Try and Catch Me

Burn
Before Lia knew it, she found herself standing in front of the burnt house. She did not have any idea how she managed to leave the mayor’s house without anyone seeing her. Or maybe someone did, only they did not care if she leaves and she could not be bothered to care at all.

The past twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind of events and a rollercoaster ride of emotions in which her brain could not keep up. She was afraid that things would get uglier from here.

‘What could get any worse now that your mother is gone?’

Fresh tears fell from her eyes. People might say that it was not yet the end of the world, that feeling like that was an exaggeration. But losing your only family while the rest of the world was out for your blood, it felt more like the end.

Her knees gave in and she sat on the ground with a thud. The fresh clothes she wore, thanks to Eldric’s hospitality, was now covered with dirt. The housemaid prepared a dress for her but Eldric made her choose between a dress and a shirt and pants. She chose the latter. One for convenience and another because it made her feel at home. It reminded her of her clothes in the house, of the good times.

She pushed to her knees and forced herself to stand. There was only silence all around her. Very different from the night before. It was the silence that she grew to love. And for a moment it seemed like the world righted on its head.

‘What should I do now? Mother, what should I do?’

It was as if there was no end to her tears but she wiped away the newer ones using the back of her palms. There was a time for crying and mourning. But there was also a time for moving on and thinking for what she would do next.

Just as she was composing herself, a noise sounded behind her. Every hair on her body stood as every muscle in her body tensed. Did they come back? Was last night not enough? She racked her brain for anything and scanned the area for anything that could be used as a weapon. She mentally kicked herself for giving away her dagger or taking one before she left, now she was weaponless and alone.

“It’s dangerous to be here,” Eldric said as he stepped out of the woods, one hand keeping a branch from slapping his face. He seemed to be alone.

Lia visibly relaxed. “I don’t care anymore. They can come to me.”

Eldric watched her with his dark eyes grimly. “I care.”

Lia watched him back as he crossed the space between them and sat on a nearby tree, with his back on the trunk. “What are you doing here?”

“Checking up on you.”

“Checking or dragging me back?”

“Look, I’m mad that you left and put yourself in danger. But that’s your choice and I don’t have the right to berate you on that.” He sighed, looking old and weary all of a sudden. “Now, you have my explanation, will you let me have some moments of silence? I would like to mourn for Tamara.” When Lia widened her eyes on him, he added, “Believe it or not, I consider her a friend. A very good one at that.”

Eldric stopped talking and paying attention to her altogether and stared at the house like what Lia had done. Awful was an understatement. He looked bedraggled, to say the least. His neat hair swept in every direction, haphazardly. The bags under his eyes as dark as the overcast sky above them. It was not even long when he recovered but his face looked gaunt as if he was on the battlefield for months.

Lia sat beside him, their shoulders quite touching. But Lia did not mind. For once, she was grateful to have someone to share her grief.