SYNOPSIS 2.
Winter 1805
Ten-year-old Lucia lay covered by a duvet in bed. The sudden sound of their wooden door swinging open and shut, accompanied by the flickering light of the candle on the table, startled her awake.
"Lucia, Lucia!"
She blinked, rubbing her sleepy eyes as her mother hurriedly woke her. "Darling, we have to leave home, okay?"
Lucia nodded, confused. Why were they leaving? Where was her mother taking her?
She held onto her mother's hand as they quietly navigated through the dark paths. The full moon in the winter sky provided some light as they moved away from their home, which was far from the village and close to the rumored Demon's Forest.
Lucia's little feet dug into the snow as her mother led the way. She smiled at the trail of hot breath escaping her mouth as her cheeks flushed from the cold.
"Lucia, hold onto Mummy's hand. We need to be fast," her mother urged, her grip tightening on Lucia's cold hand. The hood of Lucia's coat swooped lower, covering her face. She struggled to keep up with her mother's hurried pace.
Her white hair swayed in the air as they ran. They moved past the familiar paths and entered the woods. Suddenly, her mother gasped and stopped abruptly. Catherine hurried behind one of the huge trees and sat on the root, her hand pressed tightly against her stomach.
Little Lucia placed her hand on her mother's. She wanted to help, to understand what was happening.
"Mother, where are we going?" she asked innocently.
Catherine's eyes held unshed tears. She cupped Lucia's cheeks. "Lucia, have you ever heard what our village does to witches when they are discovered?"
Lucia nodded. The punishment was to burn them and anyone who concealed them at the stake. Why was her mother asking this?
"People from the village are coming for us. They believe Mummy is a witch... but I'm not," Catherine whispered, the last words spoken more to herself than to her daughter.
Lucia's eyes widened. People were coming to kill them both! Her heart raced. She felt a sudden urge to cry. She didn't want to die.
Her mother winced as she returned her hand to her stomach, applying pressure to the same spot. That's when Lucia noticed the blood oozing from the wound. She gasped, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"We need to go, darling," her mother said, inhaling sharply. "There's a carriage waiting for us at the other side of the Demon's Forest. It will take us to Portivan. And if I don't make it, you will have to make it there. You must promise."
Lucia trembled, struggling to process everything her mother had said: witch, Demon's Forest, the carriage at the other side.
"I'm scared, Mummy," she cried.
Catherine held her daughter's hand. "Hey, hey, it's just a slight wound. I can manage. But if I don't, you need to ensure you reach Portivan. Do you promise?"
Lucia shook her head. She couldn't.
"Lucia!" her mother exclaimed. "You will go, or I will never forgive you. Now wipe those tears and promise me you will."
Lucia sniffed, wiping her face and nodding. "I promise," she whispered.
Catherine gave Lucia the bag and urged her forward. She stayed right behind her, their pace increasing.
"Bang!" A gunshot whizzed past them, hitting a tree behind them. Lucia spun around to see a figure in a fur coat emerging from the trees. Her mother continued running.
"Bang!" Another shot rang out, and they both ducked.
"Down there, close to those trees!"
"Sound the alarm! The witch is here! We've found her!" a man's voice shouted from behind them.
"Don't let her escape! Get her!" another yelled, pointing their way.
The sound of hunting dogs barking erupted, and more voices joined the chase.
Lucia's eyes stung with tears as the harsh wind whipped across her face, blurring her vision. Her mother's words echoed in her mind: You must promise.
"Fire!" the men yelled, some appearing from the side of the woods. Catherine's blue eyes widened. How did they know they were taking this route?
Arrows zipped through the air, hitting the trees and showering them with splinters. But how long could they keep missing? Catherine tried to shield Lucia with her own body.
"Don't stop, darling!" she yelled.
Suddenly, Lucia stumbled over a hidden root, tumbling to the ground. She rolled down the slope, clutching the bag tightly, and scrambled back to her feet.
"Arrgh!" Her eyes widened in horror. She heard her mother scream.
She turned to see an arrow piercing her mother's left shoulder. Catherine stumbled back, clutching the wound.
"Run, Lucia! Run!"
"Mum!"
"I said run, Lucia!"
Lucia turned and ran, tears streaming down her face. A gunshot rang out, the bullet whizzing past her ear.
She fell to her knees beside her mother, feeling the piercing pain in her shoulder. Catherine slapped her hand away, pushing her back.
"Remember your promise, if I don't make it, you should. Now go!"
Lucia hesitated, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked back at her mother.
"Mother!" she cried, her voice echoing through the woods. She watched another arrow pierce her mother's thigh, forcing her to kneel.
Lucia turned and ran again, her feet sinking deeper into the snow. Her boots were soaked, and her hair whipped across her face in the freezing wind.
"Run, keep running, don't look back!"
She finally reached the edge of the woods, clutching her shoulder. A jolt of pain shot through her body. Her palm was bleeding, her hand having scraped against the thorny bark of a tree.
"Who's there?" she whispered, taking faint steps towards the carriage. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her vision blurring with the falling snow.
"Who---"
The coachman jumped down from the carriage, his eyes wide with concern. Lucia stumbled towards him, collapsing to the ground. Her eyes slowly closed as the coachman rushed towards her.