The men were gone now, but still, a little blonde girl tried to hide. The small hole she had been told to hide in was safe from the flames, but she still wondered where the voice of the women had come from.
āHide.ā the voice had said. āUnder the porch where the bakerās boy hid his treasures.ā
Anandis was so scared she had stayed silent for what seemed like a lifetime. The voice had saved her.
The silence was all she knew as she stayed still in the hiding spot. The silence lasted for ages to the little girl. It was only when she heard the voice again that she moved her head to look up.
The wind picked up at that moment, tossing the leaves around her with a new almost musical crackle. She felt cold. The voice spoke again.
The voice was in truth three. One of a young girl, much like herself. The second, reminded her of her motherā¦or what she thought her mother sounded like. The last, was dry, cold like the wind that tugged at her hair.
She blinked and stared into the darkness before her. There was no one there but she heard themā¦no, Her. There was no them, just Her.
āI want to be strong. I donāt want to be scared anymore.ā She almost squeaked into the darkness around her.
The voices hissed, her answer was wrong. She had said something wrong.
āWe are not the way to justice. We are the path of battle. Strength. You will learn to give life with our blessing and take life with our touch. The way of war lies before you Daughter. The way of war will lead you to those that have taken from the land and your life.ā An armored hand appeared from the darkness, offering her a way to get through the pain of her loss. A hand offering her purpose.
āYes.ā She accepted as she reached out to take the hand offered to her. The metal was coldā¦it was real.
āGirl, thank the gods, are you alright?ā This voice was male, and the hand was real.
āWhatā¦ā A man came into view. The wind had gone, fading in a moment to nothing.
Ana awoke in a cold sweat, gasping for air. The window close by was open, but she still felt as though she was locked in some tomb. Though the light was beginning to break she could hear the soft half snore of her guide and charge sleeping on the other side of the room.
Again the same dream. Again the voice.
It was her earliest memory, but she had no idea if it was even real. She had no clue and unfortunately, her thoughts were cut short when she heard a low growl from the other side of the room.
āAnaā¦go the fuck to sleep.ā
āSorry! Bad dream againā¦ā
