Hello all my lovely readers! I dearly apologize for my late update! It has been quite a busy few weeks in my house with school getting ready to start soon. I shall keep you waiting no longer! Here is chapter 8 of Runaways! Hope you all enjoy and I shall see you at the bottom of the page! :)

The days withered away, one by one, and after a week and a half, there had yet to be a word on what had happened that tragic evening. Robin and I managed to hunt small game and gather enough berries to satisfy our appetites, but it was not enough to keep us sustained for a long period of time. Not only was our stock of food slowly diminishing, but we needed new clothing, as well. I pieced together some fabric that the Moon Princess had stored away to make one new shirt for Robin and a simple frock for myself, but even so, it was not enough.

"The birds and some other small animals are beginning to sense that this area is not safe. They are migrating else where. Soon we will no longer be able to hunt," Robin said as he placed a small bird and some fish on the table by the fireplace. "I still do not think it is safe to venture further into the forest. The time since our disappearance is still short. I do not want to risk our safety any more than we already have." Robin's demeanor these days was rather frustrating. He would be kind and caring towards me, understanding that I was scared and worried for our situation, but then the next minute he would feel defeated and hopeless.

"Robin, we cannot stay here forever. It might be time for us to seek solace elsewhere," I advised. I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around him, trying to give him some peace and calmness.

"It's dangerous," he said as he placed both of his hands on the table and shifted his weight.

"It is just as dangerous to stay where we are. We are dangerously low on our food supply, our clothes are in useless tatters, and we have no proper place to sleep or bathe. We are in just as much danger of infection or starvation if we stay in this place," I reasoned. He shook his head, turning to face me and placing both hands on my arms. He rubbed them back and forth and took a deep sigh.

"We move at dawn. It's the least likely of times that anyone would be out looking for us. Make sure we bring enough berries and whatever dried meat we have left. It might be a long journey. Oh, and make sure we take any money we have stored away in case we have to pay for any clothing or goods," he said.

"I snatched a large sum before we departed the castle. It will keep us fed for many months and will easily cover the cost of new clothes and a place to stay if need be," I replied.

"Good. We shall try to sleep early tonight." I nodded in response and began to prepare our dinner for the evening.

Robin tossed and turned all night as he attempted to find sleep. I could almost hear his thoughts as he moaned and groaned with each turn. Where would we go? How long will it take us to find shelter? Would we encounter any danger, and if so, could we defend ourselves? Where were our families?

"Robin I can hear the gears turning inside of your brain. Please try not to worry. We have each other," I said as I grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. He said nothing, but in the shadows I could see a slight smile crawl upon his lips. I didn't let go of his hands, and he fell asleep within minutes.

We rose as soon as we could see the morning light peak through the branches of our little hideaway. I wanted to leave the Moon Princess' belongings as I had found them, so I changed back into Loveday's silver dress for the trip. Even though it was not a practical choice, I could not stand to leave it behind in case Robin and I could not return to Moonacre. I treated this goodbye as if it were final. I wanted to remember the smell, the feel of the morning breeze in my hair, and the unique exterior of the Moon Princess' hideaway. I wanted those memories forever ingrained in my mind. Just in case.

"Are you ready to go, princess?" Robin said as he threw one of our sacks of food over his back. I nodded, picked up my skirts, and began to trudge through the forest beside him. We made a large circle around Moonacre so that we would be less likely to run into any enemies or search parties. We agreed that it was best to stay clear of the area as much as possible. We traveled for most of the day, stopping every so often to eat a bite of food and drink some water. By the time it was nightfall, we began searching for a place to stay. We were lucky enough to find a quaint sized inn at the edge of a village.

"How far would you say we traveled today?" I asked Robin as we walked into our room for the night.

"I'm not quite sure of the distance, but I'd say we are far enough away from Moonacre that we will be safe. We must keep going until we find a better, more populated area," he replied. Robin's eyes were cold and tired, his head most likely still filled with uncertainty and frustration.

"Robin you must try to relax. We have shelter and food for the time being, and most importantly we are safe," I said to him as he set a few bags down in the corner of the room. But it was not that simple. Those words would not be enough to release even an ounce of his tension. We did not speak to each other regarding our families, somehow only silently acknowledging our fear for their lives. This piece of uncertainty placed an agonizing weight on both of our shoulders, and there was nothing to console us. We sat on our respective sides of the bed for a few moments, to try and relax or ponder our next moves, I could not say. It was a bit of both I suppose. We were each weary, but refusing to let our minds rest in any capacity.

"The innkeeper's wife was going to leave us some clothing to spend the night in. I will go fetch them." Robin simply nodded his head, and I quietly left the room. I must have been a sight to those who would pass by me. My dress was of just fine enough quality to see that I was of some noble blood, but yet destroyed just enough to realize that I had been through some sort of trauma. Nevertheless, the other guests off the inn were kind and welcoming towards our arrival. The smiles and various greetings we received gave me a slight sense of security, a feeling that I had not experienced in quite some time.

"I was just about to bring these few items up to your room, dear," the keeper's wife said as we met at the bottom of the wooden staircase.

"I apologize for the delay. We took a bit of time to catch our breath before doing much else," I explained to her. I took the garments from her hand and rubbed the fabric between my thumbs. She watched me with fascination as I observed my dirtied hands next to the crisp, white fabric.

"You're welcome to keep them both if you so wish. They are of no use to my husband and I," she said quietly. I looked up at her and smiled, thanking her immediately for her generosity. "You are also welcome to use our wash room if you need to clean yourselves up. It seems to me that you have not had a proper place to bathe and be refreshed."

"You are much too kind, mam. I cannot thank you enough," I said to her. I was holding back tears. I was not known for being the most emotional female in our household, in fact, I was usually rather fiery, at least that is what Robin would always tell me. But in this moment I was entirely overwhelmed.

Robin and I were able to bathe and eat a freshly cooked meal that evening. I wish I could say that we were able to forget our troubles for a bit of time and enjoy ourselves, but that was not the case. While we indeed felt revived and satisfied, we still had a long journey ahead of us. Where we would end up, only God knows.

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Well, that looks like all for tonight everyone! Until next time my dears :)