Bronze Embers

Chapter 8

~Ines~

I gazed at the rafters blankly. The sun had long set and the moonlight illuminated the belltower with an eerie blue light. Even so the bells shimmered in its glow and the quiet held peace. If only I could be at peace as well.

My head felt sore, it had been 4 days since Esmeralda and Phoebus had visited and in that time I had made no progress on my predicament. Quasi had done his best this evening to raise my spirits, he'd even offered to play another drinking game. My frown deepened when I recalled his dejected expression when I'd refused. I'd have to make it up to him tomorrow.

"It may be time to give up anyways." The thought entered my brain non consensually. I got rid of it immediately. No. No giving up. Not yet anyways. I turned onto my side and gazed at the curtain. Quasi had made me a small room when I first got here. I hadn't had anything like it in well over 12 years now. The guilt deepened when I once again conjured up the way his face fell tonight. I groaned and flopped back onto my back. I should have taken him up on the game, at least then I'd be sleeping right now instead of torturing myself. hangover be damned.

I gave my pillow an aggressive fluff, making extra sure my knife sat beneath it. That was a habit I wasn't going to relinquish no matter how "safe" I was. I layed back down heavily. And cleared my mind of any bad thoughts. Perhaps focusing on the things that brought me joy. Sewing, sparring with Ion, eating one of Gordon's famous concoctions, running through an open field..... The way the belltower smelled...the breeze blowing through the rafters........the smell of fresh carved wood.........blue eyes...

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I was running through a field. Long grass whipped my legs, stinging them terribly. But that pain was nothing. The left side of my face, my neck, my arm, and my body burned and blistered. Tears flowed freely, the burned eye stung brutally as the salty tears ran down my ruined cheek. Nanny held my good hand and led the way.

"Be silent child." She whispered, terror in her voice.

I could hear the dogs, they weren't far behind us. The shouts of men echoed behind them. I choked back a sob as I continued to run.

"Thank god! There it is!" She leapt into the cold river. I hesitated at the bank gazing down at the rushing water.

"You must jump Ines!" She held her hand out to me.

"It hurts." I whimpered my body throbbing angrily.

"The cool water will soothe you." She promised ushering me towards her. "You must do this Ines."

I gazed behind me, I could vaguely see the church we'd run from. Beyond that rested the pyres, and tied cruelly to one...the scorched body of my mother. The dogs were closer now, I was so afraid. I needed her now more than ever. I choked back a sob and leapt into the river.

The water was cool and its initial touch sent ripples of agony across my body. I opened my mouth to scream when nanny's hand covered it.

"If you must scream, do so beneath the water." She urged.

I plunged my head beneath the water and screamed, the sound of my agony dampened by the current. After a few moments the initial shock wore off and the rivers touch began to soothe my blistered skin.

Nanny pulled me along and we hid beneath the shadow of a low tree. The dogs soon appeared and with them, the dark silhouettes of my tormentors.

Nanny held my hand and didn't take her eyes off of our pursuers.

But I kept my mouth beneath the water and I screamed, and screamed, and screamed.

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