Bloodstream

-chapter 3-

She kneels down in front of me and motions for everyone to leave the room, and I will myself to look up at her.

She looks almost exactly like me with the exception of a few details. Her hair is dark blonde, and her eyes are blue instead of green. But everything else is almost identical. Her nose, her freckles, the shape of her eyes.

It terrifies me even more, and I find tears pooling in my eyes.

"How do you know who I am?"

I notice tears in her eyes too, "You don't— You don't remember me? Avila, I'm your mother."

My brain tells me she's lying, but I can't shake the feeling of familiarity. It's weird and it's so vague, but it's there. It feels weird and I don't like it one bit.

I feel and overwhelming mix of emotions. It's too much all at once. My heart starts pounding, my eyes start ringing, tears let loose, and then everything goes black.

♢♢

-ren-

Ren had been woken up in the middle of the night by one of the other trainees and given no explanation as she was rushed to the meeting hall where announcements were given.

Nearly everyone in Oleas was shoulder to shoulder in the room. It was rare that people were in here, the King only gave personal announcements when it was absolutely vital. Which means that whatever this was, it had to be important enough for her to be woken up in the middle of the night.

She can't help but feel anxious, the suspense of everything lingers heavily in the air and everyone is on high alert.

She finds herself letting out a relieved sigh as the King makes his way to the podium at the front of the room.

"Quiet! Quiet, Please!" He raises one of his pale frail hands in the air, "I know this is unexpected, and I know you are all probably wondering what's happening. I see no point in wasting your time, so I'll get straight to the point. Early this morning a transport, carrying 2 soldiers and one soldier-in-training, was shot down by Arcane on the way to the border. Two of the soldiers were killed, and the soldier-in-training was taken by Arcane soldiers."

Ren feels her blood run cold. Avila. Avila was on that transport and Avila is the soldier-in-training. She can't help but feel slight relief knowing that she's alive, but that doesn't take away the dread of knowing she's on enemy territory. Avila shouldn't have gone to begin with, and now she was having god knows what happen to her in Arcane.

"The soldier-in-training is Avila Astor. We are doing our best to find her, however not much progress has been made. As much as I don't care to admit it, Arcane's technology is much stronger than ours. So, as of now we've not been able to locate her. I will give information to you as is needed. You may return to your rooms."

Ren clenches her fist, finding herself unable to move. Arcane would pay for taking Avila, no matter what she had to do.

♢♢

-avila-

My surroundings slowly come into place. The soft feel of a bed under me, a large window, the smell of flowers. Then the Queen's face staring at me with worry. She's seated on the edge of the bed, her fingers softly running over my hair.

"Are you okay?" She asks softly.

"Yes and no."

"That much can be expected," She smiles sadly, "Avila I don't mean to push you or overwhelm you again, but I have to ask. Do you remember anything?"

"They told me that I'd had an accident as a child. They said everything before the age of six had been lost." Saying it aloud now has me furrowing my eyebrows. I'd never questioned it, I had no reason to. Things have changed now. It doesn't add up.