Just Episodes in L - I - F - E

_Chapter 7_

_Chapter 7- The castle in the distance_

During midday, the mirror that the brothers used when I first saw them, started getting hotter. When Dan, who was the current keeper, pulled it out. It appeared to shimmer. It was a message from their dad. The message was short and fast, so I really didn't even get a chance to even have a glimpse at it. But shortly they filled me in, the camp we were supposed to go to relocated because they heard that the Queen had a clue of their whereabouts.

So now, they were setting camp in underground cave in the valley near the Great Lake. I wasn't sure what lake they were talking about, all lakes here looked pretty big to me. But I guess the four boys knew, so we headed there. I had asked Don on about how long this might take us. And he told me that the maximum time to get there without stopping would be 3 days. But we all knew that wouldn't happen. So I already expected a week on the road, or should I say forest?

I coul definitely say now that I had more physical excercise here in two days, than all of my gym classes put together. I was sweating like crazy, my chest was heaving up and down so fast I can't even count how many heartbeats I have in a minute, because then I'd lose count. We were splashing through lakes, hiking the mountain, not to mention getting it over and done with the steep slopes and rocky terrains. All of my muscles are exhausted. I feel like I could faint from tiredness any second, which I hope didn't happen since were crossing over a log which connects the two mountains. It wasn't that safe up here, especially since those vultures are still up and about.

"Why are we passing through here anyway, guys?" I asked them, stopping in my tracks. I needed a small break. We just had now crossed that long log.

"See that castle down there?" Nate answered. Probably, because he was the closest to me. He started pointing downwards. "That the Royal Castle, which Hilda corrupted since the real royals are currently not active." Then he said rolling his eyes, "She has all of this people just to guard her."

The I saw something clear shimmer like rippling water. I frowned, "Is that a forcefield? Or some kind of protective cover?"

Nate looked at the castle again, then shook his head meaning he didn't see it. So I called the three boys over. The were reluctant, because we might waste time, but they obliged anyway. "Can you see a force field or something over the castle?"

It took about three minutes before Dan stopped staring at it and said, "I give up, I can't see anything." Then he rested his back against a tree.

It took another five minutes before Achilles started to look away from it too, "I see it, but I took longer than you. You have  a good eye, plum."

I smiled smugly at myself for the complement, but then remembered, he had called me 'plum.'

"Why would you call me like that?" I said crossing my arms over my chest, "My name is clearly Autumn."

But then he shrugged saying he just wanted to. And started to walk again in the direction of The Great lake, but not before Don woke Dan up. We would've left him there and let him realize for himself that he was left, but we were just too nice for that.

So now with his sleepy mind still trying to wake up, we continued...