If Sam Cortland Lived

Chapter 5

Arrows were being fired at them from all directions, bullets grazing just by Sam's clothes. He could barely catch his breath as he ran towards that wall--that freedom. That's all he could think of as he cradled Celaena to him.

Free. Free. Free from them.

He couldn't stop it, and it was all that kept him from stopping short. They were never going to catch him now. He ran, flipping off the top of the gate and over it, holding Celaena. The guards looked on in amazement, pausing.

Sam ran into the woods, leaving Endovier far behind him, his only thought still echoing, free.

~~~~

Celaena woke to the bumping of someone running, sticks snapping, leaves being crushed. She barely opened her eyes before mumbling, "S-Sam..?"

Sam didn't hear. He had been running for what felt like hours, but had really only been a few minutes. He collapsed, rolling as he wrapped himself around her protectively, and only stopped once at the bottom of the hill he had fallen on.

The wet grass caused his clothes to cling to his skin with his sweat, his breathing ragged and heavy. Celaena couldn't even imagine what had happened - all she knew was the smell of salt was gone. Endovier was gone.

Gone? Could it really be gone? What had happened?

Before she could ask, Sam was explaining, having caught his breath. He was barely making sense. He had escaped?

Sam smiled down to her, "We have to keep moving.." He was picking her up before she could respond and was carrying her back on their way, in the shadows of the path they took there. It would be a long journey back, if it was a 2 week trek by horse, and they had no food, money, or water.

Sam was strong, she knew he would make it. But would she with her injuries? She didn't know how long she had even been out cold before. He couldn't carry her the whole way.

She seemed to have all her questions answered when a guard was coming down the pathway with another prison cart. Only one guard? Quite odd. But he was covered in blood. Animal attacks perhaps.

Sam seemed to have a plan in mind already as he laid her beside a tree, grabbing a large stick. He quickly threw a few rocks in the path, distracting the horses, and the driver. Before the guard could react, Sam had driven the stick through his throat, throwing him off the coachman's seat. He picked her up, laying her on the seat before checking to see if there were others within.

"Only supplies!" He yelled to her. Celaena smiled to herself. A miracle.

Sam shut the doors, coming back with a few apples, and a bag of medical supplies, and extra clothes.

"Take off your shirt, these will help."

Celaena rolled her eyes, wincing as he helped her pull off her dirty shirt. He moved her so he could check the wounds, undoing the old filthy bandages, replacing them with the fresh ones, along with a salve to help it heal even faster. Celaena stared forward, eventually falling asleep again.

~~~~

Sam finished on her back and ate a few of the apples, giving one to each horse. He saw Celaena sleeping peacefully beside her, and smiled. She was beautiful. Pulling a blanket over her, he began driving the horses back towards Rifthold. He would get what money he could there, take their belongings from the loft still bound to be full, and they would go far. Maybe a different continent. New names, new lives.

He could see it now. Happiness. Freedom. It continued to echo through his mind, until he couldn't stop smiling. They would both be free, of Arobynn, the king, everyone. They'd have each other and they'd be happy.

Happiness wasn't something known to either of them it had always seemed. Now was their chance.

Two weeks till Rifthold. Maybe a day or two from there. And the first boat off the continent, somewhere far away. She had spoken fondly of the silent assassins. Maybe there?

No matter, he had to get them there first. She would be healed within a few nights with the new supplies, and now he knew they wouldn't starve. He stroked her cheek, riding in the silence of the peaceful forest.

A home. Far from here. And it would be all theirs.