Her Red Knight

Prologue

She stood hidden behind a tree, she was not suppose to be there she knew that, but she could not figure out how to go back, back to her sister, to her aunt's. If they saw her here she knew she was going to be in deep trouble and that was the last thing she wanted, because one thing she hated was getting into trouble and most of the time it was her stupid sisters fault not hers. She watched as her parents stood in the open expanse of the African savannah. They never told her or her sister why they needed to come here alone it made no sense she her parents would always talk about bringing them on their next trip and yet they did not it was not fair!

Her parents looked around and she shrunk back to try and hide more, at the age of four she was not very big but it was not enough and they spotted her. Her parents grew from shock, to anger and to something she could not quite place. Her father ran over to her and scoped her into his arms hugging her closer to him than he had ever done previously, something that normally brought her comfort now made her anxious, something was wrong, even if they were angry, her parents would be kind or even a little happy but there was none of that warmth now.

"Sweetie what are you doing here? How did you even get here?" Her mother asked brushing her hair out her eyes as she reached for her mother. She did not say anything initially as she buried her head into her mothers shoulder after her father handed her over and walked over to his bag and pulled out items that he deliberately kept from her view, as her mother walked her away to a tree further away, something was wrong and she knew it.

"I dunno mommy, I wanted you and daddy and then I was behind the tree." She said quietly as her mother put her down ad she knelt down to her daughter and placed a soft kiss to her head, it was sad, almost mournful but of course she did not pick on the emotions yet, only when she looked back on it.

"It's okay sweetie, how about I tell you story while we wait for daddy?" She said softly as the young girl crawled onto her mothers lap, still in her pyjamas. She nodded eagerly and her mother smiled and began her story. "A brave young woman known to her friends Bear, wandered through time, she visited many times, ancient Rome, Greece, medieval England, France, Italy. You name a place she would have definitely visited. On her time walks she would make so many friends but she would come and see her second family where her best friend the red knight lived with his parents, brothers and sisters. The red knight loved Bear and though bear was often reckless and dived into any fight head first, he was always there by her side whether he though they could win, he was her post, he would be there whenever she needed her knight." the mother stopped causing the girl to look up.

The was her favourite story, the adventures of Bear and the red Knight, she often imagined her parents in the story, they loved each other and did anything for each other, though on occasion she saw herself and her friend Lucius, but older, it was her favourite dream, she would have to ask her father to take her to see him again, once they come home.

Her father came over a sombre look in his eye as he knelt down in front of them. "Hey Aspy, I need you to stay really still for me and listen to mommys story alright." his voice was thick with emotion, he had hoped he did not have to do this to both his daughters but he knew that could not happen, his youngest, though she did not know it, was far more powerful than either he or his wife imagined and what he was doing was dangerous if she never finds him but he had to have faith for her sake.

She nodded and settled again staring up at her mother wide eyed and patient.

"Right, one adventure the pair went on was the gladiator trials, the red knight had been training for years to become one of the gladiators, so his name could never be forgotten and one day Bear showed up, lost and out of place, the red knight's coach brought Bear under his wing and as a ward, here the pair grew close they would play and Bear would help him practise by sparring with him and over time she learnt to, she could wield a sword like any of the boys her age and so-" white ribbons began forming round her and she shifted slightly, her mother quickly smoothed her hair and reminded her. "be still Aspy, it's okay the ribbons will not hurt you. Where was I. Ah. Yes. And so she joined, he gladiator trials, she was good until she came up against her red knight, she had done well but with a cost, she lost but before her friend could take the final blow he saw her, who she truly was and she yielded for his sake as well as hers. The coach followed by the knight took her off the floor and back to the training school where they wrapped white bandages around her from head to foot. Everyday while she recovered her red knight would visit and everyday some more of the bandaged would go and she grew stronger every time." The white ribbons snapped taught and she felt tired, a sudden hit of drowsiness overcame her as she yawned. "In no time Bear was up and running about swinging her sword around like the trials never even happened with the red knight by her side." the mother ended the story with a soft kiss on her daughters cheek, she looked at her husband and they shared a brief mournful look, they did not want this life for their daughters but life had its own choices and destiny cannot be re-written.

They stayed in that position for a while the father crouching by his wife while she held their youngest, and the girl was blinking trying to keep her eyes open wanting more of the story but they all knew sleep would win in the end, and as her head began to lower they knew she was losing the battle. The mother stood carefully and walked to a small patch of long grass where the father had set out a small sleeping bag and they tucked her in knowing that this was probably the last opportunity to ever kiss the top of her head, brushing the hair from her face, telling her a story. They were up against a monster and they knew as soon as they arrived this was a battle they could not win, they felt it in the air, their only solace was that their two girls would not be there to witness it but now Aspy was here their worse fears became true, and they had to protect her at all costs.

She slept peacefully until she heard screams, screams of pain, high and familiar, and cries of anger in a low tone like her fathers and slowly she was pulled from sleep, disorientated at first she looked around only to see tall yellow grass, but the screams were louder now, more frantic, more heartbreaking, so the brave child she was poked her head above the grass to see a man in a posh suit standing over her mother, her father laid limp on the ground, she wanted to run to them to pound the posh man in the leg to get away from her parents but she stayed put, no matter how much she wanted to run to her mother to save her her feet remained glued to the floor. The man pulled his arm away and her mother fell limp, she gasped and then covered her mouth and laid down quickly fearing the posh man would see her too.

She laid there breathing slowly as she waited, she watched the clouds and the sun move across the sky scorching heat baring down on her and yet she did not move not until the blue of the sky had turned pink and she peaked her head up again to see the posh man was gone, she ran to her parents and shook them pleading for them to wake up to not play this game any more, she did not grasp the concept of death. It was not until a man in smart suit pulled her away that she let harrowing sobs that would break any man's heart. She was alone, her parents gone and her sister would not understand and neither would her aunts but they took her home where she curled up in her own bed alone where she decided two never trust the magic her parents told her to rely on, she would never trust it for it was what took her parents, she knew in her heart.

With a declaration made she turned away from her family and from the world to live as only half of herself.

It begins with absence and desire.

It begins with blood and fear.

It begins with ...

A Discovery of witches.