Silence as a yes

Curtis, Annie, Maddie, Matt and Ollie all followed after Katarina as she walked into a forest that was behind the strange little house that they were in.

Katarina said nothing at all as they all walked in silence, as they made their way across the forest.

Maddie could not help but think that by the way that they were all idly following after her, she could kill them all and dump their bodies in the woods somewhere.

Katarina sighed, wondering just what she was getting herself into this time, she should not have convinced herself to let Curtis and the other to stay here, if not for the fact that she knew that Ivor had purposely gave them his map, so she would know that they were from him, he was so annoying.

"Alright, a rule before we reach the colony" said Katarina as she walked ahead of them without looking back at all.

"Do not speak at all, all of you, I will do all the talking, just make sure that you keep quiet, and if anyone approaches you at all, just tell me, I will deal with them, but do not speak, are we clear?" asked Katarina as she stopped and she turned to look at them so they would know how serious she was.

"Crystal clear" said Curtis as he nodded his head.

"Good" said Katarina as she walked past some more trees into an open land where there were many houses and people around.

"Katarina, what are they doing here? They are the imposter" said a woman as she looked at Katarina.

"Relax, it was a false alarm, they pose no threat or harm to any of us" said Katarina as more people gathered and they murmured amongst themselves, if not for the fact that they trusted Katarina, they would think that she was together with them.

Katarina knew just how much they all hated strangers in their land, they did not trust them at all.

"You all stop murmuring, it is not that bad, they are strangers and they need a place to stay, you cannot possibly expect me to leave them all alone out there, where they can get lost, hurt themselves, or even worse" said Katarina as all the people did not look happy at all.

"We do not want them here, we do not want them staying anywhere near us" came the voice of a man.

"We do not like strangers at all, we do not trust them, and we do not want them here" said the man.

"Then it's fine, they will stay with me, and I don't live inside the colony, it's settled then, I don't want to hear another word about this matter again, am I clear?" asked Katarina.

"But this is unfair Katarina, we respect you, but this is not what you should use the respect that we have for you" said the man.

"You know, you all disappoint me, aren't we supposed to be nice and good to strangers in need? How else was this colony formed, if not without helping others who were in need of a place to stay?" asked Katarina as everyone kept quiet.

"Exactly, anyway, these people are my guests, you cannot and will not mistreat them for as long as they are here, they will not go to your lands, or your fields, or touch your crops, and I do not want to hear a single word of complaint against them, are we clear?" asked Katarina as they all looked at her with a frown.

"Good, I take your silence as a yes, come on follow me" said Katarina as she turned to look at Curtis and the others as they followed after her and all the people frowned as they went back to what they were doing before.

…

Katarina sighed, she always wondered why she built such a big house? Well at least now she had the answer.

Katarina opened the door to her house as she walked in and she gestured that they follow in after her, which they did.

"Alright, down the hall are three rooms, you girls take one, the guys can decide what they want to do" said Katarina.

"Alright, wait a minute, why are you helping us lady?" asked Maddie as she was suspicious of this woman.

"You talk quite a lot don't you?" asked Katarina as she looked at Maddie.

"Well unlike some people, I don't allow myself to be captured" said Maddie as she smiled.

"I help you, because you know Ivor, or was that a lie?" asked Katarina as she was still suspicious of them all.

"That wasn't a lie, we do know him" said Maddie.

"Good then" said Katarina.

"Haha, Maddie, that's enough" said Annie as she laughed awkwardly, Katarina was being nice to them, she did not want Maddie's many questions to come out as rude.

"Thank you for helping us Katarina, we really appreciate it, right guys?" asked Annie as she looked at the others.

"Right, thank you" said Ollie as he smiled and Matt did the same.

"Mhmm" said Katarina as she noticed a bow attached to Annie's backpack.

"That bow… can I see it?" asked Katarina as Annie looked at her bow and she nodded as she gave it to Katarina.

Katarina looked at the bow carefully, the woodwork, of course she knew the only person who could make such a finely carved bow like this.

"Who gave you this?" asked Katarina.

"Oh well Ivor… he made it as a gift for me" said Annie.

"I see" said Katarina as she gave the bow back to Annie.

"Anyway, a few rules while you are staying here, number 1, I don't like noise, number 2, breakfast is at 7am, don't touch my things, don't go near my things, you are allowed to go anywhere but my room, and don't go out without telling me first so I can accompany you, no going to the colony" said Katarina.

"You sure have many rules" said Maddie to herself as she sighed.

"You want to say something Maddie?" asked Katarina as Maddie shook her head, she did not want to get in trouble at all.

"Alright then, you can get settled in" said Katarina as she walked past them out the front door as she closed it behind her.

"Wow, she just left us here" said Maddie.

"That's enough Maddie, let's get settled in" said Curtis as he needed to think on what they were going to do next.

"Yeah, yeah" said Maddie as she walked ahead and she opened a door to the room as Annie sighed and she followed after her.

"You know, I don't know what to think about that Katarina lady, I don't trust her" said Maddie.

"You don't trust anyone" said Ollie as he shouted from the other end of the hall.

"Oh shut up Blondie, no one asked you" said Maddie as she shouted back.

"Oh Maddie, just stop please" said Annie as she sighed.

"Fine, fine, I will stop, geez" said Maddie as she sighed and she shook her head.

"I trust Katarina, she's Ivor's friend, I think, and besides if she was a bad person, I doubted that she would let us stay in her house and leave without even worrying that we might try to do something bad" said Annie.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say Annie" said Maddie.

"Anyway, right or left?" asked Maddie.

"Right" replied Annie as she smiled, she knew what Maddie was referring too.

"Alright, you get the right side of the room, and I get the left" said Maddie as she smiled and Annie smiled at her.

"You know, I wonder who Katarina is in this colony, all the other people seem to listen to her, like she's the leader or something" said Maddie.

"Annie, you really are asking a lot of questions today" said Annie.

"Hey what?? Is it a crime to ask questions?" asked Maddie.

"How else can I get answers if I don't ask questions?" asked Maddie.

"And don't you dare say anything Blondie, I didn't ask for your opinion" said Maddie as she shouted so she made sure that Ollie could hear her.

"I wasn't going to say anything" replied Ollie.

"Right" said Maddie as she scoffed, she knew just how nosy Ollie was to put his mouth and opinions in things that did not concern him at all.

Annie laughed as she wondered if Maddie would ever change.

"What? What's so funny?" asked Maddie as she looked at Annie.

"Nothing, just when will you give Prince Oliver a break?" asked Annie as she laughed.

"When he dies" replied Maddie simply.

"Maddie" said Annie as she shook her head in disbelief.

"What? I'm just being honest; I hate that guy" said Maddie.

"And why?" asked Annie as Maddie said nothing.

"I think that we should unpack" said Maddie as she changed the subject.

"Mhmm, of course Maddie, just what can I do with you?" asked Annie as she laughed.

"Nothing Annie, I am perfect the way I am" said Maddie as she smiled and Annie laughed, Maddie could never change the way that she was.