The Heir of Moon-Fire

Chapter 24

Emily's POV (The beginning of this chapter takes place two weeks before the last chapter.)

The floor of my cell was cold beneath me as I sat in a corner, leaning against the even colder wall. The dark walls were suffocating as I remained there. I could feel the bite of the iron chains around my wrists and ankles that, for as long as I could remember, had been rusted. Only two guards stood at my door now. They had dwindled in numbers over the... days? Years? I had lost track too long back to recall. Back when I still had hope of escape, of anything really. Now every second seeped into hours, the hours bleeding into days and weeks, maybe even months and years. 

I hated everything now. The wyrd, the cell, that I hadn't died, the chains, the food. But I hated Vincent most of all. It was all his fault. His fault that I was here. His fault that my mate was dead. His fault that my baby had never even made it through the first month of pregnancy. Everything was his fault. He was the source of all evil in my life. I felt my anger and grief flare at the thoughts. What I wouldn't give, to be able to wrap these flaking chains around his neck and choke the life out of him.

I turned my gaze to the door where the guards stood, chatting. I didn't blame them. I wasn't exactly an exciting prisoner to watch. Never trying to escape. Never doing more than eating, sleeping and waking up. But with my hope long gone, I had no reason to care.

My ears twitched as I listened in on their conversation. "No, it's next week," one of them said. "Can you believe it? Why does he make us guard her? She hasn't tried anything in the twenty years she's been here," he said. I felt my stomach drop at the words. Twenty years? Has it really been that long?

"So, next week... she's been here for twenty years?" the other guard asked as I forced myself upright on my shaking legs, nearly collapsing again from the strange movement before I caught myself, using the wall as support.

"Yeah..." he replied. I stumbled towards the door, leaning against the wall as I did so. 

I drowned them out. Next week, twenty years. One week before everything happened, he proposed. I was straining my memory for the details of those days prior to my imprisonment. It was gruelling work. I had let everything go when I had lost my baby. He proposed the day after his birthday...

I tripped over my own feet, crashing into the door. Their conversation abruptly stopped as they opened the door to see me rubbing my bony side from where it had crashed into the ground. I opened my mouth, trying to make words come out as I approached the door, my legs nearly collapsing. "W-what-t d-d-day?" were the only words I could manage, my voice wavering from the years of neglect. 

"March twentieth," came a hesitant reply. I swallowed thickly, the date resonating against a memory of a cold day with trees and pine and snow. I pushed the Wyrd forsaken memory away. I didn't need a reminder of all that I had lost, the joy, the laughter... Mal... 

I glanced up at my guards. I couldn't help the smirk remaining from what little of my personality I had left that twitched at my lips as I noticed that they had their iron helmets off. Fools. I thought to myself as I reached out with my magic. Even with the burning iron at my wrists, it was still as easy to access as it had been the last time. I shook my head, pushing the memories away that that thought had resurfaced. I wouldn't spend my mate's birthday in a rutting cell. I refused to insult his memory like that.

I stared intensely at the guards in front of me. I grinned maliciously as they took the rusty chains off. Letting an illusion slide over us, and feeling another pang in my heart as I found myself playing the role of a trickster yet again, a name he had called me so long ago, we walked out. Really the guards half carried me out of the cell. Stumbling down the long corridors and out the front doors as they supported me, blinking my eyes as the sunlight blinded me. It was the first light I had seen in years, and besides the new bruises, my starving and weak body reflected the lack of light in the paleness of my skin. 

I could hear all of the life in the beautiful forest that we entered. It made me smile slightly to know that there might still be beauty and joy in this cruel world.

As we walked, we came across a cave. I made them leave me in a cave before I sent them away, wiping their memories of everything that had happened involving anything remotely related to Vincent and me. I felt a sense of peace encase me as I laid against the stone wall before drifting off to sleep. And for the first time in twenty years, I was free.

----------------------------------------------------

After two weeks of regaining my strength by using my magic to ensnare small animals, eating as a cougar, and retraining my muscles and voice, I felt strong enough to walk confidently into a small village. My eyes scanned the streets, looking for anyone that would hire me so that I wouldn't have to eat rabbits anymore. They were good for an amount of time but eventually became quite bland. My eyes landed on a blacksmith stall. The man in charge was yelling at an assistant. Just my luck. I thought happily as I made my way towards the stall.

The man eyed me as I stood in front of him. "What would you like today, kind lady?" he asked gently.

I smiled brightly. "I was looking for a job. You looked like you might want someone new," I replied sweetly. I saw the assistant making his way away from the shop, a small bag in hand.

"You look like you could barely lift a fork and haven't in months," he pointed out. I frowned. It was true. I don't remember the last time I had the opportunity to use a fork. Probably back when he was still alive.

"So you're not interested?" I asked dejectedly. 

"Well, how about we see how good you are?" he asked. A wide grin spread across my face.

"Sure! What do you want me to make?"

"A small knife will be fine," he stated. I nodded. I was already picking through the tools. My hand hovered over the metal types before grabbing a mix of iron, carbon and various other metals. My mother's voice rang in my mind as I heated the elements together. I could practically feel Mal's gaze on my back as I worked. 

I let reality slip away, pretending that I was still in Terrasen. That Mal was behind me, his eyes closed as he listened to me work tirelessly. My mother was in the other room, a hammer clanging against whatever she was working on. I wiped my forehead off as I turned around, ready to give the knife to Mal. He would run a finger over the blade, smiling as he told me that it was beautiful.

My face fell when the dream shattered. The knife that I had just made was beautiful. It wasn't fancy, but Mal would've insisted on buying it and hanging it at his waist. He would've shown it off to his sisters and parents. A tear slid down my cheek as I tuned out the rest of the world.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "I didn't mean anything bad by it..." he said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I gazed up into his smoky grey eyes.

"W-what? I-I'm so sorry. I-I was th-thinking about m-my... husband... He always loved watching me work..." I whispered as the tears fell down my cheeks.

"But you don't wear any rings..." he muttered, clearly deep in thought.

"H-he died..." I replied quietly.

"Both of your parents must've been very kind to let you marry for love," he murmured.

"Yeah... they were the best..."

"Listen, you're an amazing smith. I'd be a fool not to hire you, so you'll start in the morning, okay?" he asked.

I smiled in relief. "Thanks," I replied. "I'll be here." I cast one last glance before running back into the forest. I shifted as the last rays of the sun shone above the horizon. I stopped, staring at the beautiful sunset before setting off in search of dinner.

A/N

Elentiya (May 1), 72

Lyria (September 9), 58

Malatyr (March 20), 41

Emily (July 15), 40 (Yes, she's actually alive, just in a different world. Also, Mal and Emily both think that the other is dead thanks to Vincent's stupid manipulation, but more on that later. :D )