The sun’s almost down when the King and Queen finish their final visit. Iydric and his wife Umaeil do this as often as possible. They visit the people at least once every year. Some think it tedious, but it’s rather the kindest gesture that they can provide for their citizens. Not only that, they enjoy doing this. It allows them to know their people better and make laws that help them. The two of them exit the small home their in both smiling with worry. Asking now would be problematic, so I quietly help them in to the carriage. Climbing on to Stryelle’s back with ease afterwards. Hopefully the girl has made her decision. I can only have faith that she made the decision that’s right for her. Despite what I think she’s been with them long enough to not want to leave and may even choose to stay there. I follow along side the carriage. Stryelle’s hooves kick up small bits of dust, something about the way she steps is off. As if she’s aware of something being wrong. I gently run open fingers through her mane to calm her down and still she remains antsy. I frown slightly, confused about her behavior.
“You look bothered. Is something wrong?”
“I’m not sure, Stryelle is acting strange.”
“Do you want us to wait until she’s calmed down?”
“No, my lord. Go ahead of me. I’ll see if I can calm her down.”
Both Iydric and Umaeil watch with worry as I pull on the reins to move my horse away from the main road and towards a small path leading to open field. Although she’s never lashed out or even acted odd, I’d much prefer she not do so in an area where there are innocent bystanders. At least in an open field she can run it out of her system. Her pace picks up as we enter the path. A small spell tells me she’s anxious and panicked.
“Stryelle…”
A river forms just beneath the hill she’s decided to ascend and nearly throw me to the bottom of. I gain my composure after being tossed off of her back to get a closer look at the dark spot against the river’s edge. Anger is not an emotion I carry. Yet what I’m looking at spills hot lava into my veins, starts a fire in the pit of my stomach, and leaves my nerves stuck in a drought. Lying on the ground is Runia, her skin moonlit and nearly cold when I grab hold of her. Her pulse is so faint that a normal person would have buried her where she lay. Beside her a charcoal mare. Most animals do not approach me as this one has, trying to pry her from me.
“She’ll die if I don’t do something for her now. Is that what you want?”
He huffs at me, continuing to pull her from me.
“She will die. Back off.”
Ignoring the large black beast, I turn my attention to the girl in my lap. The first incantation I use draws the blood from her lungs. The second one I attempt to use backfires and instead my hand is left with a dark black and purple mark. Startled I look closer at it. A seal of some sort that I’ve never seen before, it’s color is the only thing telling me that the girl before me is indefinitely cursed. I turn my focus back to drawing the blood from her lungs, stopped by the same black spark whenever I try to speed up the process. The whole ordeal leaves me with multiple questions. The first being how an ordinary girl ended up cursed and for how long has she been so?
Her shooting up after an hour gasping for air satisfies me. Watching her curiously I get to my feet.
“You’re lucky Stryelle likes you. You were near death when I arrived.”
“Th-thank you.”
“What on earth made you come out here? You’re sick. Climbing hills is too much of a risk, with your body in such a condition.”
“I…I just wanted to be alone.”
“Well, it’s best you get back. C’mon.”
“Do I have to go back?”
Skittish, that’s how she appears. As if she’s done something she shouldn’t have. It’s enough to make anyone believe she had, however, with her illness, it’s hard for her to do anything that would get her in trouble. Without bothering to answer her question, I hoist her over my shoulder and start back toward her home, where I can guarantee the King and Queen are. She doesn’t try to fight me, but her silent complaint doesn’t go unnoticed, neither does the Charcoal horse following me. He moves easily alongside Stryelle, ignoring her poignant indignation to him coming with us. The sun is entirely gone and the moon peeks from behind cotton clouds when we reach her home. There’s loud arguing convincing her to squirm and fight to get free of me.
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“You mean to tell me None of you went to look for her?!”
“We didn’t know she was. She’s never done this before.”
“Did you think it wasn’t possible for her to up and disappear? Did you think that considering the days events she’d just stay where she was.”
“Iydric, my love, Kyre’s found her.”
The second the her feet touch the ground she tries to dart to which I simply grab her around the waist.
“Is she alright.”
“She wouldn’t have been if Stryelle hadn’t been antsy and taken me to where she was. Her lings were filled with blood. Near death if you will.”
“Ru-”
“No! Just please, leave me alone.”
Her body cripples from the coughing that ensues, leaving her limped over my arm. Two members of the family immediately panic, however the Queen stops them from approaching and comes to tend to her herself. Despite not having any children of her own she has a very motherly disposition that makes other queens stare oddly. Mainly as they dump their children on the hands of nannies and caretakers. Leaving them with out the proper maternal and paternal care needed for their development. It doesn’t matter that the child is literally getting blood on her dress. As long as she’s taken care of and being looked after is what’s important.
“It is not my place to say so, but I think it’s time she be removed from the home. At this point it is no longer a choice or decision. It is in the best interest of Runia. As a family the rest of you need to sort yourselves out. You’re more than welcome to visit if the option is made available, but I think she needs actual space away from you.”
“You can’t just take her.”
“It’s not up for discussion at this point. You hadn’t once checked on her in the time she asked you to let her be. She has a serious health condition. Who knows how long she’s been out of the house. Kyre, if you could please gather some of her things. We’ll be heading home”
“Yes, sir.”
“You can’t do this. She’s our sister.”
“My decision is final. Besides, leaving her here would kill her. You can’t even try to provide her with the right medical treatment and as Kyre pointed out earlier, her room is dust covered. No one takes the time to make sure her oxygen is dust free.”
Assisting the Queen and Runia in the carriage is my first priority. After which I move quietly into the home, the two healthy children following close behind trying to stop me. As a spell-caster I can easily move them away from me. However, it’s of no point as the moment I enter the room I cast a simple gathering spell on what little items the girl has. Disconcerted at the fact that even the number of clothes she is in possession of is so minute.
“This isn’t right.”
“The way she’s been living these past few years isn’t right. If you truly care for your sister, you’ll let her go where she can receive proper care and treatment. It’s only fair.”
“She’s been here since she was three and look how well she’s done.”
“And her health has neither improved nor worsened. There’s more behind her illness than this. She needs proper treatment. She won’t receive the necessary care if she stays here.”
“But she won’t be happy. She needs us.”
“Or do you need her?”
The room silences and I manage to secure her items in a cube for the time being. Their faces harden as they try to stop me from leaving. With a simple gesture I note the window behind me as another means of leaving forcing them to step aside. I can see the pain, but I have my priorities. It’s not my place to console them. They’ll have to learn to cope on their own. Her health was never a priority from the looks of it. Why care now? Surely, they have a reason for keeping her this way. The matter will have to be looked into but it’s not my job to do such.