Chapter 6: Through the Wall

ALIAH

'Help me with this,' Sean ordered, and began to lift the bar. He gestured to Aliah to open the door while he held the wooden bar up. He then had her squeeze through the opening. When she was done he propped the bar with the haft of a spear that was beside the door, before lying down on the floor and wiggling into the small opening. Aliah hid the entrance from view as she waited for Sean.

There was a tap on her leg. 'Can you give me a hand? I think I'm stuck.'

Checking to make sure no one was watching, she grabbed his hands and pulled. Sean wriggled and she pulled again, then , with one last effort he was out.

Kneeling, Sean leaned in and jolted the spear haft out of place and the bar fell down, closing the door with a bang.

'How did you know about that?' she asked Sean in amazement.

'My cousin and I have used it a couple of times. Although I don't remember it being such a tight squeeze,' he told her, laughing with relief.

'Come on,' she said, urging him forward towards the stream of people on the main road. 'We need to be well clear of here when they realise we are not coming back from the guard room.'

Watching the guards to make sure they were not spotted, Aliah and Sean joined the farmers leaving Port Marden for the night. As they walked, Aliah searched for Amelia. The woman had her sword and she wanted it back, and the food she had promised.

'Thought I might find you out here.'

Aliah jumped, startled to find Amelia standing behind them. 'But how …?' Aliah frowned at the woman.

Amelia moved them through the crowd to the side of the road and she put down the baskets. Aliah was relieved the one she had been carrying still had her sword on top.

'Don't worry. I'll not tell them how you escaped.' Amelia said. 'And I am as good as my word. You can fill your pockets with fruit and vegetables and be on your way. But if you are smart you will help me with my baskets a little longer and we can plan your next moves. For as sure as I am standing here neither of you are prepared to journey far from Port Marden, and that is certainly what both of you intend to do.'

Aliah could tell Sean was considering the proposal, and she took some time to think it through herself. Given that it was nearly dark she really had nothing to lose by spending the night with these strangers, and it may turn out to her benefit.

'What exactly are you suggesting?' Sean asked.

'My place is on the edge of the Tangled Woods, which is a little under a half days walk from here. When I travel to market I leave some food in a spot not far off so I can stop for the night if it gets too late for traveling. If you carry my baskets that far, I can make you supper and we can sleep the night round a fire.'

'But I want to go north,' Aliah protested, thinking maybe staying with the rather strange woman was not such a good idea after all. 'The Tangled Woods are west of here, I would lose valuable time.'

'You will not be able to travel much farther tonight and I would not mind betting that your sailor friends know you will be heading north as they will be expecting you to go home. If you wait the night through and set off tomorrow you might actually be doing yourself a favour. If you were prepared to wait a day or two more I have no doubt your journey would be even safer.' Amelia grinned at her, her warm brown eyes crinkling at the corners.

Aliah pondered this for a moment, then nodded in agreement. There was a lot of sense in Amelia's words. If she took tonight to get some warm food in her stomach, she might just avoid her pursuers and start out fresh in the morning.

'And what about you young man?' Amelia looked at Sean.

'I might as well be on my way,' he answered curtly.

'I see you have not thought this through either.' Amelia stared intently at Sean. 'Your pursuers will know you are headed for the Wizard Isles and on the road north. Once they do not find you at the gate, they will head along the Great North Road looking for you. Your pursuers will have horses and you will be walking. It won't take them long to run you down.

Sean grunted.

'Add to that the fact that you are not prepared for any sort of journey. No food. No bedroll. No idea, really. It may be best for you that those looking for you find you.'

'Why should you care?' Sean blurted, clearly not happy about the flaws in his plan being pointed out by a woman he had just met.

Amelia laughed. 'Fair question, and I have to say I am asking myself that very thing. Normally I would not bother with two strays such as you, but it's been a while since anyone showed me any kindness, even if it was to further their own ends. So I find I am quite well disposed towards the both of you at the moment.

'Maybe I am also thinking I may be able to talk you out of the roads you are following. I sense your journeys will bring you great troubles, and I would not wish those troubles on anyone, especially two as unprepared for travel as the both of you.'

Sean stared at the ground, not speaking.

'However, the offer is not good for long as I am not generally a woman to take to strangers. Either you come with me now, or you don't. I won't press you either way.' Amelia picked up her basket, making it clear she wanted to move.

Aliah did not need any more encouragement. She would like a good nights sleep and some warm food before starting her journey home. Picking up the handle of her basket she looked at Sean. He seemed to be having a harder time deciding what to do. Finally he bent down and grabbed the handle on his side and they followed Amelia on the path towards the Tangled Woods.