Happy Birthday, Sky!!!

Happy Birthday, Sky!
Sorry for the wait, I hope you like it! :D
Hope you have a very shiny birthday :D Happy 19th!
*hands 19 birthday cupcakes*


Sally sat at her desk, absently tapping her pencil, thinking over everything that happened.
When she'd gotten home the previous week, her mother and brother had acted like she hadn't been gone for 2 days, and she decided not to question it. She really didn't need to be grounded.
She briefly wondered how long her mother would have grounded her for leaving the current dimension and laughed to herself at the expression she imagined her mother would have.
"What's funny?" Harry asked as he walked in, eating an apple.
"Nothing," she said, snapped out of her thinking. Her brother looked at her strangely, but said nothing.
"Have you finished the History homework yet?" He asked instead.
"Why? You need to copy it?" She asked.
"Nah, maybe next time when your not so day-dreamy." He said, sitting on her bed.
"What's up?" She asked, setting her pencil down.
"Nothing."
"Oh yeah right," She said. "You don't normally come in my room unless you wanted something, and you certainly don't eat apples."
He looked confused for a moment before looking at the object in his hand with an even more confused expression which quickly turned to horror and he screamed, throwing the apple at the wall, where it hit, imploded a little, leaving apple insides on her wall, before sliding down and landing in her clothes hamper.
She clamped a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing as her brother hunched over her trashcan and started dry heaving.
"What on earth is going on in here?" Their mother said as she peeked her head in. "Harry, what's wrong, sweetheart? Why are you retching in your sisters bin?"
"Ate...apple..." He choked out.
"Oh for the life of... It's just an apple, it wont kill you." She said, rolling her eyes at her son. "They're good for you."
"That's... what... they... want you... to think." He said.
"You are so strange," She said, shaking her head. "Sally, I'm going to the store, do you want anything?"
"Some more orange juice would be nice," she glanced at her brother, still with his head stuck in her trashcan.
"I'm... good." He said.
Their mother laughed as she closed the door behind her. A minute later, Sally heard the car start and pull away.
"Okay, I think you puked out all the apple, you can relax now." She said.
"I doubt it." He said, but he sat back anyway. "I can't believe I ate a fruit."
"Well, I think you've made it very clear that it was an accident." She replied. "What has you so upset that your eating healthy?"
 "All right already, I'll tell you." He said. "It's Syl."
She sighed. "Why do you get so worked up over that Drama Queen?"
He gave her a look that only an older brother can give. "I love her, Sal."
"Why? There's nothing likeable about her." She said. "She treats you like dirt, treats me like I'm less then pond scum, and flirts with any man with a pulse. She's a snob who cares more about her makeup than you, and that's my nice description of her."
He sighed. "I know, but I can't help it. She puts up a front for everybody because she's scared to let anybody in, her mother left her when she was 3 and her dad remarried to an dis-inherited heiress who was always mean to her."
"Wow, she's got you fooled, doesn't she?" Harry's face darkened and he stood.
"Look, I know you don't like her, but I know the real her, ok? So stop acting like some big know-it-all and mind your own business!"
"Hey, your the one who came in here, remember?" Sally said, getting to her feet to face her brother. "You wanted my advice, and here it is: break up with her. She's rude to you and everyone else, she tells lies left and right like its no big deal, and she is dumber then a post! She's not good enough for you, Harry, why can't you just see that?"
"Forget it, ok? I'm sorry I brought it up." He opened the door, but paused in the doorway. "Why can't you just be happy that I'm with someone I love, other than you, who chases boys away like their flies." And he left.
She stared after him, tears in her eyes.
                                                                      * * *
Bram tapped his fingers as he read through the tome. There was nothing useful in it, only obscure references, and he was getting frustrated.
He put his head on the book and sighed. Why did no one document anything useful?
Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his head, and he jerked his head up, thinking he laid his head down on a quill or the edge of the book, but the pain continued.
He massaged his temples and suddenly there was a wave of emotions that were not his.
Hurt, sadness, and anger. He blinked and he was no longer looking at dusty old book shelves, he was looking at a girl sobbing on a bed.
He stared at her. "What in the realms...?" He muttered.
The girl looked up, startled. It was Sally.
She jumped to her feet. "What are you doing? Spying on me?"
"N-no," He said, he was too confused to form coherent thoughts.
"Just go away!" She shouted and he was back staring at bookshelves.
"What just happened?" He asked them, and, naturally, they ignored him. Typical shelves.
                                                                     * * *
Sally sat back down on the bed, wiping the rest of her tears away. Seeing Bram hadn't helped things, she didn't want him to see her cry.
She was the girl that faced the... She cleared her head before she could picture or think its name, she didn't know how she'd explain a monster that shouldn't exist suddenly appearing in her bedroom, anymore than she could explain a strange boy she'd met only a few days ago showing up.
She sighed, and picked up a Kleenex and blew her nose before going to her mirror to see how bad she looked. The last thing she needed was her mother freaking out on her.
Deciding she looked fine, she left her room, pausing briefly on the stairs to make sure she wouldn't burst into more tears when she heard her mothers voice, and continued into the kitchen, where her mother was making something that smelled foreign.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
Her mother spun around at the sound of her voice and smiled at her. "Oh, hi Sally, you startled me, I thought you were at Jordan's."
"No," Sally replied. "And don't dodge the question, what are you doing?"
"I'm cooking." Was the answer.
"Cooking?" Sally said, incredulous. "You never cook."
"I cook you breakfast every morning." Her mother countered.
"You put a pre-made meal in the over for 30 minutes, doesn't count." She said. "The last time you tried to cook, you almost burned the house down."
"Oh, shut up, I did not."
"We had to redo the whole kitchen!"
"Sally Elizabeth you stop talking right now." Her mother said, but she couldn't hold back her smile for long and she laughed. "It's a new dish I heard Margaret talking about, she gave me the recipe weeks ago and I decided 'what the heck?'"
"What kind of food is it?" Sally asked, peering curiously at the pan on the stove.
"It's something to do with curry, I think."
"Oh that's comforting." Sally responded.
"Hey mom," Harry said, coming down the stairs. "I'm heading over to Mi- what is that smell?"
"It's a new curry dish, she thinks." Sally answered.
"Curry?"
"Don't ask."
"Okay then..." He said. "I'm heading over to Mike's, and I think I may eat there as well."
"Fine, but you know they call that cowardice in some countries, right?" Their mom replied.
"I'd heard the rumor." He said, he glanced at Sally, opened his mouth, and then closed it again. "Later." He didn't wait for a reply and walked briskly out of the house, Sally right behind him.
She caught up just as he hit the lawn.
"Harry," She said. He paused mid-step and turned to face her. "Are you really going to Mike's, or did you say that for my sake?"
His face darkened. "What, now I'm not allowed to spend time with my friends? And whenever I do, I must be lying right? Where do you really go when you say you're going to Jordan's?"
"Harry, please, I didn't mean it that way."
"Sure, you did." He spun around and stalked off.
"Harry," She called. "Harry come on, we need to talk about this."
"No we don't," he called over his shoulder.
 "Harry Robert!" She screamed. "You stop right now!"
He froze before turning on her. "How dare you use my middle name, you have no right to pull that card when you're the one in the hot seat!"
"We need to talk about this." She said as she caught up with him. "You're overreacting to the fact that I don't like your girlfriend, and I don't know why, you've never yelled at me like this before and I'm worried."
He opened his mouth to retort, but closed it and sighed. "I know."
"What?"
"I know, you're right." He said. "I don't know what's happening, but I can't help myself."
"You need to break up with her, she's toxic."
"I know, but... who's that?" He said, staring over her shoulder. She turned and saw Bram walking towards them.
"Bram?"
"Bram Stoker?" Harry asked.
"No, no Stoker, he's someone I met in the park... wait, that's not Bram." She said as the man got closer, he had the same height and build as Bram, but this guy looked meaner.
He paused in his stride and smirked at them before he waved his hand and they both went flying.
Sally landed on something hard and felt something crack, she looked up and had to fight the blackness that was threatening to take over her vision. She glanced at her leg and had to fight the urge to vomit, she didn't think it was supposed to bend that way.
She looked over in the direction her brother had went and saw him unconscious, his head on one of the brick wall things that no one knows the name off that their neighbor, Mr. Pressley, loved. He wasn't moving.
"Harry!" She screamed, trying to move towards him, but every movement sent a wave of pain into her brain.
The man was leaning over Harry like a vulture.
She blinked back more darkness and saw that he wasn't like a vulture, waiting for the prey to die so he could dine, he was studying her brother's head and the, she gulped, and the blood that was running out, almost curiously, like he'd never seen it before.
"Leave him alone!" She shouted, trying to get him away from Harry.
The man glanced at her and smiled, but it was a smile without amusement, it was the kind of smile you give someone when you're trying to be polite about them ticking you off.
"Poor little mouse," He said, he had an accent that she'd never heard before. "Your caught in the trap, can't get out, only one thing to do, to end the pain." He brought out a large knife from his boot and ran his finger along the edge. "Don't worry, I'll help." He stepped towards her and she screamed, which just made his smile grow. "Scream all you want, little mouse, no one can hear you."
"We're in plain sight, you psycho!" She shouted.
"Not in the time bubble, all time stands still, beautiful isn't it, my little mouse?"
She suddenly remembered the supposed bond she shared with Bram, and she sent all of her emotions through it, calling for help that seemed so far away, while the danger was oh so close.
She closed her eyes so she wouldn't see the final blow, but it never came. She heard a grunt and opened one eye to see Bram grappling with the psycho.
She breathed a sigh of relief but sucked it back in as Psycho appeared to be gaining the upper hand. "Look out!" She screamed as Psycho swung with the knife he had retrieved, after Bram had sent it spiraling.
Bram ducked and kicked out with his leg, connecting with Psycho's knee, making it buckle. Psycho used the momentum provided by gravity and launched himself at Bram, tackling him to the ground and punching him whilst holding the knife to his throat.
Sally looked around for something to throw, but there were no convenient rocks lying near her, which was very inconsiderate of them, she instead pulled off the shoe of her good foot and threw it.
It bounced off of his arm, but distracted him long enough for Bram to get out from under the knife and punch him.
Bram rolled to his feet and chanted some words that Sally could barely hear, and a portal opened up behind Psycho, who glanced at it and smirked.
"Until the next time, Sir Knight." Psycho said with a small bow, before turning to her. "And to you, little mouse."
He pulled something out of his pocket and crushed it in his hand, disappearing just as Bram ran forward to push him into the portal.
Bram landed with a solid thud in the flower bed. "Well that hurt." He said, sitting up.
Sally crawled over to Harry and checked his pulse, which thankfully was still beating and he was still breathing, she could have fainted right there.
Bram crouched next to her and put his hand on Harry's head, checking the damage. She punched his leg.
"Ow!" He said. "What was that for?"
"You're late!" She said.
"I got here, didn't I?" He said.
"Eventually." She said. "Who was Mr. Psycho?"
Bram was silent as he examined her brother's head. "He needs medical assistance; call for your mother."
"But who was he?" She demanded. "And Psycho said that no one could hear me call for help."
"And now he's gone, and so is his barrier, now call for your mother." He said. "Your brother has a concussion."
"Mom!" Sally called. "Mom, come quick!"
Her mother appeared in the doorway. "What's with all the..." She said, her voice trailing off. "Harry!"
She rushed over. "What happened?"
"Uh," Sally said, trying to think of something. "Would you believe we got attacked by a psychopath from another dimension?"
"Honestly, Sally, this is no time for games." She said. "What happened?"
She glanced at Bram, and did a double take. "And who is he?"
Before Sally could answer, Bram did. "My name is Bram, yes, I know, my parents thought it would be funny." He said, cutting off her mother's comment about Bram Stoker. "I was walking by and I saw the whole thing, your son tried to balance on the bricks here and slipped."
Her mother looked skeptical but didn't comment. "I'll go call for an ambulance." She said, getting to her feet and running to the house, and a few minutes later, Harry was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance, accompanied by Sally, because her leg had finally been noticed by her mother while they were waiting on the ambulance, and her mother.
Before she was taken away in the ambulance, Sally pulled Bram aside, and by that, she simply motioned him over and shooed away the paramedics, seeing as how she was now strapped to a gurney.
"You never answered my question," She said. "Who was Mr. Psycho?"
He hesitated. "You shouldn't worry abou-"
"Shut up, he attacked me and my brother, my brother, now who the heck was he?" She said; he didn't answer. "You don't know, do you?"
"Not at present, but rest assured, I am going to find out." He said, motioning over the paramedics and walking away before she could say anything else.

Chapter 36

"Well that's just brilliant." Cadman said. "THAT'S JUST BLOODY BRILLIANT!"
Cayle and Finn flinched at the volume. "Hey, Cadman, neither one of us has any desire to be deaf, but thanks for trying." Cayle said.
Cadman glared at him and then stormed off towards the camp, leaving Cayle and Finn to follow.
                                                                         * * *
She slowed Krennan to a stop and dismounted, intending to lead him, but he wouldn't move.
"Come on, Krennan." She said. "We've got to go."
He shook his head and pulled back, taking the reins from her hands and backed up.
"Krennan, no, we can't go back." She said, reaching for the reins, but Krennan trotted backwards again. "Krennan, they'd arrest me for the money, you know that."
He snorted and pawed and the ground. She sighed.
"You're not going to let me leave, are you?" In response, he shook his head and trotted back up the road again before pausing and looking at her expectantly.
She just couldn't win with that horse.
                                                                         * * *
"Was the mission a success?" The king asked as the group were escorted into one of the larger tents.
"Yes and no." Cayle said after a hesitation.
"What does that mean?" The king asked.
"Well," Cayle started. "We rescued her."
"But then she ran away." Finn finished.
"Why would she do that?" The king asked.
Cayle opened his mouth to reply when there was a commotion outside the tent.
"This is the King's tent." One of the guards said.
"No, really? And I thought it was the bathroom." A voice replied. "Let me through."
"You cannot enter armed." The guard insisted.
"Do I bloody look armed?" There was a hesitation.
"You cannot enter without the King's permission."
"Well then, go get me permission." was the answer.
There was a pause and then one of the guards walked through the entryway and bowed respectfully to the King.
"Your Majesty, my apologies, but there is a woman who is insisting on seeing you." He said.
"Allow her in." The King said; the guard bowed and left and a moment later, Deanna walked in.
"You really need to get better help." She said, Cayle and Finn stared at her.
"What?" She demanded.

Chapter 35

(Sorry this is late, but I finally felt like writing, yay! :D Hope you enjoy!)


Cayle began to take off the armor, grateful to be free of it. He rolled his neck to loosen it, those helmets were heavy. He glanced at Deanna, who was now free of the clothes she had disguised herself with, but had stripped a piece of cloth from one of them and tied her hair back off her face. She had her eyes closed and her face raised to the sky.
"When do I get my horse back?" She asked.
"When we get that ankle taken care of." He said.
"I can take care of my ankle, but I want my horse."
"Ankle first." He said, glancing over at the kings' camp, where he saw Cadman walking back.
"Send one of your flunkies to go get him." She said.
He looked at her with an eyebrow arched. "'flunkies'?" he repeated.
She shrugged as Cadman walked up and handed her the water and a bandage. "Thank you." She said as she took them and began to fix up her ankle.
"Wow, she has manners after all." Cadman said, which earned him a glare in return.
"Cadman," She said, as she poured the cold water over her ankle, flinching from the cold. "Could you go fetch my horse for me?"
"Why?" He asked. "You can't go anywhere."
"And why not?"
"Because we have to claim the reward." He said and Cayle could have punched him.
Deanna looked up from her task of wrapping her ankle. "What?"
"You heard me."
"You, for lack of a better term, rescued me for the reward?" She said.
"Why else would we do it?" He said.
"Cadman, shut up." Cayle said, but he knew the damage had been done. Deanna looked back and forth between them and then slowly got to her feet, flinching when she accidently put weight on her ankle.
She glared at them both before she looked around until she saw the stables and began walking towards it, picking up her back and boots as she passed where Cadman had dumped them.
"Hey, where do you think your going?" Cadman called after her.
"Getting my horse." She said.
Cayle punched Cadman in the arm.
"What?" He demanded, rubbing his arm. He had removed his own armor while in the camp.
"You moron! Why did you do that?" He said.
"What? I'm supposed to not claim the reward simply because you've got a thing for her? She's a criminal, Cayle, whether you like it or not, and justice has to be given, that's how it works."
"But you didn't have to bring it up like that." Cayle replied.
"What would have preferred? Lying to her? Cayle, I didn't think you had it in you." Cadman said as he started off after Deanna.
Cayle fumed for a moment before following.
                                                                            * * *
Deanna reached the stable and heard a familiar whinny and smiled. He was here.
Relief spread through her as she reached the stable and saw him there, waiting for her. She dropped her things and hugged him.
She stepped back to make sure he was ok and he head-butted her as if to say "You know I can take care of myself, don't worry".
She smiled and patted his neck.
"You know I'll always worry about you." She said.
"Deanna!" She heard Cayle shout and she rolled her eyes and turn to face him as he came running up, right behind Cadman.
"Now what do you want?" She demanded, picking up a riding blanket and putting it on Krennan's back.
He opened his mouth to say something when they heard someone shouting. They all looked towards the camp to see a figure running towards them.
"Finn?" Cadman said.
Deanna set about getting Krennan ready to leave while they waited for Finn to catch up. When he did he almost passed out.
"Whoa." Cayle said as he steadied the swaying boy. "You alright?"
"Yeah," He gasped. "I'm fine; came to tell you that the soldiers are back, and the King has ordered everyone to pack up. They're leaving in an hour."
"The ruse worked?" Cadman said, and Finn nodded.
"The King has requested that we accompany him, for our protection." Finn said.
Deanna secured her pack to Krennan's saddle and leaned up against the stable to pull her boots back on. She unlocked and opened the stable door and led Krennan out before mounting.
"Well, have fun with that." She said. "Better luck next time, boys."
She kicked Krennan into a run and left the three boys in the dust.

Chapter 34

The soldiers walked into the throne room with their load, setting it down in the middle of the room. The duke still sat upon his throne, looking smug.
Fools, he thought to himself, if only they knew what I have planned.
He motioned for his Captain of the Guard to open the chest, and when he did, the duke smiled at the sigh of some of the most precious treasures in the land.
"Thank you, this will do nicely." He said. The head soldier bowed. "I suppose now you wish to bring the Lady Marianna home?"
When the soldier nodded, the duke addressed his captain.
"Go and fetch her for us, would you?" The captain bowed and left through the side door.
The duke motioned for his men to move the chest closer, and he smiled when he saw the precious stones and money up close. They were the most vibrant colors.
The captain came running back through the side door, startling the duke. He was accompanied by two more guards.
"My lord, the girl is gone!" The captain declared.
"WHAT?" The duke screamed, standing. "How?"
"The window was open, my lord, she must have climbed out."
"There was a guard posted below!" The duke said. "How did she get past him?"
"I've sent men down to investigate, my lord, we'll find her."
The duke seethed. "Your men are useless. You are useless! I ordered you to keep her in her room, was that so difficult? She was not meant to leave, you imbecile!"
"Is there a problem, duke?" The soldier asked. The duke closed his eyes and silently cursed his outburst. He had forgotten about the soldier.
"No." He said, trying to regain his composure. "Not at all."
"I would certainly hope not." The soldier said. "I will send my best men to scour the countryside for her, if you could send yours to investigate the castle grounds. Do we have any idea how long she's been gone?"
"No," The captain said, looking at the duke cautiously. "But she couldn't have been gone long."
"Then I suggest we get right on that." The soldier said, and turned to his own men. "The Princess Marianna must be found safe, go gather the troops, I will be with you shortly."
The soldiers bowed and then rushed from the room. The head soldier turned back to the duke.
"Is there any where in the town she could hide? Any nooks or crannies she could fit? If she believes her life is in danger, she will do her best to keep hidden, and the Princess is highly resourceful. It would also be good to make sure your men are not armed, at least not visibly, to make them seem more approachable."
The duke seethed silently. How dare this, this commoner tell him what to do, yet he smiled and nodded to his captain. "Do as he says."
The captain bowed after a moments hesitation. "At once, my lord."
"If you do not mind, duke, I will rejoin my men." The soldier bowed and walked out, leaving the duke alone in the throne room, his fury growing with each heartbeat.
                                                                      * * *
They dragged her until they were as far out of sight as they could manage. "I think here's a good place." Cayle said, letting to of Deanna's arm, while Cadman did the same.
Deanna fell onto the ground, hard.
"Ow!" She said, then raised herself up on her arms and turned over so that she was sitting on the ground instead of being face first on it. "Isn't it bad enough my ankle is sprained? You have to try and break bones?"
"Sorry," They both said, but she could tell they were hiding grins.
"Morons." She muttered and flinched as her ankle started to throb. She unwound the makeshift bandage around her ankle and groaned inwardly when she saw it was beginning to turn purple. "Terrific."
"That doesn't look so good." Cadman said and she gave him a look.
"Wow, really? I hadn't noticed, I am so glad you are here Captain Obvious." She said. "It would have been fine if you hadn't been dragging me over all those rocks; it took all of my willpower not to scream."
"Not my fault." Cadman said.
"No, it's both of your faults." She said. "Get me some water."
"Well, aren't you full of demands," Cadman said. "Cayle I can see why you like her."
Cayle punched him on the arm, hard. But Cadman was still wearing the guards' armor and just smiled.
"For my ankle, you buffoon." Deanna said. "If I wrap it in cool water it should help the swelling, now off you pop."
He rolled his eyes but walked over to the Kings' camp nonetheless.

Chapter 33

She landed hard on her ankle and stumbled. Cayle caught her arm to steady her and she stepped on her ankle and clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out.
"I think my ankle's sprained." She whispered.
"Oh wonderful." Cadman whispered. "Can you walk? Or do I have to carry you?"
"I think I can manage, if you don't mind going slower than normal." She replied.
"Great, this is just great." He said, picking up her pack and swinging it over his shoulder. "Shall we go?"
They headed out at a slow pace, keeping an eye out for guards.
"Duck!" Cayle whispered and she did, accidentally putting weight on her injured ankle and she bit her lip.
She glanced at Cayle and saw that he was saluting someone, before nodding to her and continuing forward.
Cadman helped her up and she limped along, hating herself for landing so hard on her ankle.
                                                                             *
They were almost to the castle wall now, having managed to avoid the guards and servants, and Deanna couldn't wait to be out there.
They had just hid from another patrol of guards, and were waiting for another group of servants to pass so that they could figure out a way to open the gates, when they opened and a small party of soldiers, all baring the crest of a crashing wave.
"The King's soldiers." Cayle whispered.
"What are they carrying?" Deanna asked, noticing what seemed to be a heavy trunk being carried by a few of the men.
"Treasure? Maybe that's the ransom money." Cadman said.
"Ransom for what?" Deanna asked.
"You, or at least who everyone thought you were."
"Marianna?" She asked.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"When I was first brought here, they kept calling me Marianna; the reason I was still there was the Duke was supposedly making up for my less than great treatment." She explained.
"I see." Cadman said. "But where is the real Marianna?"
"How would I know that?" She said.
"Will both of you be quiet?" Cayle said. "Now's our chance."
"But how are we going to get through?" Deanna asked. "You could make an excuse but I'm not dressed like a guard."
"True, but maybe if we disguised you.." His voice trailed off as he looked around for something to disguise her with.
"Disguise me as what?" She asked.
He walked over to a clothes line and took some things down and threw them at her. "Put those on."
"Why?"
"It's your disguise." he said. "If anyone asks, we're throwing you out on the Duke's orders."
She wasn't convinced, but put the clothes on over her regular ones all the same, she put an extra piece of cloth on her head to hide her hair.
When she was done, Cadman and Cayle each took one of her arms and began dragging her towards the gates.
"Halt!" One of guards atop the gate said, and they paused. Deanna held her breath. "We have been ordered not to let anyone out of the city."
"And we have been ordered to throw this ruffian out of the city." Cadman replied. Deanna kept her head down and pretended to be unconscious.
The guard hesitated.
"We can't disobey the Dukes orders." He finally said.
"Neither can we." Cadman said. "So it would seem we've reached a stalemate."
The guard looked to his companion, who shrugged.
"Alright." The guard said finally and he and his fellow guard opened the gate.
Cadman saluted with one of this hands and nodded to Cayle and they dragged Deanna out of the castle.

Chapter 32

The guard took his post outside her room, leaving her to pace inside. Could she risk her original plan? Or had the Duke increased the guards?
She glanced out her window and her hopes fell: there was a guard standing below. She cursed and resumed her pacing.
                                                                             *
She sat on the bed, staring at the wall, trying to think of a new escape plan when a rock came flying in through the open window, hitting the dresser.
She stared at the small stone as it sat on the floor, and looked out the window just as another came flying right at her.
She ducked as it hit the wall behind her.
"Is everything alright in there?" The guard outside asked.
"Yes, everything's fine, I tripped." She said, hoping the guard would believe her.
"Alright, Lady." He said.
"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" She muttered as she got to her feet and cautiously approached the window and looked down.
The guard was still standing where he had been, but now there was another guard beside him. She shook her head and walked away from the window and picked up the first rock.
It was a normal rock that had somehow thrown itself into her room. She had no explanation.
"Pssst!" She heard someone whisper. She looked around, but saw no one.
"Pssst!" The voice repeated, more insistent. "Don't make me throw another rock up there!"
"What on earth..." She muttered as she walked back to the window and looked down.
Both guards were looking up at the window, one had another stone in his hand.
"It's us!" He whispered.
"I don't know an 'us,'" She said. "Try another window."
He sighed loudly. "There's no time to be a smart-ass, okay? Get your stuff and get down here."
"Cayle?"
"No, Prince Bodil, of course it's Cayle, now hurry up will you?" He whispered.
She rushed over to her pack and tossed it out the window, and just as she was about to follow, there was a knock at the door, she froze.
"Lady Deanna?" She recognized the voice of one of the maids.
"Hold on." She whispered to Cayle, before she closed the window and walked over to the door and opened it.
The maid was standing outside holding a tray of food. "Your meal, My Lady."
"Um, thank you." Deanna said, taking the tray. "But there's really no need to call me 'my lady.'"
The maid bowed and backed away without answering, so Deanna just closed the door.
She set the tray down on the table and took a biscuit from the plate before walking back over to the window and opening it again.
She looked down.
"Well?" Cayle asked. "It's not that far."
"Mind over matter." She recognized the voice of Cadman.
"Yeah, thanks." She muttered and swung her feet out the window and jumped.

Chapter 31

(Sorry this one is really short)


Deanna watched as the guard walked over to one of the other soldiers with the wave on his chest and spoke quietly to him.
The soldier nodded and walked quickly to the door, glanced at her once, and, once the guards opened the door for him he walked through, and she saw him start sprinting before the door closed.
What was going on?
                                                                         * * *
The king was very generous, allowing them to stay in their camp while he tried to think of a way to get Deanna out of there without letting the Duke know that they were on to him.
Cayle paced.
"Will you stop that?!" Alroy said. "He said he'd take care of it, there's not much else we can do."
"We could get her out of there."
"And just how do you suppose we do that?" Cadman asked.
"We could go in disguise." Finn suggested as he absently picked at his boot, when he glanced up, everyone was staring at him.
"What?" He demanded.
                                                                         * * *
"You summoned me?" She asked, turning her back on the door.
"Yes, my dear, I was wondering if you would consider extending your stay." The duke said.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because of the escaped prisoners, of course! We can't have you wandering the countryside on your own, can we?"
"I can handle myself." Deanna said.
He smiled. "I have no doubt of that, however we do not know how dangerous these men are, and it is best to take precautions."
She raised her brow, but didn't respond.
"Guard, please escort the Lady Deanna back to her room."
The guard bowed and then motioned for Deanna to follow him, which she did after a final glance at the door.
She had to get out of here.