I guess we're doing it the hard way. Taking a deep breath she ran towards the market square.

When she turned the corner, the talking and laughing she had heard got quite a bit louder, and all of the colorful banners, flags, and canvas awnings nearly made her lose the Invisibility seeming she had crafted. Nearly. Short, squat houses, made of common brick and thatched brown weaving, lined the alley the market was being held in. The alleyway was packed so tightly with people, Leanna marveled at how anyone was able to walk at all. This was going to be hard. It was going to be harder when she realized her hands were still fastened behind her back. There was no other place to go though, and every second she waited risked Zodiva catching up with her. Looking around desperately for some way to get through the people, a stack of large, wooden crates caught her eye. Bingo, she thought. Getting a running start, she leaped on to the crates, bounding up them and on to the narrow, steep roof of the closest house. The sound of her acent was covered by the voices from below. She put all her muscle into reaching the peak of the roof. It was harder than she though it would be, thatching really didn't give much traction. She didn't let that deter her though, and she raced along. With the majority of the city spread out before her, she had no trouble finding her way to the front entrance.

At last, she jumped from the last house onto a building she assumed was a regular shop, it had a much flatter roof. As she pushed off though, a rush of fatigue hit her and as she landed, her feet went out from under her, sending her rolling across the roof. She had a moment of panic and tried to put her arms out to stop her decent toward the pavement some ten feet below, but her hands were still incapacitated. She shoved her feet down hard onto the roof, and managed to stop her forward motion before she plummeted. Too close, she thought. Better get out of town fast, before my magic runs out. Hauling herself to her feet she kept running until she made it to the front gates.

Down below, hundreds of people were milling about, walking to and fro, entering and exiting the gate. Four guards were posted, two on each side of the gate. Leanna got a little bit more worried. The more people who looked in her direction, the harder it was to maintain her Invisibility seeming. She was running low on magic as it was. There was no other option though, so she braced herself and peered over the edge of the roof for a way to get down. No crates this time, she would have to jump, hoping no one ran into her on the way down. She lowered herself onto her haunches, waiting for a break in the crowd... Now! She pushed herself off and landed on the cobblestone, hyperaware of her surroundings. If anyone bumped into her while she had her seeming up, she would be caught before she could say 'pumpernickel'.

 Quickly, but nimbly making her way through the people, Leanna focused on not tripping. She was at a huge disadvantage without the help of her hands, and she couldn't afford any blunders right now. Two times she nearly got hit by someone, the first way by a small boy who ran out in front of her, chasing a stray cat. Leanna had to leap backwards, nearly launching herself off balance, only to have to re-shift her weight  as the mother ran behind her calling out for the little boy to stop. Jittery, she was making her way closer to the gate when a man on a horse charged through the crowd, yelling about some pamphlet or other. Leanna just managed to jump out of the way before the horse managed to trample her. Finally she made it to the gate, with the keys still in her hands. She held her breath as she darted her way between the two lines of the entering and the exiting. As she passed underneath the huge archway acting as the barrier of the country and the castle, finally getting past the crowds of people, she let out a sigh of relief.

Wasting no more time, she ran as fast as she could down the road leading up to the town, towards the forest beyond. Easily dodging the one or two towns folk out on the path, she darted in the woods. Home free, she was on her turf now. She sprang through the woods, deftly avoiding trees, roots and rocks. With a sigh she slowly let her seeming down. She immediately felt it stop draining her. Smiling, Leanna slowed down, stopping at a non-remarkable  spot in the woods. Even after her long sprint, she was hardly even breathing hard. She felt the key ring and shifted it around in her hands, trying to find the right key. Instinctively she found the right one. Trying to angle it the right way, Leanna grit her teeth, the keyhole was too far up. Guess she'd have to do this the hard way. Closing her eyes, she let out a whistle, one that sounded almost exactly like one of the birds native to the forest. Anyone passing through would dismiss it, but she knew who she intended it to be heard by would know the difference. Resting her back against a tree, she waited.

Within only a few minutes, she could see a figure coming through the trees towards her. She stepped forwards and smiled as a brown and black dappled mare trotted up. The horse was slightly smaller than normal, but she was strong and nimble. As she stepped, she avoided large branches, moving with surprising stealth for an animal so large. Tossing her nose, she looked down on Elwyn as if to say, 'You called?'

"Hey girl", Leanna gave her a playful grin. "I need your help again."

Her horse gave her look that was definitely a smirk.

"I know, I know, what else is new right?" Leanna turned around, revealing her manacled hands and the key ring. "Mind picking that for me June?"

June gave a snort, then delicately took the key in her mouth and inserted it into the keyhole. After a few seconds, there was a click, and metal cuffs fell to the ground. Rubbing her hands, Leanna turned around again and patting June's neck, she slipped the key ring on her belt.

"Good girl, I promise, next town I'm grabbing some of those candied apples," she praised.

June tossed her head again. What would you do without me?

"Yeah, yeah, miss Super Horse, now how about we get going? I've got the Royal Pain-in-the-Butt after me and I'd rather not be here when she Tracks me."

June swung around, and just as Leanna was about to mount, she sensed something. "Wait a second. Listen." Standing still, Leanna's eyes scoured the forest, and June's ears pricked forwards, flicking around as she stood still. Leanna knew it now, there was someone in the woods close by, so why couldn't she see them...?

Just as she was about to look away, a familiar figure stepped out from between two trees and walked towards them. She recognized his cloak from her trial, but how had he followed her so quickly? The person certainly didn't look like he worked for the king, but looks were deceiving, and you could never be too careful. Slipping two of her daggers out of June's saddle bags, she turned to face the newcomer, glaring at him as if daring him to come forwards. He continued walking towards her. A few feet from her, he threw off his hood, his face crinkled in a smile as if her found her gesture amusing.

"Leanna Rayson, royal toldjav, lay down your arms, I am here to make you an offer."