A note from the author

Introduction

I remember the first time I had met Dmitria: I mean really met her and talked to her. Now that I look back on it, I assume that we had met when we were either nine or ten, that was so long ago that it is hard to recall…

Thinking of our first meeting now, I probably would either start laughing or crying, possibly both. Regardless, I loved Dmitria very much. She meant everything to me, everything completely. I know that may sound wrong, I should love my children or my husband more; however, in the beginning, she was all I had. Much had happened in the years between when we had met and when she had died. I must tell you though: this story has nothing to do with me: this is in her memory and she would have wanted it this way.

You must note that this is not a story for the faint hearted; death, pain, and suffering lurk in these pages, as well as happiness, love, and joy. I have had to recollect most of these events from the back of my mind, some of which I do not wish to remember. For your sanity, as well as my own, I have decided not to tell you everything that has happened, for some of these ‘details’ are better off left untold. Also, I have chosen not to tell this story in my view, for I have a need to keep my sanity (though you may not mind either way). However, In order to fully grasp all that resides within the pages of this book, I pray that you withhold your judgment of Ekaterina and all of whose stories are told here.


- Aria-Isabelle Delano Risaka

Prologue

Prologue:

Delano Kallahan stood outside the main thrown room, pacing back and forth. It had been four hours since his wife, Larraine, had enter the thrown room to discuss what would be done about the Raucous clan and their recent attempts at the thrown.

From just outside the doorway, Delano could hear the muffled, but furious, sounds of Larraine and her council members attempting to find a solution. ‘How much long could they possible take…’ Delano asked himself, finally ceasing his pacing. He brought his hand to his forehead, rubbing the newly forming wrinkles in frustration.

“Sir?”

Delano turned around to seen Elena, the caretaker of his two young daughters, standing before him. “Oh, hello Elena. I terribly sorry – you startled me. How are my darling daughters?”

“Dmitria has been put down for the night, Sir.” Elena smiled at her master. “I was not able to settle Aria Isabelle down, however. She is incredibly fussy this evening.”

“As if she can sense the tension.” said Delano, leaving his post at the entrance of the main thrown room. “Come; let us see if we can ease my daughter.”

Elena nodded and followed Delano Kallahan down the long hallway to Aria Isabelle’s nursery.

***

Larraine Risaka sat angrily at the head of the great wooden table placed at the center of the main thrown room. “What you propose is not good enough, Ronan. We must be precise – no mistakes.”

“I understand, my Lady.” Ronan bowed towards his queen, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. “However, we are not in the position to waste time. Every second we discuss is another second closer they are to breaking down our very walls!”

“You will hold your tongue in her presence, boy!” snarled a man at the right of Larraine.

“It is alright, Haden. Ronan is right, regardless of how I would like to admit it.” Larraine nodded towards Ronan, hushing her trusted aid. “We must stop our fighting for the evening, it is late, and I have a husband and children to attend to. Jonathan will not risk coming so soon. We will have the night to think it over.”

Haden nodded in agreement with his queen. “Yes, come sister.” Haden rose from his chair taking the hand of the young girl at his right. The young girl of only twelve rose from her chair as well and followed her brother, tears lining her unearthly yellow eyes. Haden turned and looked at his sister, wiping a tear from her cheek. “Do not cry, Eudora. All will be well in the end. We must do what is right in the end.”

Eudora nodded and followed her brother from the thrown room.

* * *

Larraine walked down the dimly lit hallway to her bed chamber. She smiled to herself as she entered the nursery adjacent to her bed chamber to see her husband laying her newborn daughter to bed. “Delano, I thought you would have gone to bed by now?”

Delano turned towards his wife, “I was waiting for you darling. Have you made a decision?”

Larraine sighed. “No, nothing has been decided. We will convene again tomorrow morning.”
She walked over to the chamber door at the far wall, peering in. “How are they this evening?”

“Dmitria is sound asleep. Elena helped her to bed hours ago. Aria Isabelle was not so easy, however. She has been fussy all evening. It is as if she is warning us of something.” Said Delano, leading his wife into their bed chamber.

“Dmitria would recognize such a disturbance before Aria Isabelle ever would.” Larraine slid into her side of the bed.

“Darling, I thought we had had this discussion before. Aria Isabelle will be just as capable as Dmitria. Do not choose one daughter over the other.” He slid in next to her.
“Head your own words, my love.”

With that both Larraine and Delano fell into a sound sleep.

* *

Delano was thrust awake by the sound of yelling and a loud banging on the bed chamber door. He awoke his wife just as Ronan thrust though the door.

“Sir! You must hurry, the Raucous clan is descending upon the castle!”

Larraine and Delano leapt from their bed.

Delano looked to his wife. “Darling you know what we must do.”

Larraine nodded sadly, a crystal tear falling down her cheek. She turned to Ronan. “Ronan, run. Run as fast as you can from here, and take anyone you can with you. You must protect Eudora and her brother at all cost. Flee to our palace in the east if you must. Go!”

Ronan nodded sadly and rushed from the room.

“I will take Aria Isabelle and you Dmitria.” Delano said to his wife, kissing her on the forehead. Suddenly Elena rushed into the bedroom. “Larraine go!”

“Elena, please I need you to do something for me. I need you to find Serena and tell her to meet Larraine and I at the cottage at the edge of the woods. Hurry!”

Elena nodded at Delano and fled from the room to find Serena.

Delano rushed into the nursery to the crib where his daughter was screaming violently. He took her in his arms, wrapping a small blanket around her. “Please darling, hush now. You must hush.” With that he ran.

Outside the chamber, the sounds of screams and the smell of smoke filled the air. Delano rushed down the marble hallway, attempting to save his daughter’s life.

He stopped suddenly at the entrance to the palace as the door were thrust open, allowing Jonathan Raucous’s army to breach the palace’s grand wall.

Suddenly Delano was spotted by Jonathan. They locked eyes. “After him!”

Delano ran through the servant’s entrance at the right of the palace. After a few moments of running, ahead of Jonathan and his men, Delano reached the tiny cottage at the edge of the forest. He burst through the door.

Before stood Larraine, her cheeks stained with tears and Dmitria in her arms. “Oh thank the Gods.” She said in a shriek.

“Not yet, darling. I was spotted. They are on their way here now.”

Larraine gasped looking towards Serena at her left.

“What do you expect us to do now?” asked Serena, fear in her eyes. “We will not all make it out of here alive.”

“I will distract them. You and Larraine will take the children to the mainland.”

Larraine looked at her husband. “No. I will not leave you.” She said taking his hand. Larraine closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears from flowing down her face. Finally she turned to Elena, who sat crying at the small table. “Elena, darling. I need you to take my daughters for me. I am begging you to do this for me.”

Delano looked at his wife, shock on his face. However, he did not seek to dissuade her, for he knew there would be no changing her mind.

“Yes, your Highness. I will do as you say.” Elena rose from the table and took Aria Isabelle from Delano’s arms.

The pregnant Serena walked sadly over to Larraine and to Dmitria from her arms. “You will be forever missed my friend.” Serena said, allowing the tears to flow freely. “I pray that the Gods allow you end to be quick.”

Larraine and Delano nodded, allowing their tears to flow.

Suddenly the sound of Jonathan and his men became louder than ever.

“Please, go now. We will hold them off as long as we can.”

Serena and Elena nodded and fled through the back door of the cottage into the forest, cloaked by the darkness of the night.

Larraine and Delano clasped hands and turned towards the front door. They walked through the entrance of the small cottage and stood on the grass to face their ends.

Chapter I

Part I: Before

“I’m Just Perceptive”
-Aria Isabelle Risaka

Twenty-seven years earlier…

“Aria Isabelle Risaka!” yelled a woman in a tattered tavern dress, the top layer of her skirt tucked into her belt. The woman was dressed in a long, muti-layered olive tavern dress - an off white petticoat visible from beneath. Fixing her unruly brown hair back into a tightly knotted bun, she continued to peak into as many of the upstairs bed chambers as possible. She shuddered at the décor of the bed chambers. The walls of the bed chambers were covered in an atrocious yellow wallpaper the made who ever was viewing it nauseous.

The woman returned back into the hall once again. “You good-for-nothing child, get down here!” She shook her head, finally coming to the conclusion that she was not going to find the child in any of the remaining bed chambers on the second floor of the orphanage. The hallway of the second floor had the same color wall paper, but was kept in much better condition by the servants. The woman continued her way down the hallway, finally coming to the grand staircase that split into two and curved around to great wooden pillars that stood on either side of foyer. She shook her head once more and made her way down the staircase to the kitchen.

The orphanage was a pleasant one; however, it had not been kept in proper condition over the few hundred years that it had been standing. The servants had become especially good at hiding the atrocities it hid. The many grand paintings of past headmistresses covered the rotting spots where heavy rains had soaked through the great walls. It was known by all that the rug across from the large bay window that looked out to the town below was hiding a large hole in the wooden floor boards. Even the mahogany grand staircase, which had been considered as the feature that kept the memories of the orphanages’ hay-day in constant view, was beginning to break down.

“Dmitria! Dmitria May Kallahan,” yelled the another woman from the downstairs kitchen, her deep voice resonating throughout the great foyer. This woman, who was dressed quite similarly to the other woman, had been searching the entire bottom floor looking for the Kallahan child. She had a long blond hair that had been braided down her back and hooked nose that almost curved around her upper lip, causing her to appear as though she was constantly sneering. "Dmitria," she called. The woman shook her head dramatically, forcing her way through the door the large wooden doors, a large stack of silver trays weighing heavily in her arms. The woman with the curved nose carefully set the trays on the table next to the wash bin for the servants to clean later, and walked back through the wooden double doors.

The woman with the tightly woven bun ran down the ornate wooden staircase, her small feet tapping lightly on each mahogany step. She looked back up the staircase once more, praying that she would find that girl before the headmistress returned from her week stay in town, and continued round the corner towards the kitchen. Unexpectedly, she headed straight into the woman with the curved nose.

“Jane!”

“Mattie!” said Jane, checking her bun to confirm it was still intact. “You scared the blarney out ‘o me.” Jane had a rich Celtic accent that made it difficult to understand her when she was angry.

“So sorry Jane,” said Mattie kindly. “I did not mean to frazzle you. Actually, I’m a little frazzled myself. I cannot seem to find Miss Kallahan…”

“Eh, who,” Jane asked. She paused for a brief moment, “now let me think...pale skin, brown eyes, black hair…That the one ya be talkin' 'bout?”

“Yes, actually -.”

“Haven’t seen ‘er. You seen the red head?” asked Jane.

“Aria Isabelle? Nay, last time I saw her was supper time last evening. I am terribly sorry that I was not of much help to you.”

“Wait, maybe ya can ‘elp. Ye can ‘elp me look for ‘er, and we can look for yer petite Miss Kallahan” said Jane.

“I suppose,” Mattie mumbled as Jane pulled her through the wooden double doors of the kitchen to the back of the orphanage.

“Aria Isabelle,” they called, “Dmitria!”

“Chicken-scratch…” whispered a nine-year-old Dmitria May Kallahan. She smiled to herself as she put the finishing touches on the trap she had been planning all morning long. Upon hearing the shrill yells of her caretaker, Mattie, she ran into the orphanage chicken coop, head-on into a petite red-headed girl who was completely covered in feathers and dirt.

“Hey, get out of here - this is my hiding place.” The girl had a childish voice. Instinctively, the girl pulled Dmitria completely into the coop, the tiny wooden door clicking closed behind her. The sounds of their caretakers could be heard even clearer now.

“Running from the hags too?” whispered Dmitria as she looked through a crack in the small wooden door.

“Yes, of course” the red head chimed, “who would be stupid enough to not hide from them?”

Dmitria smiled, “So, what is your name?”

“Aria Isabelle Risaka”

Aria Isabelle had long, wavy red hair that was carefully braided down her back, and a set of pale blue eyes seemed to almost reflect what little light there was in the chicken coop.

“Hmmm…you don’t say? I’m-“

“Oh, I know who you are.” Aria Isabelle said changing her position from a crouch to sitting cross-legged on the straw, he light-blue, thinly woven dress tucked neatly under her legs. “You're Dmitria Kallahan, also known as Dmitri, am I right? Your middle name is May; you are nine years old; and have a very high self-esteem. You-”

“Are you a stalker?”

Aria Isabelle laughed, “No, I’m just perceptive,” she said smiling at Dmitria.

“How long have you lived here?” Dmitria eyed her curiously.

“Well, my whole life actually...” Aria Isabelle fingered nervously through the end of her long braid.

“Oh..." said Dmitria attempting to defuse the tension, “So, do you have a shorter name I can call you?”

"Not really..." Aria Isabelle thought for a moment, "Is Aria alright?"
Dmitria nodded happily, “it is perfect.” She smiled and extended her hand to Aria Isabelle, “Well it is a pleasure to meet you Aria,”

“The pleasure is all mine,” she shook Dmitria’s hand happily.

There was a pause.

“Hey, do you want to see something funny?” asked Dmitria, glancing back at the wooden door of the chicken coop.

“Oh, yes. I would like that very much.”

“Perfect,” with that Dmitria opened the door slightly, just enough to look out as their caretakers drug their feet through the string Dmitria had laid out earlier. Suddenly, a large pail of the day’s fresh eggs tipped and dumped onto to the women, the yokes spilling over their heads and into their eyes.

“This has Miss Kallahan written all over it,” said Mattie wiping the egg yoke off of her face, as Jane pulled eggshells from her no-longer neatly wrapped bun.

The Dmitria and Aria Isabelle erupted into hysterical laughter, paying little attention to the fact that they were rolling through the thatch door, down the wooden ramp to land at the feet of their caretakers.

“There you are,” Jane and Mattie said angrily. Neither caretaker gave their soiled clothes a thought as they grabbed the ears of Aria Isabelle and Dmitria, dragging them back to their bed chambers in the orphanage.

"You will not be seeing the light of day for the next week, Miss Kallahan," whispered Mattie in Dmitria's ear as she dragged her back to the orphanage.

Aria Isabelle looked back towards Dmitria, smiling at her new friend, “Nice to meet you!”
That was a start of an amazing friendship between the two girls.

Chapter II

Five years later…

“Just get it out! Just get it out, Aria,” screamed Dmitria as Aria Isabelle attempted to remove the multiple bee stingers out of Dmitria’s right arm.

“I told you to not do that, Dmitria. Honestly, you can not just walk up to a hive of bees and take what is rightfully theirs” she said shaking her head, moving Dmitria’s long black hair out of the way.

Only a few minutes earlier, Dmitria had come to the conclusion that it would be entertaining to attempt to steal a few of the honeycombs from one of the several bee hives that lined that property of the orphanage. Aria Isabelle had discouraged the idea from the start but, as usual, Dmitria felt as though she knew more that Aria Isabelle did. Consequently, there she was pulling the multitude of stingers out of Dmitria’s arm, cleaning the wounds with water she had sent the stable hand to fetch for her.

“Oh, I beg your pardon your highness,” she winced as Aria Isabelle pulled another bee stinger from Dmitria’s arm.

“Do not be like that, Dmitri.” she said laughing, “Next time, just please think about something before you do it…” Aria Isabelle pulled the last stinger out, and pondered for a moment. “It is common sense.”

Dmitria rolled her eyes, “of course…” she said rubbing her arm. “We should head back, it is getting late and we do not want the hags to get their skirts all in a knot.” Dmitria looked back to the orphanage as the stable hand, who had brought the pail of water to Aria Isabelle, was beginning to light the lamp posts.

Aria Isabelle smiled, “I suppose you are right…” she trailed off, looking at the waves crashing onto the far shore, mesmerized by the sea breeze.

“Aria,” Dmitria rested her hand on Aria Isabelle’s shoulder and looked out at the water.

No answer.

“Aria? Aria Isabelle, are you alright,” she asked turning her head towards Aria Isabelle’s face.

“Hm? Oh, I am so sorry Dmitria. I am doing that thing again, aren’t I…” she said to Dmitria, meeting her gaze. Aria Isabelle returned her stare to the far harbor. “Promise me something, Dmitria” she said in a whisper.

“Anything.”

“Promise we will leave this god-forsaken place…” Aria Isabelle trailed off, her voice like the fading sunlight.

“I promise, Aria,” said Dmitria taking Aria Isabelle’s hand in her own, returning her gaze to the sunset as well. “We will leave…someday…”

Suddenly, Aria Isabelle spied an ornate ship pulling into the Harbor, and uneasy feeling rising inside her, “That is odd; I have never seen such a ship pull into the harbor…”

“I agree. Usually, the ships only come from the small islands off the coast…” Dmitria said.

Aria Isabelle turned her head towards Dmitria, “It looks as –”

“Girls, time to come in for bed,” called Mattie from the door leading to the kitchen.

“I do not know Aria…but we should be getting back; you know how the hags get.”

Aria Isabelle nodded solemnly, “We must definitely speak of this later, Dmitria.”

Dmitria nodded in agreement.

Once more, Aria Isabelle looked out at the beautiful Galleon; her eyes fell to the ground. In her heart she prayed that she might one day leave that horrible place – to leave behind her world’s natural gray tint, to a place full of color.

“Well come on,” said Dmitria happily, as Aria Isabelle picked up her various belongings - an ink quill, parchment, and an old ink cartridge – and followed Dmitria back to the orphanage, the ominous feeling that beautiful ship had given her, not far from her mind.

“Hey smile,” said Dmitria as they washed their hands of the dirt, “come on, at least do it for Tally.”

Aria Isabelle shot her an aggravated look, “yes of course, I will defiantly smile for my deceased parakeet, Dmitria.” There were few times when she actually despised Dmitria and bringing up her parakeet, Tally, was one of those times.

Three months after they had met, Jane’s house cat, Bordeaux, had eaten Aria Isabelle’s parakeet named Tally. Aria Isabelle had been devastated; that evening she had cried so hard it had started to rain, as if the heavens themselves could feel her pain.

“Aria, come on. I really did not mean to hurt your feelings. Do you really want me to bring up what you did to Bordeaux?”

Just a month later their caretakers thought that Dmitria had been the one who had locked the house cat in the boiler, killing it. Jane had gone to lock Dmitri in her room for three nights with out dinner, but a huge gust of wind knocked her off her feet sending the key out the open window, never to be found.

“That honestly was not my doing, Dmitria” she said.

Dmitria turned her back to Aria Isabelle and made her way to her bed chamber, “of course, Aria. I forgot – you never do anything wrong.” She winked at Aria Isabelle before exiting through the wooden double doors.

* * *

“Mama,” Dmitria sat up covered in sweat, breathing heavily. It had been another nightmare, the same one as last night and the night before, and the night before that. “Just a dream,” she reassured herself in a rather childish voice, “nothing more than a dream.” She rubbed her eyes tiredly; they were wet. Had she been crying, in her sleep? She had never done that before.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps and the low murmurs of one of the caretakers coming from down the hall. Dmitria pulled the covers back and slipped her feet into her old leather boots, wrapping her thick winter coat around her shoulders. Curious, she stepped closer to the door.

“’ave ya ‘eard the news, Mattie,” said an old voice unrecognizable to Dmitria.

“Sorry Gretchen, I do not seem to follow,” said Mattie.

“Dat merchant ship that came in ta port t’day?” said Gretchen nervously. “On the ship there be a man with black eyes, black as coal Mattie! This ‘ere man ‘as come ta take three of our girls from us, and take the back with ‘im from wherever ‘e came from! ‘e ‘as already killed seven people in town – ‘e ‘as ‘is eye on dat little girl we’d put in ta care of Maggie.”

Mattie’s eyes widened, “Ekaterina?”

“Aye, dat be ta one. Well, turns out the other two are ‘ere.”

“And who, might I ask, are these girls you speak of,” asked Mattie suspiciously.

Dmitria knew who the girl named Ekaterina was; however, the image of her was vivid – the long brown hair, the slightly tanned skin, the chocolate colored eyes. She was familiar with her, but did not know her very well. Ekaterina Lai-John had been put in the care of Maggie, when they were five, and Dmitria had not been in contact with her other than seeing her a year or two before she had met Aria Isabelle.

“I t’ink ya don’t really want ta know” Gretchen looked around cautiously. “Ya listen ‘ere Mattie, w’en I tell ya dis, ya gotta promise me somethin’.”

Mattie nodded.

“Ya gotta promise me dat w’en ya find out ya will get ta bloody ‘ell out o’ ‘ere. I’m serious, Mattie.”

She nodded once more.

“Ya know ta little red ‘ead?”

“Aria Isabelle? Are you certain Gretchen?”

“As sure as I can be,” said Gretchen shaking her head, “I don’t know w’at ta do, Mattie. Da cook left dis mornin’, Jane went wit’ ‘im, day got no idea w’o ta ot’er one is, but I’ll sure not be staying ta find out.”

Dmitria had to cover her mouth to keep from screaming, her heart about to beat clear out of her chest. She froze, “Aria…”

“When is this man you speak of coming?”

Dmitria returned her attention to the caretakers.

“Ta night Mattie...Ta night!”

‘No…’ Dmitria ran to her window looking out at the sundial, shaking her head only to realize that she was not going to be able to read the sundial in that time of night. She heard the frantic footsteps of Mattie running down the worn steps of the grand staircase. Dmitria knew what she had to do to save her best friend; who had recently become more like a sister.

Dmitria changed into the most comfortable dress she owned, and packed a bag full of things she would need – a change of clothes, a knife, and the little pouch of silver pieces she had been saving in order to by herself a new evening gown. She shook her head at the irony of the conversation she and Aria Isabelle had only hours before. She had promised Aria Isabelle that they would get out of there someday, somehow – now they would.

Dmitria pulled her rucksack over her shoulder and headed towards her chamber door. Then something caught her eye. She turned around to see a chain necklace with a red jewel on the end. It had been a gift from her parents, before they had left her to grow up in the orphanage. She grabbed the necklace, pulled it over her neck, and ran out the door and down the hall towards Aria Isabelle’s bed chamber.

Dmitria quietly opened the door to Aria Isabelle small bed chamber. “Aria? Aria Isabelle,” Dmitria whispered hoping that the man Gretchen had been speaking of had not kidnapped Aria Isabelle. Then, she noticed the distinct sound of Aria Isabelle’s breathing from the corner of the bed chamber. Dmitria walked over to Aria Isabelle’s bed, nudging her gently, “Aria wakeup.”

After a few attempts, Aria Isabelle stirred, “Dmitria,” said asked sleepily, “What are you doing here, the hags are going to –”

“Aria, the hags are not here anymore, they have packed up and left.”

“What,” she said sitting up suddenly, “Dmitri, all of them? Dmitria, what is going on?”

“I cannot explain right now,” she said shaking her head, “but you have to get up and get dressed. We are leaving.”

Aria Isabelle did not question Dmitria, for Dmitria’s voice was forceful; that made Aria weary. She dressed herself in the same outfit as Dmitria, packed a rucksack, and grabbed a sapphire pendant and pulled it over her head.

Dmitria grabbed Aria Isabelle’s arm and pulled her out into the hall, down the worn mahogany grand staircase and out the heavy wooden doors to the main house.

Aria Isabelle glanced back sadly at the place that had been her home for her entire life. She shook her head, attempting to suppress the depression that was sure to come. “Where are we going, Dmitria?”

“I am not entirely sure, Aria.”

Dmitria and Aria Isabelle came to the main hall only a few moments later. Dmitria stopped and looked down both halls on her left and right. Breaking into a sprint she ran down the left hall towards the hall of archives, Aria Isabelle not far behind her. When they entered the hall of archives, Dmitria immediately found a dusty leather book with a giant ‘L’ on it. She opened the book, flipping through page after page. Finally, she found the page she had been searching for and ran her finger down the list of names, “Ekaterina Lai-John, Ekaterina Lai-John…here. Maggie’s current residence is listed as 023 Sea Ridge lane. Aria, do you know where 023 Sea Ridge lane is?”

“I think I might…but why do you want to know?”

“Because that is where we have to go” said Dmitria crossing out Ekaterina’s name with a quill. She then proceeded to find the ‘K’ and ‘R’ book where she continued to cross out their names.

“Dmitria, why are you doing such a thing? You are defacing a valuable resource. I –”

“Aria, we must not leave any sort of sign that we were ever here,” said Dmitria looking at Aria Isabelle seriously. She shook her head, frowning, and once again pulled her rucksack over her shoulder. “Do you remember the address I told you?”

“Yes…”

“Then we should go,” Dmitria grabbed Aria Isabelle’s arm and ran.

Chapter III

The cool evening air stung Aria Isabelle’s face as she followed Dmitria down the winding dirt path that led into town. As they neared town, Dmitria stopped short, pulling Aria Isabelle behind an old oak tree as two men dressed in dark cloaks flew past them toward the orphanage.

“Dmitri, what is going to happen to all of those back at the orphanage,” asked Aria Isabelle in a small voice. Secretly, she had asked the question hoping Dmitria would have given her an optimistic answer.

Dmitria said nothing, but the quick glance she gave Aria Isabelle said everything. She paused for a moment, pulling her rucksack over her shoulder. She retrieved two darkly colored cloaks that resembled the ones the men who had passed had been wearing. Dmitria handed one to Aria Isabelle, “Here, put this on.”

Aria Isabelle took the cloak without a word.

Dmitria looked out from behind the old oak tree and, once the dirt path was clear again, they were on there way.

All was quiet when they came to the dark alleyway leading into town - the early morning fog hindering their vision.

“Aria, Sea Ridge lane is the road across from this one, is it not?”

“I think so…” she said in a small voice.

Dmitria looked back at Aria Isabelle wrapping her arms around her. “It will be alright.” She said, hoping those words would reassure herself as well. “Come, follow me.”

They ran down the darkly lit road, sliding into alleyway after alleyway as men with torches flew through the thick fog. Finally they rounded the corner and came to 023 Sea Ridge lane.

Dmitria walked up to the wooden door cautiously, tapping the door lightly with the brass knocker.

All was silent for a moment. Suddenly movement could be heard from behind the door. It opened slightly, “Who’s there,” asked an old woman with graying hair, her tiny face peeking from behind the door.

Dmitria removed the hood of her cloak, “Are you Maggie Clearwater?”

At first there was no answer, but then the woman slowly opened the door, “Yes.”

“I am terribly sorry to bother you at such an hour. We are here to –”
“I know why you are here, child,” she gave Dmitria a sad smile, and turned her head towards Aria Isabelle. “Hello there, you must be Miss Risaka. Please, come in.”

Aria Isabelle and Dmitria stepped through the doorway into the warmth of the tiny parlor. They house was small with beige colored walls that gave an earthy feel to it all. Maggie Clearwater led the girls down the hall way into a tiny room in the back of the house. She looked back at Aria Isabelle and Dmitria sadly once again and opened the door.

It was a small room, with a thatch cot in the corner and a round window with a flap of hide hindering the light of moon from entering. It was barely lit apart from a few candles strewn from table to table. Then from a door in the back came a young girl around fourteen years old. She had long brown hair that, in the light, appeared to have a tinge of amber blaze. It appeared as though she had been crying, dried tears staining her slightly tanned skin. The young girl turned towards them.

“Ekaterina…” said Dmitria.

“Yes, and you are?” asked Ekaterina, wiping the excess tears from her face.

“This is Aria Isabelle and Dmitria. They will be traveling with you…” said Maggie.

Ekaterina’s eyes fell to the ground, “I assume you are the two others this man is searching for?”

Aria Isabelle looked back at Dmitria questionably.

A look of realization flashed across Dmitria’s face, “Of course…”

Maggie Clearwater lightly touched Dmitria’s shoulder, “I am terribly sorry to rush you girls but-”

Almost on queue, there was a loud rap on the wooden door. Rustling could be heard from the hallway.

Ekaterina froze, looking from the few things that were now packed in her rucksack to Maggie, “Maggie, I can not. I -”

Maggie rushed over to Ekaterina and held her tightly, stroking her long brown hair. “We will see each other again, my darling,” Maggie kissed Ekaterina’s forehead. “Remember, my love, love is an ocean wide.”

Ekaterina looked up at Maggie, tears falling down her face, and shook her head. Wiping away the tears, she slung her rucksack over her shoulder. “Follow me,” she said, as Maggie helped her pulled an aged dresser from the back wall, revealing a small hole in the ancient brick.

Aria Isabelle and Dmitria followed Ekaterina through the small hole, out into an alleyway behind the small house. The chill of the early morning sank into their bones through their thinning cloaks. Once again, Aria Isabelle and Dmitria pulled their dark cloaks over their heads and, without looking back at Maggie Clearwater, they ran.

The three girls can round the corner a full speed, splashing in the puddles of dew from the thick fog. Finally, they stopped, hiding in a dimly lit alleyway behind the bakery at the edge of town. They breathed heavily, wrapping their cloaks closer to their bodies.

Ekaterina stood silent for a moment, fighting back the tears that came when she recalled the sounds of Maggie Clearwater’s screams as they fled from her childhood home. She shook her head baffled by how someone could destroy so many lives without remorse. Ekaterina looked back at Aria Isabelle and Dmitria, secretly knowing that the two girls she was staring at were to be the closest thing to family for a while. Finally she spoke: “There is a stable at the top of a hill just north of here. If we hurry, we should be able to make it there within an hour or two.”

Aria Isabelle and Dmitria exchanged looks and, for the first time, it was Aria Isabelle who spoke, “If you feel it is there we are safest, then we will follow you. I trust you.”

Ekaterina turned away from the two girls, surprised by the sense of trust Aria Isabelle had in Ekaterina without knowing much about her, “Amour Perso is not the safest place to be, but it is the only chance we have got of out running them.”

“Then we will follow,” said Dmitria repeating Aria Isabelle’s statement.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves coming in contact with cobblestone could be heard from the street.

The girls hugged the moss covered wall of the alleyway; listening for the voice they feared the most.

“Dante, check the alleyway.” The voice was that of a woman.

“No sign of them, Celina.”

“Keep looking! All of you hurry,” said Celina, irritation in her voice.

Suddenly the rustling stopped, no sound could be heard from the street. Then, the sound of hooves could be heard. The rider dismounted the stallion, his or her thick leather boot clacking against the cobblestones. “Is there a problem here, Celina?”

The girls froze.

“No, Akota - sir.” answered Dante.

“That’s him – that is the man who is after us,” said Ekaterina with a slight stutter. She glanced back at Aria Isabelle and Dmitria, fear in her chocolate colored eyes. “We need to leave. Now.”
Aria Isabelle and Dmitria shook their heads and crept closer to the street.

“We will have to run once we enter the street. Do not look back – whatever you do. Follow me as best you can,” said Ekaterina peeking her head around the corner into the street.

The man, Akota, walked slowly around Celina to the guard named Dante. Dante looked from Celina to Akota, fear showing in his light-colored eyes.

Akota stood tall – his lean muscles visible through his leather armor. He had jet black hair that fell to his shoulders and eyes that were as dark as coal. Ekaterina’s eyes then fell on Celina – her angelic feature contradicting the dark aura she emanated. Celina was tiny, her short, jaw-length blond, almost white, hair adding to her small appearance. She had icy blue eyes that appeared as harsh as the bone-chilling fog.

Akota took another step towards Dante, eyeing him. “I feel as though there is something awry, Dante.” Before Dante could speak a word Akota removed the large blade from its sheath and drove it into the unsuspecting man’s chest, a wicked smile spreading across his face.

Aria Isabelle drew in a breath, baffled by the abomination she had witnessed.

Suddenly Ekaterina looked back at Aria Isabelle and Dmitria and nodded slowly, “Now!”

The three girls sprinted from the alley towards the opposite end of town.

As Akota began to clean off the blood from his sword he looked up to see the commotion. He froze.

Aria Isabelle ran as fast as she possibly could. Then, she spared a quick glance behind her. She caught the eyes of Akota – his coal-colored eyes full of rage.

“After them!” he bellowed as he mounted his black steed, signaling the band of soldiers behind him. “Celina, take the brigade up the hill.”

Celina looked back at Akota as she mounted her horse, “and where, might I ask, are you running off to?”

“To retrieve leverage. “said Akota, riding his black stallion back down the cobblestone road.

Chapter IV

And they ran. One could never truly understand the way they ran, unless you were running for your life as well. They ran faster than they had ever had, flying through to woods edge, leaving the cobblestone roads of Atlantic City behind them.

Dmitria paused for a moment look down from the hill onto the sleeping town, just as the first rays of sunlight shone over the mountaintops. It hurt her to know that all the people that had known her, Aria, or Ekaterina were in grave danger.

“Dmitri! Dmitria, please hurry!” she heard Aria Isabelle yell, as Dmitria ran to catch up with them.

Running a mile or so the three exhausted girls collapsed to the ground. Catching her breath, Ekaterina pulled out a pouch of water from her bag, “The stables I told you about are just beyond those trees you see over there” stated Ekaterina tiredly, “Now we must be quite. Do you understand?” she smiled at Dmitria and Aria Isabelle. “Aria Isabelle, what are you doing?” asked Ekaterina, looking towards Aria Isabelle who was gazing off into nothing.

“What?” said Aria Isabelle, coming out from her daze, “Oh, nothing. I apologize. Ekaterina, you know you may call me Aria?”

“Oh, alright.”

“Do not worry much about Aria, she does that occasionally.” whispered Dmitria to Ekaterina as they continued to walk through the trees.

“There,” said Ekaterina, pointing to the small cluster of building not too far from where they stood. “Amore Perso stables.”

“What does it mean?” asked Dmitria.

“It means Lost Love.” said Ekaterina.

“And you know of this place how?” asked Aria Isabelle looking from the stables to Ekaterina.

“Well, I suppose you would say that my childhood was spent here.” answered Ekaterina quietly. “You see, Maggie was like a mother to me, since I never knew my own. Her son, Kaolin, owned these stables; we came down here many times over the years. Sadly though, he died in an archery accident a year or so ago.”

Then she paused for a moment, “After that, we never returned: it hurt Maggie to much. However, about a month or so ago, it was sold at an auction to a woman by the name of Seryna. Seryna Cartridge I believe it was.”

As the sun peaked over the tops of the snow capped mountains, the stable came into view. Amore Perso stable was not very large, considering how much money they obtained during its auction, but it made up for its loses in beauty. There stood a rather small cottage, only enough room for a body or two, which sat in the center of it all. It had ring of stables surrounding the cottage.

The windows were lined with rusted metal, shaped to appear as small fragile leaves covered in cobwebs, giving it an authentic appeal. Though obvious, no one noticed the intricate stone masonry that lined the walkways in an arrangement of browns, oranges, and rustic colors.

No more words were spoken until they reached the stable’s gates, exhausted from the previous night’s events. “I suppose we have lost this man for the time being, have we not? Atoka was it?” Dmitria smiled at Aria Isabelle and Ekaterina, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Dmitria I believe that his name is Akota, not Atoka.” answered Aria Isabelle. “How can you be so optimistic in a time such as this?”

Dmitria smile fell. “I am not trying to offend you Aria.” she shook her head at Aria Isabelle and walked though the large wrought iron gates. Dmitria paused for a moment, turning back towards Aria Isabelle, “In a time such as, I assumed you would need something to lighten your mood. I apologize, excuse me.”

Aria Isabelle crossed her arms across her chest followed Dmitria through the gates. Neither spoke again on the topic.

Ekaterina followed the two girls inside. Once inside, she turned to her left, facing a stall that held a chestnut colored mare. “This is Luce. She used to be mine.” Ekaterina stroked the mare’s forehead. “Look around; there are plenty of other horses to choose from. But hurry, we might not have much time.”

Aria Isabelle and Dmitria nodded and turned to opposite sides of the stable, still frustrated with one another.

After a few moments Dmitria found a black stallion by the name of Hans. And after Ekaterina had finished saddling her horse helped Dmitria saddle the stallion.

Aria Isabelle looked around the stable, attempting to find a horse for her own. Suddenly something caught Aria Isabelle’s eye. She turned her head towards the stall on her left. Before her were the two lovely green eyes of an old white mare.

“Her name is Elyah. If you were wondering.” said Ekaterina as she walked towards Aria Isabelle. “She is one of the older mares in the stable; however, she will not fail you.”

Aria Isabelle nodded towards Ekaterina and smiled, leading the mare from her stall and saddling her.
By the time Aria Isabelle had finished saddling her horse, Dmitria and Ekaterina had already mounted theirs.

Aria Isabelle put her foot in the stirrup, and hoisted herself up onto the horse’s back.

“May I ask, what you think you are doing?”

Chapter V

They turned around to see a small, fragile looking, woman standing before them. “Seryna Cartridge?” Seryna Cartridge was a beautiful woman. She had milky brown eyes, and slightly tanned skin. She had long black hair fell loosely down her back in a mass of curls. “I am terribly sorry that we had to meet under these circumstances. My name is Ekaterina; I was the daughter of the previous owner of these stables. My friends and I are in a great deal of danger. I apologize, but the horses that are boarded here were the only options I could think of to escape.” Ekaterina looked at Seryna Cartridge, pleading for her help.

Seryna froze when she heard what Ekaterina said her name, “Well,” said Seryna smoothly, looking at the three young girls before her. “There is quite a lot that you need to know before you leave. There is a harbor a half a day’s journey form here. I believe that if you leave now you should be able to reach it before dark.”

Aria Isabelle and Dmitria looked at each other and then towards Ekaterina.

“But first, please, follow me inside. I have a few things that you will need for your journey.”

Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, and Ekaterina followed Seryna Cartridge into the tiny cottage. Before them was a very tiny kitchen. On the stove, a small, copper kettle whistled. Seryna removed the kettle from its place on the stove and poured four glasses of tea.

“Here girls, please sit” she said, cutting a small loaf of bread into three pieces and handing them to the three girls.

They sat down in the dimly lit dinning room. “Thank you, Madam Cartridge, for all you have done. I must ask though, why are you aiding us?” asked Aria Isabelle, holding her cup of tea close to her chest.

"I am helping you for I was I the same position as you girls thirty years ago. I must tell you, however, you girls can not yet conceive the dangers that you will now be forced to face." Seryna was silent for a moment; it pained her to see three beautiful in such a position as this. “A simple prayer is all I can offer you girls. I am ashamed to say that I have no words of comfort for any of you." she turned away from them, not wishing to see their faces. Seryna Cartridge wanted nothing more than to reveal the horrors that they were soon to face; however, she knew that she would be killed in the process. “I feel that it would be best for you girls to leave now, before he discovers where you girls have been hiding.” said Seryna as Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, and Ekaterina finished their tea and bread.

Suddenly, Aria heard the sound she had been praying not to hear – the sound of the hooves of Akota’s black stallion contacting harshly with the aged cobblestones.

She froze, "Dmitria, we need to go. Now!" Aria Isabelle said as the sound of galloping horses drew closer. Pulling Dmitria and Ekaterina by the arms she headed for the door.

Ekaterina stopped short. “Madame Cartridge, are you not coming with us?”

"No, child: I have awaited this meeting for some time now. I will deal with him. Now you girl leave this place. Run as fast as you can and do not look back!” Seryna looked at the three girls sadly. “Do you hear me? Go! Run!”

They pushed through the old wooden door. As they ran, Ekaterina looked behind her to meet the sad eyes of Seryna Cartridge. She could not force back the increasing fear of dread inside her chest.

Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, and Ekaterina ran to the safety of the forest. They stopped, thankful to be concealed by the thick tree limbs.

Dmitria sighed heavily, secretly knowing that they would probably never see Seryna Cartridge again. Dmitria wished she could hide her expressions from the world and everyone in it. (Between Dmitria, Ekaterina, and myself, I would have to say that Dmitria was the most modest considering what she'd gone through, hiding her emotions from those who loved her. I will take much of the credit for this fact. Dmitria had to be strong for me. I had not been the strongest mentally at that period in my life.)

Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, and Ekaterina hid themselves behind a large piece of brush that lined the edge of the clearing, quietly watching the scene that was unfolding before them.

After a moment, Akota and his men appeared in the clearing, at the gates of Amore Perso stables.

Ekaterina let out a shriek as Akota demounted his horse and strolled over towards Seryna Cartridge.

Dmitria covered Ekaterina’s mouth with her hand. “Ekaterina, you are going to get us captured.”

“Hush, both of you! Now is not the time to spat.” said Aria Isabelle, not averting her eyes from Akota as he stood in front of Seryna Cartridge. She truly feared for Seryna and prayed that her life would be spared.

Chapter VI

Akota and his men descended upon the stables. Dismounting his horse Akota walked towards the entrance gates, “Dismount and search the grounds. They could not have gotten very far.”

Following their commander’s orders, the soldiers dismounted their stallion and divided to search the many stalls around the grounds. “Sir, no one seems to be anywhere around the stables.”

Akota growled with anger. “Argh!” he yelled, sending shivers down Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, And Ekaterina’s backs. He turned towards Celina and the remaining soldiers. “This is where you said they would go, hag!” Celina reached from behind one of the black stallions pulling Maggie to her feet; her hands were bound in old rope, her dress was covered with grass and mud, as if she had been dragged.

“I told you they would be here sir!” she cried, her cheeks stained with tears, dry blood tangling her grayed hair. “We must have come too late,” stuttered Maggie, every bone in her body shaking.

“Late? I am never late!” he yelled at her, slapping her across the face.
Ekaterina lurched forward in defense of Maggie. “No Ekaterina, there is not anything we can do…” whispered Dmitria sadly as she caught Ekaterina by the arm. Ekaterina fell back behind the thicket, tears falling on her skirt.
“Well then, I suppose this is where your usefulness has run its course.” said Akota without the slightest amount of remorse. He turned and waved his hand towards Celina. “You know what to do Celina, please get this filthy thing out of my sight” he hissed. Akota dropped Maggie, walking over to his remaining men.
Celina smiled and nodded her head at Akota, making her way towards Maggie’s frightened, shivering body.

Dmitria caught a glimpse of Celina’s face, and what she saw sent shivers down her spine: a malicious smile that, she could tell, craved Maggie’s innocent blood.

Akota laughed harshly as Celina dragged Maggie’s body behind one of the nearest, open stalls. The sound of Maggie’s screams echoed across the grounds. It seemed to Ekaterina that Akota cared for no one, did not find l life precious in any way possible – just another thing to destroy.

Aria Isabelle watched silently, terrified of what the man before her would do next.

Akota waved another hand, signaling his men to search the main house.

However, as the went to pass through the large metal gates of the Amore Perso stables, they found themselves prevented from entering, as though an invisible stone wall have be placed at the stable’s entrance. “Akota, sir, we are not allowed to enter! There seems to be something blocking our way.” yelled one of Akota’s men.

Akota stepped forwards shock on his face. “Impossible!”

“Master, what is wrong?” Celina reappeared from behind the empty stall, wiping the last traces of blood from her hand with a blood stained cloth. She looked at Akota with a quizzical brow, turning her head from side to side, surveying the area around them.

“It’s a protection spell, Celina.”

“But master, that is not possible. We were told that this island had been completely separated from the magic!” Celina looked at Akota in bewilderment.

“Yes, we were told correctly.” said Akota, waving his men away from the large metal gates. “However, I failed to consider an alternative.” He waved his hand across the entrance.

Celina and his men watched silently.

A smiled appeared across Akota’s face. “Of course, how could I have been so ignorant?” Akota ran his hand through his long greasy black hair. “Oh, Seryna?” he chimed at the entrance to Amore Perso stables, “Come out, come out where ever you are!”

Akota took a few steps back so that he was in line with the rest of his men, an eerie grin on his face. “Ah, there you are my darling.”


Suddenly a dagger with an ivory handle was sent flying towards Akota's heart. Sensing the knife, Akota pulled one of his men in front of him, the dagger hitting the man square in the chest.

Akota shoved the man to the ground, not thinking any more of him. He growled viciously, "Now, now darling. There is no need to be violent." Akota turned his head towards Celina and the rest of his men. “Go. This is a private matter. Search the surrounding area, the could not have gone far.”

"I feel that you and I do not see eye to eye.”

Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, and Ekaterina turned their heads to find Seryna Cartridge standing elegantly at the entrance of the stables. Her eyes were cold and dark.

For a moment, Akota simply regarded Seryna with bewilderment – as though he were seeing a ghost from his past.

“My, my Seryna! It has been quite a while since we have seen each other has it not?” he hissed at her, waving his hand at his guards to bind Seryna’s hands together. “I come for three, and uncover one who has eluded even my parents.”

Akota walked over to Seryna, grazing the side of her face with his hand, “I must say Seryna you look as beautiful as before.” He said, smiling cruelly.

She looked at him darkly, turning her head and biting down hard onto his hand.

He slapped her across the face, leaving a red handprint on her cheek. Akota grabbed her face with his hand.

“If you touch me I swear, you will not live through the night,” she hissed at him, a fierce look in her eyes.

Akota glared at Seryna for a moment, a wicked smiled appearing on his lips. He looked down at Seryna and raised an eye brow, surveying the land around him.

Suddenly Seryna Cartridge realized what Akota was preparing to do. She struggled to get away from him, her eyes pleading for him to show her mercy.

Akota smirked. “I see you have changed your last name, am I right? What was it before? Seryna Lai-John?”

For a slight second, Ekaterina just stared at Seryna, not wanting to look away. “Of course,” she whispered as she realized what had just happened, crystal tears beginning to fall down her olive cheeks.

“Ekaterina?” asked Aria Isabelle, turning her head towards Ekaterina. “Are you alright?” Ekaterina did not answer her.

“Ekaterina? Please, we have to leave. I am sure that Seryna will take care of herself.” said Dmitria attempting to pull Ekaterina away from the edge of the forest.

Ekaterina shoved away Dmitria’s arm, turning back towards Aria Isabelle and giving her a sad smile. Then she ran.

Chapter VII

“Ekaterina, no!” screamed Dmitria and Aria Isabelle. There was nothing that could have stopped Ekaterina from running to Seryna’s, her mother’s, aid. She had only just met the woman, but she was not going to lose the mother she had never known.

Aria Isabelle and Dmitria watched wordlessly as Ekaterina fled from the protection of the thicket towards Akota and Seryna. They watched helplessly as she through herself at Akota, attempting to grab the ivory handled dagger that Akota had pulled from the dead man on the ground from his hand.

Ekaterina collided with Akota, knocking him to the ground. She held onto the dagger with dear life as Akota struggled to throw her off. Suddenly her expression changed to fear as he forced her off him to the ground, holding the ivory dagger to her throat.

Akota’s eyes burned with fury. “Well, well, well. Look what we have here.” he said, holding the dagger at the edge of her throat. “This must be the lovely Ekaterina. My, my you do look lie your mother.”

Ekaterina stopped struggling for a moment, turning her head away from Akota towards her mother. Large, hot tears welled in her eyes.

“Ah, I see I have hit a nerve.” He smiled viciously. “Which one of you would like to die first?” Akota got off of Ekaterina, pulling her to her feet by her long brown hair.

“We can not just stand here and watch this Dmitria.” said Aria Isabelle nervously, “He will kill her if he is given the chance.”

All Dmitria could do was nod towards her best friend, sadly. She would not argue with Aria Isabelle, for once she had set her mind on something and there was no changing it.

“Then let’s go” whispered Aria Isabelle, gripping Dmitria’s hand tightly. Together, the two girls fled the thicket to help their new friend.

“Akota please! Please do not do this. You will only cause yourself great pain.” said Seryna quietly, her voice not reaching above a whisper. Seryna sat on the damp grass, wiping the blood from a tiny cut off her forehead. “The least you can do is to allow me to explain to Ekaterina why I had to leave her at the orphanage.” a tear fell from Seryna’s eyes. “I do not want to cause her anymore pain than I already have.”

Seryna’s words stopped Akota for a moment, he pondered them, appearing as though he were in deep thought. “You have deceived me. You say that you do not want to cause this poor girl anymore pain, am I right? Is it wrong for me to say that it would be better if I just carried on with my plans?” he said releasing Ekaterina, and throwing her to the ground. He walked towards Seryna, kneeling in front of her and stroking the side of her face with his hand.

Seryna’s head fell, a steady flow of tears falling from her eyes.

Ekaterina stared at her mother, feeling the slightest bit of sorrow for the woman. She had not thought about why she had decided come to the aid of a woman she did not even know.

“Would you come to her defense Ekaterina?” he asked, turning towards Ekaterina.

Ekaterina regarded Akota, to terrified to speak. In her heart she wanted to answer yes; however, she found herself unable to utter even the smallest word.

Akota smiled and nodded towards Ekaterina, turning back towards Seryna “Well, now we know where you stand, my darling.” Akota chuckled, standing back on his feet. “I must say though, I assumed she would not answer yes anyway. How could you expect her to? You left her to grow up all alone.”

Seryna hung her head in shame, nothing was more heart breaking that to know how much pain she had caused her daughter. Tears fell from Seryna’s eyes as Akota walked behind her kneeling down behind her. Slowly, Akota brought the ivory dagger to Seryna’s throat.

“Stop!” screamed Ekaterina, as Akota began to drag the dagger across Seryna’s throat. Then, as soon as Ekaterina and spoken those words, a vine that had wrapped itself around one of the aging trees, and flew towards Akota. The massive vine wrapped around his waist and flung him across the clearing.

“Ekaterina!” yelled Aria Isabelle and Dmitria. For a moment, everything was silent. Everyone starred at Ekaterina completely astonished.

Aria Isabelle and Dmitria stopped short. “Ekaterina, how in the name of all the heavens did you do that?” asked Aria Isabelle, an astonished look on her face.

Ekaterina stood motionless. Suddenly she began to shake, looking at her hand to try to comprehend what she had just done.

Dmitria looked back behind her at Akota’s unconscious body the ground. “Aria Isabelle, we have to go before he wakes up.” she said, gently touching Aria Isabelle’s arm.

“Yes, I suppose we do. Come, hurry Ekaterina we will figure out what happened later.” She walked over to Ekaterina, taking her arms in Ekaterina’s and pulling her away from the clearing towards the woods.

Ekaterina walked with Aria Isabelle silently, as Dmitria attempted to help Seryna off the ground.

“No child, I will be alright. You have to go without me; I will only slow you down. Please, go now.” said Seryna, pushing Dmitria away. Seryna looked behind her as Akota began to stur

They nodded their heads mournfully, for they knew that leaving was the right thing to do.

Ekaterina said nothing as the girls hoisted themselves up onto their horses.

As they rode off, they heard the heard the dying cries of Seryna Cartridge

Chapter VIII

Chapter VIII

Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, and Ekaterina rode for their lives. Their horses fled through the forest, dodging branches and trees. Once through the forest their horses came to a halt.

Ekaterina’s face was emotionless. “There is a port town just over those hills. If we continue over through this clearing, we will have a chance to stop for a few hours and rest for the night. If we hurry, we will reach the port town by tomorrow evening.”

“Ekaterina, are you alright?” asked Aria Isabelle

Ekaterina turned towards her companions, sadness in her eyes. “We should hurry. We do not know how much time I was able to give us.” Ekaterina pulled her horse around.

Dmitria and Aria Isabelle looked at each other sadly. Dmitria nodded her head towards Ekaterina, “Then we must hurry.”

With that the three girls fled on horseback through the clearing in the forest, to where the trees began again. I was late in the evening when they finally dismounted their stallions.

Ekaterina said nothing as she dismounted her steed, pulling a small blanket from her rucksack and spreading it over the grass. She was trying her best to be strong. So many things had happened in the last day that she could hardly keep her mind straight.
Dmitria looked over at Ekaterina, noticing her tear stained cheeks. “One of us should keep watch.”

“I will keep the first watch. You both have been awake for some time. I will be able to manage for another few hours.” said Aria Isabelle, walking over to a fallen tree at the edge of the forest.

Dmitria and Ekaterina nodded walking slightly deeper into the forest, laying down upon the cold grass for a much needed rest.

Aria Isabelle sat on the ground, leaning her small back against the fall tree. It was amazing to her the events that had occurred recently. For Aria Isabelle, everything seemed surreal. Then, in an instant, the weight of what had happened finally came crashing down upon her. Tears began to form in her eyes as she realized that she would never see that orphanage ever again – her old life was over. Aria Isabelle released a small sob, only loud enough as to no wake Ekaterina and Dmitria. So there she sat, tears flowing silently down her face, as she looked out over the clearing.

After a few hours, there was a rustled behind Aria Isabelle. She turned behind her to find Dmitria walking towards her. “What are you doing, Dmitri? You should still be resting.”

“I have had all of the sleep that I could manage for the time being. You look exhausted, Aria.” Dmitria stepped over the log, sitting down next to Aria Isabelle.

“I do not wish to sleep, Dmitria.” said Aria to her friend. “I am terrified that if I close my eyes, I may see things that I do not wish to see.”

Dmitria took Aria Isabelle’s hand in hers. “The nightmares will not find you tonight. “Dmitria smiled. “I will stay with you.”

Aria Isabelle nodded and rested her head on Dmitria’s shoulder, falling asleep the moment she closed her eyes.

Dmitria smiled at her friend and then returned her gaze to the clearing before her.

* * *

Akota growled angrily at Celina. “You let them get away!” He began to pace back and forth, wincing slightly at the pain in side.

“Akota, sir, I attempted to help you first. You were unconscious.”

“Celina, darling,” Akota began. “While I do appreciate your attempt to help me, it is far more important that I complete the duties given to me by Sadiron.”

“Of course, Sir. There will not be another lapse in judgment.” Celina bowed towards Akota. “What will be our next move, Sir?”

“Those girls will not go far.” Akota began, “Port Santiago is the only port town that is a relatively close distance to where we are now.”

“We will plan to intercept them there then?”

“Yes. Gather the men. We will leave at dawn.”

* * *

Aria Isabelle, Dmitria and Ekaterina packed up their rucksacks and began their journey once again just as the first rays of light began to grace the forest floor, and rode their horse through the forest, towards the port town that Ekaterina had spoken of only hours before.

They finally reached Port Santiago just as the light began to fall past the hills. Port Santiago was a small port side town that lay on the southern coast of the island. It a small community of fishermen who had inhabited the town since it’s founding over one hundred years before.

Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, and Ekaterina dismounted their horses on the outskirts of town, releasing the stallions back into the forests. With their rucksacks over their shoulders, Aria Isabelle, Dmitria, and Ekaterina entered the town of Port Santiago.

Impressum

Texte: Lauren Hinch
Bildmaterialien: Lauren Hinch
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 07.11.2012

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