"So where exactly am I? This place is unfamiliar to me." Red says after a few minutes of the sobbing stream of tears. She seemed so brave earlier, but it was possible it was just the adrenaline kicking in that made her emotions slip back. Now her fingers shake and she's curled in a ball. "And who are you?" The girl continues, pointing at me. I spot the knife laying on the ground and pick
it up near where the Wolf disappeared.
"My name is Gracie Pierce." I don't tell her about the journal or how I think she got here. "I'm pretty sure we are in a forest." I smile. I'm fully aware I have stated the obvious.
"I'm Red." I laugh as the girl introduces herself. It's what I've been calling her in my head the entirety of the time. "What is it? You know, I'm not so happy right now. I don't see what's so funny." I stop laughing.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I'm being pretty insensitive to your feelings, aren't I?" I really shouldn't even be smiling. Somehow, it seems right to. I think Red had the opposite opinion to that one, though.
I wonder to myself how we will move on from here. Should I just leave her here? Surely she can fend off anything that comes her way? I mean, she sure seemed to with the wolf.
I'm stuck between the decision when she stands up, her sleeve rubbing against her nose to halt the snot and mute the sniveling. "I need to return to my granny's cottage." She walks off deeper into the woods, blood covering her clothes and neck.
I jump up to follow her, quickly grabbing the reigns to my horse to bring him along. "Wait for me!" I catch up to her in less than ten seconds. I wonder if people use time the way I do. Do they say minutes, hours, days and weeks and stuff or is it something else? How do they do any measurements?
"I can't help you." Red mutters.
"I want to help you, Red." She stops moving and turns to look at me.
"You can't help me, Gracie. I need to be alone."
"Why? Let me help you please. You could use it. Look, I helped with the wolf, too. I can help protect you." Red turned back around and continued walking into the forest. "Fine, Red. Can I wash up at your granny's house?" Red doesn't say anything. I stop and let her walk ahead of me. This wasn't going anywhere. I have places to go anyway and can't even stay here for long because of it. Then again, what the heck is Red going to do? I know her grandmother was eaten. How could anyone live with that? She's an orphan so where would she even go?
She doesn't want your help, the voices say.
Maybe not. Or maybe she just doesn't know she needs it.
I turn around and pet my horse. He's probably been through some serious trauma what with the wolf. I'd bet my life on the fact that he wasn't running for us but for his own life. I guess this means Red won't be helping. I reach into my bag and eat some of the bread. It doesn't taste so bad. It's kind of hard but what's to be expected?
I eventually leave her to her own devices so i can resume my trek to the capital. I come to the end of the forest and what i see next is truly frightening. A long field reaching all the way to the sun spreads out miles ahead of me. Oh my god. I look at my horse who has neighed his disapproval. I completely understand where his disappointment is coming from. I mean, what else can he do? We begin the trek through the field. Every once in a while we have to stop to eat and drink water and sleep. It took exactly 2 days to get to the Capital which rose so high into the sky. I actually really hate that I have done this to myself. I mean, I am the one who wrote the book so if course I would leave some challenges for the characters. I just never expected to be on of those characters myself.
We begin to climb the large mountain leading to the Capital and people start to appear walking the paths, carrying wheel barrows and walking children and pets. The entrance is a large doorway with two royal guards standing there. They seem to be there just to be there. I would expect them to be needing to see forms of Identification but I see that is definitely not the case. I try to remember why it is I am here. What was my quest? What's my goal in the end?
That's right, I am here to stop a woman from stealing from her customers. Well, that's my task on the outside. Inside, I need to find some way to contact Zack, Izzy, and Max. I need to talk to someone who knows them since I can't do it directly. Onii chan. She's the main character here. I remember she was supposed to be in the resistance. She, herself, isn't a Feraad but she was the queen, someone who was meant to make a difference. She must have been working with Isabella, the Feraad consort. If she had become the country's princess, it would have changed everything. She would eventually become the first Feraad queen. It would make them equals. I need to find the resistance. I need to find Onii. I need to find someone who will listen and help me save Max, Izzy, and Zack from those burly men at the bar.