The Shadow of a Swan

Part 3

     It had been almost a month since Emma had settled in the house at the edge of the forest. She had found a small village nearby where she could buy the necessary things. As usual, as soon as it began to dawn, Emma got out of bed, after another sleepless night full of thoughts, and it was also the first time since the incident in the forest that the voices of the dark forces visited her head, so she wanted to quickly dissolve into the crowd of people to drown out these annoying voices...
     She pulled on a loose gray linen shirt and darker pants made of the same material with a rope instead of lacing, tightened at the waist. She gathered her light curls into a ponytail, pulled on her battered boots and headed outside to the well. Washing away obsessive thoughts with cold water that enveloped her face, she shook off her hands and set off. In order to save up some money for essential needs, she worked as an apprentice at a blacksmith. The work was hard, but Emma, ​​accustomed to this kind of work, never in her life had a choice or time to choose how to earn money. The most important thing for her was the task of preserving the human in herself and not succumbing to magic, insidious and seductive. But she did not give her such an opportunity, by rejecting the magic inside og her, so no one knew who Emma was. Everyone knew her only as a mysterious blonde who appeared out of nowhere and she was fine with it. She did not make acquaintances, so as not to become attached to anyone, and tried to avoid conversations. And today she silently made her way through the crowd. Obsessive voices whispered their dark plans to her, but she tried to abstract herself and not perceive them... She needed to buy a new feather bed, since it was unbearable to lie on the old one, and when she was about to reach the right place, her gaze was drawn to a small boy. He stood, helplessly lowering his gaze, and a man standing next to him was beating him on the back with a rod. Their conversation reached her ears...

- "I am sorry! I didn't do it on purpose! I promise it won't happen again!"

- "Of course, it won't happen again! Because if you ruin the goods even once more, you won't see the light of day,  cub! Useless!... Brainless..."

     His words froze in the air, as did his hand, clutching the whip, stopped by someone else's hand.

- "What are you doing? Get out of here, woman, or haven't you been beaten for a long time?!" 

 - "Mmm, I don't think so... Leave the boy alone!" - Emma answered with an unperturbed expression, still holding the offender's hand.

- "Are you tired of living, you whore?" - he hissed; anger, hatred and disgust were obvious on his face. 

 - "Leave the child alone! I won't repeat it again!"

 - "You will regret this!" - these words burst out of his mouth like poison and spread in the air when he tried to free his hand from her grip, but realized that she was stronger than him when it didn't work...

- "Sure, yeah... Many people have told me this... Kid, come on, come here, now you will work for me," she said and extended her hand to the boy, urging him to follow her.

     The boy hesitated, confused, but then he snuggled under Emma's wing, and she, giving him a smile as if trying to protect him from danger, covered his shoulder from behind with her hand. 

- "You'll regret this! He's mine! Mine or no one else's!" he shouted after them, spittle flying from his lips as he waved his arms helplessly in the air, hurling curses after them.

     Emma knew it couldn't end well, but she couldn't leave the boy there. He reminded her so much of Henry... Tousled dark hair, innocent, but intelligent and profound look...They made their way to an old woman