Indignation Rising

Armor and Water

For a brief second, I allow silence to consume me.

The disconnect from earlier is gone as my eyes scan over the scorch marks on the stone wall of the pub where my mother lay only moments ago.

I am fully aware of what I'd just done.

As to how- there is only one explanation.

"Magic!"

As if reading my thoughts, a woman's shrill voice calls out in the night.

Whipping my head around, I find a small group of villagers that had gathered outside of the pub.

An elderly woman at the head of the group stumbles over her feet, throwing her pointer finger in my direction.

"Magic!" She yells again, "Guards, quick!"

A man within the group tries to silence the woman, throwing his hand over her mouth as the sound of clinking chainmail echoes through the village.

I know I should move. I know I should run- but long after the vibrations in my body cease, I find myself paralyzed, wide-eyed and staring into the eyes of the man trying to save me.

"RUN, GIRL!"

I'm stunned by the vibrations of the mans shout- having thrown caution to the wind to break whatever spell I'd been under.

Run. I tell myself, over all other thoughts trying to barge their way into my consciousness.

Run!

Rising to my feet, I turn on my heels, darting further down the pathway beside the pub- and away from the swarm of guards running towards me.

"Stop!" One of the guards shout, as I weave between buildings, clambering through the village over passed-out bodies and buckets of water and urine.

As I weave behind the bakery, I feel a strong hand grasp my forearm. Before I can scream, another comes to cover my mouth- both arms pulling me back into a doorway before shutting the door behind us.

"Annie! Annie, stop!" Soren whispers loudly, as my teeth bury into his fingers.

Taking a look around the dark bakery, the smell of bread becomes a comfort, stilling the racing of my heart, if only by a fraction.

"Soren..."

I throw my arms over his solid shoulders, breathing him in as if it's my final chance to do so.

"They're going to kill me." I say- more to myself, than him.

There's a finality in it that leaves little for question. The guards continue to pass through the village- the occasional clink in their light armor passing by the doorway, and causing me to flinch.

Soren holds me back at arms length, taking in my haggard appearance with an empathy in his eyes that feels like a punch to the gut.

He wouldn't be looking at you like that- if he knew what you'd just done.

The thought doesn't feel like mine, but I find myself beliving it.

"What did you do, Annie?" Soren asks, keeping his voice low.

The question id been dreading.

What did I do?

What did I do?!

I look down at my hands, illuminated only by the soft glow of moonlight peeking between the curtains in the bakery.

I look at them, as if expecting them to show signs of my sin. As if hidden in the folds of my skin, my aggregious act would be written in blood.