LUNAR

Chapter 1

The cool rotten air blew by the window as Diana looked at the shining moon that pierced through leafless trees. Diana and her mom have been living as outcasts for some reason Diana did not know.

"Mama, how does it look out there?" Diana asked not turning from looking at the moon,"is all plant life like this?" She asked, turning to look at Aurelia who just entered the room with a bowl of stew. "No darling, the plant life out there is the worst i have seen" she said, corking her head so as to look at the moon herself.

"But why do you look like this whenever you talk about this?" Aurelia breathed out loudly as if holding back a cry.

Aurelia looked around the room then smiled. They lived in a small house in the middle of nowhere, the house had one kitchen that opened up in the living room and two bedrooms.The bedrooms only had a bed made of grass that warmed them with a single animal skin for a blanket. It also contained a bundle of packed supplies as if ready for any emergencies that required running.

"Take this and eat" Aurelia said, handing Diana the bowl of stew,"tomorrow I will be going into the village to get more food". "Can I come with you mommy?" she asked, looking at her with puppy eyes that she has tried for years and they never work. "No even today because it is dangerous out there especially for you" she said, patting her on the head. Diana never liked it because it made her feel too small even when she looked older than she was told she was.

Diana turned and looked at her mom. She looked so beautiful and so young, younger than she claimed. Aurelia's beauty made Diana doubt the relationship they shared. Aurelia had green eyes with a pretty smile worn on her face, she also had dark hair and a slim body.

"But mamma why do we live here instead of living with everyone else in the village?" she asked but she already expected the answer, " Go to sleep Diana good night" she replied and kissed her on the forehead.

"Diana I'm going now" she said as she said standing by the door, " there is stew in the pot , if i'm late just warm it and eat then wait for me to return DO NOT GO OUT" she said punctuating each and every last word.

It was past noon and Aurelia had not returned home. That made Diana worried. She thought maybe the townspeople had maybe attacked her. "Ooh not that not possible" she said at the thought. She warmed the stew and then ate as she waited.

Finally Aurelia had returned with lots of food. Diana was very happy to see both her and the food and she went outside to meet with her. But then she noticed that she was kind of in a hurry.

After settling and Aurelia checking for pursuers, Diana had to ask one question. "I get, you love me but are you sure you are my mom? And why do we live here?" "You know you will—" she paused and looked outside. What she saw made Aurelia's blood run cold.

"NO" she gasped in a whisper-like voice, "what is that?" Diana asked, looking at the approaching light. "They are here...... no...... no ..no ..no" she said shaking her head in disbelief. "Hurry carry your stuff we are going now!" she said, rushing to her room and carrying her staff. They passed by the kitchen where she carried all their food and left the house on a run.

They both left running as fast as their feet could carry them. Here Aurelia looked more like a girl than a mother and she ran just as fast with Aurelia's hand in hers. Heart pounding they ran in the cold night following a small road that led to a river . They passed through the thick forest not looking behind.

When they finally got tired they decided to rest just before the river.

"What or who was that?" she asked just after catching her breath. "Those were the king's men," Aurelia said, panting a bit. "King's what and why am I only hearing about this now?" She asked this time seriously. "Because it did not concern you then," she said just as seriously ,"now it does doesn't it?" she asked, eyes changing to light blue.