Amos, Enisia and Epis traveled through the darkness. Feia's head bounced softly in Amos's arms, she seemed to be sleeping. All three siblings avoided looking at the terrible scar running don her face, starting at her forehead and ending near her mouth, barely missing her lip. Enisia's eyes wandered, and somewhere in the forest she swore she saw a flash of purple in the trees, she shuddered. Amos didn't seem to see it, but Epis looked alert too, his hand had slid to his belt where he kept a blade. But whatever was out there in the forest didn't come closer. Enisia swore she heard faint laughter, but it could have been the wind.
Finally up ahead the castle came into sight. The lights shone out from windows, which was comforting for all the children.
"I'll go find father and tell him what's happened," Enisia said to her brothers. She sprinted for the castle entrance, and through the front hall. As she went she composed herself, she would not fall into hysterics. When she reached the door to the throne room she didn't pause. She went through to the dining room, where Onicent and Airabella would be hosting guests.
Onicent was sitting at the head of the table. He startled when he saw her, but sunk back down. Airabella jumped out of her seat, as if it was burning her. "What has happened?" She said urgently.
Enisia took a breath, "we were in the forest, and Feia was attacked by a group of human men."
Onicent now looked alert as well. "Where is the men, we shall find them."
"Amos killed them."
"And Feia?" Airabella asked, she had come around the table so she was in front of Enisia.
"Amos carried her," Enisia dared not mention the terrible scar.
"Take me to her," Airabella said.
Dauntice and Farren had stood up too. All four of the older gods and goddess's followed Enisia back to the front hall where Amos held Feia in his arms.
When they came within sight Airabella gasped. "What have they done to my child."
In the light Feia's face looked even worse. Amos set her carefully on her feet, holding onto her arm. But Airabella came forward and took the child from him, holding her carefully and looking at the wound. Enisia saw Onicent's face fill with rage, Dauntice beside him was shaking slightly.
"What happened to your arm?" Farren asked quietly, she was standing at Dauntice's side, but her eyes were on Enisia's wound that Epis had healed.
"When I heard Feia's scream I ran to find her," Enisia explained. She could feel the rage bubbling between the brothers in the very air.
Airabella drew back slightly from her daughters face, tears had welled at her eyes. "My poor beautiful child," she muttered, and Enisia saw her look at the cut down Enisia's arm. But soon she focused back on Feia. She seemed to be transfixed by the mark on her daughters face, but then Airabella waved her hand through the air, gentle flowing fabric seemed to appear, and carefully Airabella draped it over her daughters forehead so that it fell to cover the wound. "No one shall look at you in any way other then in your beauty, the veil shall protect your wound until it heals." Airabella whispered softly. But Enisia had seen Epis try to heal it and fail and knew it would never go away.
That was when Enisia felt a calling, she knew she would become the protector of young girls. She felt as if she had failed Feia, but she knew there were others like her.
Onicent and Airabella walked back to the throne room darkly, the loom of revenge hung over all those in the palace.