Wes sat on the edge of his bed. His memory had not yet returned but he knew that he had to get out of the prison within which he now found himself. He looked over his shoulder at the small curled-up figure in the bed alongside his. The old man was asleep as usual but this did not bother him. Let sleeping dogs lie, he thought. One less person to worry about!
His plan was simple enough. Wait for his meal to be delivered to his room, challenge and overpower the chef's assistant, find the tablet, and then escape to the hills. It shouldn't be too difficult. The only issue in his mind was seeking out the tablet's whereabouts and working out why it was so important...but he would cross that bridge when he came to it! The assistants were all young kids from what he had seen and would go down easily, probably without much force or persuasion and possibly by the use of words alone. He had worked out the timing of the food drops, pretending always to be asleep when they arrived. His rucksack was ready at the door and now all he had to do was wait.
A few minutes later, he heard the approaching footsteps and the click of the key in the lock. As it opened, he barrelled into his unsuspecting victim who found himself, within seconds, flailing on the floor, covered in passata and cheese.
What the...???
The young man looked up at him, wide-eyed and petrified.
Wes leaned down and gathered up the keys to the door that had fallen to one side in the fall.
Listen, I'm sorry about all this, but I have to get out of here.
No hard feelings, but I'm gonna have to lock you in!
As Wes pulled the door shut behind him, he had one final thought and peeked his head back into the room.
You can't tell me what day it is, can you?
They reached the outskirts of the Pizza Baron's Estate under Henry's expert navigation and stopped next to a river, just down from the roadside, for the horses to rest and drink.
It hadn't taken long for him to find familiarity in their surroundings once they were back on the main road, and from there it had been easy for him to plot their route. The entrance to the Estate was just over the next rise.
They sat together, at first in silence, Henry contemplating his words very carefully.
Lilah, I know I have asked you this already, but are you sure that you know what you are doing? If you go through with this, there may be no coming back. Your father...he won't forgive you. Your mother...Lilah...your mother...?
We both know she's not my real mother, Henry!
Delilah scowled at him. He was getting used to this!
Yes, of course, I know that. But she loves you all the same, Lilah. This will break both of their hearts.
I break her heart every single day, Henry! Don't you understand that? I see how she looks at me...I am a constant reminder to her of my father's infidelity; his betrayal.
She looked away quickly, her eyes brimming. Henry took her hand and held it, gently. She didn't pull away this time.
When will you let it go, Lilah? For your sake, when will you leave the past in the past? This has tormented and driven you for too long. She's not coming back. For goodness sakes, she abandoned you at birth. In all these years...nothing...and still you...
Henry's voice was soft, patient. He couldn't stand to see her being torn apart inside. He didn't want to hurt her but he felt her pain too intensely himself, and he knew he could not bear it much longer.
But I need to know, Henry, I need to know...
Lilah, if you give Danny the plans, your life as you know it will be over. Your father will likely go to jail; or worse! Your mother will be left alone, again... Just think about it. Reconsider your options, Lilah, you don't have to do this. Let's forget all of this and go back home. I can help you...
Henry's voice drifted off, his pleas falling on deaf ears.
But he is the only one who can help me, Henry. If I do this one thing for him and show him my loyalty, there is a chance that he will repay that in kind. And if anyone in the entire Barony has the network, power, and influence to help me to find my birth mother, it is Danny Rupert!
Henry gave her hand a final squeeze and then released it. He stood slowly and walked solemnly towards the horses. When he returned, reins in hand, he passed Jet over to Delilah. He hesitated briefly and then looked her straight in the eye.
If you still choose to enter the Estate, Lilah, you will go alone. I can't do this anymore. I love you and I won't stop you, but I will tell you here and now, that once you are safely through the gates, I will be headed back to your father, to forewarn him of the calamity that is bound to ensue.
Delilah stared back at him long and hard. And then she kissed him, and for a time, everything stood still, and it was just the two of them.
When their lips parted, she turned heel, saddled up, and disappeared into the night.
Henry broke.
He was composing himself and preparing to head back to the hills and the Solar Baron's Old Estate when a dark figure broke through the thicket in front of him.
Who goes there?
He demanded, ready to flee on Amber. The figure came into view.
Erm...hello good sire...and uh...funny you should ask that...!
This is my entry for A Tale of Two Pizzas, the first Hive Blockchain Novella collaboration by @dibblers.dabs.
You can follow the story to date here by reading the archived post link and getting up to date with where we are in the story. Please feel free to join in next week and submit an entry yourself.
Photo created using the Canva Pro library.