The Source: Observer Chronicles, Book 3

Chapter 3: Questioning Ties

Lauret was sneaking, hearing a voice late in the night after a knock had awoken her from the door. She soon saw her mother go to the entrance and open it to find a female covered in ruby covered cloth, silver bangles and rope keeping it in all the right places.

There had been some words exchanged, and her motherʼs reaction was so sudden and intense, that she knew at once what they spoke about, her sitting on the rocking chair in a space near the door to the left, their backs towards the girl.

The tears of the adult made out instantly by the child, she stood up again, Lauretʼs little fingers curled onto holding the door with tension, seeing all that came from the woman now asking many questions she couldnʼt quite make out, as they were talking so low.

The woman in ruby gave the mother papers rolled up, red ribbon keeping them together. Her cold tone left with something the little girl nor mother expected to come out, this, everyone had heard, as if the messenger was so angry about it that she wanted to get rid of it.

As Lauretʼs mother sat back down on the chair that moved, she looked around her space and home, realising it would not be the same, she caught her daughterʼs little hands slide away as another tear did. "Come here, Lauret."

"Whatʼs happening, Lenny?" he asked, walking to them, out the open master bedroom door.

"Lauretta is gone, branded as a traitor and destroyed by high-order soldiers, so I hear, some of which were Edeolon Warriors."

Lauret put both hands on her head, not knowing what to do or feel. She knew she herself was a rare Millennium Child, not yet an Edeolon, but would be soon, counting down the days to the event. I can not imagine doing such drastic and inhumane things, not as a traitor, not as a killer, not as myself. Is it true these rumours about our ritual change us so much?

The child could see her motherʼs heart caved, feeling heavy with dread and loss, so little explained. "I donʼt understand why my own sister would turn on us," said Lauret.

"I fear there are some things we still do not know," she replied, "though I pray they come to light before you have transcended. I hope the gods are on our side and bring us back to each other, I can not lose another to this war. I will break if it comes to that."

"I will do everything in my power to make that so, mama," said Lauret.

"And I hope that is enough," said Lenny, "I do not doubt your ability, but your lack of experience against such monstrous things, things so complicated that even the wisest among us, could never see."

"If only being a man meant something at this time in our family," said the father to his daughter, "I should be protecting you from this, not you protecting us. Itʼs not right that they force children to go out and fight, regardless of power."

"Iʼm going back to sleep now," said Lauret, faking a yawn amongst them and making her way to bed. Her father and mother were cuddling, and as the little one tried to close her eyes, she could see the light and smell the fire burning, bringing some warmth to her remaining family.

Though the door being closed made her feel more isolated than ever, alone in the room with what was once also herʼs, Laurettaʼs.