1 Prologue

Fire raged throughout the village consuming everything in its path. Screams filled the once peaceful night, sending shivers down my spine despite the burning wall of flame licking at my back. Blood pounded in my head as I attempt to take in more oxygen but only got more suffocating smoke. Pain consumed my body and despair filled my heart and soul, yet I ran as fast and hard as I could. I had to I couldn't let them catch me, I couldn't let them get my baby.

My family were meant to be behind me, we were meant to live but our enemies would never give up. We tried hiding, we tried to run but they always found us no matter what we did. They had one goal, to kill every last member of my family; That included my year old baby. Her father, the monster that he was would never let me go. All I want is for my little girl to have a life, one filled with love and happiness. I know she will never have that as long as I'm part of her life.

It was then that I decided with the minutes my family had given to me by my family sacrifice, I'd somehow find a way to save her, to give her the life i dreamed for her.

I ran as fast as I could, the fastest I'd ever ran. I could see the forest now that I'd reached the top of the hill. Any other day I would have loved to see the view of the valley and the forest, with the mountains in the distance. But today with the acrid smell of smoke and the unnerving glow of the burning fire behind me, the place that was one a haven was tainted with death and sorrow.

All I had to do was reach the forest before me and i might have a chance to save my daughter. It felt like hours before i reached the base of the towering trees, yet only seconds had passed. My body was racked with pain, it felt like it would consume me. As I past more trees, I heard the sounds of the men who ransacked the village following me. I only had a small window to pull of my plan. As I reached the bank of the river, I quickly got to the small cave that connected to the strongest part of the river. It was there that the anything would be swept miles down the river before you knew it. My hope lay on that fact. as I got to the entrance of the cave, I quickly reached inside for the small boat that my parents kept hidden there for emergences; it was meant for me and my daughter to use as our last resort for escape but I didn't intend to go with her. For her to be safe I had to leave her and pray that by some miracle she somehow end up with the perfect family I dreamt for her. I set her my little girl down in the middle of the boat, making sure she was properly covered. Just before I went to push the boat out into the water I remembered my pendant. It was the only thing I could give her, the only thing that could protect her. She would understand when she was older.

I knew this was for the best, to let her go, so she would be safe, but there was still a part of me that didn't want to let her go. I wanted to see her grow up, to meet the man of her dreams, to have a family, children, grandchildren. Yet with me a part of her life she would never have a chance. I pushed the boat out, then I turned and ran in the opposite direction, away from my heart.

~~*****~~

The La-Fay family stopped at the side of a small stream, a short walk from king's road. The road started at the border of the Shadowfay Kingdom and the Ironoak Kingdom. The family of four had been living at the largest outpost Winterwell where Vincent La-Fay had been the general for the past five years. The young Vincent had been stationed there just three months before the birth of his eldest son Sebastian La-Fay with his wife Flora. To the outside they were the perfect family, the embodiment of virtue and righteousness, yet to those who really know them you'd find them callous and shallow. They do anything for more power and fame, anything. It wasn't until almost two years ago that they announced they'd be expecting there second child. Nine months later they announced the arrival of there second child a baby girl. After there first child was born they threw parties and gathering to show there child of to the world but for there daughter know one could be found to have seen the baby apart from those there for the birth and the family. Rumours abound that the child was born with the face of a monster, or severely ill and a number of other tales. No matter what was said the family never responded, it was as if they truly were hiding something. A month ago the kingdom were all choked of the news of the death of Duke Highiron, father of Vincent La-Fay. He was then recalled to the capital Oakhaven to inherit all his fathers holdings including his seat on the Ironoak council. It took a month before they begun there migration back to the capital, unlike most nobles they travelled alone with only one carriage for the four of them and never made any stops at inns along the route, instead camping out every night. Flora otherwise known as Madame La-Fay hated everything about travelling and camping, yet had no say in what they did. In the society of the Ironoak kingdom woman had no say they were to follow the dictates of either there eldest living male relative or there husband. There was no love lost between the family they both had there own reasons as to why they agreed to the marriage. They'd just started travelling yet there son Sebastian kept wandering off and insisting that they stop at the river. After a whole morning of this they finally relented and made a stop at the part of the river there son insisted on. Whilst they fed the horses and rested there son continued to stare out at the water as if waiting for something to appear around the sharp and narrow turn of the Red river.