[Writer of The Mark]

Linnea and Madi sat quietly, watching the stable and crowd of people who had gathered around it, to get a better view. Linnea watched her father, giving a short comment to Ruthven through clenched teeth. Ruthven left suddenly, as if the girl's father had offended her. Linnea shook her head, bending over to get a better look at where her father turned.

He walked slowly towards the crowd, where they were eagerly collecting buckets. He made his way through, and started filling some buckets as well.

"Is you father down there, also?" Linnea asked the boy. At first Madi didn't reply. The expression in his face told the girl that this was private business. She muttered, before she turned her head out the window again. Where are his parents?" she thought, meanwhile trying to figure it out, even though it was nothing which concerned her.

Linnea glanced downwards, seeing Ruthven one last time before the old woman was out of Linnea's reach. Of course! Ruthven! The girl took Madi's hand. "She is looking for you!" she burst out. Linnea sprang up from her chair, smiling. "Ruthven is looking for me?" The boy asked, being very surprised, but yet totally calm about what the girl was saying.

"Yes, yes!" Linnea reassured him. Madi seemed pleased with this answer, and followed the girl who was springing towards the staircases. They rushed downwards, Madi following the girl closely behind. They only halted as they passed an old man, who waved his hand towards them and muttered grumpily. Madi and Linnea stopped. The old man however, didn’t seem to be in interested in stopping himself, to have a word with the children, who according to him, surly seemed to be out of character for their age; running about at an Inn.

Linnea and Madi looked strangely at each other, not knowing what to say. They trudged on, feeling no awkwardness towards the old man’s sudden ‘attack’. They passed the reception desk, which to Linnea’s annoyance was way too tall for her. She gazed up on a woman, who probably didn’t see the children, but this was probably for the best. Madi rushed towards the door, taking his hand around the door handle. “Wait,” Linnea said, thinking about her father and his words which he had expressed so angrily. "Up now, your room!" he hadn’t even formed a real sentence. It was just an angry voice, coming from a frustrated man, who was apparently , her father.

Did she dare break the rules; to cross her father’s words?

Madi waited, standing unsympathetically to the girl’s sudden caution. “I am not really allowed to go outside again,” she muttered, being frustrated and annoyed.

“Umm… Well then,” Madi said, as if this was a goodbye for now. “Ah, it doesn’t matter,” Linnea said, taking a large step towards the door, and opening it. Her father would not stand in the way for her, Linnea thought. This was her mission, to take Madi to Ruthven. “Let’s go,” Linnea said, taking the boy’s hand. She ducked, as she got a glimpse of her father about hundred paces away.

We must not be seen……