The Queen of Ash and Flame

Chapter Two ✓

 "Please Martin, there must be at least one job open?" I ask, bouncing my foot in a fast motion against the old wooden floor.

"I will alert you when there's a position open, Nataillia," the white haired man said. I was sitting in the job centre, I came here daily. Trying to find work.

He looked down at my body with lust filled eyes. "There's always other options," he said, smirking slightly. Exposing his rotting yellow teeth

Disgust twisted my stomach, bile rising up in my throat. "You are disgusting," I spit at the old man.

He only raised his hands in defence, "Well it's your choice but if you want to support you and your family then it would be the best decision." He reached his hand across the table, his wrinkled calloused skin brushing mine. I jerked my hand back, holding it to my chest.

I got up and turned around, storming out of the crumbling building. I quickend my walk into a run, weaving through the crowded dirt streets. Tears blurred my vision but not darring falling down my cheeks. Making the bunch of people swirl into one single being.

I reached the ends of the town, it was quieter here. I hopped the small french gate separating the village from the forest. Running past the rundown shack I continued on. Jumping over roots and broken logs, ducking under low hanging branches. I reached the flat boulder once again. My comfort place.

On top of the boulder I fell to my hands and knees, the tears finally bursting out. I pounded the heated surface of the grey stone, making my hands varying shades red and purple.

I rested my forehead on the rock, pressing the warmth into my skull. Tears soaked my cloak. After all the water inside of me had been depleted I fell on my side. Still sobbing. For hours, I hated this life. I hated that my body was the only thing that could get me anywhere in this life. And slowly the warm sunny day turned into a dark night behind my eyes. As I fell into a deep sleep, exhausted from crying.

-----

I was standing atop a hill, looking down at the carnage and blood. Dead fae and human bodies covered the ground. The once green grass was now stained crimson.

The sound of clashing swords rang from the bottom of the hill, some soldiers still fighting. They would fight until their last breath. Or their last breath would be taken by their commanding officer.

I was pulled out of my nightmare by the screaming of others. Not the ones in my dream, but ones much, much more real. I bolted up and slipped out my knife. I got up, my head dizzy and wailing.

I ran towards the sounds, running towards the village. I threw open the heavy door of our shack to find it empty, blankets in a pile. My heart thudded in my chest, "Where are you? Where are you?" I mumbled to myself whipping around.

I ran towards the village, needing to find my sisters. I slowed my run into a walk as I boarded the town. I crouched and whimpered in horror at what I saw. Huge flames of red, orange, and yellow licked up buildings. Curling the hay roofs of the houses. People screaming and pleading. Women and children in lines walking out of the town. Bodies strewn across the roads.

I saw a flash of reddish brown hair, I gasped. Madeline. She was in line with the other women and children, and right behind her... right behind her was Thalia. Her small figure hunched and sobbing.

"No, no, no, no," I mumbled to myself.

I heard hard footsteps falling on the ground, crunching the leaves and hay. Men laughing and jeering. Not men, fae. I heard an ear piercing scream, the high pitched scream of a woman.

I scrambled behind a brick wall, cowering. Gripping my knife in defence. "She was so pathetic," one of them laughed. The other cheered in response.

"Oh no don't hurt me," another one mocked, his voice high and pleading.

I pressed my head to the brick wall, putting so much pressure I'm sure I'd have a bruise.

The thuds of the fae soldiers faded away, going back to the centre of the commotion.

I glanced back at the group of women and children, I searched the crowd for Madeline and Thalia. But I found neither. Thoughts raced through my head, I could go out and fight. But I would probably be killed. And I couldn't help them if I wasn't breathing.

Giving up all hope I turned back to the forest. I stumbled into the trees, placing my hands on trunks of trees to not fall and trip. I wrapped my onyx cloak around me.

I barreled past the leaning shack, the cold night wind biting my face. Chilling the tears on my cheeks and neck. I could barely see the ground from the tree canopies blocking the moonlight from hitting the ground. But even worse, the tears falling down my face blurred my vision. Swirling the dirt and roots in and out of my sight.

I wiped the salt water from my eyes and blinked it out of my eyelashes. I saw that I was close to the boulder that I had passed out on before. The boulder that had brought me comfort for so many nights. But now it just brought back memories on how I wasn't there for my family. I could have gone back to the shed instead of going to the rock. I could have protected my sisters. The only part of my life that mattered. The only reason I had kept on living.

I ran past the rock, running for what felt like ages. I ran until the dark blue turned a deep purple, my body became groggy and slow. All of a sudden the world around me turned sideways as I fell to the ground. Grains of dirt dug into my cheek, my tears mixing with the earth. With the remaining strength I had I rolled over on my back. My head resting on a thick tree root. I looked up at the dark star splattered sky.

One last tear slipped out, I wanted to fade away. Wanted to blissfully dissolve into nothingness.