"But I don't want that. I'm at the castle hoping to be spared. I think the reason your father kept me alive all this time and had me somewhat treated better than other slaves in spite of the trouble you caused at times, is because I served your other whom he loved dearly. If it weren't for you and your mother I would have ended things along time ago because I truly hate your father and don't want to live in this castle after what he did," she said.
My eyes widened at the revelation, I never knew she had wanted to end it all.
"After losing my family I just wanted to die but your mother was just an incredible woman. She was so kind and compassionate to me and helped get through my lowest point. She made it bearable to live here at the castle despite everything I had gone through. When she passed, I was devasted but became determined to protect you, whom she cherished the most. If you were to leave, I would lose my reason to be so at the very least let me come with you to help you on your quest. Maybe I can find justice for my family as well," she told me.
"But…" I started feeling pressured to accept her request but I still had doubts.
"If you're going to bring up my age I won't allow it. I may be old but I'm still a wolf and considering the life I've lived, I'm sure I know more about getting around out there than you. Besides you don't know how to cook for yourself, start a fire or any of those basic things do you?" she said and stared at me with a knowing look her eyebrows cocked waiting for my response.
I swallowed in surprise after she mentioned that. I didn't know how to do those things she was right. After a moment I finally responded.
"Fine, but we have to be quick my father and his army are about to leave and I plan to use his movements as I diversion so I can escape without the castle guards that monitor the castle walls seeing us," I told her.
"Alright," she agreed.
"Do you have anything you want to take with you?" I asked.
"It's not much I'll be back in a moment," she said.
She left my room, and I waited for her to return. I began to pace back and forth, I couldn't believe I was taking Maya with me, but I felt I had no choice but to. I was worried that if I got into trouble she would have to suffer as well.
When she returned, I saw she had a small bag with her.
"I kept it small so the guards outside wouldn't find it suspicious," she informed me.
"Alright, then let's go," I told her. I then took out my scent masking ointment and began to rub it on her.
"What's this?" she asked as I began to rub it on her.
"It helps masks your scent so you can't be sniffed," I explained.
"Looks you've been busy all this time," she said to me.
"I would remove your collar, but we don't have time. Climb and hold onto me I'm going to climb down the castle wall," I told her. The wolf-switching preventing collars were a bit complicated to remove. It would be better to do it once we got outside the castle.
"This is crazy, how safe is this?" she expressed her concern as I motioned her to get on my back.
"Don't worry I can safely carry you, especially in your human form so trust me. Besides we don't have any other choice," I said.
Royal wolves were much bigger and stronger than ordinary wolves. I would be able to carry her. Though she was hesitant she got on my back. I climbed up to the windowsill again. I extended my claws and jumped out.
"Try not to scream," I told Maya. Using my claws I gripped the wall and climbed down. We managed to make it down to the ground without anyone noticing. We quickly hid behind a bush in the castle grounds near us. I made sure the guards on patrol in the area couldn't see us. Making our way to the courtyard we continued to use the vegetation on the castle grounds as cover. Once we reached the courtyard, we caught sight of my father's army as they prepared to leave at any moment. I couldn't see my father from where I was, but I figured he was somewhere in the front as I was at the back. The army's entourage consisted of the main army itself that would running in wolf form to their destination and following behind them were multiple horse-drawn wagons. Some were to carry their supplies, and some were to bring back new slaves. I inspected the wagons I intended to use them to make hide in.
Once I saw a wagon in the back that had less wolves around it and we could safely get inside it I pointed toward the wagon I wanted us to go in and Maya nodded in acceptance. Very quickly we got away from behind the bush and ran to the wagon and got inside. We hid behind some crates of supplies inside.
After waiting for a little while I heard the castle gates open, and the army set out. I let out a sigh of relief we had made just in the nick of time. After the lights from the castle became distant and we were now covered by the darkness of the night I felt relieved that we had safely made it out of the castle.
"Let's get out," I then said to Maya after we had made some distance from the castle. The driver was solely focused on what was ahead so he couldn't see us. He wasn't expecting anyone to be in the back so he shouldn't check.
We quietly went to the edge of the wagon and jumped out.