The Little Crow

Chapter Eighteen - [The Pianist]

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Here's a nice long chapter for you all, LOL! Don't forget to vote and comment to let me know what you think! <3

Love, Luckycharms <3

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She wanted to keep doing what she thought was right. She wanted to do the right thing and she wanted to feel strong. So after thinking deeply about it for quite some time, she finally decided that she would go ahead and help Vetori. She wasn't going to betray her people.

She wasn't going to allow those strangers... these bullies... to be right.

Besides, all Vetori wanted was for her to let his family know that he was alright. That was it. No other details... nothing else.

She could do that. It was the right thing to do. She didn't need to tell them anything else. All she would have to do is go to wherever he wanted her to go, tell them he's alright, and then leave. She didn't have to say who she was and where she worked or anything of the sort. Could that really be that bad?

No. It couldn't be.

When Vetori walked into her little room the next day, she looked at him with a serious expression, only relaxing a little when Luana shut the door behind her. She watched through the glass until she saw Luana's back and then she looked back at Vetori, who pulled out his seat and sat down. "Good morning, Thea," the man said to her.

Thea smiled before leaning forward. "I'll help you," she said. "But I won't do anything aside from telling your family that I know you're alive and well."

"Well?" He smiled. "I don't know if I'd say I'm well."

"You know what I mean," Thea kept her face serious, trying to make sure he understood how serious this was. "I'm taking a risk for you... because I want to help you."

"Alright," he said. "I'm satisfied with that."

"Tell me where I need to go."

"When are you going?"

"I'm not sure," she said. "I may need to see if I can get a day off."

"Alright," he said. "I will tell you what you need to know."

Vetori's family was in Danyo, a major province just East of Gaila. It was quite some distance from Abureth, but even farther from Acteon City. There was, thankfully, a train that went from the Capital to Danyo, but that train ride would be a total of nine hours, eight if she was lucky, which meant that if she planned to head out on Saturday, she would most likely need to take the Monday off to be safe.

It wasn't just the eight to nine hour train ride to Danyo she had to consider though, because once off the train, she would need to get to his specific hometown by bus, which was another few hours. She'd then probably have to spend the Saturday night there, seeing as most buses that went between small towns didn't run past sunset. Finally, she'd have to head back to the Capital on Sunday morning, but again, seeing as the buses only ran at certain times between small towns, there'd be no certainty as to when she'd arrive back at the Danyo station.

Which meant at the earliest, she may arrive back in the Capital very late on Sunday night, or some time on Monday morning, and she'd probably be way too exhausted from traveling to work that day.

It was going to be quite the trip.

A trip she'd have to make to do this.

The first step, she knew, was to get the Monday off. She knew if she came to work absolutely exhausted, the General would be concerned, and she didn't want to lie to his face. So after all of her meetings that day, Thea made her way to the General's office to talk to him. Of all the steps, she hoped that this would be the easiest, expecting the General to not ask too many questions, just like usual. However, when she made it to his office, she was surprised when Mrs. Railer informed her that he was not in.