The Arranged Marriage
It's two in the morning, and I'm too afraid to light a candle, so everything's done by touch. I snuck into Tom's room earlier and raided what I could, but it's too dark to be able to put anything on. So I hold the bundle to my chest and sneak downstairs. I've gone down in the middle of the night a hundred times, but suddenly I'm clumsier and convinced everyone will wake in a moment. I bang my shin on a kitchen stool and help, and then I freeze in terror for a solid two minutes, a positive eternity. I'm too scattered and terrified to stuff more then a loaf of bread and dried meat in my bag, and then I'm off, walking through the empty village streets.
I walk until I leave the last house behind me, and then I'm running, following the path into the woods. I thought - I don't know, I was being stupid - but I thought there'd be moonlit clearings where I could change into my disguise. Obviously not. And I'd be too scared to disrobe in the woods, anyways.
I'm out of breath by the time I reach a familliar fork in the path. Left leads to the sea, and the port cities. I've been to them before - they're the closest cities to my small village, a week's travel. They'd be familliar. Right leads inland. If I followed it, I've heard, it will join with greater roads and finally the Royal Way, and end up in the capital city of Mirhai, passing other cities such as Lomatre, where the artists make their home.
I walk until I leave the last house behind me, and then I'm running, following the path into the woods. I thought - I don't know, I was being stupid - but I thought there'd be moonlit clearings where I could change into my disguise. Obviously not. And I'd be too scared to disrobe in the woods, anyways.
I'm out of breath by the time I reach a familliar fork in the path. Left leads to the sea, and the port cities. I've been to them before - they're the closest cities to my small village, a week's travel. They'd be familliar. Right leads inland. If I followed it, I've heard, it will join with greater roads and finally the Royal Way, and end up in the capital city of Mirhai, passing other cities such as Lomatre, where the artists make their home.