CHAPTER 5

　　Rabbi

　　Susannah huddled her legs close in her empty cell, she’s been isolated from the other prisoners due to the charges against her, in about an hour’s time, she’ll take the silver test that will determine her fate. Of course, she knows she’ll fail it since Harem’s accusations were true and it will be the death at the stakes for her afterwards if she does not find a way to escape from this place soon.

　　How did things go so wrong? She wondered. Her mother was right, the outside world is truly a cruel place, humans are truly cruel. Priya is dead now, and there is no hope for getting the ingredients anymore since she can never show her face in this town even if she escapes. She’ll think about the ingredients later, but for now, she has to think of a way to get out of this place. Maybe she should just use her powers now?

　　Just then, she began to hear footsteps coming towards the direction of her cell. The guards were bringing in another prisoner, she stood up from the ground so she could get a better view. As the two guards reached the front of the cell holding the chained prisoner, she began to hear their voices.

　　“I hope you’ve emptied all his pockets? Make sure he’s got nothing on him that will help him escape this time around!!!”

　　“Yes, I have, I know he’s a troublesome one so I double checked so he doesn’t escape again. Stupid peasant. Always stealing anything he can lay his filthy hands on.”

　　“I’m sure he’s picked the pockets of even the devil himself, he’s very smart this boy. Put him with the witch, maybe she’ll help us put an end to his misery once and for all since the king doesn’t sign death warrants for thieves.”

　　The guards mocked as they threw the young peasant into the cell where Susannah was. They then locked the gates behind him, laughing hysterically as they did.

　　“Good luck with the witch, young peasant!”

　　Susannah stared at her new inmate as he got up from the ground; he had rich black hair with blue eyes, he looked very handsome, probably in his mid-twenties.

　　“Hello there,” she said.

　　He didn’t say a word to her, only brought out a small key he was hiding in between his hands. He’d picked the guards pockets when they weren’t aware! He was truly a fine thief, she thought.

　　He proceeded to unlock and slowly open the gates, attempting to escape just as soon as he’d been brought in! He looked like he was doing something he was already an expert at doing before. Of course, she did hear from the guards that this wasn’t the first time he’d escaped. As soon as he was about to leave, she tugged at his shirt.

　　“Wait! Please!”

　　“What?” He turned back to her with an impatient look on his face that showed he didn’t like to be disturbed. Like why was she bothering him right in the middle of his escape? Did she want him to get caught?

　　“I’m sorry um… could you take me with you? Please?”

　　He didn’t like this at all, he’s a lone man and he works alone, just the way he likes it, with no interferences or disturbances, no one to bother him or to make him get caught, but this girl… maybe he could make an exception this time around.

　　“Follow me and do as I say; make sure you keep your mouth shut,” he instructed.

　　She nodded her head in response, then followed behind him as they made their way out of the cell and through the dungeon halls. They met two guards standing at the entrance of the dungeon, Susannah thought they were done for and would be caught now but it seemed Rabbi had a trick up his sleeve. He removed a coin from his pocket and threw it so it caught their attention. The minute he was sure they weren’t looking at the cells, he ran to grab a heavy piece of wood laying in the corner and used it to hit one of them on the head, knocking him out. He removed the unconscious guards’ sword from his sheath and used it battle the second one. Susannah watched and noticed that this new friend of hers was skilled in physical combat. He could have been a swordsman or even a palace guard, why then did he choose the path of a thief?

　　As soon as he’d taken out the two guards, he quickly removed their armor and tied them up with some rope. He put on one of the armors and covered his face with the helmet. After disguising, he now resembled one of the palace guards.

　　“Put the other one on,” he told Susannah, and she did so. They ran out through the backyard in their disguises, passing through many guards, servants and palace folk unnoticed. At that point, the naked and unconscious prison guards had already been discovered tied up in the dungeons and the warning bell had already been sounded, guards were now scurrying about and searching for the two escapees dressed like prison guards. They were unsuccessful, as Susannah and her new partner had already passed through the palace gates, past the guards who were unaware of the missing prisoners, achieving their escape.

　　They hid behind some bushes and took off the armor before they continued running; past the villages, past the marketplace, and to the outer lands far away from the palace. They then stopped by a river bank to rest after running for so long. Susannah sat under a tree to catch her breath while her partner went to the river to drink some water and wash his face. She could speak now that they were both far away from everyone.

　　“I owe you my life. Thank you,” she said behind him, his back was turned towards her while he drank from the river.

　　“No problem.”

　　“My name is Susannah, what is your name?”

　　He rarely told people his name, no one ever cared because he already has a popular name going by “the thief.” But this girl seemed to be in the same situation with him; they were both misfits and this made him feel some sort of closeness to her, right from the start, that’s why he agreed to help her escape, after all. He then turned to face her, giving her an answer.

　　“Rabbi.”