" Oh, do not fret Iris. The Elders have accepted your stay, though I must admit, I do not know why they made it temporary", Sheila ushered the mother into a spare bedroom. Iris knew why though.
"I can't possibly impose Sheila. It'd be two more mouths in your house to feed.", Iris said as she turned around in the doorway, her brows were scrunched up. Sheila smiled and rested her hands on her friend's tense shoulders, squeezing them in reassurance. "Not two mouths but two friends, that provide wonderful and joyful company. At the very least, staying here will save you from spending coins on ridiculously high inn prices.", Sheila said and slightly shoved Iris into her temporary room.
"Now you are going to settle in, and I will start on our dinner.", Sheila smiled and waved at small Aviva. She made her way to the kitchen. Iris shook her head and laughed, closing the door softly.
"I believe I made a very good friend darling.", She whispered and looked down at her daughter in her arms. Avi looked up and giggled, clapping her hands excitedly, "Friends!". Iris laughed and kissed her all over her face, resulting in a fit of giggles.
After she settled them in, she met Sheila in the kitchen for dinner. "Thank you again, Sheila.", Iris said as she helped her daughter sit comfortably on the chair. Sheila hummed in acknowledgement. The two women sat in comfortable silence as they watch Aviva try to eat her broccoli or as she called them, tiny trees.
"I have a feeling you won't be staying forever.", Sheila decided to go with her gut feeling about this woman. She knows she can trust her. "I don't think I will be able too. He always seems to find me.", Iris whispered as she made eye contact with her friend.
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AVIVA:
"Did they realize they were on our trail?", I heaved out a breath when we crumbled down in front of the river. The flow of the water calming my racing heart. "They did, they are searching now. They know which way we went!", Kayda warned. I hit the floor in frustration. "Dammit, why do they insist on finding me.", I cursed and looked for a place to hide till they leave then we will need to follow our trail back or move along with river. It was an hour or two till sunrise. I sighed; I was tired. "What are we going to do Avi? They are closing in.", Kayda was panicked but her words were clear.
The water of the river overlapping my fingers brought me out of my thoughts. I figured that this was our only chance of escaping them. "Alright, Okay. This is what we are going to do. Kayda, you hide in the trees, out of sight AND do not come out under any circumstances.", I ordered Kayda and crouched in front Amelia who looked terrified. Guilt tugged at my heart strings.
I tried to give her a reassuring smile. "Amelia, this is really important. Climb on my back and we have to be really, really quiet.", I instructed, and Kayda left my shoulders. Amelia nodded and focused on her breathing.
I adjusted Amelia best I could and started walking into the river. I hissed at the coldness and clenched my jaw. "It will be cold.", I warned her just before her feet touched the water. We will need a fire to warm up after this. Any higher being listening, please let this work. I cannot be caught.
I stopped moving when I was submerged to my chin. We had to time this right otherwise we will be caught. I slowly turned around to face the tree line. I tried not to disrupt the flow of the river to help us to stay hidden. I thanked the stars that it was still dark. "...This will be like the other game we played baby. We need to keep our breaths as long as possible alright.... If you run out of air, touch my shoulder.", I tried to lessen her fears and it worked a bit. Amelia loves water and any games related to it.
Soon enough their voices could be heard. Their conversation loud and clear. "Take a deep breath.", I whispered to Amelia. We took a deep breath together and I submerged us completely.
Amelia clung tighter to me when we were completely submerged. I knew the sun would not hide much longer and hoped that they would have moved on by then. I counted the seconds we were submerged and then I counted some more.
"Just a bit more Avi, they are almost done inspecting. They will leave soon.", Kayda encouraged. I did not have the energy to reply. A headache started to form and a dryness in my throat was spreading. I fought the urge to take a breath, knowing it would result in a mouth full of water. A minute or more passed when Amelia started to incessantly continue to tap my shoulder. My heartrate spiked, not knowing what to do.
"Are they gone?!", my mind raced with possible solutions, but none seemed to be possible. "They are by the tree line now but still in hearing distance.", the anxiety in Kayda's voice was evident. I swam a bit deeper to use the depth of the river to my advantage to move unseen.
I very slowly removed my sister from my back and faced her, holding her up. I held up a finger to her lips before I moved her face closer to the surface of the water. I turned her head upwards. I hoped with all my heart that this did not cause a disturbance in the water. I let relief flow through my body as my sister took a breath of air. Her chest heaving up and down.
"Are we still hidden?", I asked Kayda. My eyes were starting to burn, and I have lost count of the seconds. "I barely noticed it, Avi.", Kayda assured. My chest was starting to burn. "Surely they are gone Kayda?", my body was struggling to keep Amelia's nose above water. I began to panic when Kayda did not answer.
"Kayda?" "Kayda!", I practically screamed through our link.
"They are gone.", Kayda finally answered. I subconsciously let out a sigh of relief, closing my eyes. I instantly swallowed a mouth full of water. I swam up to cough. My body wracked with coughs. I helped Amelia to the riverside the best I could. My coughing continued and I tried to keep it quiet, but it merely caused more strain on my lungs.
"Would you keep quiet!", Kayda hissed. "You try and swallow a mouth full of water!".
Once we reached the riverside, I slumped on the pebbles. Quite possibly the last of my energy leaving my body. "Are you alright Ori?", Amelia asked softly as she brushed my wet hair from my face. "I am alright baby. We should go, before they come back.", I whispered. I groaned softly as I slowly stood up. The cloak now heavy with water. I removed my cloak and stared at it, debating whether I should leave it or not. A feeling of nausea creeped over me.
"Why are you staring at the cloak as if it is going to give you all your answers?", A voice asked from the tree line. I turn around to face the owner of the voice.
"Oh, for the love of …"
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The silver haired woman did not get to finish her sentence before she collapsed. The pebbles digging into some of her skin. The cloak that reached the ground before she did, laid in a heap next to her. "Ori!", Amelia shouted as she tried to wake up her sister. She did not what to do or what was wrong. She looked over to the man that spoke to her sister. Something was telling her that she could trust him, the same feeling she felt with the other two.
"Can you help her? Please help her!", She pleaded with him. He had a shocked expression. He had expected her to run or fight, certainly not to faint.
He quickly made his way over to the pair and asses the new situation. He carefully moved the woman on her back. She seemed to breath normally, maybe a bit strained. He checked her pulse and was relieved to find a steady rhythm.
"What did you do to her?", a new voice joined the group. Amelia recognized him as one of the men that cornered them earlier. She was unsure to trust her feelings now.
"Nothing idiot, she fainted.", the man replied. "Elroy left for the ceremony, it has already started.", Rowan informed his brother as he neared the group.
"Hello little girl, my name is Rowan, and this is my brother Tristan. You remember me, right?", Rowan softly asked as he crouched in front of the scared Amelia. She nodded and slightly stepped away from him. They were the people they were running from, but her feeling tells her to trust them.
Tristan watched the interaction as he removed his cloak. He was surprised to find that the two idiots actually did find the silver haired thief. She always managed to escape their grasps somehow.
Kayda watched from the trees. She needed to wait for the right moment to intervene. If she showed herself now, she might cause more problems. She willed for Aviva to wake up, she would know what to do.
"Amelia.", She whispered after moments of silence. Rowan smiled and shook her hand. Amelia looked over to Tristan who had picked up Ori. She was wrapped in a dry cloak now. "Can I have your wet cloak? We don't want you getting sick.", Rowan asked. He did not want to scare her any more than she already is. Amelia hesitantly handed her cloak to him.
"Wait, what are you doing to her?!", Amelia's voice was filled with terror as Tristan started to walk away with Aviva in his arms. "Same place you are going. Don't worry. I promise we won't separate you.", Rowan assured and pointedly stared at his brother. Tristan sighed and rolled his eyes but stopped walking.
"I don't have time for this.", he muttered. Rowan wrapped his cloak around the frightened girl and picked her up. Amelia hesitantly wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You have all the time in the world brother.", Rowan teased. Referring to the ceremony that they are missing.
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