Run....

She Wakes Up

As soon as I heard the Lord Sheriff's horse leaving I passed out again. When I woke up, the boy who gave me the water, Andrew I think his name is, was sat on a chair near the cot I was lying on with his head in his hands. He looked tired.  

"How long have I been sleeping?" I asked hoarsely.  

Andrew started and looked up at me, his eyes were red and bloodshot and he looked exhausted but I could tell he is very handsome. He had dark brown hair that was almost black and the most unusual coloured eyes I have ever seen. When I had seen them outside in the light, they had been a light lilac colour like how a lavender plant would look. But here, in the somewhat gloomier light of the tent, they were a darker but brighter purple.  

"You have been asleep for an hour and a half, you looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you and I thought I'd better leave you to sleep you looked like you've been through a lot." he responded kindly. He handed me a tankard of water which I drank without hesitation. I had never been so thirsty in my life. I looked around the tent and saw through the open flap that the clearing was empty. 

"Where is the Lord Sheriff?" I enquired. 

"He is still at the Swan residence."  

I sighed gently in relief and Andrew asked me,  

"So what happened there then? I mean, as soon as My Lord mentioned he was going there you tensed up, I know because I was carrying you here." I looked at him deciding whether or not to tell him. 

"I'd rather not tell you, I don't know if I can trust you." I replied.

A flash of hurt crossed his face but it was gone as soon as it came.

"Alright, well let us try another question, " he paused and thought for a moment. "How old are you?"  

He looked at me with such a trusting, innocent and compelling look I don't think even the meanest and untrusting person could refuse to answer. My expression relaxed a little and I said,

"I am seventeen years old, I assume you are around the same age as me?" I asked

"You assume correctly, I am but one year older than you" he replied. We were silent for a moment then he finally broke it and asked,

"Please tell me, I would like to help you if I can and I would not tell My Lord if you didn't want me to." 

I sigh again which I know is not very ladylike. I decided to tell him something although I won't tell him the whole truth. I stare at the floor and start to tell him the recent events that brought me here.

"I am the Lord Swans' daughter, Angeline. My father was in possession of our family treasure after spending most of his life searching for it. Of course, there were people who heard my father had it and started hunting him but they could never get past our front gates as we had good protection, but one day, we welcomed someone who we considered a good family friend into our house and..." I broke off as thinking about the next part made me sob. "After we came back from an early morning hunt he took out his sword and ran it through my father. He was my father's best friend for his whole life and he just took his sword and stabbed him over and over! I was frozen to the spot but then he started to turn towards me and I realised he wanted the object my father had found. I unfroze and ran for the stairs which led to the small room that held the family treasure. I could hear him right behind me calling at me to stop, I tripped, rolled over and sprung back to my feet but he was right behind me and he grabbed my arm and turned me around. I tried pulling away but I was too weak and so I brought the heel of my hunting boot down on his foot and he screamed and loosened his grip on my arm. I made it to the treasury and took the hollowed out book that held the three parts of the treasure. I looked back and saw that he still hadn't recovered from my boot in his foot so I took as much of the other treasure in the room as I could fit in my bag, swung a painting to the side and escaped through the secret exit my father built for just this kind of situation. I ran and kept on running until I ended up here. The book that holds the treasure also holds all the names of the people hunting the object and the Lord Sheriff's name is written in it."

I finish my tale and look back up at Andrew. His eyes are wide with shock, pity and just a little bit of disbelief. I look back at him with confusion and his only response to hearing that his master is hunting me is "I wouldn't put it past him."

I just hope I can convince him to let me go before the Lord Sheriff gets back, if not, I'll have to try to knock him unconscious. Although that would be a shame because he seems like a nice compassionate person.