Two Months later

“Pull it back a wee bit further, lassie,” Kindrick said as he stood behind her. “I know you’ve got some muscle in those arms.” He chuckled with his thick Scottish accent. He was a short and stocky man, with a great big red beard.

She met him through Oliver, of course. He had grown to be a good friend of Mariyah’s. Today, he was finally showing her how to shoot a bow.

Mariyah grunted as she pulled back on the bow even farther. “I can’t hold it much longer,” she said, struggling as she stared ahead at the target.

“You know where you’re aimin’?”

She nodded her head.

“Then loose!”

She let go of the string and watched as the arrow completely missed the slab of wood that set up against a hay pile- their makeshift target. Oliver snorted and began to laugh. “Nice shot,” he said to her, clapping his hands.

Mariyah shot a glare towards Oliver. “Nice shot,” she mimicked in a comedic voice. “Why don’t you try, since you’re apparently so good?”

Kai, who was observing the archery practice, stood leaned up against a tall oak tree. He laughed at her comment and nodded his head, “Yeah, Oliver. Go ahead, show her.”

Oliver smiled. “Since you asked,” he said as he stood up.

Mariyah handed him the bow, looking at him curiously, and sat down on the log as they traded places.

Oliver stood in his stance and pulled back the bow. With squinted eyes, he looked at the hay pile. After a second of his eyes locking onto the target, he let go. The arrow landed right on the corner of the slab. He turned his head and smiled at Mariyah. “I can’t help it, I’m a very skilled man.”

She puffed out at his showing off and hid her admiration. She turned to Kai and lifted her eyebrows. “Are you good with a bow too?” she asked.

The young man shrugged his shoulders. “I can make Oliver look like a poor shot.”

“Yeah, huh? Show us.” Oliver handed the bow to Kai.

In an instant, as if in one single motion, Kai pulled the bow back and fired, hitting the target right in the middle.

Mariyah’s eyes widened as she watched. “Is everyone here just a master archer?” she asked, holding her hands up.

Kindrick nodded his head, “Most of these kids actually are. We’ve been banished from any form of the real world. We’re stuck here, shooting bows, throwing knives, fighting with sticks, and dancing.”

“Dancing?” she asked.

Oliver shot a warning glance to Kindrick, while Kai chuckled in the background.

Kindrick looked at the two boys, and then to Mariyah, “That’s right. These kids love dancing. It’s gotten old over the months, though. I think they’re getting tired of me and Pyle’s singing. But we don’t have any instruments, so all we gots is our lungs!” he laughed a big belly laugh.

“I want to see you all dance,” Mariyah said with wide eyes. “You’ll have to show me some time.”

“We will, we will,” Oliver said, shaking his head.

The next two weeks passed, and Mariyah was now actually able to hit the hay this time. Maybe she didn’t quite yet have perfect aim, but she was still hitting something.

Mariyah had forgotten about their love for dancing they mentioned until she was walking in the kingdom, and a small shop caught her eye. A musical shop. Stepping inside, she saw all sorts of wooden flutes, and fiddles. A man sat on a stool, carving what seemed to be a new flute. “What are you doing?” she asked him with a small smile.

“Me?” the man looked at the girl. His old gray hair just covered his forehead and his hazel eyes squinted as a bright smile grew across his face. “What’s a girl like you doing in this shop? You don’t seem like the type to play an instrument.”

“I don’t, not myself... I have friends who do,” She said with a small shrug. “What’s the least expensive thing you have here?”

The man lifted a brow. “Ah, you’re looking to buy,” he stood up off his stool and looked around at the items on his wall. “What are you looking for?”

“I’m not sure...something Scottish? Do you have any Scottish instruments?”

He chuckled and nodded his head. “That’s very vague. What kind of Scottish instrument, exactly?”

“I don’t know...just any kind.”

He let out a moody huff. “How much money you got with ya?”

“Um...not much. But I was hoping it’s enough.”

“Depends on what you’re buying.”

“Whatever costs the least, please.” She fidgeted nervously.

He bit his lip and thought. “Hm.” He turned around and looked in the back of the shop, rummaging through things until he found what he was looking for. “Here,” he said, handing her a small drum with a stick. “This is called a bodhran, sorta like a drum.” He pointed to the stick. “And this thing is the tipper.”

She smiled widely and took the drum and stick in her hands. “That’s perfect, thank you!” she said, paying him the small amount it cost.

The man looked at her for a second longer, before sighing loudly. “Fine. Take this as well.” He handed her what looked like some sort of fiddle.

“Oh, no. I can’t afford anything else,” she protested.

He looked at her, holding out the instrument. “Just take it, girl.”

Mariyah’s eyes widened as she understood. “Thank you so much. I’ll put good use to it, I promise!” She wasted no time in running out the door. She stopped by her home quickly to eat dinner, hiding the drum in her satchel and setting the fiddle outside.

“You’re in a rush for something, aren’t you?” her mother asked.

She nodded her head barely containing her excitement, “I am.”

“May I ask what it is?” she asked suspiciously.

“Umm….” She bit her lip and finished up her food quickly. “It’s a new type of flower I wanna go check out. I saw it yesterday and I have to look at it right when the sunset hits...so I have to go...now...goodbye!” she said, grabbing her satchel and running outside, picking up the fiddle.

“Well be back before dark!” her mother shouted, but she was already gone.

Mariyah ran as fast as she could, through the forest and to the village. The sunset had already begun. “Kindrick!” she shouted as she arrived. She saw him shoveling by the fields of crops they had planted with her seeds. “Look what I’ve got!” She held out her drum, the stick, and the fiddle.

“I don’t believe it. You actually found something, didn’t ya?”

She grinned and nodded her head. “Can you play these?” She handed him the bodhran and tipper.

“Hm…” He rubbed his chin and began to tap the stick on the drum, quickening up the pace until he could get a rhythm to a song he knew. He tapped his foot and nodded his head as he built up a beat. The man’s face lit up as the music filled his heart. It’d been so long. “This’ll do,” he said with a smirk.

She handed him the fiddle next. “Can you play this as well?”

Kindrick’s eyes widened, “Goodness, lassie. There’s going to be a party tonight!”

“How?! Who just has a drum and a fiddle lying around?” Oliver asked, covering his face with his hands.

“I went out and bought them,” Mariyah said with a small laugh. She pulled her shawl over her as a chilly gust of wind brushed against her as they sat on a fallen tree on the edge of the village.

Oliver looked at her and shook his head. “Seriously?”

She pushed his arm harmlessly and stood up from the dirt ground. “When are you gonna show me?”

Oliver looked at the almost dark sky. “Don’t you need to go home soon? It’s already dark.”

She looked towards the bonfire that was lit in the middle of the village. She’d probably get in trouble for this, but she was tired of forcing herself away from the only place she felt she could breathe in. She inhaled sharply as she thought to herself and hoped one of her elaborate excuses would be enough. And even if it wasn’t, with Oliver’s eyes watching her the way they were, she didn't care enough to worry in this moment. “No, I told my parents I was looking for a specific flower.”

“In the pitch black?”

She pointed above them. “No, the moon is lighting up the forest, look,” she said, her eyes looking up to the moon that was now visible. She could hear a soft sound of a drum being played in the distance.

Oliver remained looking at her as she looked up to the silver moon. He could see it in the reflection of her brown eyes just fine, which was enough for him. “Yeah. It’s something else,” he said.

She looked back to him and nodded her head. “See. It’s not so dark.”

The sound of drums playing beside the bonfire caused him to snap out of his gaze. Oliver turned his head and heard the pace pick up. He recognized this song. “Kindrick! No!” he shouted, groaning.

She gleamed excitedly. “Sounds like it’s starting!” She stood up and began towards a large bonfire where the music was coming from, Olly following behind. She sat herself down on a log beside some of the other villagers and looked at Oliver standing in front of her.

Maryiah smiled widely as she clasped her hands together. “Go on!”

Pyle, a friend of Kindrick’s, sat on a log beside Kindrick with a fiddle in his arms as he began to join him in playing the Scottish song. Oliver sighed and walked over to the fire. More villagers had gathered around, some even began dancing and got others to dance as well.

Mariyah clasped her hands eagerly, smiling as she sat down on one of the tree trunks beside the fire.

Oliver stepped back and sighed in embarrassment as he began to join the villagers in the upbeat dance that Kindrick had taught.

“There ya go, lad! That’s right!” Kindrick shouted as he quickened the drum pace. The music grew much faster and much louder now as people began stomping along with the music, and clapping on each beat. Maryiah giggled as he joined the clapping and watched as Oliver and the villagers all danced along the fire, grabbing partners to dance with.

Oliver was hand in hand with a little girl, skipping along with her as she giggled loudly, twirling her and lifting her as she jumped. Mariyah watched with wide eyes and a smile just as big, her stomach beginning to spin as she wished she’d never have to look away from this moment.

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As they reached the height of the song, Oliver passed the girl to her mother and grinned as he made his way back to Mariyah. He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her up but she protested.

“No-no! I can’t dance to this!” She looked at him with worried eyes. This was much more wild and loose than any dances she’d joined in the kingdom. “Oliver, I am serious, no!” she repeated as he continued to approach her, but he was much too strong for her to resist, and he pulled her up to him. She finally burst into laughter as she could do nothing but join him in dancing.

Luckily, she didn't have to do much as he just led her around, one hand in hers and the other by her hip, with her other hand on his shoulder. They skipped about the fire and spun in circles, the song seeming to take control of the villagers.

The world was falling into darkness but none of that mattered now. The joy on their faces was indescribable. Maryiah’s eyes were lit up by the gold fire and the moon filled the atmosphere with a silver glow. In a clash of the gold and silver glow, the night looked beautiful.

Oliver’s smile and laughter wouldn’t leave him as he danced with her all around the fire. He was out of breath now, and so was she. Everyone was. But no one wanted it to end. The happiness Maryiah and Oliver felt was almost magical as they held each other and spun around. Neither had either been so free of care in their lives.

As the song ended, and the next one began, Oliver pulled her to the side. “How was that?” he asked.

“That was amazing,” she said as she breathed in and out heavily, out of breath. She laughed, feeling her warm cheeks.

Interrupting them, a tall girl with shoulder length and dark brown hair came up to Oliver, touching his arm, “You were showing the girl how to dance?” she asked with a small chuckle. Her hazel eyes were illuminated under the moonlight.

Oliver smirked at the girl, nodding his head, “She’s never danced to our songs before.”

“Well, I think you’re gonna scare her off with your terrible dancing.” She turned to Mariyah “How do you like this so far?”

Mariyah smiled, recognizing the girl as Sare. “Oh, it’s so wonderful! I’ve never been to such a lovely...party, I suppose you’d call it.” She had to talk loudly as the loud music and banging drums drowned her voice.

Sare grinned and nodded her head. “Well, we gotta have some good in here while the world goes to hell around us, don’t we?”

“I suppose so,” she said with a small laugh.

“Wait-” Sare held her finger up and listened to the new song coming up, “I gotta go, this is my favorite! Mariyah- you’re coming with me!” she took her hand and pulled her into the crowd. Mariyah looked towards Oliver, begging for his help with her eyes, but he just laughed and clapped his hands.

“Umm…Sare, I’m not used to this type of dancing. Oliver was leading me the entire time, I don’t know how to really do it on my own,” she said loudly, watching as Sare lifted her dress, and began tapping her feet in impossible ways.

“None of us are actually good, Mariyah. You just have to move around. There’s no certain way to dance. Listen to the music, and move your body however you wish.”

Mariyah stared at Sare’s quick moving feet, and looked around at the people who surrounded her. They all looked so happy…She breathed in deeply, giggling a bit as she slowly allowed herself to let go. She giggled loudly as she clapped her hands, trying to copy Sare’s footwork. She grinned widely as the two locked arms, and skipped around in circles.

“I told you it was easy!” Sare exclaimed. “Come on!” She motioned for her to follow as she ran around the fire, skipping and clapping her hands above her head in unison with the others. Mariyah followed her, beginning to grow more comfortable. Her dress swung from side to side with laughter erupting from her chest.

The village danced for quite some time. It ended eventually, as all things do. But the joy they all felt lingered beyond the length of the party. Mariyah waved goodbye as usual, and parted ways once again. Though, this time she found it more difficult than usual. She wished she could stay there with them forever, almost.

“You’ve been coming home later and later every week,” Mariyah’s father said as she walked in the door from her visit. Mariyah looked over at her parents who sat across from each other by the kitchen table. She could feel the tension in the room. “I get worried, Mariyah. I never know when you’re returning home or if something has happened...And I never get to see you”

“I know...I just keep finding so many places to look,” she said through her teeth. She hates lying to them. “And you’re never home either, Father. You’re gone just as much as me, if you’re not working-”

Lucinda interrupted, irritation drenching her words, “Your father is working on an important project, Mariyah. That is different.”

“Project? You always speak of this but I’ve never seen it. This must be some project for him to have been working on for years!” Mariyah looked angrily at her mother but her expression soon softened once she realized her unusual temper.

Victor said nothing and only watched his daughter carefully with eyes she could not understand. They looked almost sad.

“You would be grateful, Mariyah,” Lucinda said quietly. “Anyway, we aren’t discussing your father’s private business. We are discussing your safety.”

Mariyah remained silent as well, confused with no response in mind. She only studied her father for a short moment, guilty about her angry comment.

“I’d rather you come home sooner now,” he told her.

She groaned and said, “I only venture out really far once a week, it’s not so bad.”

He sighed. ”We’re worried about you.”

She looked at her mother who was remaining silent in the background. “What do you mean? I’m fine…”

“We’ve noticed the money. Mariyah, what are you spending it all on?”

“Why did you go through my money?!” she asked them both with wide eyes.

“Mariyah, you left your pouch sitting out on your dresser. You never take that out,” her mother chimed in. “Those were savings from your birthday. Not to be spent unless needed.”

The girl held her face in her hands as she internally scolded herself for being so careless. “I wanted to buy some linens for a new dress…” she lied.

“Show me then!” her mother suddenly shouted.

Mariyah’s eyes welled up as she realized they knew she was lying.

“Exactly. Where do you go, Mariyah? Where is it that you venture off to with that money? Tell me, tell me why you come home in the pitch black!”

“It’s bright out with the moon! It’s not that dark-”

“I do not care Maryiah!” she shouted, slamming her hand on the table. “What are you doing out there where you need to spend all of this money, and come home so late?! Does identifying flowers truly take that long with such a cost?! And how are you identifying anything with a book that you leave at home?!”

She flinched at her mother’s outburst and closed her tearing eyes. My book…my pouch! How could I be so stupid? Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickly debated what to say…

“Oliver,” she finally whispered.

“Who’s Oliver?” her father asked.

She groaned as she buried her face in her hands. If she told them now, they would never let her go back to see him. But how much longer could she continue these lies? She has no choice anymore. She swallowed the pit in her throat and slowly explained to them in detail what she had been doing, making sure they were aware that no one else knew about it and what she was doing was safe.

Her parent’s faces were distraught. They sat there in silence as they stared at their daughter. “Have you not learned anything from what we’ve taught you?!-” her mother shouted in distress.

“Lucy,” her father interrupted, rubbing his eyes.

“What, Victor?! What?” She looked at him with wide and panic stricken eyes.

“She disobeyed us...she did. But Lucy,” he turned back to his wife, “Look at what she was doing.”

“Are you really going to take her side in this?! She’s asking to get found out! You can get killed for these sorts of things! Am I the only one here who hasn’t gone mad?!”

“I know, Lucy, I know...but please hear me. We’ve raised our daughter to be like this. We did. Together. Despite the hate that is in this kingdom, she’s still managed to keep her love. And I think we should be proud of that. Scold her for disobeying us. But not for what she did. She’s doing something magnificent, Lucy. She’s saving the lives of many.” He turned to his daughter, “How many would you say are in that village?”

Mariyah blinked away her tears, “I don’t know...almost forty, maybe.”

Victor looked at his wife again, “That’s forty people she just saved, dear. Forty lives.”

Lucy pressed her hand against her mouth and closed her eyes as tears started to fall down her face. She cried in silence, with Victor hugging her tightly as she did so.

“I know...it’s scary,” he whispered.

Mariyah sat on her stool guiltily and watched her family worry over what she had done. “Don’t worry, please. I’m okay. No one knows about it anyways.”

“I know, sweetheart...I’m sorry. I’m just scared,” her mother whispered to her. She wiped her cheeks off and looked at her daughter. “What made you want to do this, Mariyah?”

She shrugged her shoulders and bit her lip. “I don’t know...I just wanted to help them. They would have starved to death. I had no choice. And they need to know some still care. I don’t want them to lose hope.”

Her parents came up with a new curfew and added precautions in order to protect her and make sure that she knew what she was doing. Other than that, the parents were scared but they accepted what she was doing. Not because they wanted to let her, but because stopping her from helping others seemed too wrong.

It had been months since the last time Mariyah saw her Aunt Twine, which is why it was such a treat and surprise to see her the following morning downstairs with her mother.

“Aunt Twine!” Mariyah said happily as she embraced her. “It’s been so long!”

Twine hugged her back before pulling away and holding her arms as she got a good look at the girl. “Oh, I’ve missed you.” Her eyes filled with tears.

“I’ve missed you too. Do I look any different?” She smiled and fixed her posture.

“Older. Maybe a smidge prettier. And I didn’t think that was possible.” She smiled a sad smile before it disappeared from her face. “Your mother was telling me what you’ve been doing.”

Mariyah’s smile also fell and her eyes dropped to the floor. “I’ve already gotten my talk. No need to repeat what they said.”

“No, Mariyah. I won’t repeat what they said. I will not sugar coat it as they have-“

Lucinda huffed and tossed her towel on the counter. “Now, we did not sugar coat anyth-“

“You did!” Twine held a hand up and looked at Mariyah seriously. “You know what could happen if anyone found out you were doing this?”

“Imprison me, I know-“

“You don’t know! You don’t know, Mariyah! I am a Shifter. Visibly!” She pointed to her forehead. “I know firsthand the tortures and deathly things that happen to us. You do not. I also know the things that happen to those who associate with us-“

“We associate with you!” Mariyah’s face reddened with stinging eyes. Twine has never scolded her before.

“In secret!”

“I go to them in secret as well!”

“With a bag of food, keeping them fat and alive! They will notice, Mariyah! They will notice!”

“Then I’ll tell them to eat less. To keep the appearance of malnourishment at least somewhat-“

“Why?!”

Mariyah twitched at her sudden yell.

“Twine...” Lucinda warned her.

Twine continued, clutching Mariyah’s arms tightly and looking into her eyes with such intensity. “Why do you need to help them so badly?” Her eyes chased Mariyah’s until she looked her back in the eyes.

“I don’t know,” she said quietly. “They need help. They’re my people.”

“Please, you cannot be the one to help, Mariyah. Not you. Please. Do not continue on. I know what will happen if they catch you. I know the king more than anyone in this room. And he is a cold man.”

Mariyah pressed her lips together anxiously staring back at her. She had nothing to say. She listened and heard every word, though her heart was not turned. “I’ll stop,” she finally said.

But she was lying.

She was lying and she could see it in Twine’s eyes, that Twine knew she was lying too.

But her aunt left it at that and pried into the other aspects of her personal life, catching up with her niece on all things she could. After what must have been hours, a knock was soon heard at the door.

Mariyah and her family looked at Twine, “I’ve already stayed long enough anyway. I should be off now.”

Victor frowned and Lucinda hugged her sister tightly, “Be safe, my dear. Leave through the back, and please…keep in touch.”

Twine smiled and nodded her head, her grayish brown hair hanging over her shoulders as she tried to comfort her sister. “I’ll visit again soon, I will.” She looked down at Mariyah. “Now you stay away from this Oliver, do you hear me?”

Mariyah paid no response to the request and hugged her aunt. “Stay safe, Aunt Twine. Please.”

“As always, my sweet. As always.” Twine waved off Victor and soon departed from the backdoor where Mariyah pictured her shifting into a swan and flying off.

Knock, knock.

“Coming!” Mariyah quickly ran to the door and opened it, seeing Petrah, “Oh, hello! Sorry about that, I was busy stuffing myself with cheese and jams.” She smiled at her friend.

Petrah giggled, “That’s alright. I was just coming by to ask if I would see you at the Keynientose Festival?”

The Keynientose Festival…I almost forgot. She smiled widely with excitement. “Yes, of course! You know I’d never miss one of those.”

“Well you’re rarely out of the house anymore, so I didn’t know if you’d turn down the festival too.” She squinted for a moment but returned to her kind smile.

“Oh, I told you already. Just always reading nowadays. But of course I’ll make it.” She winked at her friend, “Should we starve ourselves the entire day to make room for the feast?”

“Brilliant idea, as usual!” Petrah laughed and skipped off after saying goodbye.

Closing the door behind her, she looked at her parents. “Could’ve been better timing.”