Multi-Tailed Trouble: Part 4
The sun soon set over the hill tops as the next town came into view, well, it was more like a castle. It had giant stone walls with a huge structure in the middle. "Do you know how much longer until we find your village?" I asked.
"Another day to the west now." She replied.
As the castle gate came into view, "Hey, when we get into town we may have to leave straight away." I mentioned. She looked back at me and asked, "Why is that? Can't we stay and rest for the night.?"
"I'm not saying we can't stay the night, but right after we wake up, we need to leave." I continued, "You see the prince of that castle," I pointed towards the large structure, "I've heard rumors that he, and excuse my language, is what you would call a man-slut and a murderer. He's had about 15 different wives, some of them were even married. But what I'm saying is that he'll marry the woman, bed her, then either personally kill them or send them into the castle dungeon to rot."
"That's... uh... really horrible..." She replied. We walked up to the gate and were about to walk through when, "Halt!" A guard stopped us, "Do you have any identity?"
"No, sir, I don't." I replied. He stared blankly into my eyes. He called over the other guard to search us. He began to search my boot when he found my knife. "What's this?" He asked.
"It's a means of self-defense." I replied, "If you'd been on this journey with us, you'd understand." He grunted and handed back my knife. "You may pass." He said. He eyed Lehkuna then stepped aside. We walked inside the gate and to the inn. "One night please." I said and handed him the gold coins. We walked up to the second floor and to the farthest room.
I walked over to the window and closed it. "You can take out your tails and ears now if you want." Before I could turn around, she had already wrapped three of her tails around me. She jumped onto the bed on the right this time and again right on top of me, nearly knocking the wind out of me. almost seems like she can control her own weight at times. She rolled to the side of me and wrapped more of her tails around me until my entire body was covered. "Hey, let go, this isn't comfortable!" But, alas, she was already asleep. I tried to wriggle free, but she held me tightly.
Might as well get some sleep... After a bit of struggling to get free, I end up falling asleep.
I woke up with the sun light in my eyes. Lehkuna was still asleep. I nudged her, but she didn't wake up. I nudged her, and possibly hurting her, she then woke up. "Hey, that hurt!" She whined. She unwrapped me so I could get up. "We should go ahead and leave now. You said west, right?" She nodded. "Okay let's go." We exited the inn and continued to the left side of the town. Before leaving the town, a guard stopped us, "His royal highness would like to have a word with you two." My blood turned to ice. This isn't good... "We really need to go." I said. The guards picked both me and Lehkuna up by the back of the neck and walked us to the castle.
They threw us into a hallway and shut the doors behind us. Two large doors opened up and a figure walked through it. "Hello, you two! Welcome to my castle!" It was the prince. I was beginning to get nervous. "What do you want?" I asked.
"Well that's rude..." He said, "I just wanted to meet a traveler and such a, beautiful young lady." He turned his back to us and called out, "It's settled, we're getting married at noon! Guards send this one to the dungeon, and prepare to execute him, tomorrow." He turned to Lehkuna, "And send her, to my room..." He gave a monstrous grin and walked through the set of doors.
The guards grab me by the back of the neck and drag me into the castle dungeon then toss me into a cell. They're strong, but not smart. I waited until they all left then I pull out two hairpins and begin to pick the lock. The left hairpin nearly breaks, but I manage to bust out. I peak into a room and notice a guard, asleep on a chair. I tip-toe over to him and carefully take off his helmet. I pull out my knife,_ gods forgive this act,_ and pierce his skull. I drag his blood stained body to a hidden spot and take his armor off to use as a disguise.
The prince's room should be at the top floor. I hurry to the top floor and come across a huge metal door. I could hear the prince in there talking to Lehkuna. I push the door open and the prince turns to look at me, but with my disguise he believes I am a guard, but I'm not sure Lehkuna believes it. "What are you doing here? You'r a rookie, your supposed to be at the training grounds!" I close the door behind me and slowly walk towards the prince. "Lehkuna, cover your eyes." I said. I pull the knife from my boot and quickly shove it through his neck. I take of the guards armor and put it on the prince, so the castle won't panic when they see this.
"Come on," I said, "We need to get out of here." We left the castle and quickly raced out of the town through the west gate. Once we got far enough from the castle we stopped to rest. I turned my focus to her, "Your not hurt, are you?" She shook her head and began to cry. I payed no mind to it, all I said was, "Which way to your village now." She pointed towards a nearby forest, I guess her kind would like to be hidden from human kind. We walked into the forest, it must've been quite a while, because it began to get dark.
"Hey, are we almost there? We should probably make camp soon." I suggested. She shook her head tears still rolling down her cheek. We came across an opening. There were burnt down buildings, you could tell because the wood was charred and rotted. Lehkuna fell to her knees and began to cry harder. "Hey what's wrong?" I asked. She replied with a whisper, "This is it... but where is everyone? Why is there no life here..." I walked towards her, "Just leave," she said angrily, " I want to be alone."
"Why would I just up and leave you here?" I asked. She got up and turned to me, "I said, leave!" Her tails and ears appear and her red eyes sparkle in the moonlight, she looks like some sort of monster. "Sorry," I said calmly, "but I distinctly remember making a promise, about two days ago." She calmed down, it seems as if she remembered as well. "Yes, I remember as well, thank you... but... please, I just want to be alone."
"Fine then..." I said walking away, I stop and look back, "If you ever think of stopping by my village, come by my house..." I continue to walk away and make my long journey back home. After another week of traveling alone, I finally make it back home. It was night by the time I reached my house. I step inside and set my satchel on a nearby chair._ Guess I'm on my own again..._ I walk to my room and lie down on my bed,_ It feels good to be back in a familiar area..._ It begins to rain I slowly begin to drift off to sleep.
I wake up due to the sound of someone knocking on my door._ Who could that be this hour?_ "Who's there?" I call out, but no answer. I open the door to see no one there. I walk back to my room and lie back down. I roll on my side and the next thing I see are red eyes. I fall off my bed, and I heard a voice saying, "I thought I'd drop by..."