Locked Away *Obi x OC* (COMPLETE)

Mommy

Obi pushes the doors open and steps outside before turning back to me to let me know that it's clear. I'm not focused on him though. My eyes are on the glow of the rising sun and the snow blanketing the ground with the lush evergreens behind him. I can feel the cold from here and it's not exactly something I was deprived of, but now I can feel the breeze. I finally look away from the scenery and take tentative steps toward Obi who smiles at me. My bare feet touch snow and though the bitter cold hurts, I love it.

"Thank you so much Obi." I tell him as I wrap him in a hug.

"You deserved freedom, but we need to go before they wake up and make us go back inside."

"Yeah, you're right."

We release each other and turn to leave, only to find Wroen standing a few feet away with wide eyes.

"Wha's this?"

"I- uh-" I stammer out as I start to tuck myself behind Obi.

I trust Wroen but I'm not sure how heavily loyal he is to the crown. Despite the personal connections I had to the guards and the Lord who ran the prison, Wroen is still under oath to the crown of Tanbarun.

"You're either with her or against her. Choose wisely." Obi tell him, the threat heavy in his tone.

"The others?"

"Taken care of, temporarily. Norye deserved more but her health and safety was more important. Speaking of, she's frail and injured, I can't keep her in the cold dressed like this so step aside or I'll move you myself."

Wroen casts a glance toward the prison before holding his hands up in surrender. He removes his cloak and holds it out toward me.

"I can get ye to my cottage wit'out bein' seen. Mariena's jus' next door wit' the elderly neighbors. Hide there and we'll get you rested and fed. I can get Mariena home to ye easily."

Obi reluctantly allows Wroen to lead us toward the village after letting me wrap myself in the cloak. It has a hood as well so I can conceal my face and body easier. Wroen has offered me use of his water supply and hearth to take a hot bath and despite the size difference he has offered up some clothing. I can't change the sickly thin and pale appearance I have that would make me stand out but it'll be at least slightly less-so if I'm covered. It's rather sad to say but I am looking forward to having a hot bath. I've never had the nerve to ask Wroen how long I've been locked away because I didn't want to drive myself crazy counting days.

"Wroen, how long has it been?" I ask quietly.

"Ye don' want to know, Leels." He sighs, avoiding my gaze.

"Please tell me. I want to know how much she's grown, how long I've been away from her."

"...It's been t'ree years."

"My baby is eight now... I've missed three years of my life for protecting her."

"I'm sorry. I do have to talk to both of ye. I was jus' comin' to do tha'."

I settle at Wroen's kitchen table now that I've thoroughly scrubbed my hair and body six times over and changed into one of Wroen's tunics. Sadly none of the bottoms he owned were even close to covering me and my clothing was far past the point of no return. I was able to roll the hem multiple times of a pair of his undergarments to cover myself for now despite the tunic hem falling to my mid-thigh. I got to see myself in a mirror but I hardly recognized myself. I hope I don't have to see myself for a long time.

"Mommy?" I hear a quiet voice from the doorway. "Mommy!"

I turn my head and tears spring to my eyes as my daughter comes running toward me from Wroen's side. Her hair is so long now and the rich dark color mine used to be. She doesn't have my eyes sadly but I learned to associate them with her only, not him. I catch her as she crashes into me, jarring my broken ribs but I don't care. I pull her into my lap and hold her tightly to me as we both start to cry.

I continue to rock slightly in my chair as Mariena sleeps in my arms. We haven't let go of each other yet and I don't plan to for a very long time. Obi and Wroen came into the kitchen after giving us a few minutes alone and Wroen started to cook a meal for us. It'll be the first full meal beyond prison food I've had in three years. I'm enjoying the warmth in the hearth as well but nothing that could possibly be given to me could come close to having my daughter with me again.

"Thank you both so much." I tell them quietly and meet Obi's eyes as he looks up from the table with a soft smile.

"It was worth it."

"Wroen, what was it you wanted to talk with us about?"

Wroen sets a plate of food in front of me before hesitantly offering one to Obi. Once he's settled, he starts to speak.

"Well, ye know I've been workin' to free ye for years now, yeah?"

"Yes?"

"I fin'lly got to hav' a meetin' wit the Prince. Well, turns out ye were ne'er recorded as prisoner an' the Prince ne'er knew ye were there. Tha's why ye were ne'er executed."

"So they never formally arrested me or arranged for a trial? They just wanted to leave me in there to suffer without anyone knowing?"

"Sadly. Sorry Leels."

"Wait, how could you not know she wasn't in the records? You worked for that man and the prison." Obi points out.

"She was written in the log book in the office. I 'ad no idea."