The day started with a bang. Elyza shot up to her feet, her senses immediately on high alert to face the danger associated with the noise. Despite the grogginess that clung to her, she could make out a projectile hurtling toward her, raising her hands in a bid to intercept it. The object slipped between her arms and hit her squarely in her face. It bounced off her harmlessly, allowing Elyza to catch it in its rebound. It was a small bread roll. She glanced up to see Alex standing nearby, hand over his mouth, attempting to stifle his laughter.

Alex inhaled deeply, his expression shifting to a somewhat more serious one, “Your clothes looked old and tattered, so I got you some options,” he gestured towards a heap of clothes behind him. “Wear them, don’t, it doesn’t really matter much. There’s a bath downstairs if you want to clean up. Just be at the execution on time.”

“There’s an execution this early in the morning?” Elyza quizzically asked, still half-asleep.

“Early?” Alex said, pulling apart the blinds of the room’s one singular window. The sunlight flooded Elyza’s temporary lodgings, momentarily blinding her. She held up the bread roll to shield her eyes as they struggled to adapt. Alex continued as he opened the window, “I guess you’ve only been napping for a good thirteen and a half hours.”

He moved towards the door, adding, “Be at the town square in thirty minutes, and make sure to deal with any business you have left. Remember, you’re either dying or coming with me today. I have to prepare for something, so I’ll be on my way.” Alex declared as he ducked into the hallway. As she listened to his dampening footsteps, Elyza considered going back to sleep, but instead took a bite of the bread roll and stretched.

“And try to keep up with the prisoner afterward!,” Alex’s voice declared from outside the window.

She didn’t know who he was talking about, but Elyza’s weary body discouraged her from inquiring further. Even after a single day of hanging out with Alex, she felt as if she had become immune to his eccentricity. She started to sift through the pile of clothes, quickly finding a faded green shirt and paired it with some brown pants. But they fit her surprisingly well.

Walking out of the building, Elyza’s senses were ambushed. A multitude of smells attacked her nostrils, as the talking, murmuring, and whispering of the river of people overwhelmed her. It seemed like the town had transformed overnight. Stalls flanked the crowded street, many of them selling some kind of food. It seemed as if everyone was moving in the same direction, towards the castle, and considering what Alex had mentioned, must be where she had to be.

The longer she followed the crowd, the more her stomach growled, the fragrance of the salty and sweet pastries making Elyza salivate. Till one stall made her stop. It was selling some kind of rolled up pastry with what looked like a slice of cheese on top. She concluded, with this most likely being her last day, there was no reason for her not to gorge herself. But the main problem was that she was dirt poor.

Rummaging through her fanny pack, she heard a faint jingle of coins. Reaching into her pants’ padded pocket, she pulled out five silver coins. Elyza reminded herself to thank Alex, as she handed one coin to the seller, getting four of the rolls in return. She had expected them to be savoury, but the soft, slightly peppery dough combined with the surprisingly sweet cheese made them utterly irresistible and ensured that they were demolished within minutes. Elyza made it a point to visit every food stall she passed on her way to the execution site.

The crowd thickened as Elyza approached the Square. She easily peered over the sea of people and saw a guillotine at its centre. It had been set up on a wooden stage, looking ominous against the backdrop of the towering castle. Her ears perked up as they recognised the clatter of hooves growing louder. Elyza turned around to see a carriage being escorted by an entire regiment make its way through the street. The crowd started to pull Elyza aside, parting to form a path for the ten or so cavalry. The carriage they were escorted looked more like a coffin on wheels. The only opening was at the back of the carriage, a small barred hole in the reinforced door

The guards quickly established a perimeter around the stage, their presence pushing the crowd backwards. One of the horsemen gave some sort of signal that prompted the coachmen to respond with two resounding thumps on the carriage.

With a creaking groan, the door of the wagon swung open, revealing three fully armoured guards. Among them, one knight held a firm grip on the prisoner, who, in their plain attire and with a wooden rack obscuring their face, didn’t look worthy of the forces that surrounded them. Forced onto the stage, the prisoner’s head was placed onto the stock, and with a motion, the executioner locked it in place.

Soon enough, the drawbridge of the castle lowered, and a regiment of guards emerged, marching toward the square. Elyza’s keen eyes noted that among them was a paladin, distinguishable by the intricately crafted armour that adorned their form. As the knight took centre stage, the murmurs of the crowd dwindled to whispers.

“We have gathered the good people of Bäkelv here today to witness the execution of Liliana Hastings,” the paladin declared with a commanding presence. “She stands accused of leading a group that conspired against the temple of Juno and interfered with the personal affairs of the Earl.”

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The gleaming blade of the guillotine rose ominously, as the paladin turned towards the prisoner, “Confess your sins, or carry them into the Fields.”

“HALT THE EXECUTION!” a guard came charging from the castle gates, his urgency evident in every stride as he pushed through the crowd. The entire regiment around the execution formed a wall between him and the stage. The paladin addressed the interrupter in an annoyed tone, “What is the meaning of this?”

The guard, gasping for breath, hastily explained, “Captain, I have urgent news from the Countess.” With a swift nod from the knight, the guard was allowed to pass. The guard wasted no time climbing up the stage, his eyes briefly locking with Elyza’s. She didn’t need to hear their hushed conversation to know what news the guard carried. The paladin’s demeanour quickly changed, ordering the executioner, “Get her back into her restraints,” As the executioner unclasped the prisoner’s head, groans emanated from the crowd. But those groans were soon drowned out by piercing screams as an arrow hit the guard with such force that he tumbled off the stage.

The entire square erupted into panic, with people desperately trying to flee the chaos. The paladin fought to regain control of the situation, barking orders to his regiment, “Cavalry! Spread out and find that archer. You three!” He pointed towards the waiting knights, “Get her back to the dungeon and take that guard with you. The rest of you, control the crowd!” The knights wasted no time in following their orders, swiftly grabbing the wounded guard and the bewildered prisoner, then barricading themselves inside the carriage. With a flick of his reins, the coachman sped towards the city’s gate, stopping for no-one as it cut through the frantic crowd.

Elyza understood why Alex had said to try to keep up. Amidst the chaos, with people stumbling over one another, there seemed to be absolutely no way through the crowd. The chaos of the Square had seeped into the horses, their riders struggling to keep them calm. One such horse was refusing to move, and that meant an opportunity. Elyza quickly made her way towards that horse, deeper into the Square, finding it easier to fight against the flow of people. She pushed her way towards the back of the skittish animal, making sure to keep out of view of the horseman. And with one slap, the horse panicked, rearing up suddenly, much to the surprise of its jockey. As the rider tumbled, Elyza quickly moved to grab on to its saddle before it dashed off.

Trying to get onto a panicked horse is hard enough, trying to do so while it weaves through a street packed with people may be the hardest thing Elyza had ever tried to do. With a superhuman effort, she hoisted herself onto the saddle just in the nick of time, and kicked the horse behind the stomach, narrowly leaping over a stall.

She tried to keep control of the terrified horse as she galloped through the street, the images of the stalls and the voices of the people blurred together, nearing the carriage with each second. The sensation was electrifying, and Elyza could feel her adrenaline surging. As they approached the city gate, the carriage came into sharper focus under the shade canopy of the flanking trees.

The carriage was still booking it, yet Elyza was catching up to them fairly easily. She started to slow the horse down, recognising that, even with her adrenaline-fuelled mind, trailing them silently would be the best option for now. The two parties continued venturing deeper into the forest road, before the carriage suddenly swerved down a long overgrown forest path. The horse came to an abrupt halt at the crossroads, refusing to take another step. Elyza tried to coax it forward, but it wouldn’t budge.

“Alright,” Elyza sighed, dismounting from the horse. She decided that it would be easier to chase the carriage on foot than to argue with the creature. She feared that she might have lost their trail by now, but only a few minutes had passed when she spotted the carriage parked on the side of the path. Elyza approached the carriage cautiously, as its coachman was tentatively approaching the bolted door, silver fumes leaking from its barred hole.

The coachman unlocked the door, his hand gripping his sword’s hilt tightly. He was about to open the door, but Elyza’s next step landed on a twig, causing it to snap. The coachmen turned around at the same time as the door swung open. Two hands emerged from the dust-filled carriage and dragged the coachmen behind them. Elyza expected to hear him scream, but only the slight rustle of leaves reached her ears. Elyza took out her blades, ready to face whoever stepped out of the carriage. She did not imagine that person to be the wounded guard, a hand covering his mouth and nose while the other balanced the prisoner on his shoulder.

The guard gave her a thumbs up, “Thanks for the assist.”

“So it was you.” Elyza’s hunch confirmed, she sheathed her blades, the silver mist inside the carriage starting to dissipate, along with Alex’s disguise. The only thing that could’ve hinted that he was the same person was the armour that remained.

Alex set down the prisoner, removing the bag over her head, before picking her restraints. Elyza peered into the carriage, and saw the limp bodies that it contained, “Did you kill them?” She asked

“No, they’re just sleeping,” Alex answered, removing the armour he adorned. Elyza gave him such a look of scepticism, that he clarified, “I know that I’m sarcastic to a fault, but they actually are just sleeping. I drugged them.”

“And the girl, you were supposed to kidnap her?” Elyza said as she went to work unstrapping the horses from the carriage.

Alex thought for a while as he removed his greaves, “Huh, I guess she would consider this a kidnapping,” waving the thought aside, he added, “Whatever,” and lifted the girl on his back, “Are you done?”

“Yes. There is another horse at the crossroad. We could take it.”

“First, answer me truthfully,” Alex declared gravely, “Have you eaten anything in the past six hours?”

“Don’t -” were the only words Elyza was able to get out before shadows surrounded her once again.