The Poet and the Thief

Ch.7 They really should've met in better circumstances

(!!!!!AGAIN ALL CREIDS GO TO KingOfTheOranges ON Ao3 NONE OF THIS BELONGS TO ME! ANY ENJOY!!!!!)

Tommy could practically feel the blood leave his face, very sure he was looking like a ghost at that moment.He had been spotted, by the baker's daughter of all people! That did explain why Mr Friggins was there, but it still upset Tommy. He had worked so hard to keep it a secret, to never be seen entering or exiting the forest. Hell he had even spent days away from the forest so suspicion would die down. All of it was for nothing. The two adults were clearly waiting for an answer, watching the boy like a hawk.

Tommy didn't have an answer.

He could tell the truth, he could try to lie, but was any of those options really great? No matter what he said he would be punished somehow. So what do you do when you can't speak? You run.

Run he did. He ran right out the door and onto the streets, they were empty just as expected. He didn't know where he was going to go but he didn't have time to think. Voices were yelling at him, around him, but they all blurred together. He was too panicked to even consider listening to anything they had to say. It wouldn't be anything good. The boy slipped into the back roads, the place he knew best. They were enclosed, like a maze. The other villagers never used these roads, they didn't have the same knowledge that Tommy did. He finally let himself slow down, calming his breaths as he listened out for the adults. Someone had called the guards, he could hear their armor scrape against the walls as they tried to follow him around. Tommy did his best to avoid them, going the opposite way of any noise he heard that wasn't familiar. The only relief he had was when the crows started to scream up ahead, flocking to the sky wi8th the goal to seemingly follow him.

"Guide me, please." They could guide him in the forest, he'd trust them to guide him now. To his relief they appeared to hear his plea, flocking nearer to give him an idea of where to go. Together they worked to get him back out the backroads, and what appeared to be into the forest. More yelling echoed through the walls but Tommy didn't register anything they said, willfully ignorant to the people that had abandoned him so long ago. There was no way the village was still sleeping, not with the racket that was going on around them. Tommy had to get out of there before more people joined the hunt, to watch him suffer as people chased him to do who knows what. He was drawn out of his thoughts by a crows caw, directing him to the left. He hadn't gone down that path in awhile but he'd trust the crow, if it got him out of there then it would be fine. He followed the feathered friend diligently, slowly losing his breath from the continuous running. He just wanted to go home, to see his brother and his friend.

The forest was in sight, he could see the trees practically beckoning him in. Their branches waved him closer, promising him safety and love. It refilled him with hope, hope that he was gonna be okay. With legs burning he ran as fast as he could, the crows filling the air with caws almost like cheering, trying to get to the forest's edge. As long as he was within the greenery and out of arm's reach he'd be okay. He could practically taste freedom, eyes locked on the treeline.

Just as his feet were about to hit the grass his collar was grabbed, someone yanking him back and into a tight hold. Cold iron froze him as he was trapped in a guard's chest. He tried to thrash around, to fight back or escape, but he was held tight. These guards were useless for everything but him apparently.

"Let me go!" He felt his heart drop as petals started to fall, one of his crowns falling apart from his thrashing. His plea was ignored by the guard that dragged him back to town, keeping his arms tightly locked to his body. All Tommy could do was let himself be dragged to the village center, watching the crows flock around them. His guides couldn't help him anymore, all they could do was watch. Tommy mouthed 'Thank you' at them, seeing some of them nod in return. The creatures of the forest really were magical huh. He blinked away tears with ease, letting anger and frustration hit him to replace the sadness. He could deal with that later, he would not cry in front of these people. They weren't worth his emotions.