𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃, aleksander morozova 1

Chapter Twenty-Nine

TWELVE YEARS EARLIER

THE SMALL TOWN OF ALDENA WAS NEVER REALLY MUCH TO LOOK AT, LIKE KRIBIRSK its small muddy roads lead down to nothing but small pubs and markets— little people resided there throughout the season, mainly just soldiers coming and going.

As the daughter of a tracker, you were constantly traveling from camp base to camp base and that's how I met Mal, after knowing each other for less than twenty-four hours we were already inseparable, it was funny really, how we just clicked at first meet.

We stayed in Aldena for three weeks, my father got occupied with his work and meetings, so I stayed back in the Oretsev tent with Mal during those days, playing, talking, we even snuck around the camp to spy on our parents. The meetings were always boring when we did, nothing much other than disagreements of who moved were too next after Aldena and the bickering of soldiers on what they did and didn't agree to. Not that it was their choice anyways.

"This is boring," Mal whined, "can we go now?"

I nudged him with my elbow and shushed him, peeking through the crack of the tent. "Unit x twenty-six, will be traveling to Kribirsk in the next week," The lieutenant said, "and unit f forty will being traveling to Tsibeya,"

I sighed in relief, "We will be going back to Kribirsk together," I peered over my shoulder to Mal, "maybe we can start thinking about what we want to do for our future jobs."

Mal perked up, smiling brightly at me, "I want to be a tracker, just like dad!"

"I've always had a passion for drawing maybe I'll be a cartographer," I said, turning my attention back to the crack, "ooh no! the meetings over run! Go back to the tent!"

Mal let out a shriek and started back towards the tent. We ran through the rows of tents, making several lefts and rights, giggling as we ran past dozens of people, ignoring their calls of protest as we did. Luckily when we arrived back at the tent it was still empty. But for how long?

We knew our parents would find out, but we didn't like the idea. So, we didn't talk about it, but it was still only a matter of time and who knows what would happen then? My father would most likely just scold me and I hated it when he did and Mal, who knows. I didn't know his parents well enough to come up with a conclusion.

After a few minutes of silence, our parents walked through the tent. My father had a scowl on his lips when he looked at me, "don't act all innocent," he said with a jerk of his head.

"a little birdie told us they saw gremlins running around a few minutes ago," his mother, Iesha said, "ooh I wonder who that could possibly be."

I couldn't help the buzzing feeling of laughter building up in me, but I'd tried and failed to keep them at bay, my father's eyes narrowed as he took a few steps closer and knelt before me, "I thought I told you to stay inside,"

I nodded my head, "it was my fault." I started, glancing over to Mal who was looking between his parents and mine, "I got bored so I wanted to go outside,"

"It wasn't just her! It was the both of us!" Mal chanted, "I mean— she wanted to go," Mal stuttered, "she wanted to spy on you."

I wanted to slap him, looking over my shoulder at him with a glare, "you idiot!" I shouted.

I was just about to get to my feet and stomp over to him when my fathers face changed from a scowl to a smile in a matter of seconds, "you are so much like your mother, child." He murmured.