The news hit all the Kingdoms at the same time. Pendant Tower was closed down. The houses of the workers and the managers were empty as if everyone disappeared suddenly.
Even in this instance, they all had a feeling that the Pendant Tower wasn't over and didn't try to get into the building. This news was so distracting that the war was at a standstill for four months.
Ruby drank her water greedily, breathing heavy as she wiped her mouth with her hands and smeared more blood on her already dirty face. "How far?" She asked. The pair ran into a group of fifty bandit scouts; they were clearly getting ready to break the stalemate.
"Nine days, ten if we run into another large group of bandits." The man said. She didn't recognize the man, but he held an identification card that was personally carved by her Master and the calling signal, so she trusted him.
He stood up. "I'll take first watch; you can get some sleep." She nodded, pulled up the black cloth around her neck to cover her nose and leaned back on the tree behind her.
The crisp sound of leaves crunching under feet, woke her up but she didn't open her eyes. There was no moon, dark clouds covered the sky, and they made no fire so she wouldn't be immediately seen. The man also mentioned that they were meeting others in the Mining Kingdom, not on the road.
The man on watch didn't alert or make a move, which meant they were of little threat. When the three stopped in front of her and the man didn't make a move, she knew these people were friends.
A hand reached out and Ruby grabbed it while opening her eyes. Her eyes widened. "You three..." Tara smiled at Ruby and pulled out a white jade and held it up.
The man appeared from the shadows, checked over the jade and disappeared back into the shadows. "You're master's people?" Tara smiled. "Of course we are." Evian and Lai sat down on my left.
"When you came to Regila, Master had us hid from you. It was harder for Tara and me, since we were in the same house, but Lai was following Princess Palari around, so she had it easy." Evian explained. "You were in the house that entire time? As servants?" Ruby asked.
"As the prince's concubines." Tara said with a smile. "Let's not talk about that. When I heard the signal, I thought Master had come back but I didn't recognize the person who brought us here." Lai said.
"I don't recognize him either. Looks like Master really is Master. She had people hidden from even us." Ruby said, agreeing with Lai's words. "It can't be Master. You and Malek personally pulled her body out from the rubble." Evian said solemnly.
"Who are we going to meet then?" Tara asked but none of them had an answer.
At dawn, the four women were properly rested and ready to hit the road. The sudden sound of horses made them on guard.
A man, the one that was with Ruby, walked through the trees. "Let's go." They followed him to the main road where a carriage pulled by two horses stopped. "What's this?" Ruby asked.
The man turned and looked at her like she was stupid. Ruby noticed the look on his face. "I know it's a carriage; I meant who arranged it." The man looked away from her and shook his head. "We're two days away from the border. You were moving sluggish and your senses aren't sharp, so take the carriage. We'll move quicker." He replied to Ruby.
Tara turned to Ruby. "You do look pale." Lai grabbed her wrist and checked her pulse. "Yeah, you aren't feeling well. Let's take the carriage to shield you from the cold."
Everyone got onto the carriage; Lai was the last on and sent a look to the man that brought her with the others. The man nodded before sitting on the side of the carriage.
The man that was with Ruby got onto a horse and rode forward. The carriage followed. "What's wrong with me? I feel fine." Ruby asked Lai. "You have a cold. You might even have a fever tonight, if you were out in the open, it would be way worse." Lai explained simply.
"Even so, taking a carriage on the main road would be too eye catching, wouldn't it?" Ruby asked. She wasn't wrong to be so insistent, after all the man was pushing her to get to their destination quickly and now, he's suddenly saying she needs to rest in a carriage.
"You can get off." A voice came from outside. It was the man that came with Tara and the others. Ruby didn't say anything more. "Sometimes you still have that naivety from when you were younger." Evian said.
"How did you even get involved with Master? Was it after my situation?" Lai chuckled at Ruby's question. "Yalki was our station. Being the top prostitutes was our cover. Our mission was simple. Get to you."
"Why?" Ruby tried to think and no matter what, she knew she's never met Master before, so she was really curious. "You really never guessed?" Evian asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"No. Master is the reason I survived and escaped that prison I called a home. I wanted to be like Bira and Kana who were standing by her side." Ruby looked at the three. "So, it really was her, wasn't it?" Ruby whispered.
"She's alive?" Tara sighed. "We don't know. We don't even know what she looked like. From the sound of it back then, she thought you were dead-." Tara stopped talking and sighed. "Get some rest."
Ruby wobbled with the carriage absentmindedly; her world once again imploded. They didn't stop until they reached the first border town on Ojun Kingdom territory half a day earlier.
The carriage stopped at an inn and the women got off. "You each have your own rooms and baths are waiting on you. Clean up, put the clothes on and meet us back in the lobby." They headed upstairs while the men left the inn.