The chase begins

"So, what's next?" Grace asked.

"The stone that I found in the kitchen yesterday, it's the calling card of a gang based in Oakenspell. We should leave after everyone else has," Falael answered, trying to stop himself from ushering the guests out of the cottage. Grace took a deep breath.

"Okay, I will pack some clothes while the guests are busy consuming food. Please make sure they don't get into either the alcohol or Mother's apothecary kit, I would like to keep both as intact as possible."

"Certainly, anything else?"

"No, that should be all," Grace took the stairs two at a time, heading towards the bedroom she had shared with Addalyn for the past nine years. Taking a deep breath, she entered the room that held so many memories of the two of them. The pale walls, if they could talk, would tell the stories of the two of them sharing secrets, making promises and getting into trouble. I am sorry, my dearest Addalyn. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you as I promised. I'm sorry that I have to leave, and as much as I have broken the two most important promises that I have made, I will not rest until I find out who did this to you. Graced finished packing the last of her belongings into a small satchel taking Addalyn's and Riker's favourite toys, a palm-sized stuffed bunny named Blueberry and a small stuffed lion named Fang respectively, with her.

Falael had, by some miracle, kept the guests out of the wine cellar and was coaxing the last of the guests out of the house when Grace re-emerged from upstairs.

"Are you ready to go?" Falael asked. Grace nodded, slinging her satchel over her shoulder. "Good, let's go." Grace grabbed the apothecary set from the pantry and the key off the hook that it lived on before heading towards the door.

The snow had fallen again, just like it had been that awful night. The night that I met the most beautiful woman in all of Asharia, who had come to me in distress, Falael thought. He was almost ashamed that he had fallen for such a person in such circumstances, almost. He knew that if his parents had known that he had fallen for a human they would have excommunicated him from the family for shaming them in not marrying one of his own kind, what few of them there were left.

The two travelled along the road to Oakenspell in silence, with little more than the crunch of their boots hitting the snow being heard.

"Who left the calling card?" Grace broke the silence. Falael sighed before resolving to tell Grace the truth.

"They call themselves The Grey Tears. They are a group of mercenaries, best known for their slave trading and contract killing. They are based in Oakenspell, hence why we are headed that way."

"So, my father was associated with a gang of organised criminals," Grace realised, slightly terrified that the man that she had been told was good and kind was a liar.

"Not necessarily," Falael said. "Remember, they also known for contract killings. Maybe your father upset someone who decided that drastic action was needed."

"If that is the case, considering that they didn't kill all his family, how likely is it that these mercenaries will come after me?"

"Depends on the contract, and how much they earn. The Grey Tears are driven by money more than anything else. In saying that, however, it would be a good idea for the two of us to stick as close together as possible."

"Well, considering that my entire world until this point has been the village of Penrith, I think I desperately need a travelling companion who knows more about the world outside than I do," Grace said.

The rest of the day was long and arduous, but otherwise uneventful. As night drew near, Falael and Grace found a cavern in the cliff face alongside the road on which they travelled and setup two small cots and a small fire with brambles and twigs that they had collected along the road. Their meal comprised a few sandwiches leftover from the party, a small tankard of ale that Falael had swiped from the pantry while Grace was packing and a couple of wild berries and beans that the pair had picked while they had been travelling.

The night was long, longer than the day had been, and colder than an icebox could ever reach. Before long the little fire that had been set up had died down, and Grace was so cold that she brought her cot closer to Falael. Falael opened his eyes just a crack.

"Everything okay?" He asked, turning so that he laid on his back.

"I'm cold, and it is better for the both of us if we share body heat."

Falael nodded and pulled Grace into his embrace. Grace blushed, grateful for the darkness.

The sun rose the next day, shining off the freshly laid snow. Still in Falael's arms, Grace woke up and turned to face her cuddling and travelling companion. She marveled at his fair features. Why? Why does it have to be that the one person who I wished I had never met be the one that I wish I don't have to live without?

"Are you done ogling me?" Falael asked, waking up.

"Are you done sleeping and holding me in a death grip?" Grace retorted, trying to get up but to no available.

"No fair, I asked you a question first."

"Yes, I am done ogling you. Now can you please let me go so that I can get up so that we can get going? In case you haven't noticed, my family's killer is still on the loose," Grace answered. Falael reluctantly let her go, realising that she was right. There was still a killer on the loose, and Falael knew too well that Grace, being the fiery soul that she is, would not let him continue to hold her, as much as he may want to. The pair got up, packed up what little camp they had set up, had the last of the sandwiches and set out to finish their journey to Oakenspell.

*****Author's Note*****

So, Chapter 6 is out! What do you think? Did you enjoy it?

As I post this, there is more than one chapter ready to be published, however whether or not I publish them every week is a different story. I am contemplating starting a schedule of every two weeks uploading a new chapter due to the fact that I have started back at Uni and my schedule is even more tightly packed than I anticipated. Please bear with me, I promise I won't forget about you my dear readers.

Thankyou for your patience.