Red

Chapter 4

I can't tell Aunt Lotty and you better, keep your mouth shut." I say as we round the corner leading to Red's room.

"What can't you tell me?" Aunt Lotty asks with curious eyes.

"Nothing," I say hiding my bleeding arm behind my back, and hoping she won't grill me like she does Red.

"Fine then," she says and Josie and I walk pass her, "And Duncan," she calls.

"Yes Aunt Lotty," I say a little nervous.

"Thank you for helping Red, it was very gallant of you," she says smiling warmly at me. She hugs me and I wince at the pain in my arm. "What happened to your arm?" she asks holding on to it.

"I'm fine, okay," I say pulling my arm back.

"Duncan did this happen in the forest," she says looking at the scars I've had all my life.

"Umm, yeah I'm fine though," I say walking away.

“Duncan if you don’t tell her what’s going on soon I will,” Josefina says speeding ahead of me to Red’s room.

“Look, Josie this is complicated and you would never be able to understand this. I can’t tell her and neither will you, okay,” I say looking into her eyes. I can feel her pulse rushing through me even though we aren’t touching and I slowly will her mind to do as I say.

“I really hate what he’s doing to you Duncan it’s not right,” she says wrapping her arms around me.

I look down at her and say, “Let’s go get Red and watch the fireworks,” She giggles and we’re back on our way past the servants’ quarters and the study to Red’s room.

***Red***

“Where are you off to in such a rush Little Red,” Duncan says when I swing my door open. He glances down at the travel bag in my hand and his eyes grow red with anger, and that vein in his neck starts to twitch. “Please tell me you’re not about to do what I think you are?” He asks with anger booming in his voice.

“No one will miss me I just have to go away for a week. I won’t give you a chance to miss me,” I say and Duncan and Josie just stare at me.

Josie looks at me with her soft brown eyes and I know she is disappointed. I can’t just stay here and not wonder where my father is. I have to go to Nutwood and find him. “Red your mom almost had a heart attack when she found out you were gone.”

“I was fine.”

“A wolf attacked you. Why can’t you see how dangerous this is? You’re sacrificing our family to find your dad’s body. He’s dead. We all know he is. As much as he loved you, do you really believe he would want to spend this much time away from you and your mother?” Duncan asks. He looks down at me and I don’t know what to say. My heart is telling me things I can’t ignore. “Look Red he’s gone.” he says trying to hug me.

“No he’s not. I know he’s still here I can feel it. I know,” I say with tears gently gliding down my cheeks. I don’t know I’m crying until my throat tightens.

“Red I’m’’-

“Don’t,” I say as I pushing his hands away. “No one’s going to stop me from going to Nutwood, and if my father is dead, I’ll find out when I get there,” I say getting my stuff off the dresser.

“I’m coming with you,” Josie says grabbing my arm.

I look down at her hand then look into her glistening eyes. “You should stay,” I smile at her.

“I believe you, and I want to help you,” she says and it is like a huge weight lifts off my shoulders.

“Very well, we most make haste, pack a small bag and meet me at the stables.” Josie rushes off and Duncan looks twice as mad as before.

“I’m not letting either of you leave without me,’’ he says in his gallant, heroic way.

“Never, you’re not coming, because that would get Kane involved in this. The last thing I need is the royal guards escorting me home after two miles of riding,” I say giving him my dad’s golden chalice. “Keep this safe until I come back.”

“Red if you leave my father will go crazy. He promise a day of courtship with you to the Duke of Earl,” Duncan says and it suits Uncle Kane right for trying to give me away.

“I guess I should make haste,” I give Duncan a kiss on the cheek. “Wish me fair well cousin.”

“Red don’t”-

“Or what Duncan? I can’t sit here and pretend he never exist. I have to know what happen to my dad,” I yell at him.

“I’m not letting you leave without me. We can plan this out and be smart about it?” Duncan says as if he really could stop me.

“Like how?” I ask.

“I don’t know, tell them we want to visit Gödel it’s not too far from Nutwood and Josie has family there. We can say we need a vacation from all the courting and banquets and we’ll go after the Grand Ball.”

“My mom would never let me go on holiday with just you and Josie,” I laugh at him.

“She’ll be too busy with wedding preparations to stop us if she wanted to. I’m sure you can get Prince to invite you,” he said with a jealous glance at me.

“I don’t like Prince Erwin okay,” I say chewing on my lip. His plan could work and it is better than just running off. “This will take weeks.”

“Yeah, but I’d be with you and you’ll be safe,” he says looking into my eyes, and making my stomach flutter. “I’ll get you to Nuttwood I promise,” he says kissing my cheek. “Promise.”

“I’ll go get Josie,” I say putting my bag down.

“Great I’ll start mapping out the best route for Gödel and Nutwood. I’m sure you weren’t going to take one,” he says smiling at me.

“I would have if this was planned,” I smile at him as I go out the door.

***Duncan***

I found myself in the strangest position. I couldn’t take Red all the way to Nuttwood to find something that isn’t there. What is going to happen when they say there is no war? I can’t tell father because he’d go crazy. I have to do something soon. I look out the window to the Goddess moon and beg her to help me. Please let this work.

I grab my black cloak and go out into the cold night. There’s a riding lamp missing from the stable and of course Red’s horse is missing. I can’t believe I fell for that. I get a lamp and my horse trying to ride after her. Who knows where she is now. Hopefully she remembered to bring a map.

“Duncan where are you going?” Jacques the stable master and Josie’s father asks.

“I think Red left again. Please don’t say anything to anyone especially, Lotty and my father,” I say hoping he’d keep this between us.

“I’m sure she’s missing now, because Josie left us this note and I was just going to ride after her,” he says handing me the crumbled up piece of paper.

“I think I can find them, if we’re not back by morning tell everyone you’re sister’s sick and Red and I insisted on taking Josie to care for her,” I say putting a saddle and bridle on my horse. “I will bring them back as soon as I can,” I say as I mount my horse.

“My lord I don’t feel comfortable lying to the duke and duchess on the whereabouts of their children,” Jacques says in the most respectful way.

“I know, but it’s the only way to keep Red out of trouble. I wouldn’t ask you to if it weren’t important,” I say riding off.

I know if I can’t find Red, Able can. If only I could find him. I had to get Red back before morning, or father was going to kill us both. “Why can’t you ever be reasonable Red?” I ask aloud as I approach the stop we left Able. He isn’t there. “Able” I call out. “Look I know I’m the last person you want to see, but Red is lost and she has Josie with her. Josie’s parents are going crazy, and by morning so will Lotty and father,” Nothing, not a rustle, not a growl, nothing, but eerie silence. “Able help me find her,” I beg and then he comes charging at me knocking me off my horse. “This is uncalled for,” I say as he huffs and puffs his rotten dog breath in my face.

He sneers at me and I know what it means. He’s mad at me for losing Red. He’s also mad at me for allowing my dad to let him think Red and Lotty were killed. “Look we don’t have time to fight in the morning you’ll be human and you can tell Red whatever you like, but now we have to figure out what direction she’s headed in,” I say as he gets off of me and he starts to sniff around.

I calm my horse down and I guess he had found something because he was just sitting and waiting. “What direction is she headed,” I ask him as I mount my horse. He gestures to the north with his nose. “Thanks Able, and I meant what I said when I let you out. I’ll make all of this right give me time.” I ride off but he runs after me.

“You can’t follow me Able. You have to stay here the hunters are already looking for you under my father’s orders dead or alive, ” I say trying to get him to see reason. Now I know where Red gets it from.

He is still not staying behind. “You can come only until morning if we don’t find Red by dawn you have to go,” I say continuing. Red couldn’t see him when he turned back for the day.

***Red***

Josie was asleep and drooling on my shoulder. I can feel it being cooled by the cold breeze. I make Thunder slow down so Josie can rest a bit better. We still aren’t far enough away to rest without worry. I just hope no one got out of bed to check-in on us. When Duncan finds out he’s going to be mad. I hate lying to him, but I can’t wait weeks to find my dad. I have to do something now before my mom marries Uncle Kane.

The sun will be up soon and we’re not at the border and I don’t have a pass. Great, and if I go through the blind spot there is a good chance we’ll get shot, or caught. I have my royal crest and I can say Josie’s a midwife and they won’t check her. This could work. I’m really good at thinking on my feet. I smile to myself then I hear Duncan. Great.

I get off my horse and pull it to a trench in the side of the road. “Josie” I whisper trying to wake her. “Josie,” I say and she cracks her eyes open. “Duncan’s here stay quiet okay,” I say as we sink into the mucky trench.

“Red I know you’re around here,” he yells. “Look I know what I’m doing you can go now,” he says, but I don’t think he’s talking to me. “If she and Josie see you like this they’ll freak out.”

“Who in the world is he talking to?” Josie asks me.

“I wish I knew,” I say with a shrug. Did he bring Uncle Kane with him? I couldn’t see through the trees.

“I know she’s here I can feel it I just have to find her,” he says. “Stay here.” Please don’t walk over here.