𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄| HOTD

𝙞. the mother

Her lungs burned, tightened as if someone gripped them from the inside. She woke up coughing and startled, to see dark smoke covering her chambers. Alaenna threw off her covers racing in her nightgown to the door. As she opened it and scanned the corridors, she was surprised to see not a soul in sight. The guards that patrolled were gone, there were no lady's maids, nor the rest of her family in the stone halls. Despite her confusion, the burning of her lungs raged on, spurring her onward through the hall. She stumbled forward covering her mouth as she coughed.

She couldn't tell where the fire had come from, nor had a clue as to how it had even started in a cave of a castle. Alaenna furthered toward the end of the hall, nearing the end of the smoke. Still no one could be seen. She'd hoped the open doors meant everyone had escaped, and she'd simply been the last to wake in light of the fire.

"Mother please!" A scream came from the end of the hall stopping Alaenna in her place. "Mother please don't leave me, please" it begged.

Alaenna ran down the hall, her lung burning, smoke scratching at her eyes as she desperately ran. Even as she slipped, catching her foot on the gown's long skirt, she continued forward. Smoke grew thicker, darker the closer she got. She could barely see as she reached for the handle, only to jerk her hand back at the red hot metal. The skin of her hand, blistering, and bubbling at the contact. She looked around for something, anything that could be used to open the door.

"Mother we will burn!" Panicked she grabbed the candelabra nearest to her attempting to bash off the handle.

"Mother is coming," She bashed, and bashed at the door, bending the holders of the candelabra. The handle no where near budging from the door. "Mother is coming." She tried to assure, as she continued her futile effort.

"Alaenna!" Her name was shouted from behind the door, causing her heart to sink further as she desperately tried to open the door. Her face burned, the skin crisping the longer she stood in front of the door. Steadfastly she remained bashing with all her strength. Even as the head of the candelabra came off, she used the sharp broken end to try and pry the door open.