The Claim

Chapter Five - Hope & Fear

Merek pulled himself up, instantly he regretted his decision, telling himself it was a good reason, to keep Mirabelle from killing innocent people in a war that was not theirs to fight anymore. They were just children when they were part of it, but nothing said that it had to continue, nothing said they could not try and make peace. A part of him hoped that Mirabelle would see a changed man, that it would help fill the painful void in her heart, where her mother was ripped from it.

Hope was a cruel mistress, one that had Merek eating out the palm of her hand but all there was, was the hope he created for himself, the idea that she would change, become something else, different. He could not stop his own sister from burning down the palace, if she wanted to learn how to but there was some hope left.

She touched up her dress with her gift of magic, he did the same for his clothing, a simple pair of trousers and a decent white top. She handed him a cloak of black, one she'd made embroidered with a golden trim around the edge, without offering him a word as she put her own on, pulling up the hood. With a slow breath, he pulled up his own, his heart in a frantic panic, worsening with every step out of the forest. They had to be seen as a travelling pair, anything else and it was dangerous for them both, they would be pulled aside, questioned and Merek was not sure he would not crack under pressure.

They came up to the path, the pain in his heart was singing, his throat was so dry it was almost choking him, he could barely make a noise, his breath so unsteady, trembling out of fear.

He could barely stop it, like an arrow through him, he could barely fight the harsh panic threatening to escape with his breath, making him sweat like a pig, his forehead glistening, his clothing damp, damper with every shaky step.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, his hand trembling as he walked down the road toward the city.

They joined a small line of peasants and traders, watching as the guards checked their faces against those on their 'Wanted' posters, their names against the names of those barred from the city for one thing or another.

He took a breath, swallowing down a mouthful of saliva as the doors slammed shut behind the couple of in front. He could barely speak, his hands hidden by his cloak because he just kept shaking.

"What is your business here?" the guard asked, looking at Merek with suspicion on his face.

"My name is Mirabelle, this is my brother and we have come to this city to seek employment, he is just shy" Mirabelle stated quickly. Merek swallowed again as they checked their names against those on the list. The guards nodded to each other, letting the large oak double doors swing open for them.

The city itself was very little of what he remembered from his childhood, it was not dark nor monstrous, it did not have the smell of burning wood, the screams of women, men or children, it did not have the bright balls of flame nor the painted look of struggle. It was back to the way it used to be, the city of their childhood, the place they used to in together, play by the well and turn buckets of water into apples behind their mother's back.

They waited until they were deep into the city before Mirabelle pulled him into an alleyway, slapping him in the face. "Come on, Merek, do not do this to me!" she ordered.

"What?" he forced out, panicking even more, shaking like a leaf. 

"Merek!" she hissed. "We are in the city, you can stop your panicking, if they were going to find us, they would have already" she explained.

"They will find us, with what you are planning, they are bound to!" he hissed with fear set in his eyes, his fists still clenched in fear. "I cannot help but this that this, all of this, is a bad idea, Mira, we could get out now, no one need know".

"You cannot allow your fear to rule you, brother, you are petrified, I know but you cannot allow this to stop us now".

"I am not here to hurt him, I am here to keep my eyes on you" he explained, biting his tongue in fear to try and shock himself out of it, hoping the pain would do it.

"Right now, you could not, even if you wanted to. We both know why you are scared, I am too... do you not see it? Deep down, you want what I do, accept it".