4. Dried tears

'Hot.' Cressida murmured while running in the castle. Running as fast as possible but her position was fixed, neither the surrounding changed nor she moved. She looked around, the whole place was ablaze. Fire to her left, fire to her right. She ran, trying to escape the fire. Tears dripping down her eyes. Worried, she gazed down at her fast-moving feet which were running on the same spot. Using all her force she speeds up and her form successfully reached her brother's body. With her trembling hand and scratched fingers, she touched it. The moment she did, it shattered into ashes, eaten by the fire.

She screamed and inched back. The fire began to float towards her. Standing on her feet she moved back from the floating fire. Running backward she saw a curtain through her shoulder. Turning around she ran towards it. Hot heavy wind blowing the curtain, unveiling the stream of golden light from behind. She chased it. The more she ran towards it the farther the curtain appeared. Looking down at her feet, she saw them drowning in the pool of fire. When she lifted a foot, blood dripped down.

She again tried to run but was caught by a hand emerging from the fire, beneath her. 'Let me go. It's hot. Too hot.' She murmured again. Slowly, it pulled Cressida into the fire, wrapping its fingers around her ankle. She struggled, shouting and flapping her limbs. A sound of laughter echoed. She looked down to the source of the sound. The face of a man formed in the waves of fire. The same man who sliced the throat of her brother. She scrambled and screamed for help.

"Help it's hot in here."

"Hot.... He....l..."

Cressida abruptly woke up from her sleep. Breathing heavily, she placed her palm on the forehead and looked up. A small lantern hanging from the roof. She looked around and stood up into a sitting position, sweat rolling down her temples. Moving back, she rested her head on the wall. Exhaling a deep breath, she whispered.

"What are these visions?"

It's been seven years since the terrifying incident happened. She didn't remember how long she slept there under the table. Her sleep was disturbed by the blistering heat. When she woke up, the castle was burning. The enemy didn't want to leave a trace. There was no sign of Cressida being alive. No other kingdom of east expected a little, sole survivor. She ran to escape and met with the fire on every turn. Dark smoke was eating her breath away. Her sight was blurring at every attempt she made. However, she reached the hidden tunnel that was safer than the other places. Being underground was protecting from the smoke but hotter than the upper surface. She hardly made out and saw an old woman screaming and crying along with many people expressing the same reaction. The view began to fade as she fell on the ground losing her consciousness, embraced by the darkness.

Recalling the past, she glanced at the same old woman who was sleeping soundlessly. She gave her shelter all these years. She's the mother of a soldier in their castle. Cressida got off the charpoy and opened a side chest. Took the bow and arrows and went out for hunting.

~~~~~

Crouched quietly behind the bushes, she loaded her arrow to shoot a prey. Moving sideways with light steps, she chose a rabbit as her target. Her golden orbs gleamed at the target. Slowly, taking steps one after another, she moved closer. Dried leaves and sticks produced a cracking sound under her light feet. The rabbit began to run on the sound. Instead of following it calmly, she ran after it. Chasing the rabbit, she held the loaded bow exactly in front of her. Following the right-left turns of the rabbit, she hopped the bushes and dodged the branches. Her eyes fixed on her prey. She fell and rolled down, hitting a tree. Her eyes not moving from the target, she stood up and again begins her chase. The moment she got closer, the rabbit went in its hole. Breathing heavily, she stood in front of the hole. Following the path, she reached the rare end of the hole. Igniting some dry sticks, she placed them at the rare end and hid behind a tree. Cressida took a position, loaded her bow again and aimed for the target. Heat causes the rabbit to show up on the surface. The moment it was out, she released the arrow which hit the neck of the rabbit, which jerks and fell trembling.

Taking a deep breath, she calmly walked towards her pray, pulled out the arrow and kept it back after cleaning the blood. Slipping the bow across her back over her shoulder, she lifted the rabbit with its legs and marched back to the house.

Slowly, she ajar the wooden door to seek in, it produced a cracking sound. She looked at the old lady whose back was facing her. While keeping back the bow and arrows in the chest, Cressida was caught by the old lady.

"You took that again!" She yelled.

Cressida sighed and closed the chest

"Here you can cook this now." She gave the rabbit to her.

"I told you not to touch those." The old lady shouts.

Those bow arrows belonged to his dead son. Without giving any response to the lady, Cressida took a cloth and went out. Covering her upper form along with the head, she went to take a look round the market. Passing every kind of shops and houses, people selling on the streets, some trading food while others were displaying clothes. Once these people were her people, belong to her kingdom. And now none of them know her. On hearing the shouting of men, she turned to look around. Three men on the horses came while shouting and asking questions. The crowd begins to set around them. She went near to hear their conversation.

"Are you sure?" One man from the horse asked. He looked like a soldier. All dressed fancy.

"Yes." Someone from the crowd replied.

"We doubt that she might be alive." Other soldier said. "Did you know anyone who might have a connection with the castle?"

"There's one old lady." Someone informed and pointed towards the direction of her hut.

Without hearing any further, Cressida moved back. 'Were they talking about us' She thought. Worriedly, she continued moving back. Not noticing anything around her, she took back steps quickly when a man pushed her forward.

"Don't fall on the clothes. Want to buy something?" The merchant asked.

"No."

Cressida moved further back, dragging her feet away from them. She was afraid of them. Everything of the past played in her mind. Gulping hard, she was leaving the crowd silently. When she saw them turning the horses in the direction of her place, she turned around to run. The horses passed by her, blowing the wind around her. She gazed them as they were departing. Her eyes went wide when she noticed the dress of the soldier. It's the dress of the Southerners, the one who raided her castle. She saw them disappearing in the dust, as she fell on her knees. She looked at the empty street where dust blowing by the horses that left. A tear dripped down her cheek. Wiping her damped eyes, she stood up and ran after them. Passing the same houses, same streets, she ran towards her place. Her mind was filled with fear of the past. She couldn't comprehend anything but run. Chasing the horses was impossible. She ran as quickly as possible. When she reached, the horses were already in front of her door. Breathing heavily, she fell back on the ground. Crawling back, she went in a random hut when the scream of the lady echoed.

'They killed her! They killed her!' A voice was echoing in her mind. Tears rolling down her cheeks. She went to hide in a wooden closet when her gaze falls on the clothes. She quickly tore her clothes apart and put on the clothes of a boy. Grabbing a nearby knife, she cut her hair. Crying silently with pain, she hid there.

'Hiding again?' The voice asked her.

'How long?'

"Stop." Cressida murmured.

'There's no escape.'

"Go away!" She screamed.

Her voice gained the attention of the soldiers. Marching sound of horses was getting close. Covering her mouth she wiped the tears and ran out of the closet. Taking her cloth she went out of the hut. Her hammering heart was the loudest sound she could hear. Calming her heart and wobbling body, she walked soundlessly. A sound of breaking woods alerted her. She jumped on the sound and slowly turned to look around, glancing through her shoulder she saw a man standing inside the hut, kicking the tables around him. Cressida ran to escape but the man saw her.

"You! Stop right there." He marched towards her from behind. Each step he took felt like doom to her. Covering her mouth not to let a voice, she closed her eyes. If she tries to run, she'll die. If they recognize her, she'll die. Either way, she's going to die.

Covering her form, she turned to face him. 'They never saw me' she thought. 'They won't be-'

"You boy. Is this your place?" He asked.

Her eyes went wide on his question. She quickly bends her head. He didn't recognize her! She nodded her head in response.

"Ah! We made a mess here." Stepping on the broken wooden pieces, the man walked towards her. Putting a hand on her head he gave a squeeze.

"Do you know the girl who lives in that hut?" He pointed to the broken hut.

If she says no, they will kill her too. Somehow they are aware that she's alive. She was afraid stunned, she did what she thought was best in this situation and pointed her finger towards the woods. "She usually goes in the woods."

"That's some news." The man said and called his men to charge towards the woods. Climbing on his horse, he threw a coin in her direction. "Here for the information." He said and rode to the woods.

The moment they left she fell on her knees, crying. 'Why do things have to turn further bad?' She thought. She looked at the coin, tears falling on it. Wiping her teary eyes, she picked the coin and went to her broken hut. The old lady was lying on the ground, a bloodied wound on her stomach. Cressida went close and sat beside her. Looking at her face she whispered. "Sorry."

"Sorry." She said again a bit louder.

"Sorry." She raised her voice further.

"Sorry-sorry" She screamed. "You died because of me. Sorry, sorry, sorry..." She couldn't stop her tears. She cried screaming. "I coul..dn't do any...thing." She started hitting the ground, letting go of her pain. "S..or..ry." She whispered again, bending her head on the ground.

After staying there till the dusk she stood on her feet and took a cloth to cover her dead body. Dragging the body out, she buried it. She took her brother's dagger and tied it around her waist. Taking the bow-arrows and some firework powder from a chest, she placed the powder around the hut. Glancing one last time at the hut she ignites the arrowhead. Loading the arrow with trembling hands, she looked at the hut through the bow. Taking a deep breath she released the arrow. The moment it hit the target, flames engulfed the hut. She stood there looking at her home burning for the second time. Tears clouding her vision. Rubbing her eyes, she looked at the coin in her hand and contorts a smile, Tears are not the solution.

"I'll pay back twice."

••••••••••

LOCKHART.