As morning sunlight flooded the room , Hestia tossed aside her covers and swung her legs over the bed. Rose and Rylynn still slumbered peacefully.
Hestia gently shook Rose's shoulder. "I need to use the bathroom. "
Rose stirred her voice husky with sleep. "It's through that door."
Hestia nodded and entered the bathroom. She shed her clothes, unbound her copper red hair and let its fiery locks cascade down her back. The warm water washed away the night's remnants refreshing her. Stepping out, she found Rose awake learning again the bedframe.
"Oh my goodness, you look like a woman!" Rose teased eyeing her following hair.
"So , you thought I was a man?" She raised an eyebrow.
Rose laughed. "I dare not assume" she said rising from bed.
Hestia dressed in her signature style, dark brown leather trouser , a Crip white shirt and fitted black vest. Her hair now tied back in a ponytail.
"You're quite the tomboy, aren't you?" Amusement danced in Rose's eyes.
"Just comfortable." She smiled wryly
Hestia settled into bed letting out a contented sigh after dressing. Rose entered the bathroom leaving her alone with Rylynn. Her gaze fell on sleeping Rylynn.
"Rise and shine sleepyhead" she said. "Rylynn?" She called out when she didn't respond.
"Rylynn?" She shook her gently.
Normally Rylynn would stir at the slightest call but now why? She lay motionless. Hestia's heart quickened by Rylynn's unresponsiveness.
"Rylynn" she shook her more firmly. "Rose" she called out with her trembling voice.
"What's wrong?" Rose asked when she emerged from the bathroom.
"It's Rylynn"
"What happened?" Concern etched on her face.
"She's not moving" she began to panic.
Rose rushed to Rylynn grabbing her wrist, she could tell she was feeling for a pulsating, Rose's gaze met hers and she shook her head.
"Hestia?!" She whispered."I think..... I think"
"What do you think" Hestia yelled.
"She is gone"
The words echoed in her mind, her jaw dropped and she was completely frozen in shock , her face went pale.
Time stood still.
The room silenced.
"No... no....no" she whispered.
Her vision blurred and her head began to spin , her legs buckled before she fell, Raymond's arms enveloped her holding her upright.
"Raymond" she whispered.
Soon Edward rushed to Rylynn's side begining a meticulous examination. He checked her pulse feeling for a heartbeat, he listened to her breathing placing his ear close to her mouth. Next he inspected Rylynn's eyes pulling back her eyelids and examined her skin searching for any signs of discoloration or abnormal temperature.
"Lady Kensington please calm down she is still alive" Edward said. "It was just a syncope her body was extremely cold causing the unresponsiveness to her system she would be fine."
"You need not to be worried Hestia " Alyssa assured.
She glanced around and realized the room was filled with concerned faces, Alyssa, Raymond, and Edward had Rose called them or had they simply heard the commotion? Details didn't matter it was a relief that Rylynn was still breathing, the thought of losing her had shaken Hestia to her core, she didn't want to face the world without her beloved ones, she lost enough her parents and also that kind person she called father. Memory of that stormy night haunted her The night people of brindlemark had brought their father's lifeless body mauled beyond recognition.
"Attacked by animals" some said.
"Wolves" other whispered.
Her heart still ached from the loss, leaving a gaping hole in her life, and now it was almost unbearable to think about another losing the people she loved most, the fear of being alone threatened to consume her. Her eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at Rylynn's fragile form.
"Hestia she would be fine" Raymond's voice broke the spell.
She nodded trying to fought back the tears that threatened to stream down, her fear needs to be cried out but she struggled to contain her emotions but the dam broke and tears rolled down her pink cheeks.
"Excuse me!" She whispered escaping the crowd's concerned gazes.
She flung Open the large wooden door and stepped outside without direction she ran blindly into the woods her feet pounding the earth in desperation while tears obscured her vision but she kept running branches scratched her face, leaves tangled in her hair and roots threatened to trip her but she pressed on.
Her breath came in ragged gasps her chest heaved she collapsed to her knees, the fear of loss piercing her heart. The desperation suffocating her, embracing herself and began to sob.
"I... I thought I thought I lost you.....I don't want to be alone anymore....... It hurts too much" her cries echoed through the forest.
Tree's leave rustled gently and wind whispered secrets and slapping birds, Hestia lay down on the forest floor her face buried in her palms as she cried out the fear that crushed her and the desperation that suffocated her and the anxiety that gripped her heart. Her shoulders shook with each sob, tears streamed down her face soaking the earth beneath.
"She's alive..... just a syncope." She tried to comfort herself.
She really wished to enjoyed her lifetime with them but this was too much to ask but she couldn't help it envision her future without anyone she loves was painful and unbearable. She really do remembered when her parents......
No!
She doesn't want to think about it whatever it is she doesn't want to be alone she would be at Rylynn's side and make sure she was fine. She stood up brushing away tears and looked around , disoriented her surroundings unfamiliar.
Strangely! She was lost in the woods.
"Oh my dear God" she exclaimed panic creeping in.
She tried to recall the path but every direction led to a dead end. She began to moved rapidly through the dense forest , towering trees loomed before her she spun around searching for a landmark but the trees seemed to close in slowly smoke began to consume her surroundings shrouding forest in a impenetrable veil , her heart sank and her breath catching in her throat.
"Which way?" She whispered.
She stumbled her foot catching on a hidden root and fell hard onto the forest floor and struggled to stand but the smoke enveloped her obscuring everything.
Lost.
Alone.
Adrift in a sea of smoke.
Would she ever find her way back? Was Rylynn truly safe? Raymond?
Her heart squeezed in pain.
Suddenly a faint fleeting sound echoed through the smoke-shrouded forest like a lightning bolt illuminating in the darkness. Fear crawled out under her skin sending shivers down her spine. "Is someone there?" She called out.
Only her words echoed back mocking her. Stretching her ear it's like an something moving in a rapid speed making her fear intensified.
Oh God! It felt like something was standing right behind her watching her. Before she could turn a searing pain stabbed her neck she fell across the floor her world narrowed to a tiny fading point.
Don't.....
Her eyelids dropped and her body went limp.
