Red Moon Empire

Part 4

                                                                                                  M.R

As she grabbed the key, Nicolai ran his fingers against the bounds of the books, the leather worn down by time, soft and breaking.

"Have you read them?" Nicolai asked, eyeing her. He'd only known her two read books in her until life, the only ones required of her, part of her training; and even then, she had merely skimmed them

"Only one," She said, indicating to the foreign tongued book. "It took me five winters, from learning of the language to actually writing and reading it."

"Who taught you?"

"The same person who brought me here, and I promised I'd teach Wren as well."

Taking in her words, Nicolai pulled the books from their shelves, savoring the feel of each one as they touched his hands. Reading was history, those were the words his father taught him. Learn as much of it as you can. Back when he still breathed the air of trees and not the soil covering him.

As he did so, Maisie shifted Wren to her other side, and made her way over to the bed. Using her foot, Maisie pushed a bag from underneath the bed. It was a black satchel with the same initials carved on the key, on the bottom right corner of it. Carefully, Maisie placed Wren on the bed, and picked up the bag.

Nicolai stood beside them, his fingers gripping the books gingerly, as though they would turn to dust without his soft pressure keeping them together. His blue eyes watching her hands slip the folded paper and key into the bag, and pull out a yellowed map, written with midnight blue and black ink.

"You stole a palace map?" Nicolai hissed, scanning the countries outlined and travel paths highlighted.

"Some would say I stole Wren from the palace as well," Maisie shrugged, glancing at her daughter sleeping on the bed. "But you don't quite steal something that was never theirs in the first place."

"Where do you plan on taking us?" The last word echoed in Maisie's ears as it fell from his lips, a word she hadn't used in season unless meaning her and Wren. Nicolai and her hadn't been an us in six years, and even then it felt like years before then.

Sensing her hesitation, Nicolai gently placed the books beside Wren, careful not to wake her, and carefully took the map from Maisie's hands.

"I didn't find you just to turn you in, Maisie," He began, eyes on her. "I found you to help you."

Nodding, Maisie reached over him and started tracing her finger around one of the forests.

"This is where we take Wren before we do anything, her safety is our first priority."

"Our?"

"She's more than just my child, Nicolai," She met his gaze. "She's the rebellion's."