Young Writers Society

Coal

"Fine. But I'm taking Michael," Keturah, as I had now found her name to be, decided.

"Oh no. Slit will keep a good, close eye on you," The man in charge sneered. Keturah hesitated but clearly saw no point in arguing. She snatched the pack from Michael and I followed her outside. She blatantly ignored me as I mounted Danny's - my - horse and we set out again.

"You know, you shouldn't hang out with such horrible people," I noted. She did not respond. In fact she was even more frosty with Slit than she was with Danny.

"Aren't you going to thank me for disposing of that guy back there?" I demanded.

"I'm beginning to think I was better off with him," Keturah spat.

"You are? You don't like me then I take it." Of course I already knew she didn't but a little prying couldn't hurt.

"Like you?" Keturah exclaimed. "What could ever give you that idea? Of course I don't like you!"

Woah. I've neglected this very badly. Sorry!

Keturah

I scowled, partly because I wanted there to be no mistake as to how I felt towards him, partly because it would get me in far less trouble than cutting his throat would.I walked more quickly, hoping in vain to lose him. I shook my head. "You better not mess this job up for me, Slit." I muttered darkly.He laughed.

I clenched my fists and pressed my lips together tightly. I'd have killed him myself then and there if it weren't for the fact that Oliver would find out about and and make me pay mightily for it for the entirity of whatever remained of my life. Besides, I wasn't all that sure that I could take him, skilled as he was, though of course I'd never admit to that.

Sighing, I stopped and pulled out a tattered old map from my pocket, so I could establish how best to get to the palace.

"Are we lost?" He asked, almost amused.

"Of course not!" I scoffed. "You forget who you're dealing with. Now, will you shut up and let me concentrate?" I frowned down at the map, examining the various different routes which I could take, eventually finding one which would suit. It wasn't quite the most discreet, but my real preference would have taken far too long.

"Come on." I muttered, stuffing it back into my pocket. "If you're coming with me, then you'll have to keep."

Coal

"I can keep up just fine," I claimed and of course it was true with me on the horse and her walking though had the roles been reversed, I might have had some difficulty. She led the way off the path and through a dense thicket of trees until we reached a large weeping willow.

"Tie the horse up somewhere near by and then follow me." I did as she said and watched curiously as she walked under the branches of the weeping willow.

"Well? Are you coming?" she demanded after a moment's hesitation.

"Just tying the horse up," I called back and then casually followed her, finding to my amazement that there was a gaping hold at the base of the tree. I watched her drop down and then followed, finding myself in a small earthen tunnel.

"According to the map, we need to go this way until we reach the second fork on the left," Keturah murmured.

"Oh good and where exactly are we going?" She turned and raised an eyebrow.

"He didn't tell you?" she asked.

"Nope, said you'd fill me in on the way."

"Typical."

Keturah

I rolled my eyes. "We're going to the palace." I wouldn't give any more information than that, not if I could help it.

"What for?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I'll tell you when the time comes." I snapped, not entirely sure that this was true.

I frowned, surveying the path before me. "We'll need to go this way." I murmered, half to myself, inclining my head left, where the second fork in the road had appeared. I had deliberately chosen the more deserted of the two paths. I seemed to be attracting a lot of unwanted company that day, and I could do without attracting any more.

Coal

"Left sounds good," I decided. This seemed to irritate her and she stormed past me but then, she was very easy to annoy. I smiled to myself and followed, finding my legs a little stiff after all that riding.

"So do you visit the palace often?" I asked cheerily. She did not reply but instead hurried on down another fork and for the next half an hour I had trouble keeping up with her, weaving paths back and forth through the tunnels until I began to think it a labyrinth designed to trap Slit - me - inside. Then she came to an abrupt halt and looked up.

"Here," she said. She tucked the map away and jumped, grabbing hold of a well concealed handle on the ceiling of the tunnel. She twisted it, her feet still hanging above the ground and then a small trap door opened outwards and she climbed through.

I jumped and grabbed the ledge with one hand, levering myself through with a swift movement and then closing the door softly behind. I turned to smirk at her.

"Got to like this body," I commented with a grin.

"Well I don't," she replied.

Keturah

"And you're going to have to be quiet! If this goes wrong, it's on both of our heads, remember?"

Without waiting for a response, I glanced around, then consulted my map again, straining my eyes in the darkness.

"Servants' quarters are this way." I murmured, turning around to see where slit was. "Hurry!" I whispered, making my way down the dark corridor. I wanted to position myself close enough to the servants' quarters that I'd be ready when they settled down for the night, and the corridors could take some time to maneuver. "What did I say about holding me up?"

Coal

"Looks like we're in the dungeons," I remarked casually as Keturah scrutinised the map. She gritted her teeth and I smiled happily. Patting my pockets, I found the usual packet of matches and lit one.

"What are you doing?" Keturah hissed.

"You've set off their alarm system," I replied. "A new one they installed last week. Come on, before they find us."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded. I rolled my eyes and took hold of her wrist. She turned and slapped me just as the sound of charging footsteps rang out above us. Hurriedly I pushed her to the side of the room, blew out the candle and switched my features, hoping she had the sense to remain silent.

"Who goes there?" A guard called out, carrying a lantern. I stepped around the circle of light, knowing my disguise wasn't quite perfect.

"Put that out!" I commanded in the voice of the eldest prince. "Put that out at once and leave me be."

Keturah

I was impressed but I didn't show it. Maybe Slit wasn't such a burden after all. I shook my head, hating to have to ask for advice. "How do I avoid setting it off again?"