Threads of Emerald

Threads of Treachery: Chapter 2

"Run, Seraphina", Aphina screamed at me as I watched the dark shadow approach from behind the large tree, a slithering piece of night against the earthy and light scents of the forest.

I woke flustered as the scent of citrus and soap rushed into my nostrils. Sitting up, the room came into focus. I was lay in a wooden bed in the centre of the room. There was a small dresser, made from a lightly coloured wood, directly opposite the bed. The dresser had little bottles of oils and perfumes neatly aligned on the left side and an oil lamp burning on the other. A tall chest of drawers, a similarly mismatched shade of wood, stood next to the dresser. A bookshelf made from an old wooden ladder lay next to the open window on the adjacent side of the room to the bed, spilling over with leather-bound books and tatty old copies. I couldn't read any of the titles, my head still pounding from the poison.

"Seraphina, you're awake", a soothing, almost-musical voice spoke from next to me. Turning around, I saw that the girl had waist-length brown hair, a shade darker than mine, and eyes a volatile shade of blue flecked with silver. The realisation hit me too quickly for my thrumming head to process, causing my vision to black for a minor moment.

"Aphina, how ... how did I get here?", I felt liquid drip down my cheeks, and I tasted warm salt trickle into my mouth. I was crying and I felt as if I could cry for the next week as Aphina leant over and hugged me tightly. She wiped my tears gently.

"Father knew when you didn't come down for supper that something was wrong, and he knew exactly where you'd gone." Aphina explained, releasing me slightly from her comforting grasp. "I ... I went with him and I thought you were dead, Seraphina, I saw your limp body lying there deep in the snow, your eyes were blank and empty, we carried you here, to your bed and I've been waiting since then. What were you thinking! We could have survived for a few more days, Father has gone into town today."

I didn't know what to say as a bunch of emotions surged through me. I was unsure why the sour taste of anger filled my mouth and sank deep into my stomach, like a piece of metal sinking to the bottom of a shallow lake. And the lighter, more fragrant flavour of confusion tangled with relief on my tongue.

"No we could not. We wouldn't have even been able to walk into town if we hadn't eaten for another few days, Aphina", my body tensed as the waves of anger rushed through me. But the curiosity appeared to override it, "How long have I been out? If Father has gone into town today, it must be a few days."

Aphina crossed her legs and shifted slightly, facing me as I lay propped against the pillows.

"You've been out for almost a week, Sera. After the first few hours we knew you had been paralysed by some form of poison. Mother checked you over and knew as soon as she saw the thorn markings that you'd been poisoned. I've barely left your room, I've been so ...", Aphina's voice cracked as a few tears streamed from her eyes, "so so worried about you. You're the most important person in my life, I couldn't think about what would happen if you didn't wake up. I'd rather you have eaten my portions than go back to that wretched place."

I sat up straighter and leant over to hug Aphina again, resting my chin on her shoulder and wrapping my arms tightly around her.

"I'm so sorry Aphina, but I couldn't sit here and let us starve. And I was not going to ask for more food. Mother and Father barely eat enough as it is, giving us as much as possible." I leaned back against the bed, tipping my head back as it felt too heavy to carry.

"Mother says that you will be back to normal health again in a few days, especially when Father can bring us a good meal from town, he's got to go to the Court first, but then he said he will stop by Marjorie's and get a loaf of bread and some soup for supper."