The Stolen Bride

5 - Unspoken

It had been one and a half months. Six weeks had passed, one for each of the girls living in the mountains and longing for home, even the one who had taken her own life.

Then there was Kira, out for the first time on a water run by herself. She stood by the stream, gazing at the ridge's edge which fell a long way and disappeared into a sea of mist.

It felt like she was at the ends of the world up here, looking down upon all Creation. Somewhere out there was her village, not even hours away, yet so out of reach.

Kira fought against the memory of her father as she had last seen him, thinking instead of her mother. She had not seen what happened to her. Her mother might still be alive. And if she were, she must be doing everything possible to see Kira returned safely. She would never give up. Kira had to believe that.

Kira sighed with the wind, bending down and picking up the buckets, filled now to the brim. They were still as heavy as ever to her. She wondered if she would ever become as strong as Alix, that these chores would be a breeze to her too. She hefted the heavy things back to the house, walking clumsily with each step.

Today was a good day because the mother was laid up with a headache or other, and so was keeping to her room. To be free of her nagging voice and critical eye was bliss for Kira.

Before continuing with the rest of her chores, she decided to go outside and see how Lobo was doing. She was still too afraid to touch him, but she really enjoyed his company. His quiet, cheerful company.

He might be a dog, but he was still better to be around than any of these people.

"Lobo?" she called softly, checking under the house. He wasn't there.

She tried checking the grove where he sometimes liked to escape to, wading through the brush. "Lobo, are you out here?"

She couldn't spot his tawny fur anywhere, but after a few steps, she made out a different type of sound. Only she wasn't quite sure what it was. It was low and guttural though. Some sort of animal?

She was about to turn away, but then she heard a murmur. A murmur in someone's voice. There was somebody out here. Could it be the people from her village, here to save her?

Kira perked up, moving forward carefully despite the hope rising inside her. They came, just like I knew they would!

She pushed through the leaves and branches... and stopped cold.

It wasn't the people of her village. There were only two figures in front of her, though they were locked as one. Naked limbs clung to each other as the man pumped against the woman from behind, over and over. Kira's eye flicked to the woman, who was bent over with his hands firmly grasping her by the hips. She recognized those honey-brown braids. Alix.

Kira knew what Hesel, Alix's husband, looked like, and that was not him doing that to her. The man having his way with Alix was none other than Drev.

Kira bolted, hurrying back to the house, where she ended up pacing out front instead of going inside.

She couldn't breathe. Why couldn't she breathe? She had never cared for either of them, and yet, she felt deeply betrayed.

She'd known it. She'd just known that Drev was not attracted to her.

But why had he brought Kira here then?? He should have just left her at home! He should have left her and her family alone!

"What's the matter with you?" a curious voice spoke to her, and she didn't have to look up to know who it was. Footsteps came over, and she straightened up, seeing Sylar standing in front of her.