<strong>Sorcha and Autolycus, getting out of here</strong><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v200/Prakkie/Medicus.jpg)</div>The minute they entered the stables Sorcha was in her element, moving confidently, taking charge. Autolycus watched her select a horse, a pony, a mule and somewhere in the process he released the leash he held her by, allowing her to roam freely between the animals. He didn't object. In fact he approved of her choices, sturdy, healthy-looking animals as far as he could tell with his not-exactly-expert-eyes. And then she selected a dog, and another dog. He raised an eyebrow at that. Did they really need dogs?<br/><br/>His thoughts were interrupted by a lanky blonde stable-lad, who came in and openly stared at Sorcha with her strange colouring, her exotic tattoos, her bruises, her near-nakedness.<br/><br/>"Boy!!" Autolycus called, startling him. "Go fetch some tack for these animals. Reigns and saddle for the horse, saddle and lead for the pony," because since Sorcha was a slave she wouldn't be leading her own horse. He'd be doing that, at least until they were out of sight. "For the mule, padding and that wooden contraption, you know the one - for the chest. Quickly now," he encouraged. Because any moment now, someone, maybe the guard captain, maybe Manius himself, was going to come in and ask what in the name of Hades was he doing. Well... he feared they would anyway.<br/><br/>The stable-lad seemed to take forever, fetching things, fiddling with straps while Autolycus forced himself to stay calm, or at least look calm. Then, finally, it was done. Sorcha got on her pony. Autolycus mounted his horse, holding the lead for both Sorcha's pony and the mule that now carried his chest of possessions.<br/><br/>Without so much as a thank you for the stable boy, the medicus urged his horse out of the stable, into the outer courtyard, pleased to find that space as empty as before, with no-one there to stop their escape. He continued across that sandy space, onto the slope that led to freedom.<br/><br/>Suddenly, he could bear it no more. With a loud "Yah!" he spurred his horse into the canter.<br/><br/>Where he was going, he didn't know. Just that he wanted to put as much space between himself and this place as quickly as he could. Perhaps he could start over somewhere else. And maybe, just maybe, Sorcha would be with him.