Chapter 3
Female p.o.v
I nodded my head softly, feeling tension building up in my stomach.
The young man quietly bend down, removing the shackles from my ankles.
I breath out in delight, my legs are so light again, it makes me wanna jump and run around.
The young man shook his head amused. But when he looked down at my feet, I saw his smile disappear. He looked sad. “I will keep them off your ankles tonight” he said looking at the open wounds on my ankles were the shackles had been a moment ago.
“Thank you Theo” I said with a thankful smile.
“I would behave, so you don’t get im trouble”.
Theo grimaced. “That’s not what I am scared of” he admitted silently.
His reply left a bitter taste in my mouth. It made me visibly tense up.
“I have to warn you, Ephione.” Theo said with caution. He stood up, while holding his hand out to me. “There is something weird going on” he said while he pulled me up.
The young man quietly bend down, removing the shackles from my ankles.
I breath out in delight, my legs are so light again, it makes me wanna jump and run around.
The young man shook his head amused. But when he looked down at my feet, I saw his smile disappear. He looked sad. “I will keep them off your ankles tonight” he said looking at the open wounds on my ankles were the shackles had been a moment ago.
“Thank you Theo” I said with a thankful smile.
“I would behave, so you don’t get im trouble”.
Theo grimaced. “That’s not what I am scared of” he admitted silently.
His reply left a bitter taste in my mouth. It made me visibly tense up.
“I have to warn you, Ephione.” Theo said with caution. He stood up, while holding his hand out to me. “There is something weird going on” he said while he pulled me up.
He didn’t say anything else. He shouldn’t have too because I already had a hunch what was going on.
We slowly made our way to the tents. While we were walking I admired the beautiful stars that were placed with such delicacy in the rich dark blue sky. I filled my lungs with the cool air, softly singing a melody.
“How are you so happy?” I heard him whisper softly. I closed my eyes but the smile never left my lips.
“How are you still working with them?” I counteracted, now turning to face him with the same soft smile.
He didn’t say anything, the only thing he did was lower his head while scratching the back of his nek.
“How is your sister handling the loss of her mother?” I asked, eyeing him closely. “Or should I say half-sister?”
I saw his body visibly tense up. He gulped, but never meeting my eyes. “How did-” he started.
But I interrupted him. “Theo, its clear as day that you don’t have a bad bone in your body, you don’t even want to be here. Just like Leader Archibald, that laugh you guys have in common, says enough for me. While that makes you his son and that makes you the half brother of the girl from today. You tell me if I am wrong or right.”
He looked at me like he saw water burning.
“You scare me woman” he mumbled, admitting that I was indeed right.
Making me laugh softly. “Always keep your eyes and ears open.”
“Can you help him?” He looked at me. There was hope in his eyes. By him he meant his father.
“Were they mates?” I asked. When he didn’t say anything, I shot him a look with one eyebrow raised, checking if he understood that I meant the situation between his father and the deceased woman.
We slowly made our way to the tents. While we were walking I admired the beautiful stars that were placed with such delicacy in the rich dark blue sky. I filled my lungs with the cool air, softly singing a melody.
“How are you so happy?” I heard him whisper softly. I closed my eyes but the smile never left my lips.
“How are you still working with them?” I counteracted, now turning to face him with the same soft smile.
He didn’t say anything, the only thing he did was lower his head while scratching the back of his nek.
“How is your sister handling the loss of her mother?” I asked, eyeing him closely. “Or should I say half-sister?”
I saw his body visibly tense up. He gulped, but never meeting my eyes. “How did-” he started.
But I interrupted him. “Theo, its clear as day that you don’t have a bad bone in your body, you don’t even want to be here. Just like Leader Archibald, that laugh you guys have in common, says enough for me. While that makes you his son and that makes you the half brother of the girl from today. You tell me if I am wrong or right.”
He looked at me like he saw water burning.
“You scare me woman” he mumbled, admitting that I was indeed right.
Making me laugh softly. “Always keep your eyes and ears open.”
“Can you help him?” He looked at me. There was hope in his eyes. By him he meant his father.
“Were they mates?” I asked. When he didn’t say anything, I shot him a look with one eyebrow raised, checking if he understood that I meant the situation between his father and the deceased woman.
He shrugged. “I have no idea. When my mom left he seemed upset, but I realized she wasn’t his mate when he later on had something going on with that other lady.” His eyes set on something far away, his brows furrowed like he didn’t really know what to think.
I hummed. “Your fathers symptoms started around 3 weeks ago.” I said, keeping quiet to let the news sink in.
“Kristin, probably died around that day.” I stated, remembering how decomposed the body already was.
“Why- how-” Theo stuttered angrily. I laid a soothing hand on his shoulder. “Calm down, theo” I said softly.
“I just don’t understand!” He spitted out. “Why didn’t he get Kristin and her daughter out of this mess?!” He breated harshly. “And why did Ashlyn carry her dead mother?! Its just- its disgusting!” He seeted, while his face got redder by every word he spoke.
I stayed silent, trying to gather how he was feeling. Was he jealous? Sad? Or maybe confused?
“I hate this life so much” He said while a lone tear wandered down his cheek. “But I can’t leave.” he hiccuped, now fully breaking down.
“I really don’t wanna hurt you guys.”
“I know. We know, theo. Its alright, come here” I pulled him in a hug while softly murmuring sweet nothings into his ear. He was all over the place with his emotions.
“I miss my mom” he admitted with a hoarse voice.
I smiled, but a traitor tear ran down my cheek.
I closed my eyes trying to hold in the other tears.
“Come on” I said restraining my voice from breaking. “Let’s see if I can help your father”.
We continued our walk in silence, until we reached the tent of Leader Archibald. The place around the tent was decorated with pillars of wood were some pillars had fire torches and some were decorated with beautiful wood carvings. I eyed every detail with awe.
“Ephione” A low baritone voice said. I gulped while quickly turning around.
I was met with a sickly white face with deep sunken eyes. “Leader” I acknowledged him while crossing my hands in front of me before bowing down.
“No- no my child, please don’t” he protested.
“Come on in” he said while turning around.
I softly walked behind him. When I finally stepped inside I turned around to close the tent opening, but was met with a girl sprawled out on a mattress on the ground.
When I was done I turned around again. Raising my eyebrows, hoping someone would enlighten me why there was a girl laying on the mattress.
But Theo nor Archibald seemed to meet my eyes. I shook my head.
“Are we going to stay quiet or are you going to tell me what I am here for?” I spoke bitterly.
But before anybody could say anything, Archibald started a serious coughing fit.
“Why- how-” Theo stuttered angrily. I laid a soothing hand on his shoulder. “Calm down, theo” I said softly.
“I just don’t understand!” He spitted out. “Why didn’t he get Kristin and her daughter out of this mess?!” He breated harshly. “And why did Ashlyn carry her dead mother?! Its just- its disgusting!” He seeted, while his face got redder by every word he spoke.
I stayed silent, trying to gather how he was feeling. Was he jealous? Sad? Or maybe confused?
“I hate this life so much” He said while a lone tear wandered down his cheek. “But I can’t leave.” he hiccuped, now fully breaking down.
“I really don’t wanna hurt you guys.”
“I know. We know, theo. Its alright, come here” I pulled him in a hug while softly murmuring sweet nothings into his ear. He was all over the place with his emotions.
“I miss my mom” he admitted with a hoarse voice.
I smiled, but a traitor tear ran down my cheek.
I closed my eyes trying to hold in the other tears.
“Come on” I said restraining my voice from breaking. “Let’s see if I can help your father”.
We continued our walk in silence, until we reached the tent of Leader Archibald. The place around the tent was decorated with pillars of wood were some pillars had fire torches and some were decorated with beautiful wood carvings. I eyed every detail with awe.
“Ephione” A low baritone voice said. I gulped while quickly turning around.
I was met with a sickly white face with deep sunken eyes. “Leader” I acknowledged him while crossing my hands in front of me before bowing down.
“No- no my child, please don’t” he protested.
“Come on in” he said while turning around.
I softly walked behind him. When I finally stepped inside I turned around to close the tent opening, but was met with a girl sprawled out on a mattress on the ground.
When I was done I turned around again. Raising my eyebrows, hoping someone would enlighten me why there was a girl laying on the mattress.
But Theo nor Archibald seemed to meet my eyes. I shook my head.
“Are we going to stay quiet or are you going to tell me what I am here for?” I spoke bitterly.
But before anybody could say anything, Archibald started a serious coughing fit.
I looked to Theo, who was seemingly as concerned as I was.
“You know that I am not a doctor right?” I said, hoping they knew that I could only do so much.
Archibald’s face got redder with the minute and that got me more worried, even though the coughing calmed down. Archibald was now wheezing, trying to get enough air into his lungs, but it didn’t seem like it did the job.
“Okay, get him in bed. But don’t lay him down” I commanded while walking to a make-shift sink to wash my hands.
When walking back I also took a quick look at the girl, she seems to be sweating a lot. I had to remind myself that I also had to keep an eye on her.
“Good job Theo” I said hoping to calm him down a bit. He gave me a worried look in return, letting me see a cloth filled with blood.
“What’s wrong?” Archibald asked in between coughs. I gave Theo a look. “Archibald? Could you maybe turn your body 90 degrees?” I said, helping him sit upright. Getting more rapid with my movements.
I lifted Archibald’s shirt, looking for anything on his back. What I found instead was a branding mark and a lot of scars. But not anything that told me anything related to his condition.
My heart ached seeing so many scars. I quickly shot a look at Theo. But he was to busy wiping the sweat of his fathers temples.
I slowly slid the fabric down. Clearing my throat.
But before I could speak, Theo spoke. “Ephione?” I looked at him, encouraging him to speak furter. “He can hardly breath and his face is turning purple” he said finally.
“Okay, listen Archibald. I want you to listen closely, do you understand?” I asked sternly. I saw him nodd. “I am going to try something so you can breath better okay?” He nodded his head again.
“Sit up right” I said while helping him adjust his form. I walked in front of him. “Great” I praised him. I put 2 fingers under his chin slightly pushing his head back, to open up his airways a bit more. “Roll your shoulders back, please” I said while helping him. “Good, you have a better posture now so you must be getting more air into your longs already”.
“Thank you…” Archibald rasped out.
I laughed a little. “I am not done with you yet” I said while walking around him so I could assist behind his back.
“You have to but your arms up, this clears your airways to the maximum. It is very tiring for you arms, so if you feel better after awhile you can always lean you forearms on your head aslong as you point you elbows up and keep your upper arms straight point to the sky as well.” I explained while helping him. Letting him see what I meant so he would understand what he could do the next time.
“Thank you” said Archibald “I can already feel my lungs fill with more air than before.” I smiled politely, saying that it was no problem.
“Thank you so much” Theo said when we walked to the make-shift sink. I nodded, looking behind Theo to make sure we were out of hearing distance from Archibald.
His face turned serious real quick when he saw my troubled face. “What’s wrong Ephione?”
I leaned in. “This had nothing to do with his deceased mate” I said quietly. Theo looked confused. “I doubt if they were even mates.”
“What do you mean?” Theo asked, while trying to look me into my eyes, but I wouldn’t face him.
“This was a mere panic attack” I said while I turned around and walked away from him, leaving him clueless behind.
1594 words
