“Now don’t fidget while I’m gone or you might wrinkle your beautiful new suit. It would probably be best if you stood in the middle of the room until I got back. Yes, just like that. Your new master should be arriving soon,” the page added before closing and locking the door behind him.
When the bolt slid into its place, Xander felt trapped for the first time. His spirits fell even further as the door was unlocked again all too soon. This time however, it was not the page that had been helping him dress. Tyra’s now familiar face peeked around the door. “Xander? Are you okay?” She snuck around the door and shut it, but didn’t bother to lock it. “Everyone in the palace is talkin’ about ya. They’re sayin’ that your new master is almost here and that you don’t want to go with him!” She ran to him and hugged him tightly about the waist. “Let’s run away. That way we can be friends always and nobody can take you away from me ever! An’ nobody can make you be all locked up either!” She was now trying to drag him bodily toward the door.
“Tyra, honey, wait a second. We can’t just run away. What if they catch us? And besides, where would we go?”
Tyra rolled her eyes. “Xan-der. We won’t get caught ‘cuz I found a secret way outta the palace. I know that nobody uses it ‘cuz my daddy showed me how to look at the ground and see if anyone has been there but the ground it really dirty and there aren’t any footprints other than mine in there. So it’s real safe. See? I though of everything.”
Xander laughed at the puffed up little girl. “Did you get any food for us?”
“Oh. No, I didn’t think about that,” Tyra appeared to deflate which made Xander laugh even harder.
He had been thinking while she was talking. “Does your secret way happen to go by the kitchens?”
Tyra brightened. “Yeah! It does! I can sneak in an’ grab some food for us. See, if I do it, nobody will notice ‘cuz I’m always in there gettin’ food for someone.”
The two conspirators talked for a few minutes more. Xander thought it would be better for him to be leashed as usual in the halls so that if anyone, except a select few people, wouldn’t think anything of it as they walked by. A quick search of the room showed that all his clothes had already been packed away and taken somewhere else. He did notice they left the canvas bag in his hamper. It was empty, but would be perfect for putting food in. He also grabbed some of the thick bath towels so that he could wrap the food and keep it fresh.
The walk to Tyra’s passage seemed much too long for Xander’s tastes. He glanced around nervously while Tyra opened it and then dissapeared in after her. The passage was a long, dark staircase that spiraled into the depths of the palace. Regular landings provided access to the palace from many points. Tyra stopped at one such landing and listened at the door. “Wait here,” she whispered and then went out the door.
It wasn’t long before she knocked to be let in. She carried a very full tray. There were several small loaves of bread, a large hunk of cheese, some apples, and two covered bowls of stew. Xander wrapped the bowls carefully so that they wouldn’t spill then set them in the bottom of the bag. The other food was similarly wrapped and placed. He added the tray so that he would have something flat to put against his back. Tyra had removed his leash and collar, which Xander added to the bag as an afterthought. You never knew what might come in handy. Also, he didn’t want to leave too much evidence of their passage.
Xander rigged the bag so that it hung securely on his back and they continued down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, a dirt tunnel continued foward. It had a slight downward angle, but Xander had no clue what that meant. Eventually they came to a sturdy door. When Tyra lugged it open, Xander got his first glance at the world.
“No, no. I’ll go directly to them. This is a delicate matter, and it would be extremely rude of me to do any less.”
The page bowed before following Jaesen down to the courtyard. A fairly large group was gathered there. “Aile McKie, I haven’t seen you in many years. How have you been? Well I hope,” Jaesen spoke as he helped the young woman to dismount, then hugged her.
“Aye, Master Jaesen, I am well. May I ask what brings you to meet us? I assumed that we would be escorted to your suite, as I was on the occasions I visited with father,” Aile returned the hug before speaking.
Jaesen swallowed nervously. “Ah, well... There seems to be a slight problem. Your burthday present has apparently decided to-how should I say this?-Xander has run away.”
Aile was shocked. “Run away? I fail to see how this is possible Master Jaesen. Not with your excellent security measures. How could he have just walked away?”
Jaesen looked around the courtyard as if the answer would jump out of the walls, or better yet, that Xander would come waltzing into the courtyard with a grin on his handsome face. Anything to keep him from answering. Sadly, nothing came to him and after a few moments of terse silence, he had to answer. “I don’t know how. A page was sent to collect him a few hours ago to find him gone. It hadn’t been more than half an hour since he had been locked alone. I don’t know what to tell you Aile.”
“You mean to tell me that a key managed to escape from a LOCKED AND WINDOWLESS ROOM?” Aile’s anger was boiling. “How did he manage that? Someone must be in on it. What pages had his key?” She demanded.
Jaesen paused to think. “Sebastien, Kyle, and Tyra. Sebastien and Kyle have been here long enough that they know never to fraternize with the keys-” “Tyra? That’s a girls name. I was unaware of any female pages. Are you sure that they didn’t run off together and become lovers?” Aile interrupted.
“Aile, she’s seven. I highly doubt that.”
That caused the highborn woman to pause. “Wait a minute...a seven year old page? Have you lost your mind? When I was ten I wasn’t allowed to leave your chambers. Hell, I wasn’t allowed in several of the rooms in your chambers. You let her play with the keys?”
“No, only Xander,” Jaesen was bemused. “Her father is an associate of mine who needed a place that she could be safe while he is... Indisposed. I figured Xander would be a safe charge. After all, he is the gentlest key here. When they first met he thought that she was a boy. They became friends. I thought it would be good for him to have a friend.”
“And how long was this friendship supposed to last?”
Jaesen looked sheepish again. “I was kind of hoping you would be willing to allow her to return with you. As you said yourself, the palace is no place for a young girl. She needs a motherly figure. You would make a wonderful role-model.”
Aile snorted. “Yes, we’ll discuss this matter further. However, there is one think that I would like to dicuss right now. I would like to know how you intend to find my key. It will be a short venture, I hope.”
Connor butted in before Jaesen could reply. “Maybe we could be of service, my lord. I have twenty of my best men here. They are well trained in hunting, and this would be a similar endeavor. We’ll leave right away.”
“Thank you Connor. I assume you will inform the men as to Xander’s appearance. You do remeber don’t you?” Jaesen was relived at the offer.
“How could I forget?” Connor grinned like a fool. “Dark hair, mysterious eyes, great ass... That shouldn’t be too hard to find. Do you know what he was wearing?”
Jaesen coughed. “I do believe it was a sheer green tunic with orange trim and black leggings.”
“Well, that makes it even easier. A hot guy in a really bright outfit. Gotcha. See ya in a few hours then!” Connor waved jautily as he and his men departed the courtyard. He couldn’t wait to see Xander again. Now that he thought about it, he had never given his key to Aile. That would just have to wait until he got back.
Aile turned to Jaesen. “Are you sure that was wise?”
Jaesen shrugged. “He’s your guardsman.”
Aile sighed and prayed to the Goddess that they would return soon. This was beginning to be a long trip.