Part 33

Greza opened the doors of the other cells and was surprised at how emaciated and sickly they all looked.  She knew she must look the same. 

“You took out all four?” Delun asked. 

“Get their uniforms on,” Greza said. 

“How’d you kill all four?”

“One or two might be alive.  Hurry!”

She watched them put on the guard’s clothing and armor.  It was all baggy on them but there was little they could to about that. 

“You four will escort me as a prisoner,” Greza said.

“But where are we going?” Yulof asked.

“On the way in I saw that we came in through a side entrance of the keep.  It went straight down into this dungeon,” Greza said.

“Are there any other ways out of the fort other than the main gate?”  Tarak asked.

“I didn’t see any.  Let me go see if it’s night or day outside,” Greza said.

She went up the narrow stairs to the thick wooden door and peeked out. 

It was a bright sunny day.  Not good.  They couldn’t afford to wait for night because the guards were probably expected somewhere.

But then she saw that everyone was rushing about in a hurry.  She opened the door a little wider to get a better view and saw that they were loading up wagons and forming into marching lines. 

They were preparing to leave.

That’s why the guards had come down.  They were being moved.  Perhaps that meant the Chimera Company was approaching.  They cold meet up with them with no problem.

She closed the door and reported back.

“They might not notice us in all the commotion,” Tarak said.

“We need to go now before they’re missed,” Greza said.

“It’s too dangerous,” Delun said.

“No choice,” Greza said.

She looked for more argument from Delun, but he kept his mouth closed.

They went up the stairs and Tarak peeked through the door. 

“Can we get through the gate?”  She asked.

“No, too many soldiers there, including officers.”

“Wait…” Tarak began to say.  Everyone froze in silence.  “They’re moving carts out.”

She understood.  They could sneak onto a cart and ride out unnoticed. 

“Alright.  Follow me,” Tarak said.

He opened the door wide and strode out into the painfully bright sun.  None of them spoke Roshanish so if they were stopped they’d be found out instantly. 

Within the fortress walls were carts, donkey’s, horses and soldiers running around, scrambling to make their preparations for leaving. Commotion was all around them.  People were shouting in a language she didn’t understand and the light was too bright. 

Tarak let them over to a line of carts and went between them and the fortress walls where they were less likely to be seen.

“Once we’re out of the walls, what then?” Tarak asked.

“We look for a chance to run.  Slip out if you can do it unseen.  There’s bound to be breaks for the people on foot.  We might have to go separately.  If we are separated, head west and try to find the Company.”

They all nodded in agreement.

The carts were carrying all kinds of things.  One carried all weapons and another was loaded with crates.  Some had tarps over them.  Those were the ones they wanted.  As they looked she kept her eye on the doorway to the dungeon.  So far, no one came near the thick side door.

She said a silent prayer to the Divine Lights to guide their path.

Greza helped them climb into the carts one by one.  She insisted on being last because she had a better chance of silencing someone that spotted them.  Tarak wasn’t the most graceful person and she had to guide his foot in under the cloth. 

Once they were all secured she found a cart that was carrying blankets and climbed in, burying herself beneath them. 

She didn’t look out but she listened.  She listened for any shouting that might be an alert.

Every moment dragged on as the chances of discovery grew. If she was discovered she’d fight and hopefully make it to the gate.  It was far from hopeful though.

Then the cart began to move. 

She waited and prayed.  No one could help her now but the Divine Lights.

She could tell by the echoing of the wooden wheels on the stone that they were approaching the gate. 

They didn’t stop and no one searched the cart or double checked it. 

Once they were clear of the gate she dared a glance out.  There was a car behind her.  It was a good hundred paces back but as soon as she left the cart she’d be spotted and put the others in danger.  She had to wait for the right time or she and her friends would get caught. 

Over the past four months or so she had gotten to know them.  They were perfect men and some of them weren’t even good men.  Delun had a child with a woman he refused to accept.  Under normal circumstances she wouldn’t speak to the man.  But now they were united in cause. 

Inside she felt she had been abandoned by her Duke.  He should have negotiated for their release or come to their rescue.  But she had to remind herself that she didn’t know what he knew.  It was possible that he didn’t know about their capture.  Perhaps they had been pronounced dead.  There was an nearly infinite list of causes that prevented their release. 

She had to have faith and trust that the Divine Lights were guiding her. 

For an hour or so the noisy cart plodded along the dirt road.  Dust kicked up from the wagons filtered in under the blankets and covered her.  They were in woods now and as soon as she lost sight of the wagon behind her she’d make a run for it.

She was on her way back to her Duke.  She had embarrassed herself on her first campaign.  She would work doubly hard to make it up to him.  She would show him that she was worthy of his attention. 

She would show him that he was the Promised Victor.

Then she heard shouting.  Riders on horses rushed passed her cart.  A few minutes later the cart and the rest of the column stopped.  Something was going on and she could guess what it was.  Their escape had been discovered.

There was nothing more she could do for the others.  They had to make it on their own and use their best judgment.

She had to run this moment or be caught. 

Greza watched for the driver behind her cart to look away and she slipped out.  No one yelled or said anything.  The driver turned back and saw her.  He said something she didn’t understand so she just shrugged and shook her head, hopping her answer made sense. 

Then she walked towards the woods as if everything were normal. 

It sounded as if someone was calling out to her but she didn’t respond.  She just kept walking and acting as if she belonged there. It took everything she had not to run right then.  Running would alert everyone what she was.  Best to keep them guessing.

She got to the woodline and then turned around.  The driver was talking to some soldiers and pointing in her direction. 

Time to move. 

Greza took off running as fast as she could.  She dodged branches and jumped over logs.  She needed distance.  Distance was her friend.  She didn’t go straight either.  She curved to the right. 

It was too early to hide.  They’d be searching the woods with everyone they had probably.  No, she needed distance. 

Once again she found herself running for her freedom.  Her life depended on her ability to run.  Normally she could outrun any Human, but she’d been starved and stationary for months.  The trees would prevent horses.    

All other thoughts fled from her mind.  All she could think about was running.  Tarak and the others were forgotten.  Just her breathing, where she placed her feet and obstacles in the way was all she thought about. 

Already she began to feel tired.  Her legs were becoming less responsive.  Her breathing was growing more difficult. 

When a clearing presented itself she looked back to check on her pursuers.

She didn’t see anyone.  That didn’t mean they weren’t following.  If they brought dogs then hiding wasn’t an option.  She had to keep going.

Greza kept running until she couldn’t run any more.