They move towards the source of the light.

Vilea paused and considered the situation. She and Jilleen were both filthy and wet as a result of their crawling escape from the outlaws that had stopped her carriage And the night air was cool. As she looked at Jilleen the girls shivered, and gathered small twigs and larger sticks off of the ground nearby them.

“We are both soaked to the bone, and while your suggestion might be a good one in other circumstances, I believe we must find shelter and a good fire before we succumb to illness” she whispered still wary of the threat of the outlaws. Moving close to Jilleen, she placed her hand over the wood she had gathered in her arms.

“We cannot build a fire, this would only serve as a beacon to those who would enslave us and worse” the redheaded girl nodded, and quietly lowered the wood to the ground beside them.

“So m’lady, you wish to find the source of the light we can see?’ Jilleen asked, and when Vilea replied in the affirmative, Jilleen agreed, but suggested that they move with great caution as if the two women could see the light perhaps the men who attacked them and killed their driver could as well. Jilleen led her mistress towards the light, bending under branches from low hanging trees and then through tall, and very wet grass.

Several times the two women stopped in their tracks, motionless and think that they heard the trio of outlaws pursuing them, but after a few minutes of keen listening, they always heard nothing and so continued towards the light. Soon it became apparent that the light was inside of some sort of structure or building at the summit of a tall hill. While both of them were exhausted and cold, they continued forward, with Vilea slipping and falling in thick wet mud, losing one of her slippers in the process.

Eventually they reached the hill, and silhouetted against the dark sky they could see the light was shinning from a window of was had once been a magnificent castle, but had been in disrepair for many years. Stopping beside a large group of thick foliage, the two sat, and discussed they’re next move.

“I will go to the castle, mistress. And if I do not return with help in what you believe to be a reasonable time, you will rest yourself here till daylight, and pray that the gods will be with you as you walk back to the road and the inn, and save yourself.” Vilea agreed, and bringing her hand to her slim, graceful neck in order to dispatch a buzzing insect, she realized that the outlaws had neglected to take the jewelry the both of them were wearing from them. She smiled at the small triumph, and then thanked Jilleen for saving her. The girl was an enchantress as well as beautiful. This would make her plans for the girl should they get to the royal court a bit more difficult than she previously expected. But none of that mattered at the moment..

Jilleen whispered her farewell, and walked up the hill towards the castle. Within a few minutes she found her wet slippers scraping over a dirt road, and followed it up the road to a massive wooden gate. Stooping to pick up a rock from the road, she found a round stone that fit comfortably in the palm of her hand and slammed it several times against the gate. No noise came from within the castle, and all Jilleen heard was the sound of the breeze and a few chirping crickets. Just as she was about to smash the stone once more against the rotting wood of the gate, a small door opened from within the gate, and a lantern was thrust out of the passage, held by a single hand.