Chapter 9: Claude's Path

The girl was about seven or eight years of age. She faced forward without turning. Claude understood, now, why Samantha wanted to help her. She did not look strong enough to handle riding on Claude's back while he jumped around on the roof.
"Maybe I can sneak her out late at night," he thought, "I may have to get Samantha's help after all."
Claude then dropped from the roof and landed quietly on the floor. The girl started when he landed. "Y..Yes?" she asked perking up in fear and listening intently for an answer. Claude paused suprised.
"You heard me?" he asked slowly walking to her.
She nodded. "You talk funny," she replied. Claude smiled.
"I know," he said, "I try not to talk if I can."
"I like it," she said.
"I've come to get you, and take you back to your family," he said.
"You're letting me go?" she asked.
"No," Claude replied, "They don't know I'm here. We have to be careful getting out of here." The girl began to tear up when Claude told her he was going to save her. "Don't worry," he said, "Nothing's going to happen to you."
Claude walked over to the girl, who was now trembling slightly, and gently took her hand, so she would stand up. "Are you ready to get out of here?" Claude said.
"Why...are you helping me?" she said following him meekly.
"You've never helped anyone?" Claude asked her.
"Yes," she said, "But they told me no one would help me. That I'm bad and going make bad things happen."
"Looks like they don't know everything," Claude said, "What's your name?"
"Seliah," she answered.
"Mine's Claude," Claude said slowly opening the door and looking out. No one was there so he opened it, and they walked out. As they did the door down the hall swung open. Claude tried to get back into the room with the Seliah, but it was too late. Samantha came through and spotted Claude and the girl. Claude took a deep breath of relief and lead Seliah down the hall to meet Samantha.
"What's going on?" Claude asked her.
"A messenger from his cousin Alastor is here and they are looking for him," Samantha replied, "When they entered his room and saw everything they immediately started looking. They started checking the roof, and when they finished checking that room I jumped down into it and got on the roof."
"So, we're going to have a hard time getting out of here," Claude said, "Was this part of your plan?"
"Actually, yes," Samantha said smiling, "But I calculated that patience and luck would get us out of here."
"Where would the danger be without a little improvisation?" Claude said. Samantha looked down at Seliah and then knelt down infront of her.
"Hello, little lady," She said to Seliah, "I'm Samantha. What's your name?"
"Seliah," she answered, "Are you here to help me?"
"Yes, I am," Samantha said, "We're going to get you out of here." The little girl teared up again.
"We're not safe talking here. Let's go," Claude said. They ran down the hall to the door leading outside. Claude opened it slowly and looked forward and then down. He then crept out to see men with tourches wandering into the woods while others looked around. Samantha and Seliah followed behind, while Claude walked across the walkway and then turned to look at Samantha.
"Go on up," he wispered. Samantha quietly walked to the other side with Seliah to where Claude was and then jumped up on the rail. She then opened a section of the roof that covered the walk way.
"Smart," Claude said to her.
"Why?" Samantha said, "How did you do it?" Claude shook his head and motioned for her to get going.
"Hurry," he said. She jumped up and grabbed one beam with one hand and the roof with another. Claude was going to help her, but she pulled herself up with little trouble.
"Wow," Claude said. Then he turned and took Seliah by the hand as he knelt down. "I'm going to lift you up to Samantha," he said to her, "Has anyone ever held you up before?" She nodded her head.
"My grandpa has," she said.
"Okay good," Claude said, "Are you ready?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Hold up your hands," Claude told her, and he lifted her up. Samantha grabbed her hands and gently pulled her up onto the roof. Just as Samantha got Seliah on the roof the door infront of them swung open and hit Claude, but Claude quickly shoved the door back to close it. He then jumped up quickly and pulled himself up onto the roof. Moments later three men burst throught the door.
"Get him!" one said as they rushed across the walkway to the south wing.
Claude looked at Samantha and Seliah.
"That was close," he said.
"We're not done yet," she said taking Seliah by the hand and leading her to the place where the grapevines reached the roof. Claude looked up at the moon while walking over to where they were. It was just about to set behind mountains far in the west, which would hide its light.
"Thankyou," Claude prayed.
"Seliah," Samantha said, "You are going to have to hold on to Claude's back. Whatever you do, don't let go."
"Okay," Seliah said holding her arms out. Claude knelt down, and Samantha guided Seliah to his shoulders and placed her hands where she would not choke Claude. Claude stood up with Seliah holding tightly.
"I'll go first," Samantha said. She turned and began to climb down the vines, and Claude followed after her. They went down as quickly as they could without making too much noise. As they got lower they heard shouts that came from within.
"Did you find him?"
"No, but we have intruders."
"What? Where is the General's daughter?"
"We don't know that either."
"How could we have lost them?"
"Maybe he got mad and killed her?"
"Just find them. Anyone who is not familiar dies. And the general's daughter dies. I knew Elestor shouldn't have taken her."
"The girl is gone!"
"What!?"
"We ran into someone, and we ran into the south wing because we thought he ran in there, but no one was there not even the girl."
"Alastor and Elestor will have my head if we don't find that girl! Find them all, or I'll have your heads before they have mine."
"Yes sir."
"Check, everything. Check the roof again."
Finally, Samanth, Claude and Seliah made it to the bottom. They could see men in the vineyard just a little ways away, but the moon was no longer out and the night was dense.
"I can barely see," Samanth said to Claude.
"I can," he said, "follow me."
"What," she said taking his shirt, "How?" He led her through the dark into the forest. Men were in the forest with torches looking for whatever they could find. Claude avoided them and continued to head west.
"Slow down," Samantha wispered to Claude, "I can't walk as fast and as quietly as you."
"Sorry," Claude said. Every once in a while Claude spotted a torch in the forest.
"How many men were in that place?" Claude asked.
"A lot," Samantha replied, "Enough to make up section."
"Section?" Claude said puzzled.
"About 200 soldiers," Samantha replied, "You must be from one of the back water villages in Calton, or you're not from Calton, which would explain why you talk with such an accent."
"How do I talk?" Claude asked. They made their way through the forest around clumps of trees and around rocks. Claude didn't see any more torches, so he decided to slow down.
"It's like you pronounce your words completely or . . . I don't know. You just do," Samantha said.
"You kind of draw some of your sounds our and others you cut off," Seliah wispered.
"I see," Claude replied.
"I like it," Seliah said.
"I never said it sounded bad," Samantha added.
"If we find my friends, you'll have a whole group of us," Claude said.
"You were looking for your friends before you decided to do this. Where were they headed," Samantha asked.
"They were chasing a group of your soldiers who were traveling to Calton," Claude said.
"They could have passed while I was stuck in that place," Samantha replied.
"Why were you in there anyway?" Claude asked.
"I was picked up against my will," she said, "They kept me because they could."
"Did they try anything?" Claude asked.
"They wouldn't dare," Samantha replied, "They're too afraid of my father."
Claude climbed over a log and knelt down.
"Hop off for a second," Claude said. Seliah got off. "You can rest right here," Claude said to her. Seliah knelt down and felt the ground where she was standing and then sat down.
"Claude, can I talk to you for a moment," Samantha said.
"She'll be able to hear us," Claude said, "We might as well talk right here."
Seliah smiled. Her teeth were white and straight.
"Beautiful smile," Samantha said, "I see you take care of your teeth."
"My grandfather would always make us clean them with a potion that he makes," Seliah said.
"Well, it works," Samantha said, "I have to use a brush." Claude knew the solution Seliah talked about was made from string leaf, but he didn't say anything. Samantha turned to Claude. "We can't take her back to her village," she said, "They're going to go straight there in the morning, which isn't too far away." The night was still dark, but the time for it to brighten was fast approaching.
"I can't stop that many men," Claude said.
"Will grandpa be okay?" Seliah asked.
"I don't know," Samantha replied, "But you can't lose hope. You have to be strong."
"What do you suggest we do?" Claude asked.
"We're going to take him to my father's house in the Capital," Samantha said.
"I thought your father wouldn't have you back," Claude replied.
"That was a lie," Samantha said, "I'm on my way to take a message to the Mayor of Oak, remember."
"They didn't know that?" Claude said.
"No," Samantha replied, "I got rid of the message when I discovered I was being followed."
Seliah tightened up with a look of fear, and Claude looked up and around.
"What is it?" Samantha asked.
"Something's out there." Claude said, "I don't think it's human." He got up and looked around and then headed into the forest.
"Where are you going?" Samantha said.
"Stay here with Seliah," Claude said.
Samantha sat next to Seliah and they waited to see what Claude could find out. Moments later Claude came back.
"It's just a wild animal," Claude said, "But we do have company furthur down, we need to move." They got up and began moving through the forest. As they went the night sky started to lessen it's hold on the darkenss.
"How far is the road from here?" Claude asked.
"Just a little ways," Samantha replied, "We go north on it." In a few moments, they were on the road through the great forest valley. They headed north as soon as they were on it, looking back every so often to make sure no one was following them. Claude could see or hear no one in the woods. They had made it safely, but they did not feel safe yet.
"There's a small village along this road that will feed us," Samantha said, "I left our food and stuff at that place."
"I know," Claude said, "You didn't have anything valuable did you?"
"No," Samantha said looking at her sking tight dress skirt, which was torn from all of the activity.
"Nice outfit," Claude said. Samantha looked over to him and then at her dress again.
"I hate dresses," Samanta said.
"Is that what that is?" Claude replied. Samantha looked up in wonder at him.
"Where are you from?" she asked, "Be honest." Claude looked on. After a moment, he sighed and then spoke, "I'm not from any country you've heard of."
"I've heard of seven," she replied.
"I'm not from any of them," Claude said. Samantha thought for a second.
"You have to be," she said. Claude laughed.
"Are you sure you don't know of any more places?" he asked. Seliah piped up, "Are you from there?"
"What do you mean?" he said.
"From the bad place," Seliah said, "My grandfather used to tell me about a place that lead to a very bad place, to Heckros. He said an evil people lived there."
Samantha looked at Claude agast.
"You are from the south?" she said.
"My ansestors are from the South," Claude said, "No one lives there anymore." Samantha could not believe it. "Why so suprised?" Claude said, "You didn't think anyone could come from there?"
"We don't let anyone from the South into our lands," she said.
"Well, in case you haven't noticed," Claude said, "You haven't been guarding the entrance too well."
"What do you want here?" Samantha asked.
"I just want to find my friends," he said, "Nothing more . . . yet."
Samantha stopped and grabbed Seliah backing away from Claude.
"What are you doing?" Claude asked, "We've got to keep moving."
"What are you doing here?" She asked, "Tell me now!"
"I told you," he said.
"What do you mean by 'yet'," she said pulling her daggar from her boots. Claude sighed.
"You don't have to be afraid," he said, "The 'yet' is an important matter, but a long story. Just trust me."
"The South has been forbidden for thousands of years," Samantha said with her daggar still drawn, "Why? What evil did you do?"
"I'm not evil," Claude replied.
"No one has come from that place alive. It's sure not good," she said.
"I'm not that place. I didn't do anything. And if you want to prod someone for doing evil, prod the one who sent three men in there to their doom and the doom of the world," Claude said turning back toward the north, "Are we going or not?"
"Claude," Seliah said pulling from Samantha and taking steps toward him, "My father told me that the peolpe there are bad, but I know what bad people sound like. And you aren't one of them." Claude turned around and let Seliah get closer before picking her up.
"I know what bad people are too," Claude said, "And you're definately not one either."
Samantha watched confused, curious, and somewhat nervous.
"Let's get you somewhere safe," Claude said. Seliah smiled and Claude set her down and led her by the hand to travel to the next town. He looked back. "You coming?" he said. Samantha slowly walked behind the Southlander, watching him.
"Is the world in trouble?" Samantha called.
Claude turned around, "Yes."
"What kind of trouble?" she asked. Claude sighed.
"Grave trouble," he said, "Trouble that waits untill it's too late for anyone. As soon as I find my friends, we're going to figure out how to deal with it."
"You're going to stop the bad men," Seliah asked.
"Yes, but it's just one man," Claude said looking straight forward, "One very, very bad man."