13 The Coliseum 3

Fiona rushed through the halls of the coliseum with Colton just barely keeping up with her.

"Wait, princess!" the soldier shouted to her, but she ignored it. She had found out what room they had Gwyn in, and she didn't have much time before he got carted off for the fight.

I don't know what you intend to do when you get there; a voice rang in her head.

"We won't know until we try, Sun," she shouted back at her mechanically covered hand.

"Princess!" Colton cried.

Fiona reached the door and began to bang on it.

"Gwyn, Gwyn, I'm coming in!" She wasted no time after unlocking the door. It smoothly slid open as Colton finally caught up. He put a hand on the princess's shoulder as he was breathing heavily.

"Princess, please, there is nothing that you can...." Colton's voice trailed off as the door finished sliding open. Gwyn stood in front of them. He had torn the curtain off the wall and had it draped around himself like a cloak. At least, that is what Gwyn had intended. Instead, the curtain wrapped around him and hung down from his neck to his knees. It looked more as if he was keeping warm with a blanket. On the top, he had torn it, so there was enough of a tassel to tie into a knot.

Both the princess and the soldier stared at him with a dumbfounded expressions.

"What are you wearing?" they asked in unison.

Gwyn coughed and cleared his throat; then, he put his hands on his hips.

"I figured if I was going into battle, I should wear something a little cool!" he said with a red face.

"I think that would just make you get overheated," Fiona answered; she shook her head, "Never mind that your fight's about to come up. Don't worry, if we run, I think we can escape. I have prepared a boat at the dock that will take you as far as Nun."

Colton shook his head.

"Princess, the guard presence in the city, is exceptionally high due to the conference. Even with your Need, you won't be able to escape so easily."

"We won't know until we try," she balled a fist and swung her arm in a motion to show that she was ready to go.

"We do know, Princess, people have tried escapes around the conference many times thinking security would be lax. You would have to be exceptional or have support to get past all the guards. Plus, as a guard, I am obligated to stop him as well."

"You aren't going to help me, Colton!" Fiona was shocked.

"Of course, I'm not!" Colton snapped back.

Gwyn cleared his throat to get their attention.

"As much as I appreciate the idea of help, I've already talk– thought over the idea of escaping, and it won't be possible."

"But Gwyn!"

"I do appreciate it, Fiona. Don't worry, though; I have a plan!"

"And that plan entails wearing curtains as clothing?" Fiona asked with her head tilting slightly.

"Something... like that."

Fiona opened her mouth to protest some more, but Colton gently pushed her away from the door.

"I just got word from the king that his fight is ready; I've been ordered to take him to the arena."

Gwyn nodded and stepped forward out of his room. The curtain he had draped around him fluttered dramatically as he walked. Colton held back a laugh at how dumb it looked and waved for Gwyn to follow.

"Maybe the curtain wasn't the best idea," he muttered to himself quietly while his head fell low. He shook his head and looked forward. He intended to carry on with his decision, no matter how he looked.

Fiona was left standing in the room. Her expression grew cold, and she sighed.

"Well, if he had escaped, that would have put all the officials in quite a huff," she said as she sat down on the bench.

It's for the best; I don't think your parents would have tolerated his escape. Even if you called it a prank or joke after the fact, her Needaimus said.

"That's fine by me. Maybe they'd disown me," Fiona sighed as she stood up from the bench and walked out of the room. She took one last look at the window that had been stripped of its curtains. As she pondered if Gwyn was intelligent or not, she took no notice of something much larger than a bird flying over the city, in the distance.

She walked away from the room and down the hallway. It was long, open, and empty. She paced around for a while until an official spotted her and called out her name.