Lucie sat on the hard floor at the foot of the ornate couch in Master Druid's center room. She looked up at her father and smiled with her nearly toothless smile. She had already lost lots of her baby teeth.
He looked down at her and gave her a sad smile.
"Father?" Lucie asked as she climbed up the couch. He ruffled her hair and gave her that sad smile again.
"Yeah, Lucie?" He said, just as sad as his smile.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
Her father glanced at Master Druid who was sitting in the large chair across from them. Master Druid looked angry.. no, disappointed.
This was too much for Lucie to wrap her 7 year old brain around. What was happening?
Her father finally gave a sigh. "I'm leaving you with Master Druid for while," he said hesitantly.
"Why? Where are you going? Can't you take me with you?" She stammered. Father was all she had! He couldn't leave her!
Her father stood and picked up a bag from the center table. He swung it over his shoulder and walked to the door.
"Daddy!" Lucie called. She had tears streaming down her face. "Don't leave me like Mother did!" She yelled at his back.
He stopped and turned on his heel. He had just as much tears falling down his cheeks. He opened his mouth but closed it. He turned again and reached for the door.
"I don't want to leave you Lucie, it's just.." He opened the door and walked out. he didn't even bother to close the door, and Lucie watched his back disappear down the dirt road.
The sun lay in front of him, about to plunge below the horizon. She used to watch the sun go down with her father. She was always laughing and happy then.
Now only sorrow came from sleeping sun. She reached after her father, even though she knew he was too far.
"Take me with you," she said under her cries for her father. Take me with you...
