Minstrel

Chapter #36 ~ Creak

Four days before Stans would die. Creak didn't like how close they were cutting it, but the twins told her it would be worse to not take breaks.
Stans was growing weaker and the winter air wasn't helping him. They had found a new cabin; it wasn't as nice as the last one but it would still work.

Creak didn't like stopping every two hours, but Stans was getting colder. They had to keep him warm or he wouldn't make it through another night. As it was he was bearly still breathing.

Riptide had just come back from collecting wood and Vern was working on starting a fire, when Aria came running into cabin.

"We have to leave. Now." She started throwing her medical supplies back into her bag.

Vern got up, the fire forgotten. "Why? What's happening?"

Then his ears twitched at a sound Creak couldn't yet hear. His dark skin paled and he scrambled to get his things together.

"What is it?" Rip asked slightly annoyed. Just like Creak, he couldn't hear what the elves were hearing.

Aria looked at him. "The king's men are here. We have to leave."

Rip pale. Though they were after all of them, Rip was the one they would die to capture. Shaking, he put this things in his bag and stood.

Core stood with Stans in his arms. "Let's go."

Creak moved to walk out the door, but Aria's voice made her freeze.
"Wait." She listened and turned. "It's too late they're right outside the door."

Creak shook and backed away from the door. "What do we do? Stans won't survive if we get capture! None of us will survive in the king's hands!"

Vern blushed. "You might be wrong about that."

Creak turned to look at him. She had never seen Vern so scared or determined. He had an idea and Creak had a feeling she wasn't going to like it. "What do mean?"

Vern looked around the room and stopped when he got to Creak. "If the king had any of you he would kill you, but he might not kill me."

Aria got suddenly angry. "You've been working with him, haven't you! I should have know better than to trust a Grounder!"

Vern put his hands up defensively. "No, no. I'm not working with the king. If I've ever helped him, I promise it wasn't on purpose. I'm just saying he might keep me alive."

Core narrowed his eyes. "Why would the king do that?"

Vern smiled painfully at them and looked at Creak. "Do you remember when I told you I sold the king some drawing to help my kingdom get out of debt?"

She nodded, unsure what that had to do with anything.

Vern shook. "Those drawing were creatures I'd dreamed of. Nightmares. And the king brought them to life."

Vern looked towards the door. "All those beasts that attacked us. The wolf that almost killed your brother... I created them."

He looked around the group and gesture towards Stans limp body. "I did this."

Rip looked at Vern with pain. "But that doesn't mean King Florence would keep you alive?"

Vern looked at him and an understanding passed between them. "It might." He thought aloud. "If the king runs out of beasts and needs a new one, he'll come to me."

Aria looked at him with disgust. "And you'll help him, again."

Vern shook his head. "I would never help that man. Not after what he did to my family."

Rip looked at the door. "Why don't I just go out there? I can distract them while you guys escape."

Vern put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "No. You need to get to the rebels. They need you more then they me."

He looked at all of them and Creak felt her heart crack. "I've got this."
He smiled faintly. "I'll show them something they've never seen before. Once I go out there, sneak out the back and don't look back. I'll be fine."

If her brother hadn't been dying, Creak wouldn't have let her best friend go. She wrapped her arms around Vern and squeezed him. She didn't want him to go. She didn't want the king to have him.

Looking up at him, Creak made a promise. "I'll come for you." She said. "I won't leave you there alone for long. Once I'm sure my brother's okay, I'll come for you."

Vern smiled and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'll expect nothing less, brass bandit."

With a quick kiss on her forehead, Vern released Creak and turned to the door.

Rip looked at him. "What do you plan on doing?"

Vern smiled and held up a canteen. "You ever seen a drunk elf?"

Rip's eyes widened, but before he could say anything Vern opened the door and staggered towards the knights.

"Okay." Aria said. "That's our a cue to leave."

They went out the backdoor and, like Vern had asked them to, they didn't look back. Not even when they heard a painful crack and solid thump as Vern was knocked out cold.