Book 2 - Chapter 1- Safe... for Now

November 24th, 1000 A.E

New Kintin

Mila sat up so fast a large cut across her stomach pulled apart. The room was small with a stair leading down and a door leading to the right. The walls were brick that were solid and let no cold drafts through. A window looked out over a sleeping village.
"Ouch,"
 she whispered.
"You have to be careful, go slow. I haven't time to re-stitch every lady in New Kintin."



a girl's voice said. Mila started. Beside her sat a young blond haired woman. She looked to be a well-off labi. Wearing the clothes of a worker she looked plain and uninteresting.
"Where am I?"
Mila asked. She slid her feet off the bed toward the stone floor.

"That'd be New Kintin, south side. Right next the late noble folks place."
Mila shook her head. It felt like she had been run over by a horse. Her stomach ached. A spittle of blood ran down her skin.
"Are you 'ungry at all?"
the girl asked.
"What's your name? I think... I've seen you before?"
The other woman nodded.
"My name's Jia, I used to be a baker's daughter."
 She stared at the black haired princess.
"I'm that glad that you remember. I was afeard you would forget most everything with the wounds you came in here with!"

 Mila put weight on her legs. They shook but held. She stood.
"Thank you for healing me."

"You are too kind. But- where are my companions? They were- I can't. It's all so fuzzy. They were captured! That was it. We were in prison... are they safe?"
she asked. Jia winced. Her eyes betrayed the truth faster than her faltering words.
"We could only find two of your friends. Tink and Wisp. Tink... she didn't make it."
Mila gulped. Tears pricked her dark brown eyes. She bit her cheek. The pain brought realization.
"Wisp?"
Jia patted her shoulder.
"He lives still. Returned to his home place soon as he could. Still injured but well enough to travel about the place. I reckon he's most back by now."
Mila grinned.
"I'm glad he's fine. What of the other four who were with us?"
Jia shrugged.
"Wisp asked the same. Nobody been able to find their bodies so we're a guessing that their still livin'. "
Mila let out her long held breath. Her heart beat so that she could feel it in her teeth.
"The war?"
she asked. Jia hugged her tight.
"It's most but over,"
she whispered in her ear then released her.
"Over? Are you certain?"
Mila glanced out the window. A wagon rattled, on it was great barrels of food.
"Just a few pockets 'ere and there with bad folks. Not enough to bother us commons. Their gettin' taken care of though, now that we uncovered the traitor."
 Mila stared.
"Traitor?"
she asked. Her hearth thumped then calmed. Was it her?
"Yes, Los."

 Mila closed her eyes tight. Not him! How she had counted on the man. Trusted him with all she knew and felt.
"He's in a prison right nows. We're trying to get him to talk. We think the leader got killed though, the one who controlled Los."
Mila's lips twitched. It was all too much. Her eyes were blurring. Her mind blocking out past events against her will.
"I think I need to lay back down."
 Jia nodded.
"Sure thing. I got works to do myself. You could say I'm the one runnin' New Kintin right now. Can you imagine that!"
She turned on her heel and stumped down the winding stairwell. Mila stared out the window.

Not a soul stirred now that the wagon was out of sight. She could not see far for many buildings blocked the view. She sighed.
"I've never been to New Kintin before, only seen it from afar with Tink."
 Mila climbed back into the warm bed. Her lids felt too heavy. Her body sagged. It was all just too much for her. Too much.