Grandma to the rescue

Emmeline continued to tap the crystal for it to glow again but it kept on flickering before it dimmed entirely. Now what? Was she to run?. She asked herself in panic. She swept her eyes to her granddaughter who was still bound with the black spirals, laying on the wet ground, motionless. She saw something or would she say a creature, she couldn't decipher in a tree that was in front of her. She was so certain, she had seen it move and this time was no sort of imagination to her.

Emmeline saw the bizarre creature tilt its head as if scrutinizing her. Her heartbeat accelerated as the perception of the ominous presence increased. She prepared for the worst as she tried to dig through her memory for a protection spell to cast. Suddenly, hearing a whoosh sound, she turned to her side to see the black spiral binds had vanished around Aurora.

Emmeline didn't bother to turn over to survey if the hidden creature was still in the shadows looking at her, instead, she promptly scampered to Aurora to inspect her pulse.

The little girl's breath was getting shallow and her pulse, weak. Emmeline who was extremely exhausted, mustered the insufficient strength she had, in scooping the girl into her arms. She continued to wobble as she carried little Aurora before dropping down on her knees when she had succeeded to get away from the dark forest.

Emmeline saw a man flash a light, hastening his steps toward them. It was a town guard, she exhaled in relief.

"Excuse me, ma'am, is everything alright?". The town guard asked, scrutinizing the woman and the child she held dearly in her arms.

" Please - - please - - help me carry - - carry the little child". Emmeline requested in a low voice and it brought the town guard closer, so he could listen to what she was requesting.

"Right away, ma'am". The town guard said, taking the little girl from her arms into an arm, while the other arm helped Emmeline to her feet.

The town guard with the unconscious child walked till he stopped at the house, the old woman had referred to as hers. It was an old house with a midway broken door.

The town guard turned to look at the woman who looked extremely wearied. " Was your house looted, ma'am?. You can go lay a statement to the magistrate". The town guard suggested, watching the woman take the child from him before entering the house.

"I will". She replied, only when she had gotten inside.

The town guard stood for some seconds, making sure nothing was amiss before he turned to leave.

Emmeline carried the little girl securely, passing through the spot her husband had sat in anguish, from a broken waist to see him not there anymore and she wasn't bothered to search for him. Her major priority right now was, Aurora.

She carried the little girl to a room that they had always readied for visitors, she didn't want her to catch a cold from the broken window in her room. She placed her on the portable bed before going to fetch the blankets.

She placed the blanket, beside the bed before undressing the little child whose clothes were half torn and messed up with mud. She grabbed the towel she had dangled in there, soaking it into the warm water, she had brought along with the blankets and candlesticks with its stand. She could see dried blood on the girl's head that had trickled down her cheeks before wiping it gently.

Her heart ached at the presence of a cut on the right side of her face and drops of dried blood on her left scarred face, which she carefully cleaned off. She saw bruises on her eyes, cuts on her ears and the middle of her lips and she couldn't describe the misery, the little girl had gone through. She saw a bump on her forehead before she massaged it lightly. She gently undressed her, listening to the slow rhythm of her heartbeat which caused her eyes to well up with tears, before sliding down her cheeks.

She continued to sniff as she cleaned the girl's face from mud and dried blood. She poured a colourless liquid into the bowl of water, which bubbled, releasing steams on getting in contact with the water before it cooled down.

God knows what had happened to Aurora in her absence. It wasn't the child's fault to be brought into this awful world where her kinds were detested, staked and burnt. She wanted her to live a normal life, and stay safe and strong and she would do everything in and beyond her ability to always keep her safe and away from trouble.

She turned Aurora's face so her scarred part of face could face her. She gently rubbed it as she felt more tears drop down on the bed. She had tried healing the scars but it was to no avail. She wasn't an entire white witch, she used her little knowledge of spells on certain rare circumstances.

She continued to clean the girl, turning her over and over again to make sure she was not left with mud or dried blood.

She took out a tiny vial from her pocket when she had cleaned and wrapped a bandage over her head, veering around to the door so she could confirm that Cyrus was not in sight before she poured its entire content into the little girl's mouth, lifting her head a little so she could be sure it was gulped down.

" This would do for now". She muttered to herself, covering her with the blanket before she stood up to shut the window.

She stared at the girl for some seconds, walking over to her side to place a kiss on her forehead, sauntering to the door to leave the room.

When Emmeline had gently shut the door after she was out of the room, she heard a voice speak next to her ears, making her almost jump out of her skin.