Locked Away *Obi x OC* (COMPLETE)

Safety

I wake up feeling a scream trying to force it's way out of my mouth but I quickly cover my mouth to stifle it as my eyes open. I'm not in the house killing Eirall anymore, I'm not being brutally beaten by Norye anymore. I sniffle and take a calming breath before pulling Mariena's sleeping form closer to me again. Wroen is going to take me to see Prince Raji in the morning concerning my undocumented imprisonment and find out his judgement for what I'd done. I may or may not still be imprisoned or executed after this but I'm hoping for the best. Obi had the idea that we simply take off and disappear, with him protecting Mariena and me until we were established on our own. I considered it but I don't want her to be put at risk if we're on the run. Norye said he was willing to continue to care for her if something were to happen. I'm not sure what Obi plans to do but I know he had no intention of going to talk to the prince. We both killed and mine was in defense of my daughter's safety. I tried to remind Obi that he killed him while protecting his daughter and disrupting a slave auction but the look in his eyes reminded me that he did have a dark past based off his stories. There's a chance that despite the good he had done to protect them, he'd still be captured and executed.

    I leave the bed quietly once the sun starts to rise. It felt weird but almost heavenly to sleep in a bed again. I actually hadn't gotten into the bed myself. I'm not sure how I ended up here or where Wroen and Obi are. Mariena is still sleeping so I leave her there and wander out into the cottage. We didn't tell her what actually happened to me but apparently Wroen told her that I'd gone away on a very important job so now my daughter thinks I was a secret spy. If I try to correct her, it will only lead to more questions from her that I can't really answer. She wasn't awake when the attack happened and I don't want to potentially traumatize her either.

    I find Wroen asleep on the couch in the main room and Obi curled up in a kitchen chair staring out the window. I adjust Wroen's blanket to cover him more and join Obi. We hadn't gotten a chance to talk privately since Wroen found us and I don't know what will happen today at the castle. There's a good chance I won't get to see him again after today.

"Did you sleep at all?" I ask quietly as I take a seat at the table.

"I don't sleep much. Once you fell asleep in your chair, Wroen and I moved both of you to the other room so you could rest." That explains it... "I'm glad you get to be with her again. She looks almost identical to you."

"I can never repay you for freeing me."

"I don't want anything," He chuckles. "You didn't deserve to be there and I was going to do whatever I had to to make sure you made it back to your daughter."

"Why did you trust me?" I ask as I get up to move the kettle from the stove to make tea. "I could have been simply lying about everything."

"Um, Leira, I hate to break it to you but you were in a prison cell, what benefit would it have been for you to lie? You didn't know me to know if I could get you out or not so you had nothing to gain."

"Point taken." I set two teacups out and sort through Wroen's tea supply. "What are your plans now that you're free? I'm sure you have something you'd rather be doing than being stuck with me."

Obi shrugs, "Well I actually enjoy your company and besides not being imprisoned or executed, I don't really have anything I need to do. I'm not sure what I'll do so you'll probably see me around for a while... unless you don't care for my presence... then I'll just fade away into the shadows forever. Never to be seen again... Lost in the great unkno-"

I roll my eyes and stifle a laugh. "I get it, Obi. I don't know what's going to happen today, but, I hope no matter what happens, I wouldn't mind seeing you again-"

"Mommy!"

     I turn in time to catch Mariena as she crashes into me. With my fragile size, it's almost enough to knock me over but I steady us with the counter.

"Good morning Sweetie."

"I woke up and you were gone and I was worried that you went away again."

"I don't plan on going anywhere without you ever again. I'm going to squeeze you soo tight-" I chuckle as I jokingly squeeze her in my arms as she giggles. "-you can never get away."

"But Mr. Wroen told me I had school next week!"

"Hm," I pretend to think for a moment before pouting. "I guess I'd have to let you go then. Why don't you go wake up Mr. Wroen for me? He and I have to go take care of something today." As she runs off into the other room, I meet Obi's amused expression. "What?"

"You're such a good mother. A lot better than mine ever was."

"I didn't have good parent's either, unsurprisingly, so I decided to do whatever I could not to repeat the cycle for her."

Before our conversation can continue, Wroen and Mariena come in and he shoots me a glare as he runs a hand through his hair.

"A'right, ye ready? We can send Mari nex' door to Ms. Brea's while yer gone. Don' think she should 'ear what happ'ned. Obi, are ye comin'?"

"I-- don't recommend that I encounter the prince... but I'll be waiting nearby to find out what happens when you're done."