It was the next day, nighttime. I was sitting around a small campfire that I had managed to create thanks to some rocks I found along the way. Luckily this was the kind of skill you learnt while at war, how to create fires quickly and easily.
The shelter itself was a series of logs over a broken tree which one side was on the ground and the other leaning on a tree. Under it I lay moss on the ground. Although it was a bit damp, at the very least it would help me sleep comfortably and not on some rocks.
I was sitting in front of my fire, contemplating the stars again. Sadly, unlike at the manor I had no light bright enough to let me write.
I decided to switch my strategy to simply relearning the sky. What I meant by that was to finding my sense of direction using the stars. Although the sun helped quite a bit during the day to know what direction was which. Stars were often a lot more precise and also gave better indications of direction if you knew them well enough.
- Seems like they follow the same pattern…
Yes, although the northern star wasn't at the same position as before, they were all generally at the position that they were meant to be, just in a weird sort of order. Almost as if everything was inverted.
Eventually I'm sure I would figure out just what was happening and thus what was happening to myself.
During my travelling I also decided to avoid as much suspicion as possible, especially with this book of mine. So before I got to the village I would burn it.
Personally I would remember all the contents of it without a problem, wether the principal would or not was something else. Well I would encounter that problem latter. At least for now I didn't need to worry about it too much.
Well, I was getting tired now. I should get some rest myself… I put out the fire with a pile of rocks I had the stamped over it. Not nearly the safest option, but there was no water around.
I went to bed, the ground was still wet, but it was more the acceptable. I wrapped my book with some clothes and used it as a pillow.
It was time for a good nights rest…
- Good night… *ahhh*… I'm talking to myself now huh….
With that I went back to bed with a little smile on my face.
It was now morning, I made a small fire again, I cooked some of the meat I had in my provisions. It was still in good enough shape to be eaten, so I made sure to eat it before it was too late.
I also took the chance to change clothes into more pedestrian looking clothes. As fancy the clothes I had received as gift, they were exactly that. Too fancy, I would stand out too much in a village.
I would practically be screaming *Hey I survived! Please come kill me now! * and we'll I wasn't just going out there to die either.
I looked at my map again, I still had another 2 days of walk at least. But looking at it there was a river which I could reach by the end of the day with relative ease.
And thus, I headed in that direction, determined to have a nice rinse in the water.
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A small wooden shack in a small clearing, that's where there could be heard the voices of a small kid giggling atop of his mothers lap.
- Hahaha, mommy stop.
- What? I can't tickle my little boy now that he is all grown up?
The laughter's wouldn't stop, they could be heard in the entire forest, as it had always been.
The mother, Sofia was a 3rd tier mage of the water element, while the father, Julian was a lumberjack.
They're son Nikki was now 4 years old. Although he lived alone with his parents, finding happiness was never a problem for him. His every day life was joyful enough for him to be the happiest kid in the world.
- Mom, do you think I can learn magic as well?
Sofia chuckled and in the middle of her hand appeared a beautiful blue pattern. Out of it emerged a string of pure water. She made it dance around her little precious kid.
- Of course you will Nikki, just like me you will become a mage and just like your father, you will become big and strong to protect mommy right?
- Yes I will!!! I'll defeat any monster that dares to touch mommy and daddy! Il become a powerful night!!!
Sofia smiled brightly yet again, her son was just perfect, just like her husband Julian. She looked at the forest in front of her.
- When will you be back…? I hope nothing happened…
Nikki looked up to her curiously, what did that mean?
Understanding the silent question she smiled back at him.
- I'm just waiting for daddy, he's a bit latter then usual today. I hope noth… no h ewill be fine don't worry.
Although Sofia said those words, her face showed an opposite expression, she was still worried for her husband. It almost never happened for him to be out this late…
Well it was going to be dinner time so she put her thoughts to rest.
- Nikki come inside and help mommy make super will you not?
- Okayyyy!!! What are we eating??!!
- Il be making a shepherd's pie today to celebrate our 5th year at our home!
- Wahhhh, a shepherd's pie???!!!
Nikki rain back inside, laughing and giggling again with a bright smile on his face. It wasn't every day that they could eat shepherd's pie!
It had now been another hour; the shepherd's pie was almost done. From the outside even, a nice warm smell could be traced all the way back to the house.
And clearly it did attract someone to the house as someone knocked on the door.
Before Sofia could even respond the door opened.
Outside could be seen a man.
His brown hair barely showed anymore, he a classic case of baldness. He wore a long jacket, it was quite dirty, same went for his pants. The dirt on the tibia's showed that he kneeled in dirt for quite a while. He held a large woodcutting axe that swung back and forth in his hand.
His face looked as if he had just seen the ghost of his worst enemy. Worry and rage contorted his usually calm face.
Sofia seeing the state he was in got just as worried, what in the world put him in this state?
- Hon..Honey are you ok?
He didn't answer, but the worry that grew on his face told her what she needed to know, her worst worries were going to come true.
Julian walked passed Sofia without glancing at her, his attention had turned to Nikki.
- Hey Nikki, mommy and I need to talk alone for a bit, do you think you could go to the bedroom for a bit until I call you back?
- Yes, il do that!
Nikki was still as easy going as ever, the smile that radiated on his face even though the tension in the room could be felt.
The innocence of a child was pure, and it was the only keeping this family sane at this moment.
- I wasn't able to confirm whether it was your family or not. But I found the footsteps of someone in the woods.
Sofia face palled, it was happening, the moment she dreaded was arriving soon… No maybe not, it could be anyone!
- Are you sure its them! Anyone could have wandered here, it… it doesn't need to be them right?
- I know… but no one except your family would wander this far to look for someone, especially without water mage. Everyone should know that the river is poisonous, and on top of that, the footsteps corresponded to a Laurin's shoe…
Sofia head dropped, her eyes went blank… and then her body went limp.
Julian ran to her, giving her a comforting hug. He knew just how badly she had been treated by her family. That was why they had run away, far from her horrible life of politics and lies.
At least here, they were meant to be safe, safe from all the horrible atrocities of the real world.
- Everything will be alright Sofia… my love. We will pack tonight and leave tomorrow. We'll try and go as far north as possible, the furthest away from your family alright?
- Maybe… but what will we tell Nikki? He doesn't know anything. He already doesn't have normal life… I don't want him to need to keep changing houses forever. I don't want this to be his life, I want him to live a normal life.
Sofia started to cry, and Julian held her tightly, he knew this wasn't an easy life, but sadly, they didn't have much choice if they wanted to be free from politics…
Time went by slowly in the small shed, Sofia's cries could be heard for a long time… luckily for her, the child was fast asleep regardless, he didn't dare to ask why she was crying, if anything, he didn't even know what crying was.
As for Julian, when Sofia finally fell asleep, he went onto prepare for the next day. He had to start packing now…