Cadell landed in front of her bakery, gently setting her down. It took her a minute to regain her balance, and even longer to tame her hair. Her infectious smile had long since mirrored his own.
She said that she needed water and invited him inside.
The mixture of smells invaded his senses the moment the door was open. When she returned with two glasses of water his smile had mostly faded. She noticed immediately and asked him what was on his mind.
It took him a moment to actually ask, but the question was simple.
"Why aren't you afraid of me?" Cadell whispered.
Her smile lessened and her eyes started to glisten but she didn’t look away. The smile she gave him was more full of sadness than he thought was possible.
She slowly reached out and patted his head and whispered
“You’re safe now.”
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The look of pure confusion he gave her made her fall into a fit of giggles.
After several attempts at controlling herself she finally managed to tell him that those were his first words to her, over 15 years ago.
He processed through his memories for a moment then realized.
“That little girl..” She finally answered, “I knew there was no way that the same boy that saved me back then could really be what everyone else says about you.”
He was probably overthinking, but he noted her phrasing, “saved me”.
He looked at her seriously, prepared himself, and asked, “Your mother..?”
Her smile faded instantly and she looked away. Cadell took her hand in his and said to tell him. She swallowed and relented.
They had a fresh start in another city away from all the old memories, she had started school and her mother started a small baking shop. She had adjusted very well, attaining 2 crests in 5 years and planning to take over her mother’s business when she grew up.
It wasn’t until the 6th year that everything came crashing down. Her picture was taken and shared because of her performance at the academy, and through that her father had found them.
He had used his money and influence to bribe his way out of any meaningful punishment, and appeared at their doorstep one night. She had some power now but in the face of her childhood trauma she was nothing but that little girl again.
Before officials could make it there her father had fatally wounded her mother and fled.
~~~~
Cadell slowly closed the door behind him, careful not to wake her.
They had talked and cried and laughed late into the night. She had just barely managed to fall asleep.
He took to the sky, fueled by a raging fire in his veins unlike any he had felt before.
He cried tears of rage and regret as the ground below blurred by. Her words echoed through his every thought.
Hours passed in the blink of an eye. As the first light of dawn kissed the sky, Cadell found her father.
The man was found two days later by a wandering porter, broken and bloodied, but alive. Since that day, the only words that have come out of his mouth were those of apologies.