The Chase

I woke up at dawn and rushed out of bed.

Today is my favourite day of the year. It's the one day I get to truly be free. Free from the names they call me. Some call me your usual ugly, worthless, you know, the usual. But, people who really know the rumours and aren't just following in others footsteps call me such things as witch, sorceress and more.

I quickly slide on my black wool leggings, my long sleeved black shirt and put my boots on.

I slide my long hair into its normal low ponytail, being cautious with the hair tie since it's the only one I have, and check on my gramps.

He's still sleeping in his bed. Peacefully.

I give him a small smile that he would not see and grab my cloak. Slipping it onto my shoulder and pulling the hood over my head, I head out the door.

I don't have to wait for a specific time or moment. The civilians don't leave their houses at all.

Perfect for me.

Finally reaching the village, which took a little while since my home is far from the other houses, I start walking down the main road.

Calling it a "road" is generous. It's really just a big path of gravel in the middle of town.

I walk down it slowly, in no rush, when I heard a knock on a window. I look towards where the noise came from and saw a small boy. He looks afraid.

Am I scaring him?

My question gets answered when I see him point towards the area a came from.

I look towards the start of the road and see three men standing there.

The one on the left smiling with his shaggy brown hair, green eyes and amazing teeth. He is gorgeous.

The one on the right showing no emotions. His dark blue hair in a man bun on the top of his head and his brown eyes boring into my soul. No matter, he is still good looking.

I shiver as his eyes trailed up and down my body.

The man in the middle. Taller than the others, more built, way more intimidating then the others. His glare enough to make someone wet themselves.

He looked like he was trying to find my eyes but none of them could see my face because of my cloak. Another reason I love this thing.

They were beautiful. Tall. Scary.

I very slowly took a step back. Fear creeped up my spin sending continuous waves of chills through me.

He grinned at me. As if he could smell the dread flowing through my veins.

His hair black as night. His grey eyes that shine blue in the sunlight. He was clearly the man in charge.

With every step back, he took one forward.

Deciding that it's now or never, I turn around and sprint for the woods.

The air flowing through my cloak. My hood pulled down by the gusts of wind. My legs pushing harder and harder against the ground eager to put distance between me and those gorgeous men.

We're they men?

My lungs scream at me. They are burning and my breathing gets quicker with every second I keep running but I cannot stop. If they were to catch me who knows what nasty things they would do to me.

With my stealth and my speed I turn around a tree and change directions to head deeper into the woods.

I make another turn so that when I run, I will eventually end back at the village. Maybe I could lose them in between the houses. Ask people to let me in.

I cannot return home. I will never endanger my gramps.

I turn my focus back towards running. My legs and in pain. They haven't fully recovered since my last beating from one of the villagers. I cant remember his name.

My body is abnormal. It heals at a unnatural speed. It's one of the things that worries William even more. Even if I heal quicker than normal, I still get scars. I still feel pain and right now I feel nothing but pain.

Finally making it back to Devlan, I prepare myself to make a turn towards the back of one of the houses when I see one of the men at the end of the road. When I'd be leave? Its the emotionless one. Except he's isn't alone.

He is holding my gramps with his sword drawn, placing it against his fragile neck. My gramps face fearful. He's afraid.

I stop in my tracks.

Im standing there. In the middle of the road staring at the two men across from me. The other two, behind me.

I stare my gramps hoping he's understanding the message I'm sending him with my eyes. He stares back and mouths two words.

"Your hood."

My eyes widen. Quickly slipping my hood back onto my face. I didn't even notice it had fallen off! Thank goodness I hadn't looked back at them during their pursuit or else they would have seen my eyes.

I don't understand why it is a big deal but if it eases my gramps worries then I will gladly do it.

I turn around and face the man in charge. His eyes showing nothing. His smirk tells me that he's proud. Glad that he has finally got me in his trap.

I glare at him but he cant see my eyes. How I wish he could. I wish he could see the threats I'm sending him. The daggers.

"Let him go." I say with as much confidence as I could.

Maybe he will fear me? It is improbable but not impossible.

His smirk doesn't change.

"No."

His voice. Smooth and deep. It sent uncontrollable shivers from the back of my neck to the bottom of my spine.

Well, playing tough didn't work. So my next strategy is to beg.

Im not the type to beg but as I have said many many times, I will do anything for my gramps.

"Please sir, I beg of you. He is nothing but a humble old man. Please do not involve him!"

His eyes seemed to shift between emotionless to pity but they quickly changed back.

Maybe I had imagined it. I mean they are holding my gramps with a sword to his neck. Why would he feel pity for me?

"Please sir! I will do anything but you must let him go!"

He looks at me, or what he could see of me, and finally nods his head.

"You must come with me. Do not bother packing anything. We leave now."

My heart stops. I couldn't leave! My gramps can not fend for himself, he would be dead in less than a week!

I turn towards my gramps and I felt tears come. No. I will not cry in front of these men.

I turn my attention back towards the leader.

"Sir, you must understand. He can not live without me! I have helped him survive for my entire life!"

"That is none of my concern. We leave now."

He steps towards me and grabs me by my arm. I struggle against him. No! I have to at least say goodbye!

"Please please please! At least let me say my goodbyes!"

He stops dragging me away and looks at me. He cant see my eyes yet I still feel like he is staring deep into my soul just as he was before. He is clearly debating on wether I should be permitted to bid him farewell. For all he knows I could run away, but I would not do that.

"You get five minutes."

"Thank you!"

I sprint towards my gramps making him start chasing behind me. Oh, he thought I was running away.

"Sorry.." I mumble out quietly.

I walk towards my gramps this time and I embrace him in a tight hug. He's crying.

"I'm so sorry dear. This was never meant to happen."

"It's okay gramps. I love you so much. Im sorry I can not stay. You must ask the other villager for help! They will help you live!"

"Darling you know that without you I have no hope."

His words broke me. The tears that I had been fighting so hard to keep in starts flowing out of my eyes. My sobs could be heard from the other side of the village. I cried and cried while he held me.

He was discreet about it but i noticed him place a paper inside of my hand.

I quickly slipped inside of my bra and hugged him tighter than I ever have.

"Times up."

The words I've been dreading. My cries get louder and more hysterical as I'm dragged away from my gramps.

I struggled against him but he kept his grip on my waist and continued to pull me away from my home.

My gramps gave me one last smile as his tears flowed slowly down his face.

I kept getting pulled away until he was out of my sight. Only then did I notice he was pulling me into the woods.

I stopped struggling against him and laid limp. My heart was shattered. My life felt like it was taken away from me.

He loosened his grip on my waist and gently placed me down onto the grass.

I curled myself up into a bawl and covered myself with my cloak.

I looked like an infant wrapped up in their blanket.

He looks at me and give me a sad look.

I turn away from him.

How dare he look at me like that when he is the source of my pain?

After decades of hiding away he chooses today to come to Devlan? He chose me and took me away from my gramps?

He starts talking to his friends whom I still don't know the names of but I tune them out.

I cannot hear them speak, nor do I hear the sounds of the wildlife in the forest.

All I can hear is a buzzing.

I don't know how long I sat like that. Numb to everything, but I broke out of my trance when a plate of food was placed in front of me.

I looked at the food then at the one who had given it to me.

It was the one with shaggy brown hair.

He gives me a full smile then sits down next to me. He starts eating his food when he sees I haven't moved a muscle.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

If he could see my face, he would see the look of disbelief that covers it. How could he expect me to eat? I already feel nauseous!

I turn my head away from him and stare back into the woods.

The tall green trees, the grass that covers the entire land. The flowers of all the different colours you could possibly imagine. The forest seemed happy. Happier than I was.

"Get up."

I didn't need to look at the man to know who it was. His voice was easily recognizable. His smooth voice.

I stay in a ball on the ground refusing to move. No. I will not venture another step further into these woods.

"I said. Get up." He was clearly loosing his patience.

I still did not move.

Fed up with my behaviour, he yanked me up by the arm with such a force it pulled my hood down.

He stared at me in awe.

Realizing he had seen my face, that they all had, I left it down.

No point in hiding anymore.

I closed my eyes and put my head down.

I felt two large hands grab me by my cheeks and pull my face up towards them.

I kept my eyes closed for their sakes. No one should have to look at this hideous sight.

"Open your eyes."

Obliging, not wanting to get hurt again, I opened them.

He stared into them. His eyes switching from one of mine to the other.

"They are beautiful."

What? No one has ever called me that except my gramps, everyone thinks I'm a freak because of them.

Realizing what he's just said, he quickly let go of my face like I was some sort of virus.

I miss the warmth of his hands on my face. The feeling of his skin on mine.

He takes a step back and clears his throat.

"We set camp here for tonight." And with that he left.

He left me standing there dumbfounded.

What the hell was that?