The Wolf and The Blossom

Chapter 3

Anne

Crying. Crying wakes me up in the middle of the night. I try to open my door, but it's locked. Elizabeth is crying, screaming my name but I can't get to her. I go to my window and see chaos.

Fire engulfs houses, men lay on the ground with arrows protruding from their lifeless bodies. Women flee with their children. I see father carrying a crying Elizabeth, her tiny hand reaching for me, and dragging my lifeless mother towards the edge of the camp, away from me.

He trapped me here.

He's taking Elizabeth...

I rush back to the door, slamming my body against the door over and over, sobbing, my shoulder groaning in protest as I slam against the wooden door. I knew he hated me. Hated what I came from. What my life meant to mother, but I never would have guessed he'd do something as horrid as this. Take mother and Elizabeth from me... me from them...

After what feels like my millionth attempt on the door, I collapse to the floor, curling over my knees, my chest caving in. No. No. No. This can't be happening. Tears flow steadily down my face, sobs bursting from my lips, my breathing coming out rapidly.

He has stolen everything...

The screams fall silent and the fires die and I am alone. Utterly alone. My father murdered. My sister taken. My mother taken in more ways than physical. Hugging my knees to my chest and rest my head on them, closing my eyes.

The door to my room bursts down and I jump to my feet only to stumble back by who stands in my doorway.

A native, bare chested, covered in paint, hair long and dark hanging below his chest. Weapons strapped to him like jewelry. He fixes me with the kind of anger born from grief.

I scramble away but he approaches, grabbing my wrist, yanking me to him. He breathes out, causing my hair to push off my face. He shakes his head then pulls me outside with him into the carnage. Natives stand around, some surprised to see me. I pull against his hold on me, hitting his arm, trying to yank out of his grip.

"Get off of me!" I growl, grounding my bare feet, pulling on my arm.

Unexpectedly he let go and I fall into the mud on my butt. He raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms, looking down at me as if to ask if I was done. I clench my jaw and stand. The men around us leer at me and the original man grabs me by the elbow, taking me to a group of horses.

A man with a shaved head and paint covering his face speaks to my captor, causing him to work his jaw and yanks me to a black mustang. He hoists me onto the beauty before sliding smoothly behind me.

I squirm, trying to scootch up so our bodies don't touch but there is nowhere to go. My captor says something to his comrades, his words rumbling through his chest and into my back. I clutch the mane of the horse and curse my situation.

First, father takes my father from me. Then he moves me and my family to a New World. Then he takes them away and locks me in the house. Then a Native takes me! Where is he taking me? Only God knows where.

Once everyone is mounted they set off, most likely taking me to my death.

-~-

Everyone speaks around me, laughing as if they didn't just slaughter my people... maybe they are the savages the men in my village claimed them to be. A shiver runs its cool hands down my body and I curve in on myself.

The man behind me is silent, long hair tickling my arms. I try leaning away from him, my stomach dropping and churning, anxiety destroying my stomach. Nausea follows me as we ride. Bile climbs up my throat, I throw myself off the horse and the men around me protest before falling silent as I retch up the contents of my stomach. Once I'm done, grunts and chuckles sound behind me.

I wipe my mouth, standing, heat creeping my neck and cheeks. The man glares at me and I approach his horse with crossed arms. "Where are you taking me?" I demand.

One of the men farthest from me makes a comment, sending the group into fits of laughter. Tears prick my eyes at the humiliation. I shift from foot to foot and my captor says something that has a hush falling over them and he hops off his horse. Everyone else follows suit. He utters a word I don't understand and he guides me by the elbow towards a stream.

I wash off as the rest of the group fills their water skins. My captor watches me closely and I sit on a rock, looking back at him. "Why did you do it?" I ask, my brows bunching.

He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair. I twirl my fingers in the water, looking down at the tadpoles and rocks. I wonder if Elizabeth was able to get her prince in time or if he's waiting for his princess who might never return. My heart squeezes at the thought of my sister.

"Ehena," he says, tilting his head to his mustang and where the rest of the group is readying for departure.

I follow along, dragging my bare feet through the grass. "Nula," he growls, grabbing my arm and pulling me back to the horse before tossing me onto the back, causing me to growl.

He hops behind me and in moments we are off.

-~-

Hours later we arrive at the village. My body trembles as they guide the horses into the wide open pin, miles long. My captor puts me on unsteady legs and I wring my hands together in front of me. The men walk away and the village watches with disgusted faces, my captor waiting for me.

"They hate me," I whisper.

Murmurs travel from person to person. My palms sweat and his presence beside me makes my worry even worse. He's terrifying and he hates me too. They destroyed my home. The man's eyes stay on me and for a moment I see curiosity and confusion before he becomes guarded once more.

Well that makes two of us.

I fall behind my captor in small steps, wrapping my arms around myself. My heart races and I stare at the space between his shoulders, trying to ignore the spit hitting my feet and the snarls tossed my way. Tears fill my eyes as I realize I have no allies.

We stop and an older man looks me over, speaking to my captor. I curve in on myself, trying to become as small as possible so hopefully I disappear from this whole situation.

My captor says something in confusion, mouth gaping open, gesturing wildly to me. Though there is a language barrier, it doesn't take a scientist for me to see he is outraged. His words are fast and sharp while an older woman joins the conversation calmly, voice soothing. My captors face deepened in color and he works his jaw, attempting deep breaths. My feet fidget in the grass and his angry eyes turn on me with full force. He speaks harshly before walking away into the nearby woods, leaving the breath knocked from my lungs.

Why is he acting like I ruined his life?

The elderly woman gently takes my elbow, speaking to me in that soothing voice. It almost seems like she's telling me it's not my fault and that he's always grumpy.

When she sees my skepticism she laughs and pats my hand, guiding me into a house that is covered in mud with a roof made of thatch and bark. The inside framed with logs, while grass and mud making up the walls. She gestures around, pointing to things, offering me water and patting the pile of furs, telling me to get comfortable.

She leaves and I'm left to my own devices. I settle onto a pile of furs and the weight of the past few hours causes exhaustion to set in. I rest my head on a soft pillow, pulling a heavy fur over my body and let sleep claim my tired mind and body.