Chapter 20: The Great Escape

Astrid rolled onto her side, groaning loudly as the open wounds on her back were pressed against the bed. She looked up only to find at Erika hovering over her with a smile plastered onto her dirty face.

"I am glad to see you have woken." Erika whispered, pushing a strand of Astrid's hair away from her face. "It has been three days you know since you were beaten. I thought you were going to die."

Astrid closed her eyes once again, moaning miserably before glancing back up at Erika.

"Why did you have to let me live?" Astrid asked, examining her hands which were covered with a thick coating of dirt and dried blood.

Erika dipped a soft linen cloth into a pail of water that was sitting on a table beside the bed.

"Because you are my friend." Erika stated, putting the cool cloth onto Astrid's grungy hand and began washing the crud off. "I could not leave you laying there to bleed to death. I have love and compassion in my heart for you."

Astrid took the cloth from Erika's hand and began scrubbing her arms and hands forcefully.

"I do not understand you. Leif is your father and Bard is your brother-"

"Half-brother." Erika interrupted.

Astrid slightly nodded dunking the cloth back into the water, discoloring it with the filth from her hands.

"And Bard is your half-brother. Why are you not like them? You are a much better person than they are." She shook her head confused. "Why?"

"I chose to be different. I do not want my name to be remembered as a violent and rude woman." Erika smiled. "Bard does not like me because I do not agree with him. I refuse to stand behind him with his unjust rules and such. Leif has nothing to do with me because I was not what he wanted. He wanted a son more than anything but instead he got a daughter." Erika sniffled, fighting back tears. "My mother died when I was very young. Leif refused to take me in so one of the elders raised me until I was sixteen then betrothed me to Igor. From there we made a life together. Before I was married, I had no one."

"I see you have a very strong bond with your husband." Astrid replied. "I understand what it is like to not have no one." She looked up at Astrid. "But now I have found a friend in you."

Erika grinned, pleased with the kind words spoken to her. Astrid swung her exposed legs from the bed and looked down at the cloth bandage that was wrapped around the top half of her body. The once white cloth was stained red from her blood, which flowed freely from the open wounds that were made on her back.

"I would not advise getting up yet." Erika mumbled, resting her hand on Astrid's shoulder. "You must allow your body to regain itself before you get up."

Astrid brushed Erika's hand away from her.

"They will find me and I cannot bear to be found again. I cannot return to Bard." Astrid harshly argued, staring intensely at Erika. "I will take my chances at leaving. Where is my dress?"

"Igor and I have placed a boat at the foot of the cliff. It is not near the village so you can leave and not be noticed by any of the villagers." Erika shared, arising from her chair. "In fact, I do not believe anyone knows of the spot. We found it one day when we were looking for herbs."

Astrid's eyes grew wide and her mouth agape.

"You are helping me escape?" she asked, leaning closer to Erika, who reached her the patched up woolen dress.

Erika nodded.

"I would suggest you leave at night so you will go unnoticed." Erika nervously whispered, wringing her hands. "I cannot watch you return to Bard's possession. If you go back there, you might not make it out. Bard is berserk and you do not need that risk in your life." Erika sat back down in the chair and took Astrid by the hand. "You must promise me something though."

"Sure. Anything."

"You will not give up." Erika said. "No matter what comes at you, Astrid, remain strong. If you give up, you let people win. You cannot do that; you are much stronger than that."

"I promise." Astrid whispered, allowing her face to melt from pain to happiness.

"Thank you for everything you have done."

"Thank you for becoming my friend. Not many people like Igor and I. We are the outcasts, just as you are. But you go an escape this life. Make something of yourself."

"Come with me." Astrid suggested. "We can all go somewhere and fit in, together."

Erika shook her head.

"That would never work. You see this is my home. People would notice if we all left, moreover you leaving alone." Erika rose again. "Night will fall soon. Try to rest and build up your strength."

Astrid pushed herself up from the bed and began slipping the mended dress over her head.

"I have enough strength. I need to prepare myself to leave." Astrid stated, taking a shaky step toward Erika. "When night falls I must be gone."

The rest of the day ticked away. No one inquired on Astrid's well being. In fact, no one came for Astrid at all. Erika gave Astrid a satchel filled with fresh pieces of bread with dried meat along with a small gutting knife and fresh linen wraps for her wounds. Astrid waited beside the door until complete darkness fell on the village.

"Thank you for all you have done. I will never forget your kindness." Astrid spoke softly, kissing both Erika and Igor on the cheek before disappearing into the darkness.

The light of the moon and stars was hidden by heavy black clouds, causing no light to show the path. Once Astrid reached a point beyond the village, she lit her small, handheld lantern and quickly found her way to the bottom of the cliff. Below the cold, dripping rocks a two person fishing boat was tied on a fallen branch beside the pool of water. Astrid threw her satchel onto the floor of the boat then hung her lantern's handle on a hook located near the front of the boat. Her fingers fumbled around as she attempted to untie the tightly knotted rope attached the the old branch. After several minutes of trying, Astrid managed to get the boat untied and pushed into the water. A smooth wooden paddle was attached to the rim of the boat so Astrid only had to push it forward for the wood to meet the water. In no time Astrid was out in the deep water, paddling away from the godforsaken world of Lundur.

Hours seemed to pass away slowly as Astrid watched the flicker of her lantern burn away to nothing. Darkness consumed the area around her. She had no sense of direction on where she was or where she was even going. All she knew and cared about was that she was leaving.

The small boat drifted along silently through the thick hazy fog that came with the morning hours. Astrid hummed a tune from her childhood to calm her jittery nerves as she rowed the paddle smoothly through the thick, glistening water.

Nature began to burst once the sun started to rise. The first bird of the day cried out its call to the other birds, until a large mass of birds were responding. Schools of fish were swimming just below Astrid's boat. A turtle glided gracefully atop the water, bobbing its head under occasionally. Astrid leaned back in the boat and closed her eyes trying to sleep away the pains that were coming upon her in a rapid way. The sky was perfectly clear with the exception of a wispy white cloud here and there. She soon felt the warm dampness of her own blood beginning to soak the back of her dress once again.

Astrid hurriedly rushed to gather herself a fresh bandage. The same dizziness from the days before returned as she fainted once again from the loss of blood. This time no one was there to help her. She was alone in a foreign place with no knowledge of where she was even at.

---Four days later---

Astrid opened her eyes as she regained her conciseness, only to find herself waking up in the bed of an unknown place.  She looked around at the stone room where she was nestled into a feather bed lined with silk sheets. Her old, blood-soaked tattered dress was hanging beside a warm flickering fire. Beside the large bed was a widely carved wooden table covered with a bowl filled with many different types of fruits and nuts. She traced her fingers along the silvery embroidered silk sheet that was draped on her body which was covered with a new linen shift dress. A large rectangular window was to the right of the bed with a seat built upon the sill. Heavy red velvet drapes hung over the window, shielding her from bright light of the outside world. Many candle sconces were lined along the dark gray stone room. The marble floors were glistening with cleanliness. Astrid sat upright, noticing the tight bandage that was wrapped around her body along with the smell of a freshly made salve. She shut her eyes tightly and began shaking her head vigorously to make sure she was not just dreaming. When her eyes popped open and nothing had changed she realized that it was not a dream.

She slung the covers away from her and ran to the window, drawing back the thick curtains. Bright sunlight pierced the dull room, blinding Astrid momentarily. Once her eyes focused onto the world beyond the window she saw she was in a castle overlooking an entire village. Her hand found its way to her mouth which hung widely open and let out a gasp. She then ran towards the and pulled it with all of her strength, only to find it was locked. She frantically examined the room in some desperate hope to get out. Nothing. Suddenly, the door creaked open and in came a tall man with a teenage girl.

The man was thin and appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties. He was dressed in a simple mans clothes, minus the jeweled crown that rested upon his light brown curls.  His dull green eyes held a generic expression of neither hate or love. The girl wore a shimmering blue dress, lined with bright purple embroidery. Her blonde curls flowed down her back freely with a crown around her head.

Astrid backed away from them until she was pressed against the cold wall. The girl sat down on the large red chair that was located beside the fire with the bowl of food that was once on the table. The man stared at Astrid with kindness and care, outstretching his bony hand towards her.

"I am not going to hurt you." The man's tender voice called out, speaking Astrid's native language. "I only want to ask you a few questions."

Astrid shook her head as she scooted down the wall to distance herself more from the stranger.

"Can you understand me?" He asked, stepping away from her.

Astrid stood still and nodded without saying a word.

"Good." He responded, walking towards the fire. "I am Deman. This is my niece, Lorna."

"I am Astrid." Astrid croakily answered, standing up straight. "Would you please tell me where I am at?"

Deman smiled, flashing his white crooked teeth. "Welcome to Germania."

Sorry everyone for the slow update. Please vote and comment! Feedback always makes me extremely happy! 😀 thanks and God Bless. ~Sarah Jane