𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐄'𝐑𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓 - Shadow and Bone/ Grisha series (ON HIATUS)

𝚅𝚘𝚛𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚞𝚍𝚎 - 𝟶𝟷

╭━ ⋅𖥔⋅ ━━✶━━ ⋅𖥔⋅ ━╮

vor·freude

/ˈfoːɐ̯ˌfʁɔɪ̯dəˈ/

noun

noun: vorfreude

 1. Joyful anticipation. Vorfreude is the joy you experience while you are looking forward to something.

╰━ ⋅𖥔⋅ ━━✶━━ ⋅𖥔⋅ ━╯

Keramzin Orphanage

Closing my eyes I took a deep breath, a gentle breeze sifting through the long grass.  Clearing my mind, I exhale slowly, and my eyes flutter open. My focus narrows in on the fine tip of the reed in hand. The silk string in my grasp was strained but, with a quick flick of my fingers, the arrow flew.

It whistled softly, splitting the wind. It spun in the air, and as I watched it draw closer with anticipation, a voice called out to me. I threw a glance over my shoulder to see my sister, Alina, approaching. Following closely behind her was our friend, Mal. Their eyes sparkled as they ran up to me.

"Saints," I hissed, a dull thud tearing my attention away from the two. 

The arrow had finally hit its mark, three inches from the bullseye. My brows knitted together in frustration and I turned to face my sister, letting an aggravated sigh slip past my lips. I gave them a pointed look, a small bundle in Mal's arms catching my attention, "A bunny?" 

I was unimpressed but seeing the excitement fall from my sister's face, I painted a crooked smile onto mine and rolled my eyes. "Really Mal? Is that not supposed to be our dinner?" I teased him, running a gentle hand over the bunny's ears.

He gave me sad eyes, "It's just a baby," he muttered, Alina nodding her head with his words. 

I sniffed, glancing over his head to check to see if the Headmistress was coming. "Would you rather the whole orphanage starve?" I reasoned, shaking my head with a tired sigh. 

Mal stayed silent as he looked at the small bundle in his arms. Alina shuffled next to him, her eyes pleading. Realizing what she was implying, I took a step back, "No, Alina, I'm not gonna allow a rabbit to hide in our room," I denied.

"But Mira..." she moaned, scooping up the baby bunny from our friend's arms, "Look at how cute he is." I could see the poor thing trembling in her arms with terror, "And Mal can't take him, you already know how the boys are like around just him."

I scoff, turning around to retrieve my arrow, "One way or another, it's going to die either by the hands of the other kids or the headmistress."

I hiked up my skirt as I walked, not wanting to suffer from another tongue-lashing from the headmistress. "It doesn't have to! We've just got to keep it out of sight!" Mal joined in, walking with Alina to catch up to me. I could practically feel the smiles that were no doubt crawling up their faces.

I look to the sky in exasperation, "Please gimme the strength to deal with them," I whisper to myself. "I said no. I already have to deal with her breathing down my neck every time you guys do something bad," I complain.

Alina tries to stop in front of me, but with a quick sidestep, I spin around her. "I swear! We won't get caught! Even if we do, it's not like she can blame us for trying to save a life," she attempts.