The Runaway Queen

Chapter 10

To put it plainly-I wasn't thrilled when my escape plans were completely ruined.

"Where are we going?" I ask. Mali looks back at me patronizingly and scoffs.

"Your my prisoner. Why would I tell you anything?" She laughs cruelly. I roll my eyes and spit at her feet. I miss.

Darn it.

Suddenly I am flying through the air, and hit the dirt hard. The guy Mali calls Oric stands over me glaring. I blink away the stars that are filling my vision, and glare back up at him.

"Don't ever spit at her again, or I swear-" He growls at me before Mali pulls him away.

"Thank you Oric-I can take care of myself." She says harshly. I smirk at Oric as he is reprimanded. He just shoots me a nasty look as I pull myself up.

The three of us walk silently, Oric stepping on my heels with every step. Its clear that he seriously doesn't like me. I don't really care. I'm not one of those people who has to please everyone in order to be happy. If you don't like me, that's your problem-not mine.

A large wooden cart pulls up next to me.

"Get in" Oric orders. I hesitate. That cart looks like it will give me splinters every time we hit a bump. I know what your thinking-why on earth is the Queen that literally was hung from two dislocated arms for three days with no food scared of getting a couple measly splinters? That's a good question actually. I'm not afraid of splinters. I just hate blood. And if you get a large enough splinter then your going to bleed. I hate any amount of blood. That's why I hesitate. Oric gives me a rough shove.

"I said get in!" He yells. I shoot him a scathing look, and he backs down slightly. Then I turn and get in the cart, careful to avoid the really rough patches of wood. Mali gets in next to me. Oric stands outside and glares at me as we leave him in the dust.

"Real nice guy you've got there." I say sarcastically to Mali. She gives me a look.

"Not everybody gets as lucky as you." She tells me.

What's that supposed to mean? In what twisted world have I had any luck at all? I'm the unluckiest person I know.

Mali looks at me for a long second before speaking.

"Anyway you say that your a thief. I know that from experience. But nobody else does. We don't know if we can trust you. So we have a mission for you."

She tells me.

I frown. My instinct is to get off the cart while I can and make a break for it. But before I can even think about moving, Mali smirks.

"You won't make it if you try to escape. You've only got one choice."

I stare at her. I've got to give it to her-Mali's pretty smart.

"What if I don't do it? Your 'mission'" I ask.

"You will be executed as a traitor." She tells me. I can tell from the steel in her eyes that she is deadly serious. I've got no choice. What ever we had at Asenhouse is gone.

Before I know it, its twilight and we're riding into a small town. I'm dressed all in black, and have a knife strapped tto my waist. I vow to never use it. I look around and with a sinking heart recognize where we are. It's Byfay. The place where I took little Arlen. Also the place where the kind noble, Ivo Roth, took me in and fed me. I would rather be anywhere else. We ride up the hill to the large house I know to be Roth's. We stop a couple feet away.

"Here. Your going to climb up that tree and steal one item. I'll be behind you. If you pull something, or try to get away, then I swear you'll never see the daylight again." Mali whispers. I nod wordlessly, desperately trying to think of something, anything to not steal from this house. I dismount from my horse and tiptoe towards the tree. I could scale it in a matter of seconds, but I climb slowly to postpone the moment as much as possible. But all too soon I reach the window, and I don't have a plan. I have to do this.

The window is unlocked and I slip inside. I see a desk and hundreds of books. This must be Roth's office. I look for something semi-valuable. I see a picture on his desk and I pick it up. Its Roth, obviously much younger, with a young laughing boy, and a smiling wife with a smiling tiny girl in her arms. The girl couldn't of been more then two years old. The family looks so happy. A wave of sadness washes over me. My family used to be like that. Me, Mithil, my mother and father used to be a happy family too. Now, just like Roth, I'm the only one left.

I'm so off guard that the footsteps are just outside before I realize that they're there. I freeze as the door opens and Roth walks in. Behind him is Mufar. My eyes widen as I clutch the picture. Just then Mali scrambles through the window.

"What do you have there?" She looks at the picture and scoffs.

"Oh please. You call that valuable?" She looks at me, then at the two men standing wordlessly in the doorway.

"Give us your valuables." Mali snarls. I'm still frozen. But when I see Roth reach into his pocket, I snap out of it.

"C'mon Mali-they don't have anything. Lets go to the next house." I say desperately. She just rolls her eyes.

Mufar steps in front of us. His eyes are locked on me.

"No."

Mali looks at me.

"Go out in the hall and take care of him." She tells me, gesturing toward Mufar. Wordlessly I grab him and drag him into the hall.

I walk as far away from the closed door as possible before turning to Mufar.

"What are you doing!?" We both whisper at the same time. I glare at him and wait for him to answer.

"Looking for you idiot! Do you know how worried we've been these last couple days? Eadu-what has gotten into you?" He whispers. I don't answer him. Instead I turn from his furious face and gather my thoughts. Then I turn to face him once again.

"Look-I have to do this. Please." I beg. His face softens slightly. He nods. Then he takes my knife and slices his arm before I can stop him. I look at him in horror. The wound on his arm is gushing blood. My stomach turns, and I take a step back.

"Mufar!" I say. He glares at me.

"I'm supposed to be dead! Remember?" He whispers. I nod, and take back the bloody knife.

"Explain to Roth will you?" I ask quietly. Mufar nods, and I turn away.

I walk back into the office to Mali holding Roth at knife point.

"Mali don't. We don't need him." I say calmly. She looks at me, then the bloody knife in my hands. She lets go of Roth, and picks up the picture.

"This frame could be worth something. Lets go Lynx." Mali says. Then she vaults out of the window. I look at Roth's terrified face.

"I'm sorry" I whisper before climbing out of the window, and disappearing into the black night.