Chapter 4.6

Marli fled towards the western borderland with both children. Amidst this spectacle, she hoped that King Teron had called all his soldiers into the castle.

At first, their comrades accompanied them. Until the soldiers caught up and sacrificed themselves for their little princess. Now it was up to her to get the child to safety.

Then there was Ero, clinging anxiously to Marli. In contrast to Nala. And even though she had grown fond of the boy, he belonged with his parents. She couldn't bring him back or take him with her.

They had been riding for half a day already, and only now did Marli let the horse rest.

"You're a big boy already," she called out to Ero. He nodded. "Soldiers will follow us. If you ride towards Telja with the horse, you'll soon be back with your daddy."

Marli was distressed to leave the boy alone in this foreign place. Especially since his father had such a bad reputation. She didn't want anything to happen to him.

But taking him along simply wasn't an option.

Marli pressed another kiss to his forehead, then swiftly left the place with Nala. She not only had to calm the girl who was bitterly crying for her mother but also restrain her own fear for the child who was essentially a stranger.

They reached the national border two days later.

Marli was confident she could make it, but then the mounted border patrol emerged from the deep shadow of the trees.

"Stop!" the young soldier commanded sternly. "Who are you?"

He held his sword up high, especially after his gaze fell on their left side and their weapon, which hung ready there.

"Let me and the girl go in peace," she begged the boy. "I mean you no harm."

"I cannot," the soldier cried out. "Only merchants and authorized personnel are allowed to cross into Miro. If you cannot show the king's permission, I must detain you."

The hands of the young soldier trembled as he tightly gripped the sword. It was probably his first real assignment. Perhaps it would even be better for him to serve under a commander than to patrol the border alone.

Marli pushed the child away from her. Then she faced the young soldier.

Despite his inexperience, he was very well trained. His strikes were incredibly fast and accurate.

"Flee!" Marli managed to shout to the child, who stood there with widened eyes, anxiously staring at her protector. "Disappear from here, and no matter what happens, don't tell anyone your name or where you're from."

Nala nodded, although she didn't understand. Or her eyes burned from the heavy tears.

She always had to listen to what Marli told her. Her mother had instructed her so.

So she did what the tall Amazon ordered her to do. She fled deeper into the forest. The direction Marli had taken with her. Maybe she would defeat the man, and then she would come to her. To protect the girl from everything, as she always did. Just like her mother, who always came back, no matter how long the fight lasted.

Tears rolled down her cheeks. No matter how often she said it. Her tears wouldn't stop, and the heart in her chest made a loud Tock, Tock, out of exertion and pain.

She couldn't stop. Then she would cry, and Nala had to be a strong girl. For her mother, so she wouldn't worry.

Tears incessantly flowed from her eyes, blurring the girl's vision. She didn't see the large root in which her small foot got tangled.

She fell, and then a sharp pain at her left temple robbed the child of consciousness. Her eyes closed, a faint trickle of her blood dripping over her head and the stone.