I felt like I could breathe again.
I was still surrounded by darkness and my mind was still partially numb, but at least it finally feels like air was filling my lungs.
I can't remember what happened though. Why did I pass out? Where is everyone?
Feeling started to slowly come back to me and I could feel myself distinctly swaying. What was happening? My head started thumping with an uncomfortable ache right between my eyes while I also felt someone grasping my left hand. I could also feel that wherever I was lying was moving and that I had to be inside somewhere because I was unable to feel the wind or the sun on any exposed skin.
My hearing came back finally and it allowed me to confirm that I was indeed inside something that was moving. I was assuming it was a carriage because of the clopping of horse hooves I could hear rhythmically hitting the ground. The rush of even breathing came from my left, obviously whoever was holding my hand had fallen asleep while holding it.
I opened my eyes making the final confirmation that I was indeed inside a carriage that had all the windows curtained keeping any possible light out. I looked to see who was asleep beside me and smiled softly at the sight of the young Athena curled up inside a blanket that looked twisted and tangled around her thin body. I was also glad by the sight of new clothing, though exceptionally loose, at least she had her own clothes now.
I wondered why I was in the carriage as I sat up to find myself only in my white undershirt and leather leggings. I found my leather vest armour and my boots along with my weapons carefully placed in a corner of the carriage. I slowly pulled my hand from the girl's grip so that I could get up onto my knees and look out the window. I winced at the sudden brightness of the sun and pulled away quickly rubbing at my eyes.
Blinking I few times while my face scrunched up in preparation for the light again, I squinted my eyes as I pulled the curtain away. I blinked again rapidly to get my eyes use to the brightness before I could finally concentrate on the surroundings. I recognised a strangely shaped rock on the side of the road and realised that we were already near the clearing we had stopped on the way to the castle.
Castle. Enrique. Murder. Death. 400 years. Family.
It all came rushing back to me and I once again felt dizzy. I placed a hand to my head as disbelief filled me. Did that all really happen? Am I really that old? Or was I just being played by a monster who cared about nothing but himself and his beloved Master? No. it had to be real. Everything makes sense now with everything out in the open. As much as it shouldn't.
I needed air. I decided as my mind continued to run over everything making me feel slightly overwhelmed. So I got up and pulled on my vest, boots and weapons before I tied up my long black hair with a ribbon and opened the carriages door. I stood up straight in the doorway partially hanging out of it as I stretched.
I reached out with my mind and mana and searched for who I was looking for. I breathed out a soft sigh when I felt his animal mind called for him to come to me. It was only a second when Ruddy appeared with an excited neigh as a hello. I smiled at him softly before, with ease, I slid from the carriage and onto the saddle on his back. I closed the door with one last look at Athena's sleeping figure before pushing Ruddy into a run, which he appreciated.
Alpha! Anon exclaimed as we passed him but I didn't want to talk to him. I had things I needed to figure out and come to terms with before I could feel comfortable with explaining it to him yet. Where are you going? He asked with obvious concern.
I need to think Anon. I'm sorry, but please give me some privacy. I pleaded with him as I guided Ruddy into the surrounding forest.
Okay, I understand. I'll wait for you, when you're ready. Anon replied and I felt relieved.
Thank you. I whispered before cutting the connection so that only I could be the one to initiate contact.
It was silent in the forest and I closed my eyes as Ruddy slowed town to a mosey walk through the thicket. I breathed in the fresh air and felt the life of the mana that was so much better than what resided in that castle. A memory flittered across my mind's eye.
I was a child again; a time before everything that transpired that night. I was sitting on a fallen tree, my short legs swinging to and fro unable to touch the ground. I was alone, with my eyes closed but my other senses wide open. Little sounds made by tiny forest creatures tickled against my ears while the soft hum of the breeze through the leaves whispered along with the singing of the birds created a loud silence I revelled in.
The chilled breeze would kiss my chubby pink cheeks and nose, turning them pink, while caressing fingers played through the long strands of my hair, flicking them into my face. Any exposed skin was chilled by the contact of this breeze creature who played and giggled around me but I didn't cover up, the attention was fun and it made me feel like I had a companion though I was alone.
The smell of the fresh forest filled my nose and mouth every time I breathed in making my mouth water because it was like I was sitting with family and friends surrounded by life that tasted divine. Though life itself is impossible to taste, a forests freshness that surrounds you is almost like a flavour. And it's a flavour I loved and rejoiced in.
I opened my eyes as Ruddy came to a stop. I looked around as I slid from his back. My heart ached by the haunting familiarity of the lush green and the singing silence of the forest that surrounded me now as it did all those years ago. It also made me happy, that even after so many years, such life and beauty will always be the same.
I found a fallen tree and sat upon it, this time my feet could touch the ground. I stayed there, I don't know for how long, but I sat there breathing in the life, listening to the musical silence that was only broken by Ruddy searching through the brush for patches of grass to graze. And I remembered. I remembered everything I once forgot making my heart cry out with both pain, love, loss and pure happiness in knowing that I was loved.
I was born in that cabin out in the forest that was some ways away from the village my parents had come from. My father was a hunter, of normal animals, for their meat and fur while my mother would clean the skins before turning them into leather, blankets or clothing. They would go into the village together, sometimes bringing me along, to sell the dried meat and furs. That's how they lived, that's how we lived until that night.
That's the same village I lived in until Mistress found me. I couldn't believe how I didn't notice when the wooden huts turned into stone houses and then brick buildings. How I didn't notice the dirt roads turn into cobble and then brick as well. How I didn't notice the furs change to cloth and cloth change to fabric. How sticks and stones turned to soft balls sews together by string. How clunky iron turned to sleek steel. I don't understand how I never noticed such changes. How much time I've waisted without knowing how fast it was slipping through my fingers like the blood flowing from a gaping wound.
I placed my head in my hands unbelieving and completely distraught. I didn't notice a thing.
A thought finally came to mind as I sat their growing increasingly annoyed with myself and time. How had I survived?
I touched a few fingers to my neck, feeling the jagged scars that marred the skin and came with the memory of death and pain. What stopped him? What could have possibly stopped Enrique from draining the life out of me as he had done to my parents?
I couldn't remember though. I tried and tried as I sat there forcing my mind to play nearly every second of the horrifying night over and over again, but it would always stop at the same moment his fangs slipped into my skin. Everything would just turn white, then black and then I would remember waking up in a hut. An empty hut that I've never seen before.
I was so deep in thought I didn't hear the person walk up behind me until a loud snap of a dry stick under a weight made me jump up, spin around and pull my sword from its sheath to keep whoever managed to sneak up on me at bay.
I was shocked by the sight of Sylvia. Sanding there in her green servant dress while her hair flowed down her back and around her shoulders.
"My lady." Sylvia bowed slightly making me even more confused.
"Sylvia? What...? What are you doing here?" I stuttered slightly as I dropped my threatening stance and allowed my sword to point to the ground. I also noticed that it was already night time, where had the day gone? Thankfully Ruddy was still in the area and kept close to me.
"I rode all day to get to you, though I wasn't expecting you to be here." She said motioning around us. "I though you would still be at lord Enrique's castle, or at least with the rest of the train."
I sighed softly and finally fully relaxed, as much as I could with my mind still distracted by everything, and I sheathed my sword. "Things have happened that I need time to understand." I replied while going over to Ruddy and patting his corded neck thanking him for staying close through the mana bond we shared.
"Is everything alright?" Sylvia asked softly, caringly as she walked up beside me.
I sighed again before giving a slight nod of my head. "Yes, yes everything's fine. I just need time."
"Okay then." Sylvia replied with a soft smile as she also started patting Ruddy.
"What are you doing here Sylvia?" I finally asked after a short silence.
"I have a few things I need to tell you." Sylvia sighed as she stopped moving her hand.
I looked at her feeling both confused and worried. "What's wrong Sylvia?" I asked softly.
"I'm no longer going to be working for you or lady Aviva." She answered softly surprising me.
"What? Why?" I asked quickly and worried that I had done something to make her leave.
"I just got word from my old town that the woman I called my mother passed away. So I'm leaving to go look after what she has left for me. You did nothing, my lady, to push me to leave. I just have more responsibilities than before now." Sylvia smiled sadly.
"I'm so sorry for your loss Sylvia." I whispered to her softly and had the urge to hug her but decided against it just in case it makes things awkward.
"Thank you. Though she was old when I left, I thought she had a few more years left in her." She sighed softly and closed her eyes like she was remembering something. "She saved my life by taking me in. My birth parents and even my little sister was killed when I was six years old. I was wondering around my town homeless and hungry when she took me in, fed me, gave me clothes and warmth. I owe her so much."
My heart hurt for her as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. "She sounds like a magnificent woman. I didn't know that we had such a similar start in life."
Sylvia opened her teary eyes and smiled at me. "Yes, it's why I could start feeling so close to you. I'm sorry that you didn't find someone like I did though to look after you when you needed it."
I shook my head. "Even if I did they would have kicked me out when they realised I wasn't aging like I should have been."
"What do you mean?" Sylvia asked in confusion.
I huffed out a breath and wondered what she was going to think of me if I tell her what I've learnt. "While at the ball... I learnt a few things about myself that I didn't know, didn't realise or just didn't remember." I breathed out slowly feeling anxious and nervous telling her about this.
"What happened?" Sylvia asked softly and I was glad when she placed a comforting hand to my shoulder.
"I was able to remember how my parents died," I started as I felt anger and sadness making my body tense and my mana rise, ready for a fight. "and I met their murderer."
Sylvia gasped beside me. "Oh my god..." She breathed in complete shock.
I nodded my head as my throat constricted and my eyes stung. I haven't cried yet and I really didn't want to now. "I remember everything. I was there and I watched as it happened. It was Enrique who killed them, nearly killed me. I wanted to kill him for it when I remembered but what he told me next just made everything so confusing and overwhelming."
"What did he say?" Sylvia asked in barely a whisper.
I let out a fake laugh and a wry smile that showed my slightly elongated fangs. "As it turns out I'm over 400 years old. That's why I was abused in my town, that's why even if someone took me in they would have kicked me right back out because I wasn't aging."
I looked at Sylvia's large, shocked eyes and let out another humourless laugh. "Yeah, I know." I sighed.
"I didn't know that was even possible." Sylvia murmured to herself.
"No one did. Both Mistress and Enrique looked shocked when it was finally known." I sighed feeling tired and ready to just collapse to the ground. I turned away from Ruddy and Sylvia and walked to the fallen tree and sat down again. "I've also been remembering my life. 400 years' worth of memories and I can now see how much of a waist it all was. My whole life has been a waste of time."
"But you can fix that now." Sylvia said as she sat down beside me. "You now have a whole life ahead of you that you can make worthwhile and amazing. You're not alone now either."
Thoughts of Anon, Lucas, Hawk, Galen, Mercy, Athena, lady Beatrice and of course Mistress made me smile in realisation that Sylvia was right. I'm no longer alone. "We'll see each other again, right?" I asked softly knowing that I will always want Sylvia to be my friend and be close, even though we've had troubles in the past.
"Of course." Sylvia smiled as she grabbed hold of my hands and I felt her warmth. "You will always me my lady, my friend and the one I love."
My heart beat quickened at her words and I blushed. "you don't have to call me 'my lady' anymore Sylvia." I told her with a squeeze of her hands. "I remember my name now."
Sylvia's eyes widened as a bright smile lit up her face. "That's wonderful!" she exclaimed and I felt her excitement for me.
"Yes it is. Its nice knowing that I have a name now. Something that I'll take through my new life that came from my parents that I knew loved me." I sighed happily feeling warm and happy, which I didn't think I could feel when still being slightly confused by it all. Though talking about it and telling someone has felt like a weight being lift off my shoulders. "I want you to know what it is first so... it's a pleasure to meet you Sylvia, my name's-"
I was surprised when Sylvia covered my mouth stopping me from saying my name. "I want to hear it, I do, but I want you to tell me it the next time we meet okay? I have to leave now and you have to go back to the train. I can't wait to hear it but not right now." She explained with a soft caring smile.
I could feel that she had a reason for not wanting to hear what my name was right now, so I smiled under her hand and nodded. "Okay, then the next time we meet I'll tell you." I smiled at her after she dropped her hand.
"Thank you." She smiled back as she stood up.
I stood up too and pulled her into a hug. I don't know how long we stood there hugging but I felt incredibly comfortable though also a bit sad when we had to pull away.
"I love you, my lady." Sylvia told me before placing a soft kiss to my lips. I was surprised by her words and actions but I allowed her them. "Goodbye for now."
"Goodbye." I whispered as she pulled away from me and walked away back through the forest without even a glance back.
After another minute or so of me standing there watching where she had disappeared, I turned to Ruddy. "Come on, we have to go now."
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