Farryn

Chapter 5- Part 1

Farryn shrugged. "He stole her dignity. His mother is holding it over Cordelia's head. Tell anyone what my son did, and I'll harm you. Harm the baby. I heard her say it herself earlier." 

"Nevan wouldn't-" 

"I didn't ask you, Claud." she spat. "I didn't ask you and I want you to stop speaking to me. I need to find my sister."

She'd finally figured out how to get the mule attached to the cart, and she grabbed the reins and led him through the doors. Luli sat in the cart, gnawing on her thumb. Farryn didn't have the energy or gentleness in her to comfort her. It felt like she was all rough edges, broken and then glued back together haphazardly. Over and over and over again. She didn't even know who she was anymore.

No She muttered to herself. She was Liviana's sister. She was her mother's daughter. She was the thing holding what little remained of her family together. And once she found Liviana, she'd remember it.

Claud stared at her as she got the cart out through the doors. "Leave," she said one last time. He didn't, just cracked his knuckles. She gripped the reins tighter and hopped onto the seat.

"Ji" she said to the mule, and it began to walk across the courtyard. She nudged Luli. "It will be fine," she said. Luli didn't bother pulling her hand out of her mouth to answer.

Just as they made it a little ways away from the shed, Farryn turned back to look at Claud. Standing there under the cloak of darkness, she almost felt sorry for him.

And then he whistled.

It was a loud, shrill sound. Farryn cursed, urging the mule faster. She should have known.

"Thief!" Claud yelled into the crisp night. Farryn said every cuss word she knew as she got the mule running towards the gates so fast the cart was jostling behind them. 

Luli was crying, but she wouldn't stop. "Hold on!" she called to her.

"Hey!" A man yelled. Footsteps pounded behind them, moving impossibly fast. 

"Luli!" Farryn yelled, letting go of the reins and grabbing her. "Hold on to me!"

They were careening right for the gates. The gates that were still shut, where guards now stood waiting to apprehend them. Farryn swore. They would crash right into them, and then get themselves caught. I can't get arrested.

She sucked in a breath and held Luli tight as the footsteps behind them drew closer. Jump, she whispered to herself. All of a sudden she was standing at the lake in Serib with her family, the year before Disaster. They were diving; her father, sister and her. Her mother was having her cycle and didn't feel like a swim.

Liviana and her father had jumped into the water together, as always. They had looked like cuts of beautiful brown ribbon as they fell to the sparkling water below. The splash had delighted Farryn, until she realised she'd have to jump in alone.

"Jump," her mother had told her. "If you never jump, you'll never be able to. I won't always be here to jump with you. Father won't. And one day, Livvy will need you to teach her how to. How can you if you don't know how?"

Farryn closed her eyes. She pulled Luli closer.

And she jumped.

She hit the ground hard on her side, and she heard Luli cry out as they rolled into the brush. Pain radiated through her arm and chest, but she sat up quickly, sucking in a breath and holding her at arm's length.

"Are you okay?" She hissed to her. Luli nodded. "Okay. Good. I... Saints." She took a moment to breathe, then looked up.

"Luli. We need to run. Luli nodded, and Farryn noticed was trying very hard to hold her own tears in. 

"I'm scared," she said, clutching Farryn's neck. 

"I know. I'm so sorry Luli."

Farryn was trying her hardest to be brave. She was trying so hard to take the jump for Liviana, for Luli, but she couldn't see again because of her tears.

The large bush they were hiding behind shook, and Farryn grabbed Luli, pulling her down, underneath the bushes. She couldn't hear most of their pursuers anymore. They're probably trying to catch the mule and cart. She pressed her face to the dirt and prayed that they wouldn't see her.

Suddenly Luli jerked up. "Luli!" she hissed, and looked up into the moonlight to see Claud, gripping Luli as she tried to get away. She bit him, but he somehow didn't let go, instead wincing and tightened his grip.

Anger coursed through Farryn, and she reached up, grabbing his ankle and yanking him. He slipped off his feet and hit the ground hard. Luli fell out of his grip and scrambled away.

Farryn stood and punched Claud in the stomach as he tried to get up too. He fell to the ground, and she was in top of him in a second, her fingers wound around his neck and she squeezed as hard as she could. She didn't care if anyone saw them. I'm going to kill him.

Her arms began to shake with the effort, and she felt Claud trembling hands slip under her own. She faltered for a moment and he pried her fingers off, gasping for air.

"Stop! I'm trying to help you. Let me-" She gripped his throat before he could continue, cutting the words off. "Let me-" her fingers tightened, and she felt alive. Free, her anger flowing out of her.

"Farryn." Luli sobbed. Farryn stopped, only for a second, but Claud used the moment to lunge. He scratchedher across the face, forcing her to release him. In one move he moved to crouching shoved her backwards with his shoulder, and she careened into the bushes and just lay there for a moment, the place where his shoulder had connected with her chest aching. Her eyes watered and suddenly she was crying so hard she couldn't breathe.

"You'll draw them here," Claud hissed, rubbing his neck. "I'm sorry for trying to grab Luli. But unless you want to be arrested, we have to get out now."

Farryn sat up. She didn't trust herself to answer. She quieted her sobs, even though she couldn't make the tears stop flowing, and followed Claud as he crawled through the bushes. I have to get out of here. She didn't want to be doing it with him, but she had to make a choice.

He led them through the thick shrubbery, to a small gap in the fence near the back of the estate. By the time they squeezed through the opening, Farryn was filthy, and Luli was miserable. The three of them stood there, staring at one another.

"I didn't kill you tonight." Farryn finally said. "But know that I will kill you."

Claud only shook his head. "No, you won't. Let's leave our conflict for after we find Liviana."

He turned away from her and began walking away, still rubbing the red marks that her fingers had left. Arsehole, she thought, and grabbed Luli's hand.

"Come on." 

"Pie?" Luli asked softly. 

"What?"

 "We're going to get pie, right?"

"Saints, Luli. I don't know. I don't know! I don't know if we'll get any stupid pie!" She heard Claud pause to look at them, and she instantly felt bad. Now I'm the arsehole. What is WRONG with you, Farryn?

"I'm sorry, Luli." she sighed. "I don't know if we can."

Luli didn't say anything. She slipped her hand out of Farryn's.

She wanted to explain. I don't know if Livi will be safe enough to make us a pie. But she didn't. She kept quiet and shuffled after them.