My answer triggered a wave of pleading from the girls, each of them loudly asking to be allowed to accompany us and pledging their undying loyalty to me.

“Look you can’t come with us because, I have an important job for you all. Something that only you can do.” I told them.

The looks on their faces changed instantly, their ears all pricking up the moment they realised that I needed something from them.

“What is it Sir Theo, we’ll do anything that you wish!” They answered.

“I need you to keep tabs on what is happening in the capital. What the king is doing to capture us and if they have any plans to move against the catkin. What the rumours are about us, things like that. So, I need you to stay behind.”

“But how would we do that?”

“Just return to your lives like normal and listen out for the information.”

“I don’t know, we would really like to come with you.”

“Are you saying that you won’t do this for me?”

“No… Of course, we’ll do it!”

“Thanks.”

“How will we contact you? Can we join your party?”

“I’m afraid not. Sorry I just can’t risk it… Let me think.”

“They could probably send letters to the guild. They are supposed to be neutral. If they addressed them to Lisa, I doubt they would be opened. Still, it would be worth them writing them in a way that didn’t draw attention in case they were opened.” Suggested Serin.

“We’ll go with that then, until we come up with a better idea.” I said before turning back to the elf girls. “Please address the letters to Lisa Rothering, she’s our guild master. I’ll inform her what’s happening. Perhaps write them as if you were writing a friend and informing them of your circumstances. Can you do that?”

“We can!” They answered.

“Great.”

“We will see you again, won’t we?”

“We won’t be able to until all of this over.”

“Then we’ll do whatever we can to speed up the process.”

“Thanks… One more thing. It’s probably best if you keep it to yourself that I’m innocent. You won’t want people thinking that you’re on my side.”

“But we have to tell people!”

“No, you’ll end up landing yourselves in trouble. Please promise me you won’t.”

“We can’t have people thinking ill of you.”

“I understand, I’m not happy about it either. If suspicions fall on you, how will you fulfil the task I’ve given you?”

“Very well, we’ll do as you asked.”

“Thank you.”

“Come on Theo, we need to leave. We’ve already been here too long.” Serin said trying to usher me back to the carriage.

“I’m sorry girls, but we have to leave now.”

They all looked visibly upset, but this time they didn’t try to persuade me to let them accompany us. They simply quietly said goodbye and waited to be picked up by the rest of their group.

“You know I kind of feel sorry for them.” Altria said as she walked to carriage.

“Only kind of?” I asked.

“Well, they were trying to kill us only minutes ago, so they did kind of have it coming, but… That’s a scary technique.”

“It is.”

“Do you think their old personalities exist at all?”

“I think so… As far as I can tell it only changes how they perceive me. But honestly, I haven’t had a chance to look into it that much. It’s not something I want to use lightly.”

“You shouldn’t.”

Altria hopped up on the driver's bench of the carriage along with Rosa, who had now brought the horses back and harnessed them back up once again. Serin and I climbed back inside the carriage and once we were settled down, we begun to move again. It was still dark, but it was now only a matter of time until dawn broke. We were still following the forest trail and we still had no way of knowing where it led, or if it would lead out of the forest at all. We had escaped the danger for now, but if another, larger group of riders was sent after us we probably wouldn’t be as lucky.

“You should probably try and get some rest.” Serin suggested.

“I don’t think I could sleep right now even if I tried. Anyway, I didn’t do a stint on watch, so I’ve had some rest. It’s Rosa we should be worrying about.”

“True, but I wouldn’t want to risk anyone else trying to drive. At least not until it’s light and we’re out of the forest.”

“We’re going to have to let her rest at some point soon then.”

“I know, but every moment we rest our pursers get closer.”

“We can’t go on forever though.”

“We can’t… We’ll just have to see where this road takes us for now and take it from there. That’s the best we can do for now. At least if we make it onto the normal roads without being spotted then we’ll be less conspicuous, well as long as they aren’t stopping every carriage on the road.”

“I hope we make it there soon.”

I glanced back out the window, the dark night sky was already starting to show the first sign of light at its edges. It wouldn’t be long now until dawn broke. Another five minutes passed and then Altria slid open the driver’s hatch.

“The trees are thinning out. I think we’ll be back on the road soon.” She said with a smile.

“Good… Let’s just hope it isn’t being watched.” Replied Serin.

Altria turned back to the route ahead, it was still dark enough that it was hard for Rosa to see, and we were still riding without any light. I could just about make out of the window that the trees were thinning out to the sides of us, then we passed out into the open. We rode out of the wood and travelled towards a paved road once again. Finally, we had joined the highway. As far as I could tell from the inside, the road appeared to be deserted.

“Are we in clear?” Serin asked as soon as she noticed we had hit the smoother road surface.

“I can’t see anyone around.” Answered Altria.

“Good… You should probably climb back inside the carriage as soon as it gets light. We can’t risk it if we pass anyone, you’re too recognisable.”

“I know, but what we do we do about Rosa? She can’t keep on driving forever and the horses will need a rest again soon.”

“I know, we’ll think of something soon. For now, we need to get as far as we can, while we can.”

“Okay… Hold on.” Altria said, quickly turning from the hatch and getting to her feet watching the road behind us.

“What is it?” Asked Serin.

“Riders approaching from behind.”

“What! Who are they?”

“I don’t know, I can’t see them yet. It sounds like a lot of them. What should we do, pull over?”

“No, I don’t think so. If we’re heavily outnumbered, we won’t stand much of a chance. Our best bet is to carry on like normal, they might just think we’re an ordinary carriage and pass us by. We’ll have to just hope they aren’t connected to the group in the forest.”

“I’d better sit back down then.” Altria said taking her seat and pulling her hood over her face.

We all fell silent as we waited for the approaching group of riders to pass us. Each of us wondering what was going to happen next and hoping that they would simply pass us by like Serin had suggested. A minute passed before the first of the riders drew alongside the carriage, I tried to get a glimpse of who it was passing, but the riders were all cloaked, and their faces covered. There was no telling if these were more of the king’s men or some other group.

The riders seemed to pass our carriage without giving us much thought. We had already been passed by several of them without incident. At least it seemed as if they weren’t going to force us to stop. Then all of a sudden, the carriage hit a large bump in the road. The carriage rocked heavily, and Altria’s hood slipped a little to the side. It was just enough to reveal her face.

“It’s the princes!” A voice shouted loudly from outside.

The riders drew closer to the carriage and surrounded us from all sides. Rosa gradually started to slow us down. Serin pushed her sword a few inches out from its scabbard.

“Get ready to fight as soon as we stop.” She told me.

“Right…”

Part of me wondered if I should just turn myself in to them. In a situation like this we hardly hope to fight out way out. Even if I did, there was no telling if the others would be left to go free or unharmed. Perhaps this was the only way…