“Good. If we lose that, we might as well hand over our necks to Exador and his minions. Is everything else about ready?”
Jehenna looked around the huge underground cavern where the escape wagons were being loaded and the mounted men were lining up in formation. She then looked down the primary escape tunnel where the lead wagons and horses were already lined up and ready to go, waiting at the edge of the wards. “Give us about another twenty minutes for the last of the wagons to get loaded, before you adjust the wards, then I’ll give the order to begin the pull out, and you can send the last of the soldier down the tunnel as you get your illusions in place.” She looked at Lenamare for agreement.
“Very well, naturally all my things are prepared and in that wagon,” he pointed to the wagon right behind Jehenna’s. “It of course goes without saying that my illusions are ready any time that you are. So if there is nothing else, I shall go up to the courtyard and await your signal?”
“Excellent, my lord, and then we meet tomorrow night...” Jehenna trailed off with an invitational smile.
“Oh yes,” replied Lenamare with an answering smile. With that he turned and slowly made his way back up the sloping passageway that led to the main stables. As he left, Jehenna returned to inspecting the work of the packers. Satisfied that everything was correct on her wagon, she took the book, quickly weaving a Spell of Unnoticing around her wagon. She then placed the book beneath the driver seat, no one the wiser.
Dispelling the glamour a few feet away from her wagon, Jehenna noticed the senior student Jenn passing by. “Jenn,” she called. The girl halted and turned to face her. She nodded respectfully, but Jehenna did detect a slight bit of trepidation in her eyes and movement; good, she thought. “You, my dear, have been selected to ride in my wagon with me.”
A look of surprise quickly crossed the girls face, but then she quickly replied, “Thank you ma’am, I’m grateful for your consideration.”
“Think nothing of it, in times like these, we women must stick together.” Jehenna replied confidently and with a slight air of condescension.
Right, thought Jenn with a small amount of despair. The bitch didn’t care anything for female camaraderie, she just wants someone who is in her party, aside from her that knows healing spells in case of trouble. Lucky me. As Jehenna turned back to her business, Jenn took her few possessions, which she was carrying and placed them into Jehenna’s already crowded wagon. The woman seemed to literally be taking everything she owned, furniture and all. She found a place for her clothes satchel under a small night stand, and her bag of herbs she placed in a basket near the seat. Her diary however, presented a problem, there didn’t seem to be any more secure places to put it. Carefully she rearranged a few things, and finally found an opening that revealed some extra storage space under the front bench. Bending the little leather book slightly she squeezed it into place underneath the seat, and then replaced the few things she’d moved.
Next she went looking for the kids; Sidney, Rupert, Gloria and Chass had been assigned to Jehenna’s team. Jenn had been going to sit with them and keep them company, but now it seemed they’d just have to be content with Master Trisfelt. Actually, they should be safe with him, the pudgy master always looked out for the students. In fact, it was odd that their group should have two masters, one of the other groups had Master Elrose, and the rest only had senior students. Master Hortwell had not yet returned, and for some unknown reason Lenamare and Jehenna had insisted on having another master in this group. Which was somewhat surprising, since while not quite as egotistical as Lenamare, Jehenna was not exactly modest when it came to extolling her own powers.
She found the children in the third wagon back from hers, Master Trisfelt had just loaded them and was scurrying off on some last minute detail. Gloria and Chass seemed to be a bit frightened. Sidney was professionally rearranging things in the wagon for his own convenience and Rupert was staring around with his intent little stare. As she approached, Rupert’s eyes fixed on her.
“Does Mistress Jehenna have the binding ring for the big demon?” he asked her.
What a strange question, thought Jenn with surprise as she came up to the edge of the wagon. “I don’t know, I’d assume either she or Lenamare, and Lenamare wouldn’t bother to use it, so probably. But why do you ask? If you’re afraid she might call on it and let it get out of hand, don’t worry,” said Jenn, trying to calm her own fears on that matter as well as the boy’s. “Jehenna is a first class wizard, she could control it without the ring, and with it, there can be no problems. Plus both Master Trisfelt and I will be here to help her.”
“Afraid? of it?” Rupert actually looked a bit puzzled, “no, I was just hoping I might get to see it up close sometime, that’s all.” Rupert actually seemed to cheer up at her news.
Good Goddess, thought Jenn, what a twisted little kid, probably wants to specialize in demonology. She smiled though, twisted or not, at least the child was holding up well under the pressure of the situation.
Seeing her hesitant smile, Rupert quickly added, “Besides, if we’re pursued, we want to have all the help we can get.”
Holding up extremely well, thought Jenn. “Well, you’re certainly right about that. How are the rest of you doing?” Jenn asked as she turned her attention to the other three kids.
“This is going to be a miserable trip, this wagon is extremely uncomfortable. I don’t like it,” stated Sidney. Gloria simply sniffled.
“Well, sitting in an uncomfortable wagon is better than sitting on one of Exador’s swords,” quipped Rupert, more sprightly than his usual want. Jenn gave him a disapproving stare as Chass gasped and clasped himself even tighter. “Now don’t worry, its only for a week and then we’ll reach Freehold. You can put up with it for a little while, can’t you?”
“I suppose,” Sydney said, looking sourly at Rupert, who was almost acting joyful for once. At this point Master Trisfelt returned from his mission carrying a large sack over his shoulder.
“And what have we here?” inquired Jenn of Master Trisfelt playfully, knowing very well what he had.
“Ah my dear, lesson number three hundred and seventy six-never enter the wilderness without proper provisioning. There were a few sweets left over from dinner last night, and I thought the children might enjoy them.” He smiled graciously down at the children, all of whose ears had perked up at the mention of sweets.
“And perhaps a bit of refreshment for their protector also?” she asked mock archly of him.
“Well, my dear girl, one can hardly expect a man of my accomplishments to ride in this wagon with young students, without fair compensation,” Trisfelt said jovially as he patted a large wineskin hanging by a rope over his shoulder.
“I suppose, we must make some allowances,” conceded Jenn with assumed despair. “Very well then, I’m afraid I must make my way back to my wagon. I’m riding with the Lady herself.”
Trisfelt’s smile abruptly turned to a mock frown of concern, “Oh my, then I’m afraid you may need this skin more than I, if you are to survive this trip.” Jenn laughed at this, and waving turned and made her way back to Jehenna’s wagon, feeling better than she had in days.
As she reached her wagon, she found Jehenna seated and ready to go. “I trust you are finally ready?”
“Yes, ma’am, just checking on the children.” Suddenly Jenn felt the change in the air around her, the wards had been shifted to allow them to leave the castle.
“Very well then, get up here.” Jehenna pointed to the seat beside her, the driver’s seat. Naturally someone of Jehenna’s position could not be seen driving a wagon. “I shall give the signal.” Quickly, she sketched a symbol in the air, murmured a few words, and blew gently through her lips. Trumpets seemed to blare throughout the cavern. Reverberating to the beginning of the line and up the tunnel to the courtyard where Lenamare stood ready to cast illusions of a replacement garrison, changing posts with the current guards.