"You want me to take YOU with me?!" I could feel the incredulity rising with each second. "Hang on a minute...didn't you just jump goals very quickly? Slow down a second, I need to think...why do you even want to leave with me? Why do you even want to leave, you've built up quite the foundation here. And why with ME?! And do you even have the food and money built-"

"YES, I have my own supplies, you don't need to be worried about me. I want to leave with you because I have always wanted to leave here to find my original birthplace and you’re as good as a companion I can ask for in the slums. You care for me to a certain extent and won't likely backstab me. "

I felt my jaw dropping in shock again. I was sure by now my jaw muscles no longer existed... I stopped to think things through again. If I looked at things through her side, I had to agree that I seemed like I was a pretty good candidate, even if I didn't know myself. That's not my ego speaking. But still, to suddenly become so trusting of a stranger...something must of have happened during my little 'sleep talk'..That might be the missing puzzle...

Looking at things from my perspective, it wasn't such a bad deal. I mean, I could escape having to pay her, and if it's as she said, and that she already has her own supplies for the journey then that means I could just have another companion. I wouldn't be as lonely and the journey would be safer. Two kids are harder to attack and kidnap then one. I'm sure she could handle her share of a fight. I could also keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't spill my beans...theoretically.

Then again there were the risks. Her looks and long hair would attract the attention of anyone hoping to kidnap a beauty. That would bring trouble. Also, the deal seems almost too good...as if there was a hidden catch. I stared hard at her trying to find ulterior motives, and perhaps she noticed my inspecting gaze, as she slightly crooked her mouth and held an equally intense glare at me. The smirk was almost tangible and I could almost see the laughter in her eyes. The eyes were challenging my judgement and me.

I calmed down, took a deep breath, and thought over her nature towards me. Well she was a trustworthy figure comparatively speaking in the slums and she did save my life. She had already given her promise, possible had some weird affection for me and she didn't have any reason to hurt me. But there was the extra attention she would bring to the party...it was easier for me to sneak past the city by myself then with her. Thus I had decided.

I felt her voice hazily cutting into my thoughts again. "Sorry, what did you say? Could you please rep-" "So were you even listening?!?...Huh...Basically, I said with my inside connections we can leave Frankfurt through the mains doors, instead of escaping."

"What's the difference?" There wasn't that much of a difference so long as we left undetected right? In fact escaping through a side exit or through a smuggler-even one with a shady background was probably safer then leaving through an official route.

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"You'll see." She twirled around and gave me an enigmatic smile. Looks like I was going to become part of the punch line. I could hear the light tattle as she walked away, crunching on some rubbish.

...

I was standing outside of the civilian market, for the working class, and the loud voices of barter were floating by. Well, more like hiding in the shadow of a wall, two corners away from the nearest store and a hundred or so meters from the gates to the city. Frankfurt wasn't as big as the capital, but it was a still considerably large city and was the main city for hundreds of miles. It was the centre of most trade and commerce in the area and so the traffic influx on a daily bases was incredible. The economy in this city and jobs were largely spurned originally from the traveling merchants, and with the increasing offered goods and services, it in turn attracted more customers and merchants. And so the cycle continued.

To the handle the increasing population, the army and military in the city increased respectively. Public order in anywhere not near the slum was good, even in the poorer regions. And all that meant that security was strong. Smuggling was strongly suppressed in this city and security at the gates was supposedly airtight. Of course it was impossible to suppress all smuggling and corruption was occasionally a thing. The main city walls were also extremely large with quite a bit of nature near some bits and so there were a few hidden holes in the walls.

I turned back, peaking around the wall. There was an officer and official checking the traffic passing through and credentials. Four guards stood next to them, two more searching the carts going by and two directing the waiting line. Another two were peaking from above. I could probably sprint past them if I had too as long as I could get by the two guards directing the line. Suddenly, I felt my arm being grabbed.

"Hyaaa-" a hand quickly covered my mouth as I realised who's hand it was, and shut up.

"Don't do that to me, I thought you were trying to kidnap me." I whispered

"Sorry." Was the noncommittal reply I received. I noted to myself that when I started analysing things two deeply, my awareness levels drop off a cliff. Before I could open my mouth again I felt myself being pulled along by her.

We quickly approached the gate, weaving through the crowd. We reached the queue waiting to exit and started walking pass them as well. The people in line gave us weird looks as we passed them, and one of them even shouted, "Hey, there's a line you know?" Before his buddy nudged him and whispered "Can't you tell by their clothing, they’re from the slums! They are probably running some jobs or messages for the guards." We were dressed in rags, so it was pretty obvious, and we were each also carrying poorly made haversacks. Of course, no one realised that inside them there were cloth, food and water meant for us, not the guards.

She continued striding up to the gate, and when the official at the gate waved off the last carriage and saw us he coughed and choked. The guards lowered their spears blocking our path forward and I gave my best nervous innocent smile.

"Could you let them through please." The official muttered to the guards. The guards all then turned to the guard at the back. He was a senior guard, with the start of a grey grizzly beard showing. He frowned, and his forehead creased making him look older then he was. I nervously looked at 'Blood Doctor', but she just gave the captain a blooming smile and said "Please let us through, there aren't any official documents us orphans can get." He stared hard at us, and then ordered, "Let them through...And no need to search them."

We walked outside the city, and as I felt the freedom of leaving the walls and entering the wilderness, I could feel the eyes staring at us with questioning looks from behind. But that didn't matter to me one bit. I had finally left this dark place, to enter the world of the unknown again. This was the beginning of my adventure and the story of how I became 'The legend who ran faster then the gods'

End of Prologue (Chapters 1-5)