"She's a weird woman. Isn't she?" Came a voice behind Sophia making the girl turn her body.
"Martha?" Sophia said with much surprise.
Martha gave the dark haired girl a soft smiling while she gathered her into a warm hug as she felt tears start to fall down her cheeks. She was probably one of the few in the town who loved the Red women and it was extremely emotional for her hearing about Ruby.
"I came once I heard the news. I believe you should spend the night at my home so you won't be alone tonight. I don't want you to feel alone little red." She whispered into her ear. "And I would expect the seer to be comforting during this time, but here she is throwing you back to the street."
Sophia took a moment responding to the warm intimate act done by someone who truly did care for her well-being. Although she didn't know Martha that well, she knew about her from her childhood remembering her always smiling genuinely toward her.
But after a moment of embracing Martha, Sophia remembered the words of the seer instructing her to head home for the night. Maybe she didn't need to follow the advice so closely? She after all didn't want to be alone.
However, Sophia felt something deep inside telling her to listen to the wise old woman knowing she was the seer.
Pulling away, Sophia wiped her eyes looking at Martha who seemed confused at how Sophia was able to function so well seeing her only family dead in the street just moments ago.
"I would like to be home though. I hope you understand.." Sophia said meekly noticing how Martha frowned deeply not liking the idea.
"Well then I'll come join you!" Martha offered immediately.
"Well I don't know if -"
"Enough! I will not allow you to be alone at this time young lady! You do not have a choice!" Martha said grabbing her arm leading her down the path away from the blind woman's home. "It is not neighborly to allow you to suffer alone. Your mother would not want this to happen."
"I never had a choice.." Sophia mumbled softly making it so Martha didn't hear her resentment. She didn't have any rights or any chances to make her own choices. And now that Sophia was the chosen, her death was nearing.
"Has the doctor spoken to you yet?" Martha asked glancing at the girl who was frowning looking at her feet walking slowly along. Her face was gloomy as if she was loosing hope with every step she took.
Lifting her head slightly catching Martha's eye, Sophia shook her head.
In the village to save space, burying was only provided to the wealthy making many cremate the remains of their loved ones. The small cemetery had reached far too close to the woods making many come up with the idea of burning the bodies not wanting to invade on the Wolfmen's space.
Sophia hadn't thought of this since she was mourning, but she would have to figure something out in order to have her mother placed in a respectful place. She didn't have much time to wait and knew it would be important to figure it out swiftly even though her heart was heavy.
At the thought of her mother, Sophia thought about something in Ruby's bedroom back at their tiny cottage. Her mother kept a locket of ashes of her father in order to always have him beside her, but Sophia didn't feel the need to keep them close in that way. She would want them to be somewhere they shared fond and happy memories with one another.
She knew the two were complete opposites, yet somehow their love conquered all.
"When will they burn the body?" Sophia asked moving her head back toward the ground finally coming back to the present.
"It won't be till after they speak to you. It's customary to be able to say goodbye before they do such a thing."
Sophia's heart squeezed. She kept thinking her mother couldn't possible be dead. And if she finally accepted it, she feared she might just die herself.
Nodding at the response, Sophia decided to ask Martha another question. "Can you tell me something unique about my father and mother?"
"What do you mean child?" Martha said with hesitance as the continued to walk by one another. Martha noticed how Sophia walked slightly behind her making her slow down in speed.
Humming for a moment trying to form words, Sophia asked, "Neither seemed to be very well liked in this town. I know mother would never leave because of people disliking her, but I'm curious what they did in order to feel happy? I would like to believe they had good times with one another."
Martha looked to her left watching Sophia thinking about how to answer the pretty girls questions. She had known Ruby to rarely talked about Tallkin making it so their daughter would grow up confused about their relationship and family history. Perhaps it was to help Sophia not to think ill of the man she resembled in so many ways since Ruby knew more about how Tallkin could go against the laws.
The poor young child grew on the outskirts of the village to a mother who was shamed for marrying such a handsome man who was against the council from the start. The Red family was never well liked due to Sophia's father being too loud about his opinions, but people were often envious over their looks and well behaved nature making some more angered than others.
Sophia didn't know that her father had started some protests against the picking even trying to set fire to the woods before being placed in a cell for almost disrespecting the skies. The man was stubborn and never stopped his ways making his wife struggle along with the villagers as well. Some refused to sell Ruby and her brand new newborn food because of how extreme Sophia's father could be with his actions making her search for scraps in order to keep her baby healthy.
Ruby would often have to deal with Tallkin's extreme ways. Not many knew that Tallkin could be extreme among the town, but also toward Ruby often expressing his short temper which often made Ruby timid. It was rumored he threw a glass toward Ruby out of anger and she barely moved out of the way only for him to leave his cabin toward the woods while drinking heavily.
But Martha also knew Tallkin was a charmer as well and truly did feel repentant whenever he hurt his precious Ruby. She was also eagerly ready to forgive him always seeing the best in her husband who really was the most important person in her life. She also knew he wasn't himself when he partook of alcohol which is why she rarely had any in her home. In fact, when he was sober, he was the most loving kind man she had ever met and their love only grew.
But she wasn't as tolerant once she found out she was expecting…
Around the time she became pregnant, he worked hard on his drinking and avoided speaking so openly against the councilman. Tallkin had decided to change for Ruby who finally gave him an ultimatum since she told him she would choose their daughter if the time came. It was as though they became more in love since that conversation only for him to shortly die a little after their daughter was born.
"They were in love Sophia. Even when they disagreed on their views, they both decided it was more important to be happy than to be right." Thinking for a moment longer, Martha said, "I know they often would talk about building a bigger home if the saved up the money and he worked extra hard selling wood to the townsfolk trying to make that dream come true. He had a bad temper and some memories about him are not pleasant, but I know he was changing much about himself before you were born. Your mother probably didn't mention much about him because she didn't want you to know the bad moments. The good moments were only beginning for you two."
Sophia smiled knowing that Martha was honest with her about her parents which was something she never experienced since her father died.
"I'm happy they loved each other." She whispered. "I wish I could remember him."
Martha gave the girl a soft smile knowing it might be good that Ruby didn't talk about Tallkin in too much detail. It was good to see Sophia look at him with admiration instead of embarrassment. Unbeknownst to the dark haired girl, her mother had tried to protect her physically and emotionally since the moment she held her in her arms.
"Your father gave your mother a necklace he made himself. I'm sure you've seen your mother wear it." Martha said.
"She wore it everyday!" Sophia chuckled thinking about the jewelry her mother wore under her clothing.
"Yes. It was made out of rocks and metal he found when he searched the woods in his spare time..." Martha began to share holding her tongue on how her father was often drunk. When he started to come to and realized how he hurt his wife, he would spend the rest of his time searching for things to show Ruby he was sorry for his behavior. Martha only knew this since Ruby confined in her not wanting others to worry over Tallkin's behavior.
Ruby truly believed he would change and he showed signs of wanting to get better.
Sophia's eyes shot you looking at Martha with a bewildered expression. At the same time, the older woman widened her eyes realizing she shouldn't have said that last sentence.
"Did the village know he searched the woods?" Sophia asked.
Any villager who searched the woods and entered the domain was punished by death which surprised Sophia that her mother would allow him to do so.