The Heirs

Ethan: Nightmare Revelations

Chapter 7:

(Ethan POV) -Albuquerque-

Neither of us said anything I couldn't believe what she had survived. I wrapped my arms around her and she soon gave into the embrace. I closed my eyes, "I'm so sorry Damira." She nodded her head against my shoulder. After a while she moved her head back and looked up at me. Her bright blue eyes, that were always searching for something, were still as she looked at me. She leaned in and rested her forehead against mine as we continued to hold onto each other. "Damira..." I started. "Mira," She whispered. She finally let me call her Mira, "Mira..." I leaned in closer, closed my eyes and my lips parted. "Mira... we can't..." my breath hit her lips. I couldn't do this to her. Not tonight. Not after what she just told me. She pushed herself away from me and I saw her eyes gloss over, "What?" Before I could even react though she turned around, took a breath and started nodding her head, "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking." "Mira it's not that..." I tried to say but she stopped me, "Ethan it's fine. Really."

She stayed just out of the tarp and sat with her sword out. I could see her shoulders shaking and I wasn't sure if she was cold or if she was scared but, I knew I couldn't go over there. Not now. Not after that. Every logical part of me kept reminding me about that but, still I felt my body standing up and going towards her. Her legs were pulled into her chest surrounded by her arms. I went over and put my hand on her shoulder she flinched away continuing to look straight ahead. I put my hand down on the ground next to her. We didn't talk, we just sat next to each other.

An hour or two went by before Mira said, "You should get some sleep. We are going to be scouting the area tomorrow and coming up with a plan." I shook my head though, "No, I am not going to leave you alone." She looked over at me, "I'm always alone." She turned and faced me and I could see the exhaustion in her own face, "Why don't you sleep for a little. I'll keep watch." She started shaking her head, "No, I'm the squire I need to keep you safe." I gave her a soft smile, "I think you need it more than me." She stubbornly kept her eyes ahead of her keeping watch, "I'm fine."

We sat next to each other for a while until eventually Mira fell asleep. It was sudden as her eyes finally came in and her body began to slump forward. I gently picked her up and placed her under the tarp before going back to keeping watch. Every now and then she would start thrashing to the sides in a panic and then stop after a few minutes. After the third time it happened I made my way over when I heard her muttering something, "Please... Please stop... Mommy... Mommy ... hurts..." Her eyes were tearing up. She let out an ear splicing shriek and I went to hold her hand. She then shot up grabbing the back of her shoulder and looked over at me panting.

(Damira POV)

I walked around the house quietly trying to be as still as possible. There was no laughter, no joy, no anything. I was my Mother's only child and she always had someone watching me for any misstep and I seemed to make a lot of them. Suddenly I heard the clear click of her heels making their way down the hall. I moved to the side and kept my focus on a point on the wall. My small frame started shaking but, I managed to focus it all in my hands which I hid behind me. She came down and stopped in front of me. I kept my head down avoiding her gaze, "You are not to behave this way. Look up when someone is speaking to you." I brought my head up and made eye contact with her. "Stop standing near the wall it is not your place to hold it up, now is it." She finished circling around when she saw my hands.

She clicked her tongue, "Come." She began pulling me along down the stairs and outside where everyone had been gathered. She stood behind me with both hands on my shoulders. My Grandparents came out and I began looking around. All eyes were on me. "Granddaughter, it is time you claimed your loyalty to this family," My Grandfather spoke. He then lifted up a branding iron. My shoulders stiffened as Mother's grasp tightened. She pulled down my sleeve exposing my shoulder. "We are all those who have come before us..." he started to say. I tried turning to Mother, "Please don't do this." She brought me forward and my Grandmother grabbed my wrists locking them both to a pole so I wouldn't be able to move. Grandfather began to heating the branding iron. I was getting desperate, "Mommy." I whimpered, "Please, Mommy it's going to hurt..." she just continued looking out into the crowd looking over everyone. "Welcome to the family," Grandfather spoke. The hot metal met my skin and I screamed.

I felt my body lift myself out of my dream and felt the scar on the back of my shoulder I felt a hold on my other hand and looked over at Ethan. I tried to control my breath as I regained my composure, "I'm fine." He just nodded his head not saying anything. Waiting for me to take the lead in the conversation, but I didn't want to talk about it. At least not all of it. He looked over at my over hand that was still on my shoulder. One of the first things I did when I escaped was take one of Gabriels sword and burn over the branding. Now it was just scared flesh. So I pulled it down and Ethan began turning away, "Relax it's on my shoulder." He turned back and came closer. The sword covered most of it but some of the marks of the branding were still there. He went out to touch it and I flinched he brought his hand back, "No, it's ok." He began to trace the outline of it and eventually pulled it away.

I turned back to look at him and I could see all the questions going across his face, none of which I wanted to answer but I knew I had to give him something. "You can ask whatever you want, but I reserve the right to refuse to answer." "How did you get the scar?" He asked. "Well the first one was from those people who are genetically responsible for my existence and then the one covering it was me. I wanted it off." He nodded his head. "How old were you when they..." "Seven." He nodded his head, "You were calling out for your Mom... was she...did she..." I took a breath, "At the time it was a desperate attempt to get her to stop what was happening. She wasn't the one who branded me but, she was ok with it happening." "How do you know so much about the Cunningham family?" I looked at him, "I am going to use my right to refuse to answer that one. Let's just leave it at I wish I didn't know as much as I do but, I'm grateful it was useful for something." We both got quiet again and then I asked, "Why did you stop us before?"

(Ethan POV)

I didn't expect her to ask the question but I should have expected it. "I couldn't," I said. I knew it wasn't going to be enough but it felt like where I had to start. "Why?" she asked. I took a breath, "I couldn't let you regret it." "What." She said although it was clear it was not a questions. Still I began to answer, "You were telling me about your past and what had happened to you. I was comforting you and..." "And you think that I was being emotional and that I would regret it?" She asked. There seemed to be no right thing to say at that point. She locked her gaze with mine, "Mira if we had and you regretted it. It might have killed me. You weren't the only one I was trying to protect." Her gaze was still locked on mine but softened slightly, "I already told you that I was here to protect you."