Sister (Anna POV)

“I will see you soon my sweet Anna, farewell for now,” Veatrice says to me before darting to the Queen’s quarters.

‘Be safe Veatrice, please be safe,’ I think as I run towards the kitchen to do as my sister asked. I grab enough food for me and at least five others, putting and feather-light spell on the pack before placing it on my back. I grab a small sword and three daggers along with a belt that I attach to my waist. I take two more daggers and slip them into the knee-high boots I had grabbed.

“Anna we can’t take these. The guards will whip us,” Louise, my best friend, says in a panic coming up behind me. I fit her with boots two daggers and tuck her skirt into a belt I cinch around her waist.

“The guards are going to be too busy fighting to care about us,” I say swearing under my breath before turning to those that were behind us.

“Grab what you can carry and what you need to fight. Do not take anything you can’t use in the mountains,” I yell as I run to the door to check if the corridor to the stables was clear. It was, so after checking on the group, I grab Louise’s hand and headed to the stables. I see three ready carriages and a cart. I grab four horses and attach them to the cart, leaving the biggest carriage for Veatrice.

“Leave seven horses and the biggest carriage for the queen and Veatrice. Take what we need to make it to the mountains,” I say grabbing a fresh stallion and saddling it quickly. I then grab tools and supplies to fix the cart, placing them into the cart before pushing Louise into the driver’s seat. The few guards that had come to the stables were setting up the other carriages, including preparing the biggest for our Queen. They place supplies on the back of the largest carriage before working on the other carriages. I look back at the group of slaves and servants looking lost on where to go.

“Who can fight, ride or drive?” I ask the crowd. A few men step up and start to help the guards with the carriages. I start to filter through the crowd of raised hands into place until only the ones that did not raise their hands were left.

“Those of you who can’t walk or run will be riding with someone or in the cart or carriages,” I say as I grab the hand of a young boy, I could not remember the name of.

“Can you make sure the midwives and the cook get into the Queen’s carriage?” I ask him “it is going to be scary to wait but I need someone to make sure they are here for her. Can you do that?” The young boy got a scared look on his face before it changed to determination.

“Yes,” he says before running to the door towards the midwives’ quarters. I smile after him before going to open the stable doors. The servants, slaves, and guards finish with the carriages and carts before filing into them. They slowly start to move them out of the stable doors. The ones on horses followed after. I grabbed my horse and place him outside before grabbing one of the brooms.

‘Knowing Veatrice she would sweep the tracks from the door,’ I think before doing just that. I close the doors and walk behind the slow-moving carven erasing the tracks I could see. When we were just over the small hill I stopped and swing up onto the saddle of my horse. I ride towards the front of the carven. Those that were walking started to speed up when I get to the front.

“Follow me, I know the way. Try to keep up with us and be quiet. However, if you start to fall behind, keep heading west, in this direction, and you will come across two willow trees. We will be there,” I say before turning my horse to the west and starting a light trot a pace. I hear the doors of the palace being pounded before I’m too far away. I pick up the pace slightly aware of the people on foot. Soon we reach the willow trees. The caravan stops before the two trees looking shocked at the wall of stone in front of them. I hear a chorus of panicked voices, concerned they had been tricked into hope.

“Stay calm and quiet people,” I yell over them, “we will wait for any stragglers before going into the mountains.” Now there was disbelief made known with the panic. I sigh before dismounting from my horse and walking to the wall of stone. I take a dagger from my belt and cut a shallow cut across my palm. I squeeze my palms together covering them in blood. I place them onto the stone wall before pushing magic into my hands and the wall beneath. Just as Veatrice had said the magic flares across the stone wall from the bloody hand prints. I remove my palms and wait. It takes a few minutes before anything happens.

There were gasps before silence fell behind me as the wall folds into itself creating a hole big enough for all the people behind me. I turn and see the shocked faces of the people I have saved. I walk slowly towards them with my hands to my sides to show them I mean no harm.

“All I ask of you is that we get to safety before you ask me questions or accuse me of wanting to harm you,” I say calmly. I wait a few minutes before the group start to file into the entrance.

“Take the first left and then the second right,” I say as they move past me. I see some stragglers just cresting the hill and running toward us. I grab my horse and mount him. I ride towards the two younger women at the back.

“Are there any more?” I ask circling behind them.

“No… but the gates…” the women started out of breath, “I heard the gates fall and the guards fighting before I heard horses and saw lights coming behind us” I turn my horse to look behind them as they had for the opening. I send a spell to my eyes to see in the distance and through the darkness. I see the gates start to burn, the flames licking up the stone walls. I look to the stables and see them close after a carriage goes through.

‘That’s the Queen's carriage. Veatrice must have stayed behind,’ I think before the beating of hoofs sound in my ears and I see torches headed for me.

“Run, here use my horse. I'll hold them back,” I say riding my horse next to one of the running women. I pull the younger of the two up onto the saddle before slipping off the back to help the older get on.

“Go, turn left then the second right after the entrance,” I yell as I slap the horse to run. I turn to the sound of approaching hoof beats just as the light comes over the hill. I take my short sword out from my belt as I see the enemy flag and crest on the soldiers headed towards me.