And her name is…

When I wake up I’m on a cot but I know right away that’s it’s not mine. The fabric is free from blood stains and smells too nice to have been under me for six years. I roll over under my blanket and realize I’m only in the chest wrap and underwear, seeing the top and pants on the floor beside me.

“Morning,” someone says loudly and I squint my eyes towards the voice.

I nod in their direction, not really able to see them clearly, and blink my eyes to focus. “If you say so.”

“We didn’t think you’d be up before the party left for the hunt. We saw all the blood in the hamper, but the General wouldn’t tell us what happened.” Peit adds.

I nod. “He stuck me,” I return nonchalantly and they look surprised.

“Has he done that before?” Gerald, the green-eyed guard, asks.

I shrug. “First time for everything.”

My breakfast is slid under the door and I stand to get it. I feel stronger after some rest but there’s still a twinge in my side from the injury. The guards gasp and I’m surprised by the sound, looking up to meet their eyes. They’re all staring at me with wide eyes and open mouths, drawing me to look at each one of them carefully.

I look at myself next, starting with my side where last night’s injury had occurred and seeing the red starburst of barely healed skin. It stands out against the rest of my pale skin, lacking its usual colour from the sun. Other than that the scars are all more than a few weeks old, unless their reaction is because of how frail I look without the baggy clothes to cover how my bones still out.

“What?” I demand, stooping to get my tray and eyeing them with disdain.

“Nothing!” Gerald barks before anyone else can say anything. “Your clothes are on the floor.”

I smirk out, “I think I’d rather make you all uncomfortable. If I had known it was this easy to get a reaction out of you lot I’d have done it sooner.

“Just put the damn clothes on!” He barks again and I jump.

Rolling my eyes, I do as he asks. The last thing I need right now is for them to not bring the others down, when it’s time for my little ‘challenge’. They’ll be here soon, probably with my lunch, and I need to eat everything I can before they arrive. Everything hinges on this workingperfectly.

-

It’s been an hour since I woke up and I can tell something’s happening. My guard detail is getting restless and talking excitedly to each other when Rook stands and moves to open the door.

“Are you ready? Here come the other twelve. Do you think you got this?” He asks and they all start filing in, glasses and hats in place.

Perfect.

I nod. “I think so.”

I know so.

“Can we hurry this along? Some of us have to get going on the hunt,” one of them, Tenni reminds.

“Umm.. I could guess names the names of the ones who need to leave first, and whisper my name in your ear so you can go?” I offer. “If you promise to not be an ass and just shout it out for everyone else.”

They nod and start lining up on the side, the six that are leaving grouping to one side. I look over them carefully like I’m pondering my answer, but I’ve been staring back at these men for years now. In my head, they all already had names, and I just had to replace them with the correct names over the past week.

“Tradd,” I begin and he comes forward so I can whisper ‘Theodosine’ in his ear.

He smirks to his comrades, makes a mockery like he’s going to out it and then chuckles. “See you outside,” he laughs as he leaves.

The next four are the same. Iver, Weldon, Tenni, and Rook all hear my name and leave, but I wait until they’re gone before continuing. I look at the last one like I can’t quite remember and he smirks like he’s sure I don’t know. When they door closes I smile and look at them. I saved him for last on purpose.

“Alastair,” I reply finally, and he moves to receive my name but I continue around the room. “Zev, Heath, Berg, Linder, Stear, Kipp, Gerald, Lowell, Coast, Arden, Piet, and Nash.”

They look uneasy but also excited. “Wow, I didn’t think you’d get it,” Gerald applauds and others join in.

They start to draw inward, eager to hear my name in return and I smile. “Learning your names was the easy part, it’s letting some of you live now that will be difficult.” They startle but I continue. “I heard yourkingshouting his orders when my entire town was murdered, and now I know who was there.” I start to draw energy out of them and see them weakening to take a knee as I do. “My name is Theodosine Abigaia, and this is the last time you will see mercy from me.”

I watch their faces pale at my mother’s last name before I’m taking enough energy from them to give them all a forced nap on the floor. I take that energy and use it to rust the locking bar of my cell. I had hoped Gerald would come closer for me to reach the key, but with them here I’m able to get through the process without being exhausted like last time. Alastair is the smallest of the guards that is going on the hunt and I draw him away from the others to undress him. His tunic and armour is still too large on me, so I double up with a second set of clothes from someone else. Once the armour is in place you can’t tell how lumpy the two layers of tunics make me look, and I’m glad the armour is fairly light. They must not be worried about attacks and wearing it more for show during this outing.

I remove his hat and glasses, concealing most of my face and pray no one looks too closely. I just need to make it outside of the wall. Lastly, I lace up the boots, doubling the socks as well, and hurry up the stairs. I can still hear the others at the top and lag behind just enough that I can follow behind them but not walk with them. They glance at me as we walk down hallways I’ve never seen and it’s an effort not to observe them, but I keep my head down and hurry along.

When we get to a large court yard I can feel my heart racing. If I’m going to get caught this is where it will happen.I might be able to take out those around me, but an arrow or crossbow through any part of my body is going to take me down regardless of the energy I’ve collected. I’m the last to walk up and take the last horse, mounting it slowly and carefully as my arms protest at being used for more than lifting my meal tray.

Once I’m sitting I bite the inside of my cheeks to avoid grinning. I’m so close. My heart thunders in my ears as I listen to Tradd remind everyone of the formation before Kheliq comes out. Again, I’m forced to hide my emotions as it becomes clear that their goal is to make the king believe he took something out regardless of his lack of skill. It was to be Alastair’s job, being the smallest, to hide off to the side and make the killing hit when Kheliq inevitably missed. I just nod in agreement and tighten my hold on the reins.

We move into formation as Kheliq and Wulfric come out on their horses. I still when Wulfric hesitates beside me but he moved on, looking over the others in the same manner and I hope it’s common inspection. He doesn’t ask about the hats or glasses and no one tells him, so I’m just glad everyone else kept their’s on and didn’t have time to go back to their rooms.

Wulfric is the only one to get a close look at me, and I’m sure he doesn’t know his men very well if he doesn’t see the difference in my gaunt cheekbones. The large gates open with a groan and I’m not sure if it’s the wood or the team of people pushing that causes the sound, but I don’t care. I’m practically vibrating internally with the excitement of getting outside of this wretched kingdom but externally I’m the perfection of control.

The horses all trot along and my horse seems to know the deal, following in his place without me needing to direct him at all. There is a road through town with few people, wide enough for the horses, and we parade through it, drawing attention from all the citizens. People come out to wave and grin at our group and the sight is slightly repulsive. If only they knew all the truths about their king and what he is hiding from them.

-

Once we reach the forest my nerves ease. I just need to let us get in deep enough that I can be lost in the trees. I’m not about to help the king and his god complex by aiding him in killing something, but I know enough about this place to know where to find some trouble.

“Alastair!” Wulfric calls out, making me startle and look at him. “You spread out to the left, we’ll have Iver go right. Try to scare up some game.”

I nod quickly before taking off, first I’ll find some water and then I’ll search the mountain side for a cave. I know they have creatures here, larger than bears, who will be starting to prepare themselves for the colder months, and be very unhappy to be disturbed.

The air is brisk on my face and chapped lips but the layers of clothes keep it from making me uncomfortable. I want to just run now, and it’s only my firm desire to not overthink the future that is keeping me from doing just that. I can’t look too closely at my freedom, can’t observe the forest, enjoy the fresh air, or even look up to take in the beautiful blue sky and sun…

No, focus Theo. They are still nearby and you need a distraction before you bolt.

I find a cave a short ways from the water and poke at them with my magic. It’s enough to disturb them and they come out to investigate. There’s a crossbow attached to my saddle and I shoot it low at the creature’s feet. It backs up but I stare it in the eyes and it sees the challenge, starting after me. Since letting myself become familiar with Wulfric’s energy signature yesterday, I can reach out to find him within a certain area, and I steer that way. He will be with Kheliq.

A quick look behind me and the creature has called friends. Four of the bigger than bears with their leathery skin and claws that could mark stone are hot on my heels, and I hope my horse can corner. I can feel Wulfric is close and I turn sharply, leading their paths to cross. Not pausing to enjoy their screams as I take off.

I do hear them though, Wulfric calling the men’s names to defend Kheliq, and their brilliant leader yelling at his men to defend him while he runs. If I could have stayed to watch I probably would have been caught while I recovered from a laughing fit. Instead I’m running away myself, in the opposite direction.

The wind is fresher now, blowing across my face deliciously.

Not yet.

I will not let myself relax completely. I am not safe yet.

What is the best way to prevent leaving a followable trail?

I take the horse through water, over bushes, up and down hills. We go over our tracks in areas until they are a mess going off in several directions for a little way before hitting water or caves. I let us break after an hour, find the horse something to eat from the woods and I eat half my hastily packed lunch from earlier. By now I’m sure they’ve noticed I’m gone and it’ll only be a matter of time before someone is sent after me, if not a team of someone’s.—