The sun was still down when Marion awoke, her body sore and mouth dry. She, Amicia and Hugo were holed up in Laurentius' guest room, all three of them piled into a heap on one bed. There were two, but the children had wordlessly agreed to snuggling into one.
Marion laid on one side, with Hugo tucked to her front, her hand just barely grazing the back of his head. His little hands had a death grip on her tunic- as if she'd disappear if he were to let go. Amicia was on the other side of Hugo, her hands tucked up to her neck. A little bit of drool dribbled down her freckled cheek, onto the pillow her head rested on.
The dark-haired girl slowly untangled herself from the pile, careful not to wake the others. Even though they were safe within Laurentius' home, Marion couldn't quell the constant pit in her belly. She quietly exited the room, and began to aimlessly wander.
She paused as she came up to Laurentius' door... his heavy breathing and pained groans could be heard through the old wood. Marion hadn't spoken to the man as Amicia did... she didn't know if she could stomach it. Sucking in a deep breath, she walked past his room, and down the stairs. She didn't feel any worse, which was a good sign. Maybe she had a chance.
The pain in her leg had reduced to a dull ache, like the growing pains she'd get in her feet. She didn't want to look, but if she had to guess, the blackened veins had likely traveled at least halfway up her thigh. The rumbling of the house caught her off guard, her breath hitching and eyes widening. She looked down the banister, to find the lower level of the house quickly being overtaken by rats.
Marion flinched as Amicia burst out the room, Hugo trailing behind her like a scared little duckling. Lucas also came out of his room, his hair tousled and frizzy from sleep. Marion watched as the boy rushed into his mentor's room, before her eyes flickered back to Amicia.
"What are we going to do now?" Hugo's little, shaky voice piped up.
Hugo had tears in his sleepy eyes- a tired, scared five year old was a recipe for disaster.
"I... I don't know." Amicia responded, a frown on her face.
Marion, Amicia and Hugo walked into Laurentius' room, where Lucas was. Marion wrinkled her nose at the stench of the room... it smelled like death. Laurentius was laid on his back, breathing like there was no air in the room. He had large boils all over his pallid, sweaty skin.
"Amicia..." The man choked out, once he noticed her presence. He could barely speak...
"An evil... an ancient evil... courses through your family's veins... in its blood." He sputtered, heaving in air between words.
"Your mother and I... attempted to slow its progress... but ever since the Great Break... the process has quickened." He trailed off, his gaze flickering to Hugo.
"You must protect him, Amicia... continue your mother's work." He instructed, and Amicia quickly responded.
Amicia furrowed her eyebrows, "Me? But how? My parents tried and now they are both dead!"
Marion closed her eyes- why is it that every time they had a moment of peace, something just had to ruin it? Hugo reached out for Amicia, and she swatted him away with a stern 'Leave me alone!'. Hugo retracted, tears pooling in his big, blue eyes. Everyone's emotions were all over the place... Marion opened her eyes when she felt Hugo latch onto her tunic, and let out a quiet whimper.
"The rats are dangerous, but disorganized... the Inquisition, however... they'll seek the boy tirelessly... we have to disappear." He croaked, "Head to le Château D'Ombrage... Lucas, go to the barn... you will finish... the ignifer..."
"Don't try to talk! I will prove myself..." He said to his mentor, before turning to the three other children. "I'm sorry about your parents, but you're not alone anymore. We have to move fast, you can help me make the ignifer, it will protect us from the rats."
Marion let out a quiet sigh as Lucas left the room, she leaned down, and picked up the crying boy, trying her hardest not to use her hands. It made the appendages sting, but Hugo couldn't go on like this. Everyone was tired, but for someone as young as Hugo to go so long without proper sleep... he wasn't doing well.
"Marion... you'll hurt yourself." Amicia spoke up, holding out her hands as a silent offer to take her brother.
"No!" Hugo yelled, and untucked his face from Marion's neck to glare at his sister.
"Hugo..." Marion tried to reason, but all she got was an extremely loud, and extremely angry grunt.
It was going to be a very long night...
—
A/N
This chapter is short, but honestly I'm just trying to get as much out as I can before my Chromebook gets taken by the school 😭
Also guys, let's just imagine for a moment you have zero child experience, and suddenly you just randomly get a kid with no one to help you, and you're doing all this physical shit, on top of that the kid gets next to no sleep and is super cranky because of it... yikes. Amicia is such a good sister, but the poor girl is so stressed 😭
I don't like to draw, but I got bored so here's a little doodle of Hugo... it doesn't really look like him but shhhh
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(HELP JUST NOTICED THE EYES ARE CROOKED OKAY BYE—)
