no_thief | [with Thomas]

If she could climb like the boy who helped her up to the roof the other day -- but she can't, not by herself.

She clutches a length of half-rotten sacking around her head and shoulders, for what little concealment it'll offer, and edges toward the doorway into the common room.

Five steps. It's five steps to the front door, and the main road, and if she can get from there to the woods then she has a chance of staying hidden. And then she can ... well, follow the road to the next town.

Kaya swallows hard, and clenches her grimy fists, and takes one last look at the room before she moves.

Step one and two, they don't see her, step three there's a hoarse shout from one of the men as she's spotted, and on the fourth they begin moving. Tall, lumbering and intent on their capture.

On the shout she doesn't look back, but lowers her head and breaks into a sprint, hitting the door hard --

There's another guardsman outside, already reaching out as his long legs start to close the space between them.

She dodges his grab with her heart hammering in her ears, nearly stumbles as she turns to race up the road.

The guards continue to shout, their numbers and their cacophony growing as they group together then spread out in an attempt to catch her.

In the distance, there's thunder.

She doesn't hear it over the thunder of her own heart, the sobbing of her own breath in her ears, the pounding of bootheels on the dirt road behind her.

The edge of the town and the forest beyond is too far away. There's no way she'll reach it in time.

The thundering gets louder, and there's more shouting and the creak of a carriage and it get's louder and closer until there's a hand grasping the back of her shirt and pulling her up and onto the driver's perch.

No! --

A breathless scream escapes her, and she's struggling to pull free of the grip on her shirt even before she feels the bench under her.

There's a grunt as Thomas tries to keep her steady while getting her safe.

"Easy! It's okay, it's okay, you're safe, it's okay."

Kaya has just time to give Thomas one swift look, recognition turning into disbelief.

Safe is ... perhaps a slight overstatement, as is demonstrated a moment later when a crossbow quarrel punches halfway through the back of the driver's perch, missing Thomas's side by inches.

He utters a surprised curse at the crossbow bolt and motions for her to get low, doing the same himself. Next he leans forward, lightly touching the flank of one of the horses, and, as some sort of signal, both of them take off at greater speed.

Gaining more ground now, he chances a lean over to one side to glance at their pursuers.

They're falling behind, in the dust of the road; still pursuing, but none of them have horses, and they can't match the carriage's pace.

Another few bolts are fired, one caroming off a wheel (but failing to do any damage) and one sticking into the back of the carriage, the others all missing.

"Keep going," says Kaya hoarsely, from where she's crouched on the footboard. "They won't stop, they'll kill you --"

Smiling fondly, he reaches out almost lazily to ruffle her bangs.

"Not my first escape from the law, kiddo. I can handle this."

They've gained good ground now, line of sight lost once they break into the trees. The horses go for just a bit longer before slowing to a stop and Thomas casts an anxious look behind them.

"Quick, check the carriage for anything useful, then we have to move."

She scrambles over the back of the driver's perch and into the carriage proper, ready to ransack.

It doesn't look likely to hold much that's practical; a wealthy young person's day-excursion carriage, not something intended for any journey longer or more arduous than around the square and back.

Kaya's searching under the seats, though, just in case. She's already gotten hold of a heavy wool lap blanket.

While Kaya ransacks the carriage, Thomas keeps a lookout for any more company. There's none to be seen for the moment, so he moves in front of the horses, an apple appearing from within his pockets, along with a quick flash of knife to cut the fruit in two.

He's just finished feeding them when a bird enters the clearing, Kaya likely missing the way it lands in his hair and chirps at him before taking off.

"We need to go," he calls after the girl. "The horses will lead them for a merry chase, and if we're lucky, we'll be able to loop back around to the town."

Her head emerges from the carriage, eyes wary.

"I'm not going back to the town."

He eyes her in return, making a soft noise of consideration.

"Alright, I suppose. I've lived on less in the way of supplies. Come on, then."

She jumps down from the carriage and backs away a few steps, eyeing him.

He arches a brow in return.

"Yes?"

She glances back the way they came, and her train of thought is almost visible: better him than the soldiers.

"You don't have to go with me."

He shrugs easily and begins to move. Otherwise the soldiers will be on their asses.

"I wouldn't have said I would if I wasn't going to follow through."

She stares at him a moment longer, then shakes herself. "We have to move fast," she says, "and not leave a trail. We should try to find water to cross."

"Of course," he says, canting his head in a direction. "They'll come from that way, but they'll likely follow the horses for a time. That'll allow us some distance."

Thomas lifts a hand towards the horses as he moves, as if in farewell, and the horses take off once more, leaving them.

For a little while there's no talk, just hurried movement through the tangled underbrush.

It isn't long before they hear the low murmur of a creek, not far away. Kaya turns to make for the sound.

Thomas follows, walking next to her and remaining alert for any extra sounds in the underbrush. The creek is welcome, though, because it should make the going a little easier, especially when he guides Kaya down a narrow deer trail.

When they find it, it's broad but shallow, running swift and bright over a stony bottom.

Kaya bends and scoops up a handful to drink thirstily.

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