My Way To You 22 Escape

The room exploded with cheer and the Countess smirked to herself. "Alright! Move out!" Everyone rushed out of the room and Roland, with his arms crossed over his chest walked over to Lady Zula, Ariana and Cayden. He carefully eyed Ariana and saw how her complexion had paled. He placed a hand on her head and started to mess up her hair. "Relax, you are one of us now. We are all willing to fight to keep our Madam's family safe."

Ariana couldn't help but bring up her hands and wipe back tears as they started to spill out. "Even if I'm different?" She sniffed and Lady Zula bent down to hug her. "You're not different your unique. Your world is so small that you don't realize that there are others like you. So cheer up, James will look for Brian and the four of us will go home and eat a feast with everyone."

Ariana wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and held her close. "Thank you." She whispered and kissed her on the cheek. Lady Zula tensed up, she pulled Ariana out of the embrace and looked into her eyes. She swallowed back saliva and grabbed Cayden's hand. "Sweetie... I love you and I can't wait to go home." Cayden looked at Ariana's face and saw that the usual light she had in her eyes had dulled and he squeezed Lady Zula's hand. "Mmh." Ariana replied without even bothering to bring her gaze up to them.

The hour was almost up and the storm had turned into a trickle. "Let's go." Roland said as he brought a cloak over his shoulder with a quick swoop of his wrist. The small group walked towards the stables. Ariana looked at the two horses then the saddle, with a blank express she walked forward and touched the saddle. Roland's eyes became wide as he watched an array of white light shine from Ariana's feet and rise upwards. A gentle, gust of wind started to move the hay but the horses were not spooked as the calmly watched. Colourful balls of lights started to appear and dance around but to Lady Zula's surprise the balls started to take form. She wasn't sure if she was seeing this correctly but they looked like they know had stubby, little legs.

Ronald looked at Lady Zula and noted her confusion while Cayden seemed indifferent to the display. He looked at Ariana and saw that she was just standing their rubbing her finger against an orange ball of light that had waves of long, string like legs and an umbrella shaped head. "Sweetheart, why haven't they started to disappear?" Lady Zula asked as she took a couple of steps forward.

Ariana brought her gaze up to her mother then slowly looked back at the newly shaped balls of light floating around her. The pink balls turned into chibi deer with tiny antlers, the orange were now jellyfish, the blue looked to have three small feathers stick out of both sides of its head and a small swirl on the top and the purple had tiny fins. "It looks like they got stronger after I swam in that weird river by the grand council building... But I am missing some Luma, red, green and yellow are missing...."

"You swam in the cursed water?!" Roland shouted as he took half a step back. "It's not cursed, it different and people are afraid of it so they make up stories but it is not cursed." She said as she stopped petting the lights, she watched as they slowly disappeared. Roland gulped back and felt sweat collect all over his body when he suddenly felt a tug on his sleeve.

"I will not mount a horse, I can run behind you and make sure no one is following." Cayden said before he walked up to Ariana and help her mount her horse. Roland whipped off a collection of sweat from his forehead as he walked up to his horse. Lady Zula mounted behind Ariana. "You know how to ride?" She whispered and Ariana absent mindedly nodded her head. She looked back at Cayden and he brought his hood up over his head. "Follow me." Roland said as he kicked the sides of his horse. The group moved out.

The path was muddy and uneven from the heavy rain before they left. They tried their best to keep an even pace as they pushed their horses forward. Only slowing down when they started to approach the main gate of the City. "We need to wait for the signal. Someone from our side will knock out the guards and disarm the enchantment for only a couple of minutes. We need to make sure you get through before it's up again." Roland whispered as he dismounted his horse and stayed within the shadows of the street and buildings.

He kept his eyes glued to the main gate as the others waited. Suddenly silver smoke started slithering through the air, as if it had a mind of its own, moving back and forth. Roland quickly mounted his horse and tensed up. The smoke started to coile itself into a ball and disappeared. "Now!" He shouted and the the group moved forward at full speed on the cobblestone. Roland kept his eyes glued to the ground until they all crossed. He looked back and saw that the magic circle glowed with an orange light before it matched the colour of the ground as a light green smoke filled the air. Causing some guards to stir.

"We're not far now!" Roland shouted as mud flew upwards and the wind started to blow harder. "There should be a shrouded clearing within the forest, just to the left of here." Lady Zula pushed her horse forward, towards the edge of a dense forest as she tried to keep a close watch on Ariana. The girl was eerily quiet, as she sat within her arms and it caused her to feel unsettled. "Look we are almost there!" Roland shouted as they approached a large opening.

They slowed down their pace and trotted carefully in. Cayden appeared infront of them and the horses were barely able to stop in time. "Something doesn't feel right...." Cayden said as he looked at Roland. "I will go investigate first, please wait here." and with that he turned and ran down the path. Ariana watched Cayden's back disappear and her body started to tremble. "No! Don't go!" Ariana shouted as she tried to jump off her horse but her mother was faster and trapped her within her embrace.

Ariana struggled causing the horse to become nervous. "No! I need to save him, I need to save grandmother! This is the same! I need to stop this!" Ariana cried as she partially broke free. "It'll be alright! You're just nervous..." Lady Zula swallowed back her words when she saw the desperation on Ariana's face. She looked at Roland for help but he looked just as anxious as her. "The Luma showed me! Please let me go! The moment Gregory appears it will be too late!"

Lady Zula struggled to keep her grip. "Let's go!" Roland shouted as he rushed forward. The mother daughter pair were momentarily stunned but she quickly released Ariana, giving into chase. When they finally made it to the clearing Cayden was talking to the Countess. He looked back at them and brought down his hood. "We need to leave, they'll be here soon!" Ariana shouted from the horse. Cayden's eyes grew wide and he tore off his cloak and readied himself for combat. "No we need to move! If we stay here everyone will die!" Ariana shouted and Lady Zula quickly turned her horse around. "Mother get in the carriage!" Lady Zula said as she rushed back towards the path.

"What is going on?!" The Countess shouted as the door to the carriage was thrown open behind her and two strong arms pulled the Countess and Cayden inside. "If she said get in then get in. Let's get going Duke fancy pants!" A familiar voiced yelled. Soon enough the carriage was following the horses out but the clearing wasn't safe from the rain fall and was just as muddy as the rest of exposed earth. Ariana gritted her teeth as she kept her eyes glued ahead. "Just a little more." She whispered to herself. "Just a little more and we should be able to beat them."

Ariana felt relief when she saw the empty land before her once the emerged from the forest. "This way!" Roland yelled as he rode his horse along the forest's edge. "Roland what are we running from?!" A voice shouted from behind them. Ariana looked back and saw that it was James driving the carriage as Brian hauled himself out through the window and sat beside him up front.

"They're coming!" Ariana shouted, Roland, James, Brian, and Cayden looked back and saw movement across the open field. Individuals dressed in dark robes with glowing white runes, running at full speed towards them. "What is it?" Lady Zula asked as she kept her focus on Ariana and the path. "I don't know but I don't like it!" Roland answered as he urged his horse to go faster.

Ariana brought her gaze to her hands. She started to slow down her breathing and focused her attention to one thought, 'Luma' but nothing came forth. She tried again, raising her inner voice but nothing came forward. She tried focusing again, sweat rolled down her nose. 'Luma' she called out under her breathe, nothing. She cursed under her breathe and could feel angry tears start to well up. Her thoughts were quickly interupted by Roland's shouting. "The mud is not slowing those bastards down we need to take a different path!"

Ariana looked up and saw that the horses were being lead to the right into another path that went into the forest. Roland stopped his horse and Lady Zula slowed down. He unmounted and waited until the carriage stopped "James ditch the carriage at the entrance, unhitch the horses and take them instead. The path is a little more treacherous the further we go in but the path is drier so we can outrun them." Brian hopped down and pulled out a short sword. He brought his arm up high and cut through the leather strapping holding the horses in place.

James and Cayden moved to help the Countess out if the carriage. Brian mounted one horse while James and the Countess mounted the last one together. Cayden remained determine to run along side them. "Cayden you better make it back with me or else.... or else I will hate you!" Ariana yelled as she clutched on to her mother's arm. Cayden flinched for a second and then dropped his gaze. "I will keep up with you don't worry." He mumbled.

They raced down the path, Ariana heart beat pounded against her ears as the minutes passed by. The path started getting narrower and they soon had to ride in single file. Roland and Brian were vigilantly observing their surroundings. Glowing red eyes would appear from the darkness as growling sounds carried with the wind. "They aren't attacking." Ariana whispered as a chill ran down her spine. "They aren't attacking! Why aren't they attacking?!" She asked her mother in a oanic and Lady Zula paled instantly.

Cayden picked up his speed and jumped onto the branches of the trees. He landed on the tips of his toes and stealthily moved from branch to branch. "Something is wrong, it's like the monsters of the forest are afraid to come out!" He shouted downwards. Ariana felt anxiety rush through her veins. "Just a little more and we'll be out!" Yelled Roland.

As they exited the forest they could hear the blood curdling screams and explosion echoed behind them. Ariana clutched her chest as sweat rolled down her face. She secretly prayed it was the people following them being eaten by the monsters of the forest. The group slowed down their pace, to adjust for the muddy path and formed a tight formation. "What was that back there!" The Countess asked as she looked at Ariana.

Ariana kept her head down and stayed silent. The Countess sighed and everyone else stayed silent. "We will need to let the horses rest sooner or later.... This has made a huge dent into my plans, I don't even know if I can go back now."

"No! Don't go back! Please!" Ariana shouted with panic as she lifted her gaze. "Ariana, I have duties and responsibilities as a member of council and as the commanding officer of the kingdoms soldiers. I can't just turn my back on the people just because of .... well I'm not sure what happened but that." The Countess said coolly but Ariana kept a firm gaze. "The Luma showed me that this was an assassination attempt on you."

The Countess seemed unfazed by the statement and tossed her head up high. "Wouldn't be the first time. Nor will it be the last! My job has its risks but I do it to keep the kingdom safe." Ariana shook her head. "This is different, this was to kill you, frame mother and take me away. Something to do with my eyes, the church's collection and Gregory trying to catch the church doing heinous crimes against the people."

The horse beside Ariana whinnied in a panic and under the light of the half moon Ariana could see her grandmother's face pale along side James. She looked at the others, Brian, Roland, Cayden and her mother all wore similar expressions. "What are you hiding from me? Why does the church want my eyes?" Roland coughed to ease the tension. "Let find a spot to rest the horses, if memory serves me correctly there should be a small stream up ahead towards the right. We can continue out talk there."

Chapter end