Demon(#Wattys2017 Entry)

Chapter 42:Balance

The escape of Kaurren had enraged Reba, and after another week of scouring the woods, he remained missing. She returned back to the camp. Unlike her rage-fueled trek to find the killers, she ate nothing on the way back, not even the small scraps of food she could have grabbed from small game.

Just ran until she could run no more, walked from then on, then stumbled, then collapsed. When she had rested and some energy returned to her, she continued the process. She did not care if she died doing this, for she had failed her daughter, failed herself.

She finally stumbled back into her home. Av'rasca looked over from feeding the young boy, blinking in surprise."Reba? Where have you been? I haven't heard from you in two weeks!"

She walked past him to the bedroom, collapsing on it and breaking down into tears, sobbing." He frowned."...Just a moment Junior, I'll be back." He walked in, putting a hand on her shoulder."Sweetheart...what happened....where did you go, and....where did you get this scythe?"

He was referring to Was'lin's scythe, strapped across her back, blood still on the blade from where it had sliced into her arm.

She looked at him."A killer's scythe. I found them."

Av'rasca rubbed her back, face showing no reaction to the news.

Reba continued."I tortured one, sealed coal in his flesh until he told me what I needed, then shot him while he ran away. Then I used his knife to kill another one. The last one escaped."

She sat up, removing the scythe and looking into it."....If you wanted to leave now, I wouldn't blame you. No matter the reason, I enjoyed what I did, and wish I could do it again, but....I couldn't even finish the job. Even with two of them gone....I don't feel any different."

She looked at him."...My suggestion to you would be to take Junior and move on, find someone less crazy who can be more stable for you. You've got a lot of life to live, so-"

Av'rasca hugged her."Sweetheart....I'm not going anywhere." He kissed her cheek."You're still the woman I fell in love with, Still the woman who gave me both of my children, the woman who's brought me so much joy. Still the woman I call my wife, and still that pretty girl I saw drawing birds."

She buried her face in his chest.".....No Rasca....no I'm not."

He sighed."No, you're not." He agreed."But I love you anyways."

She paused for a moment, then hugged him back, crying again, this time tears of joy. This life of hers was difficult, but...perhaps she would be able to move on. With this man with her, anything felt possible."...I love you too. So very much."

In response, he held her a bit tighter. She smiled. Yes, she'd be able to get through anything at all...
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But those thoughts turned to a curse, as though fate itself chose to challenge her. Twice more she became pregnant, tried to grow her family, but unlike her first two, they did poorly. In both cases, before they even showed themselves as a bulge in her belly, before even the gender was known, they were gone, almost as if she had never been pregnant to begin with.

After both, she had been distraught, but thankfully had the arms of Av'rasca within which to sob. Junior, now a boy of fifteen, did his best to help as well, but even though there was love between the two of them, she had been cautious, as though keeping him away for fear of losing him too.

And finally, as though it were a final strike upon her, she lost her love. Guilta had signed up for a campaign in Vrai, one which lasted six years, the same conflict Guiltare had been born into. Three years into this struggle, Av'rasca was killed.