Reality or fiction?

I just kept on pretending that I don't know that they meant me. Dumb thing to do, but so I did. I hurried out of their sight but it never came that far.

The first one who spoke layed his hand on my shoulder: "So you're running, little girl? Not very nice of you."

The others laughed. Except for him. What was his name anyways? I should know, it would really benefit me.

"Should we take her, boss? She'd make a good price, don't you think?", the one who has his hand on my shoulder asks him. So he's the boss, huh? Should have guessed that earlier.

"No, let her be.", he replied and looked me straight in the eye with a piercing glance. This was a message! But how should I understand this? There isn't a particular way to interpret that. Next he flashed me some kind of grin and as they passed me he tabs on my shoulder: "You read my letter, no? This was not a hint. I would never tell you how to get me." And with that they left me.

No hint? What was it then? And... what did his signs mean? Then again, why did he save me, and why didn't he take me, again? Now he left me two times!

With my thoughts I stared at nothing particular and just sunk down on my knees. Oh how I hated to be in some persons debt!

"Are you all right, girl?", a woman called out to me who apparently kneels right beside me.

"Yes, ma'am. I am, thank you.", I told her off and hurried to Con's house, still wondering about whatever happened. I felt so strange, so... betrayed for some reason. And I sure was suspicious... I will check that out, no matter what Con is going to tell me!

___

"You what?!", he shouted at me, "No, never! I won't let you go! We have no clue at all, it might me a trap or something!", Con shouted at me, slamming his hands down on the wooden table in front of him.

"I know Con, calm down!", I tried to make him understand, "But how should we find out what it is, if we don't check it out?"

"If anyone, I will go.", he stated firmly.

Oh, why doesn't he understand? If he goes, he'll get in danger as well! I can't let him go and get in danger just because he's my friend.

"No. I'll do it. You gave me boys clothes, did you forget that?", I reasoned with him. Hah, come on! I really want to go!

"Yes. But that obviously didn't solve our problem. If you remember correctly he still recognised you.", Con explains his worries to me.

There he had a good point. Hah, that's bad. I couldn't think of anything to tell him.

"There, you see? It's best if we don't go.", he folded his hands and sat back down, "We will find Erika even without that hint."

"And that's the hole in your logic!", with his sentence I finally found something to counter him back, "We will find her sooner if we follow this hint. And if we don't, we'll just find her later. And even though, we would still have to go there, where the first hint would have taken us."

"But not if it really is a trap!",Con countered my countering. That's bad...

"Well, but it doesn't make any sense at all! Why should he leave a hint and then correct me, that it is no hint at all? Maybe he thought about it and now he doesn't want me to come.", I tried to reason with him again, but didn't realize what nonsense I spouted.

Con laughed at me. I was really confused about that since ge was so angry just seconds ago. But only then I realized that it was a hurtful laughter.

"You're falling right in his trap. He knows you would definitely come. And to make sure of that, he said that, so you would be even more interested. He just wanted to make sure you came. You can't give him that! Never give a person like him what he actually wants!"

He had a point there again. How many times did I think that now? Maybe it'd really be better to let it go.

Maybe...

No! I said I will go so I would go! But I'd be very careful and cautious, because I didn't want to let them see me. That was the plan for now. I would get there without them noticing me and I would kind of stalk them. So if I found something out it would be great, if not then I would know if it was a trap or not without falling for it.

First I took a deep breath in. Then I stated my thoughts to Con: "Con, I'm sorry, but I am too curious about it and I really want to get Erika out of it. So I tell you the plan I made: I'll go there without them noticing me. I'll scout the area. I will be extra careful! So please! Please let me do this!"

"You are so stubborn. Almost as stubborn as me. I will let you go, since I won't be able to hold you back. But it is at your own risk. If something happens, it's not me, who's responsible. Notice that.", he sighted heavily. Then he closed his eyes and opened them again. "Don't do anything stupid. Just scout it. Even if it is the place, don't do anything. I have something better in mind for the time we storm their little prison."

"I promise, Con. Thank you for letting me go.", I told him and left his place to return to my own. I had to sharpen my swords. Even if I shall not attack... I would be prepared for whatever may come!