Chapter 6

The sun had fully emerged and sat high against the blue sky as the panic in the air rose, both women fearing for their lives in a place they had once considered safe.

The fera now freely walking between the huts, readying themselves for the day ahead of them. Tuviel dragged her daughter, forcing her to pick up speed as the forest came into view, giving them the cover, they would need to make it to the river.

She tugged and pulled on astria's arm, a soft purple bruise beginning to form, but still she remained unrelenting and stern, only allowing her daughter a moment to breath when they reached the dense tree-line.

Astria fell forward, roughly placing her hands on her knees to balance herself as she panted, fighting to catch her breath. Her leather trousers and green tunic clinging to her flesh, once she had regained her control of her lungs she pulled her black cloak further aroun her shoulders, checking that her leather boots remained halfway up her legs. After another moment she turned towards her mother, watching as she searched the trees anxiously, her red hair pulled back into a high ponytail.

She wore the same clothing as her daughter, though her tunic was a deep blue and caked with sweat.

Tuviel shook her head, knowing that she couldn’t hold her shield for much longer and that soon, they may have to defend themselves. She quickly reached into her pack and pulled out two curved daggers, handing one to her daughter.

Astria took the blade and frowned. “i don’t know how to use a blade mother.”

“it’s to protect yourself, if someone runs at you and attempts to attack you, stab them. Alright?” Tuviel ordered shaking her head when her daughter’s eyes widened. “if you don’t, you will die.”

“i don’t want to kill anyone.”

“you may not have a choice.”

“but i...”

“astria, this is not a joke, we have too many enemies for you to appear weak, i need you to be strong and fight when

i tell you that there is no other way.”

“tuviel.” A voice called. Approaching them from the south.

Astria followed her mother’s every move as she raised her blade, her pulse quickening in terror as she thought she might actually have to use it against the people she saw as family.

Jonathan took a step back when he saw the daggers, his eyes wide. “i come in peace.”

Tuviel let out a sigh of relief. “what are you doing here jonathan.”

“i came to escort you to the river. I fear that the others are out for blood. Your blood.”

“this is silly, yes my mother is a deus, but she has lived here in peace for two decades. How can they treat her like this?” Astria shouted, infuriated by the situation she now faced.

Jonathan glanced at tuviel before answering. “they believe she has lived here as a spy, and they blame her forthe attack a few nights ago.”

“what?! She wasn’t responsible for that!”

“i know that, but they are all consumed with hatred, it would be hard to convince them otherwise.”

“it’s alright astria, we just have to make it to the river.” Tuviel said, hoping it would calm her daughter’s fear. “and then we will be safe for a while.”

“if we make it.” She commented, her eyes lowered towards the ground as she placed the blade into her leather boot.

Johnathan smiled politely. “i am here to ensure that you do.”

Astria said nothing more to tuviel and jonathan, she simply turned away and began walking towards where she knew the river to be; the fera and her mother following close behind.

She wondered once more what life would be like away from the place that she had grown up, apprehensive to see the world beyond the confines of lacus. Though fearful of what they may find.

Her feet and back ached as she walked, the oversized pack she carried weighing her down; only adding to her

growing dislike of leaving home. But she had no choice, neither did her mother, their lives in danger from the very same people that had harboured them for so long.

Yet, it didn’t end there, with every step they took they inched closer to the unknown; and the very real possibility of death.

Disheartened by the thought, astria turned her mind away from her sorrows and focused more on a song she had heard the fera sing around the fire, the same song that they had sung the day their ancestors shad escaped from slavery. And though many of their people still suffered at the hands of mortal men, most of them stood free, able to choose their own paths in life.

Astria's voice filled the space between the trees, soothing both her mother and jonathan as they relentlessly pushed forward, barely stopping to catch their breath. Once finished she lowered her eyes towards the ground, knowing that they still had so long ahead of them.