The Final Hour

Chapter 9

Hiding in the shadows, I look around the bustling tent. Time is ticking away quickly, and yet I haven't found my companions.

Why is it that they always show up when you don't want them, but they are nowhere to be found when you need them?

I sigh and move onto the next tent. I am just about to peer in the entrance, when I feel a rough hand clap over my mouth.

They've found me.

Immediately I go into panic mode. I kick and scratch-anything I can do to get away.

"Ow! Calm down! It's just me!" Jaosh groans. I glare at him, but I don't have time to yell at him.

"We've got to leave! Where's Branwen?" I whisper. Jaosh looks confused.

"I haven't seen her since yesterday. Why do we have to leave?" He asks me.
I am beginning to get frustrated. We have to leave now. Each second that we waste narrows down our chance of escaping.

"They know we're here. Gray ratted me out. We've got to leave now! Please!" I beg. Jaosh runs a hand through his blonde hair.

"I'll get Branwen, but you should leave. We'll meet you somewhere." He tells me.

I laugh ruefully.

"You know I can't do that." I say. I look over his shoulder to check for eavesdroppers.

"I'm serious! You need to leave." Jaosh glares at me.

It would be so easy to leave. To leave Branwen to the competent hands of my fiancé. I could be safe. For once, it wouldn't be me risking my life. I'm not going to lie-for a second I'm tempted to listen to him.

But I can't. I can't just leave. If they got hurt, I would never forgive myself.
I sigh and look back at Jaosh.

"Look here. Branwen is like my sister. I'm not going to leave her, and I'm not going to leave you. Now are we done here? I'd like to get out of here with my body still intact." I scowl.

"Whatever." Jaosh mutters. I walk out in front, and peer into the tent. Quickly I duck back out and bump into Jaosh. I grab his arm to steady myself, then whisper quietly.

"She's in there. But we have a slight problem."

Jaosh looks confused. I motion to the entrance of the tent. He quickly pulls back the flap and looks inside.
When he reappears, he is frowning in deep concentration.

"She's with that girl-Gray?" He asks. I nod and slump against a nearby tree.

"What should we do?" I groan. Jaosh sets his jaw.

"She doesn't know me right?" Jaosh asks slowly.
What is he up to? I look up at him to see him walking back towards the tent.
I jump up, and grab his arm.

"What the heck? What are you doing?" I whisper-shout. Jaosh gives me a look that says 'Honestly? Use your brain!'

"I'm going to go get her! What does it look like?" He groans.

Does he have a death wish or something? Usually when your enemy's have a precious item of yours, you don't just walk in and ask if they'll pretty please give it back!
But who knows how he does it-he's from Iovania. Iovanians are from the north-they've got some funny ways of doing things.

"What-do you think you can just walk in there?" I ask fiercely. Jaosh shrugs.

"Yea." He says before shaking free of my grip, and striding purposefully into the tent. I roll my eyes and slump against the tree once more. Jaosh is a idiot, but he is a brave idiot. I don't know if I'd have the guts to do what he just did.
But as my father used to say, in bad situations, often you find strength you didn't know you had. I used to think that that was stupid. How can you find more strength? But then again, I used to be a pampered, spoiled princess who's worst problem was trying to find enough frogs to put in the soup at a grand feast. I didn't know what inner strength was. I hadn't really started to live yet.

Seconds later, a triumphant Jaosh with a confused Branwen emerge from the tent. I raise my eyebrows.

"I actually can't believe you just pulled that off." I say in shock. Jaosh smiles.

"Told you." He smirks. I roll my eyes.

"Let's get out of here." I stand up and start walking towards them.

"What's going on!?" Branwen glared at us. I lean down to whisper in her ear.

"They know we're here. Don't trust Gray." I murmur before grabbing her hand, and sprinting for the fields behind the tents. Jaosh follows closely behind us. Within minutes, the camp is shrinking behind us. Soon it will be but a distant memory.
I smile as I feel the wind on my face. It tastes of freedom-of victory.
But just as soon as I feel triumphant, the wind is knocked out of me, and I fall to the ground in a heap.

Ow..........

A shadow looms above me, blocking out the warm afternoon sun and sending shivers down my spine.

"Going somewhere?" Gray says in a voice that makes my blood run cold.
Its too late.

Hey guys!
Thanks for all your support-the surgery went really well and I'm feeling awesome! I'm sorry for not updating in a while, but don't worry-I've got some MAJOR twists up ahead. So keep reading. Thanks for reeaadddiiinnnggg!!!