Absolution (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Selena didn't spur her horse very hard, keeping the pace that she had kept the entire time. She felt her skin crawl knowing that someone was right behind her, but she tried her hardest not to feel threatened by the entire situation. She wouldn't stop until she was safely out of Tamblin's territory.

 

[KieranSoares]

Her follower continued to trail her for some time, until she was out of sight of the town. Once on the open road, she could hear the horse hooves pick up a bit and come up behind her at a quick trot.

"Hold, there," the familiar voice of one of Oliver's men called. Selena knew Camden, one of the weasels who snuck around and dug out secrets for Oliver. He was personally responsible for Oliver having prevented Kitty's past escape attempts, and for finding the children when they were younger and trying to hide from lessons or Tamblin.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena said nothing, continuing on her way as she heard the man telling her to stop in the background. When she felt threatened, she kicked the horse into a run, intent on letting her father's horse get her to safety.

 

[KieranSoares]

Camden continued to follow at speed, calling out to her, "Just turn around, Princess, and this'll all be much easier. Don't make me drag you back!" His own horse, a quick thoroughbred, had some speed on Tamblin's charger, and soon he was riding up beside Selena with a haughty smirk. "Come on, now. Be a good girl and go home."

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena simply looked over at him and leaned far over the horse's neck, letting him run at the end of his reigns. She wouldn't stop for anything. She wasn't going back to Inverness unless she was dead. The man chasing her would have to kill her before she would concede this race.

 

[KieranSoares]

Still in her peripheral, Camden sighed and drew his crossbow from his back. "I warned you, Princess." He loaded a bolt and aimed, but not at her. He aimed for her horse's head and fired. The powerful charger let out a horrible screech as the bolt narrowly missed its mark, striking him instead in the neck. He turned and bolted on his own, nearly unseating Selena. He rushed into the forest, off the road, in absolute panic.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena hung on as tightly as she could as the charger took off into the woods, running blindly as the bolt hung from his neck. She reached down and snapped it off as they ran, not wanting him to injure himself further.

 

[KieranSoares]

Blood streamed down the charger's neck, the artery punctured and pulsing with every heartbeat. He was too strong and determined to be help back by any obstacles or branches, so he simply broke past them all while his training helped him to shield Selena against most of it. Camden was left far behind as his more skittish horse refused to tear past the thicket.

Eventually the charger reached a stream, splashing down into it before coming to a halt. His breath came in heavy gasps as he turned in circles trying to calm down and get his bearings, and his ears finally turned backward to Selena to listen to her even while he leaned his head down to drink.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's alright." Selena soothed the horse in a whispered tone, knowing that to talk louder might alert someone to her position.

She carefully got off the charger's back and dug in her satchels for fresh cloth to staunch the blood on the horse's neck. She continually touched him, patted him, soothed him so that she could take care of his wound until they were somewhere that might be able to do it properly.

 

[KieranSoares]

The charger, whom Selena only knew as Fell, was a true Ghis horse bred from a line of chargers owned by the family for generations. Fell had been with Tamblin since he was a colt, almost eight years. Now with Selena, he seemed fairly comfortable as she treated him similarly to how her family might. He eventually caught his breath and seemed to calm entirely, much faster than a normal horse might. He climbed the opposite bank to dry and was soon refocused.

 

[heartofcourage]

As soon as the horse was calm and his wound taken care of, she mounted him again, turning him deeper into the woods. If she could stay in the thick trees, she would have cover from anyone else that might try to follow her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Fell continued on southward through the thickets, crossing other streams and clearings until he came out to a small side road where a caravan was passing. Partially overgrown, the path seemed more of a hunting or wagon trail than a road. Following the path southward still, they passed merchants and farmers on the way to market, all thin and pale like most Invernessians had become over the years.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena decided to follow the caravan. There was support and strength in numbers, even if she had more of a chance of being recognized. If they supported the children of Tamblin, it would be a bonus for her. If they detested her completely, then it might be hard.

 

[KieranSoares]

The caravan drivers looked back as Selena approached, suspicious of a lone Rider especially with all her gear and a weapon. Eventually one of the horsemen escorting the caravan came to trail Selena, occasionally riding just ahead of her to try to see what she was up to, until a woman in the back of a wagon called out, "Excuse me, dear. Can we help you?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm looking for safe passage to Edinburgh until my traveling companion can rejoin me. We were chased out of Inverness and we had to split up." Selena said softly to the woman in return, knowing that it looked awfully suspicious.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, you poor dear. It looks like your horse didn't fare well either." She looked up to the front of the wagon. "Harry, stop the wagon. She's no highwayman."

The man up front begrudgingly halted the wagon, thus bringing the rest of the small caravan to a stop as well. Others looked on with curiosity as the thin, short woman climbed out and brought a basket over with vibrant greens, better than most of the stock Inverness produced of late, and began feeding them to Fell. "This will help, sweet boy," she told him with a smile, patting his head. "Allie, bring a canteen and that salve!" She called, and a teenage girl soon came out as well. The woman smiled up to Selena. "We're heading for the market in the next town south, to Dunnadh. You're welcome to stick with us if you don't feel safe. You look honest enough."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It would be appreciated." Selena said softly as she dismounted so that they could tend to Fell. "I've never been out this far away from home on my own before."

 

[KieranSoares]

As a few more caravanners came to see what the stop was about, one rugged farmer paused, tipping his wide hat back in surprise when he saw Selena's face. "Well I'll be... Lady Selena Ghis." The rest of the group looked to her in shock, some muttering how she did indeed look like a young Katherine McTavish.

"Milady, what in th' world are you doin' travelin' to Edinburgh?" The first woman's husband asked. "Th'king'd lose 'is mind knowin' you were goin' to High Throne territory. Or is 'e finally makin' peace with King Brian?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena looked scared as the people suddenly realized just who she was, backing away from the crowd to look at all of them. "I'm leaving to start a new life. My Da doesn't know, which is why I have to be secretive about this."

It wasn't the truth. Tamblin had effectively paid for all of this, but she couldn't ever admit that to anyone. "I lost my travelling companion as we were chased and I've been worried about him. I have no doubt they would hurt him if they caught him."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't be scared, dear," the woman coaxed gently. "We won't hurt you. We don't know much about what goes on at the keep, but we know your mother and siblings aren't treated much better than any of us, especially since your brother was exiled. You just stick with us and we'll see you to Dunnadh at least. Who were you with? One if your brothers?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena shook her head as she was asked who was with her. "My uvore." She said softly, knowing that there was still a large group of people who didn't like werefolk. "He was supposed to go with me to Edinburgh, but he got chased."

 

[KieranSoares]

The people looked among themselves, some recognizing the word, and a couple muttering that she probably meant Ghell Numeor.

"We'll look after you til he rejoins you," another man spoke up. "That Wolf was always a good one. Smart, too."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I could pay you for the kindness." Selena said, moving towards her saddlebags on Fell's back. "I don't have much, but I want to repay you all for this."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We won't take a single coin from you," the first woman told her firmly. "People are supposed to be kind and help each other. You just pass it on in the future and hopefully, little by little, people will remember how to be kind."

When everyone was back in their places on the wagons and horses, the caravan set off again and Selena was kept close to the middle where she'd be hardest to spot in the riders. Dunnadh was about an hour southward, and thankfully there was no sign of Camden after that, but also no sign of Ghell.

 

[heartofcourage]

By the time they had reached Dunnadh, Selena was beside herself. She hadn't seen Ghell, she was truly alone. She wished she knew where Durban was at the moment, but the likelihood of finding her brother out there in the world was very slim. She hid her worry and fear as much as she could, trying so hard to appear confident in her own abilities to get herself to Edinburgh.