Finding Resolve

I stood over 3 dead bodies, all burned to an unrecognizable state. I stumbled back unable to keep my balance, leaning onto the wall for support. My logic was failing me, unable to make sense of what had just happened. Immediately after the first guard had caught fire the other guards had rushed in to help him and as if the flames had a life of their own they leaped and swirled engulfing the other two. Pin drop silence remained only the sound of mother's and my own rasped breathing remained, I averted my eyes to mother who stared back at me, her face unreadable.

"Circe I need you to listen to me, I need you to leave now. You remember where old man Barok lives right sweetie? I need you to go there. It will take you a few days to get there but you need to be strong for me, understand" mother waltz past me into the room Alcina and I shared grabbing a travel rag and stuffing a few of my gowns. Alcina my throat dried, I riveted to where she still laid unmoving I staggered forward and knelt beside her, my hands trembling, I held her, unable to stop the tears that stung the back of my eyes.

Mother moved to the food store stuffing in some bread, cheese, and a bottle of water.

"Circe, honey you need to leave now there will be guards heading down here soon" mother said pulling me to my feet.

My feet could barely hold me up, my hands limp on my sides, my body ached even if I wanted to leave walking would be impossible and there was no way in hell I was leaving mother behind.

"What happened here?" a rather familiar voice sounded from the door. Albert stood at the door his eyes wide with shock staring into the living room that was now littered with corpses.

"Oh thank Gods Albert, you are here. I need you to take Circe somewhere for me. Please protect her with your life" she said in a sigh of relief and Albert nodded, mother shoved the travel rag into my hands which I tossed to the floor making it clear that I was not going anywhere.

Albert stalked towards me his big build towering over me. I have always felt little around him more so now than ever.

"Do not lay as much as a finger on me" I said attempting to protest but my voice failing me.

"Circe if we are going to leave we need to leave now" he said sweeping me up with little effort and throwing me over his shoulder I tried my best to fight him off by my limbs were numb and I could have sworn I was about to pass out.

"Mother I am not leaving you behind if I do you will far most certainly die" I said in between sobs my voice only amounting to a whisper.

"You are smart Circe you know we can't all leave, if they know there is someone strong enough to take out three guards running free, they will kill every single one of us including you before you could grow your wings. I will wrap things up here, go, do not forget about me and Alcina. Let our deaths not be in vain. Grow stronger and avenge us, you are the only hope these dammed people have to freedom I cannot let you die here" mother said withdrawing the hand she had placed on my cheek.

"I love you more than anyone and anything" she said lastly as I slowly faded out of consciousness.

I woke to an unfamiliar room, my eyes taking longer to adjust to the dimly lit space. I sat up taking in where I was. The room was small and the furniture minimal just a ragged chair and the bed I slept occupied the space. An inn, I guessed. Memories started making their way into my head one by one and realization hit, that what had happened had not been a nightmare and that it was the reality I was living in. That mother and Alcina were gone. I closed my eyes hoping, just hoping that when I opened them I would be back home on my rundown bed and Alcina talking about how Mr. Wills deserved a beating because he always stole glances at her or open them to mother scolding me for sleeping into the day, but when I opened them silence stared back at me.

I cried for what seemed to be hours, my sobs were brought to a halt by the door clicking open, Albert emerged wavering for a moment at the door. I looked up at him my eyes already swollen. He wore a blue tunic slightly opened at the chest, and black trousers. His chestnut brown hair that fell slightly above the nape of his neck was more a mess now than usual as if he had been running his hands through it. He stared back at me his sea-green eyes looking more of an emerald green, the women in our village seemed to always flock around him like sheep, and always spoke of how they would throw everything away just to have him look at them. But then I have never seen him that light, and which was most likely the reason he hung around me a lot aside from the fact that he very much enjoys tormenting me.

"Quite nice of you to join me, I was dreading that you might be dead. You have been out for 3 days"

"Which would have been very much convenient for you don't you think" I replied

"Circe" he warned pinching the bridge of his nose

"We need to go back Albert" I said, my voice trailing off

"I am sorry Circe but there is nothing to go back to" he answered his voice sharp

"But mother…"

"You know they would not let her walk unscathed let alone with her life and I promised her that I would keep you safe and going back is not" he said

"What about your father?" I said trying to cling to anything so we could go back, that maybe there is a chance in hell my mother is still alive.

"My family should be the least of your worries Circe, father is okay, I really do not wish to argue with you right now, not in the state you are in and the sooner you start thinking logically the better"

He was right there was nothing to go back to, they had taken everything I held dear. I needed to find the momentum to move forward.

"I need some rest. We will set off at first light"