Sector 21

Chapter Twelve

She didn't want to believe it, but she had to. Lying before her was her Father, or her Father as he would have looked as a fae minus the lacerations to his face and torso. It felt like hours that she had been looking at his body, he had the same haircut that she hated. The same slightly crooked nose that had been a result of 9 year old Octavia accidentally thrown a cricket ball at him when she attempted to juggle.

"It's my dad,"She breathed delicately,"it's Marcus"

"Thank you, Dear" The red haired fae said.

Octavia turned away as they covered his body. Many questions ran through her mind, wanting (but also not wanting) to know the answers to those questions. Against her wishes tears welled up in her eyes, they threatened to spill over when Bella walked into the room. She gave Octavia a knowing look and lead her back up to her quarters, the walk back didn't feel any different apart from the ever growing sadness that was on her shoulders. Each step she made reminded her that her father would not take another, each step she made, she made for Marcus.

Bella left her at her quarters, she then left without saying a word. Of course, Bella hadn't had to identify her Fathers body, she hadn't had to go nearly three years without knowing where her Father was. She hadn't felt the pain that she was feeling, and my god was Octavia thankful that she didn't have to. She crawled into the cot they had labelled a bed and attempted to sleep, she hadn't been able to shut her eyes when the sun crept over the horizon.

For the whole night she stared at the ceiling of her room, the wooden beams held no interest but still held her gaze. As she stared intently at the wooden beams, she wondered why her Father hadn't told her the he was fae and that she was half fae-half witch. She couldn't help feel annoyed at him for not telling her the truth. She felt annoyed at him for leaving her when she was only fifteen. She was most annoyed that he wasn't there telling her she will be fine and that she will figure everything out . He couldn't do that because he was dead and there was no turning back the clock now.

The silence in her room was eating at her. It seemed to be mocking her, the silence was a match for her Father. A tiny knock on the door snapped her out of her cycle of misery and the door clicked open, it was Maliki.

"Good morning Maliki" Octavia said, faking a smile as best as possible

"G' Morning, dear," He chirped "I wondered if yous wanted to come for a ride this morning? Ya' know, get yous mind off of things"

Without even thinking she agreed and arranged to meet him in the stables, making sure she was quiet and not seen. She quickly changed into better suited clothes and tip toed down the the stables rather quickly. She entered the main stables and saw Maliki tacking up two unknown horses.

"Can I help with anything?" Octavia asked as she walked through the barn.

"No, we are all set" He said pulling on the girth of the bigger horse.

"This here is your horse now" He said gesturing to the biggest horse, "His name is Felarof, named after Leo-"

He was cut off by Octavia "Leod, Father of Eorl the Young's horse, a horse of Middle Earth" She smiled

"You sure do know your Tolkien," He laughed "Don't worry, he hasn't killed anyone yet"

Octavia just laughed and walked up the him. He was as black as the deepest night with not a single white mark on him, although he towered over Firefoot, who was in the stall just over from him asleep, she didn't feel too intimidated by him.

"How come I get him?" She asked, genuinely wondering why she would be allowed to have such a magnificent animal.

"Well," Maliki began "I was going to keep him for myself as he was a gift but I heard your mother, may she rest in peace, had his Father, an Asterion stallion, and your Father was the one who caught him"

"He was a gift to you so I cannot take him" She said, even though she would have loved to have kept him.

"He's all you have left of your parents, please don't let him go to waste on an old man like me" He laughed at the end.

"Only if you insist" She said and gave the old stable hand a hug and gave him a word of thanks.

They took the horses out to the court yard and mounted them, the gates opened and they walked out. To say that Octavia didn't feel honoured was a lie but she didn't know what to think. They headed down the path in the direction that Xavier and herself had ridden when they first came to Weeping Wood Fortress. They took a different path somewhere along the main track and headed past the fortress and up towards the mountain.

The sun had barely risen over the horizon so the sky was a patchwork of yellow, gold and pink. The chirping of birds began and the call of the hunting hawks shortly followed, it was all so new for Octavia, to actually see the outside world let alone hear the wild life that she thought was long lost. She looked over at Maliki and he had an expression of shock, be-wonderment and also amusement plastered on his face.

"What?" She asked, kind of scared.

"No one has ever sat on him before" He chuckled.

Before the words sank in, Maliki kicked his mare on and they cantered off up the track. The trees rushed past them as she urged Felarof faster until they passed Maliki, she had never felt like this before. She had never felt this much freedom and adrenaline or even this happy in a long, long time, she felt invincible.

The path before them began to wind and eventually lead out to a lake, the blue surface of it reflected the sun giving it the appearance of a huge mirror. The rest of the mountain above them was below them in the lake, the trees also did the same. She pulled the stallion to a stop next to the pool, it could have easily been mistaken for a massive sheet of glass.

"This place is amazing" Octavia breathed heavily, still warn out from their small race.

"I found it a few years back when I first came to the fortress," He said, awe still lingering on is eyes "I haven't shown anyone but you"

"I feel honored" She said loud enough for Maliki to hear her but quiet enough not to disturb the peace.

They stayed in silence, taking in the surroundings.

She dismounted, tied him to a tree and wandered down to the edge of the lake, she stayed there staring at the surface of the water. Most probably deep in thought or mourning her Father- Maliki wasn't sure. Octavia stayed there, mesmerized by the way the surface of the lake reflected the mountain and forest like a mirror would.

"I'd better be getting back, I'll say your out scouting" Maliki said.

He turned his mare back to the fortress and left Octavia and Felarof in the silent glen. She stayed at the waters edge until she was sure that Maliki wasn't coming back- one she was absolutely certain she stripped off into her undergarments and dove into the lake. The water was cold but offered a taste of home.

Every Thursday at 5 until 7 o'clock Marcus used to take Octavia to the swimming pool, it was one of the only times they used to spend more than an hour together. Due to her being in school and Marcus working nights they never really had the opportunity, just to see her Father was enough for Octavia.

She swum around in the lake until she reached the other side, then as she came back someone came galloping up the gen.