Astria was very aware of how alone she was she walked back along the cluster of huts, knowing that should war be declared, she would lose someone more dear to her than her own life. She dragged her exhausted body forward with her eyes lowered towards the ground as she allowed her mind to wander, fearing that once she returned home her life would change forever, and in a way that she would be unable to control. Her senses were keen and alert as her eyes shifted between the darkness of the huts, the feeling that someone was watching her plaguing her every step. Was someone in the darkness, following her? Would they attack? She shook her head, pushing the feeling aside as she believed it to be nothing more than paranoia, brought on by her many worries. Sighing, she turned her thoughts back towards the problems she now faced, allowing them to fill her.
What would happen should war begin, would she ever see her friend again? What did John want with her mother? Tears slid down her cheeks, what would she do as the world twisted and changed before her very eyes, barely giving her a chance to come to grips with what she now knew. For if war did begin, would she be able to fight? And could she kill to protect those that she cared for? The questions looped and repeated as she rounded a corner, terrified that she would watch everyone that she ever knew die.
“I can’t believe that they would do something like this, and for no reason.” Astria sobbed, unable to grasp the reasons for the Deus' attack.
They slaughtered hundreds of Fera, barely anyone survived.
Not even the children.
She approached the hut with a heavy heart, wishing that she could have prevented it somehow, done something to stop the death and destruction that she new had occurred to a people that had taken her in and showed her nothing but kindness. That they had been treated in such a heinous way. Why did no one question The Deus' actions, challenge them? We’re the other races as afraid as she was now? Cowardly and unsure. Yes, The Deus had great power, one passed down from the gods, but did that mean they could slaughter whomever they wished? A small sob escaped her lips as her mind returned to the defenceless children and how petrified they must have been, how they must have screamed. They had barely got to know the world before it was torn away from them, giving them no hope of a future.
“Tuviel you know that we have no choice. It would put us all in grave danger.” Jonathan snapped as he took a step towards the girls mother, growling as his instincts as a sabre cat began to surface.
Astria watched from a distance, the anger in Jonathan’s voice causing her to freeze in fear, her heart racing.
“It’s unacceptable. What do you expect me to do, you know what will happen if they find me!” Tuviel pleaded, her tone pleading.
“Mother?” Astria managed to whisper after a moment of silence, forcing her body to move as she approached them; weary of Jonathan’s explosive temper. “if who finds you?”
“Astria.” She gasped. “How long have you been stood there?”
“Only a moment, what is going on?”
When no answer came the girl turned towards the Fera, her emotions flaring.
“Who is searching for her?”.
“Maybe it is time that you told her Tuviel.” Johnathan commented, glancing between the women.
Astria grunted in confusion, “Tell me what?”
“That is enough.” Tuviel growled, her eyes blazing with anger. “Jonathan. I will do what you have asked now please, leave me alone with my daughter.”
“Very well, but know that this wasn’t what I wanted.” He replied, leaving Astria alone with her mother.
“Mother what is going on?” Astria repeated, eager to know the answer.
“I suppose that I have some explaining to do.” Tuviel admitted slowly, “Let’s go inside.”
“Alright.” The girl nodded, following her mother into the hut.
Tuviel watched the ground as she strolled through the small leather entryway, avoiding her daughter’s eyes. She sat on one of the two makeshift beds that they have grown accustomed to for the past decade, waiting in silence as Astria stoked the fire before taking a seat, eager to learn to answers to all of her questions.
After taking a long breath, Tuviel sighed. “I don’t know where to begin. What is it that you wish to know?”
“Why were you arguing with Jonathan?”
“I was arguing in our defence, the leaders of this village have asked us to leave immediately.” She answered sharply, unsure whether she should have spoke at all.
“What?” Astria gasped, “Why?”
“War has been declared and we are no longer welcome here, our loyalty has been questioned because of who I am and who your father is. They believe we are a danger to them.” Tuviel explained frowning at the severity of the situation.
“This is our home.”
“Not anymore.”
Astria watched her mother, realising her sadness but knowing she must continue. “Who are you? What race?”
“I am Deus, I was a priestess and on my way to great things.”
“What happened?”
Tuviel smiled at the question, “I met your father.”
“Who is my father?”
“That I am not ready to divulge, but I will tell you that he is an elf.” Mumbled her mother.
Astria frowned. “Is he the reason you had to live with the Fera?”
“No.” Tuviel shook her head. “You are.”
The girl gasped, “Why me?”
“Because half-breed children are forbidden and killed at birth, I ran to protect you.”
“That is who's looking for you isn’t it? You ran with me and hid here all this time to keep me safe.” Astria stated, already knowing the answer.
“Yes, I had no choice, if they ever find us they will kill you.”
“What will happen to you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t know.”Astria shook her head, knowing real fear for the first time in her life. Someone she had never met wanted her dead, a race that she partially belonged to. But why? Why couldn’t they just accept her and leave them alone? Allow her to live out her life.“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she finally asked.“I never wanted you to know, but now that we have to leave here you need to know the dangers. What we are stepping into. Here you were always safe.”“I’m afraid.”“As am I.”Astria’s blood began to boil as she thought of the danger that would now plague her life. “What else have you neglected to tell me mother?”“Do not speak to me like that, I am still your mother.” Tuviel snarled.Astria shook her head, “I never said otherwise.”“Then do not speak to me in such a way.”
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.Jonathan left them at the river after saying a quick goodbye, the wooden bridge large and sturdy under their petite forms as the crossed in a hurry, hoping to make it to a small village before nightfall so they wouldn’t have to sleep rough. Wasting no time, Tuviel took them through ever treeline possible, worried that should they be out in the open for too long they would be spotted by those who pursued them.The trees ranged for what seemed like a hundred miles in all directions, the ground littered with the dying leaves of autumn, informing Astria that the nights would continue to grow colder until the first snows of winter, though she worried they would never make it to their destin
The moon was blazing down on the women as they dragged their packs along with them, every muscle screaming for them to rest as they strolled as one into the strange wooden village, the streets alive with mortals, their chatter filling the air with a soft comfort that Astria had needed more than anything else; her terror easing with each step that she took. The wooden structures stood high and unmoving clasped against the ground as though they belonged their, the harsh winds moulding around them and gracing the air with a gentle whisper.“Pull up your hood, we do not want them to see your ears, they will not understand.” Tuviel commanded her daughter, her eyes almost seeming to glaze over as she stared down the stone street, nervously watching the people as they turned to glance upon the strangers.Astria nodded, pulling the hood of her cloak over hear head, concealing what she knew would seal their fate. “Yes mother.”She thought once mor
Astria woke suddenly in the dim candlelight, something had forcefully ripped her from the sweet bliss of dreaming, though she wasn’t able to recall the cause. The room was eerie silent as she stretched in the oversized feather bed, moaning softly as if to fill void she felt within the air. Normally she would hear the soft snoring that came with the rise and fall of her mother’s chest as she slept, and yet as she slowly began to open her eyes, the only sound that enchanted the room was her own breathing and the soft hiss of the wind as it seeped through the slightly ajar window.“Mother?” she called, her eyes scanning the darkness as her heart began to race; her fear of being left alone now prominent and alive within her mind.Astria crawled out of her bed, quickly tugging on her boots and rushing towards the window. Briefly catching a glimpse of her mother as she turned right into a small ally beside two vast taverns, accompanied by a stranger t
Astria screamed and took a sharp step back, deep purple eyes watching her every move as she pulled the small knife from her boot, ready to defend herself. Taking another step away from the new threat, she realised that it was the man who had been watching her and her mother earlier that night. The one that had stared, preparing to draw his sword. Did he intend to kill her now, strike her down in the centre of a vacant street?The stranger laughed, taking a menacing step towards her as he pulled his sword from its sheath; his shoulder length muddy brown hair fighting against the wind. “And what are you expecting to do with that little knife, girl?”The man stood tall, his shoulders locked in position as he took another step, carefully positioning his weapon by his side; waiting for the girl to make her move.Gasping for breath, Astria dropped the small knife and defensively hugged her shaking form, knowing that she had no chance of facing to man befor
Astria shifted nervously in his arms, unsure how she should act as their forms were pressed together, the air suddenly seeming too warm.“If you don’t stop fidgeting I may drop you.” The man laughed, watching as a small blush rose in her cheeks.“I’m sorry, I have just never been carried before.” Astria murmured, tightening her arms around his neck. “You won’t really drop me, will you?”He laughed once more, “no sweet girl, I will not drop you.”The girl smiled, biting her bottom lip as she glanced around the streets; the sun rising over the houses. “Where are you from?”“Me?” Gilmy asked rhetorically, “You wouldn’t know of it.”Astria frowned, her curiosity spiking. “I have studied every town and city of Threosant. I’m sure that I would have heard of it.”“I am not from Threosant.”“I
Astria moved with haste as she collected her pack from her room back in Noah's inn, Gilmy patiently waiting by the door; even at her mother’s constant protests. Someone in the town had tipped Noah off to the growing group of Deus in the villages square, informing him that they were about to start searching the town for two outsiders that were known enemies of their way of life. In other words, they were searching for Astria and Tuviel, but they did not want the town’s people to know the reasons, so like any enemy; they twisted the truth.“We really need to get going, are you ladies ready?” Noah asked impatiently, tapping his foot against the wooden flooring. “I don’t think we have much time.”“Almost.” Astria responded with only a brief pause, ensuring that she had everything that she came with.All heads snapped towards the door as they heard a heavy commotion coming from just down stairs in the bar area, No
Gilmy shook his head, holding the girl down as she screamed and fought him, a glossy sweat forming across her forehead. “what in the gods is happening here?”“She is transitioning.” Tuviel replied vaguely, gently tuning her fingers along the palm of Astria’s hand, hoping that it may calm her.“transitioning into what?”“I do not know.”“Then how can you be sure what is happening?” Gilmy snarled, masking his confusion with anger.Tuviel glared at the stranger, barely trusting him enough to give a full answer. “Because it happened to me many years ago, the outcome is different for each child of the gods, we must simply wait.”“Will she die?”“Its a possibility.”“Then how are you so calm?!” he bellowed, “your daughter might die and you are completely careless!”“How dare you!” she