Dawn had never stayed in any one place this long. It didn’t matter that she had been assured repeatedly that she was safe here, that nothing would harm Ria or her. But none of it stopped Dawn from jumping at shadows or looking over her shoulder any time she took the little girl outside.
It was getting cooler, but Ria didn’t seem to mind as she ran around in circles, her voice high and clear, melodic even in her screeching. Dawn had been around plenty of children, but none of them had ever sounded as musical as Ria did in screaming.
It was almost hard to believe that the little girl was, essentially, hers now. They had tried to place her with other fae, but the girl had wilted without her presence. For some reason, the child had bonded to her and taking her away had done more harm than good. It hadn’t been worth the risk.
“Ria, get over here you silly little thing,” she called, not liking when the child strayed too far. She was still within Dawn’s line of sight, but having her closer meant she was easier to grab if something came up.
They had been able to narrow down what exactly the girl was in the time they had been there and it had helped. Leimoniad, a meadow nymph. The girl delighted in making wildflowers bloom despite the time of year, different colored petals braided into her long and wild hair.
Even now, every time she spun around, new flowers burst into bloom, a kaleidoscope of color, especially with the autumn leaves as a backdrop. It was beautiful in a way, but it also made Dawn ache. How could anyone have wanted to hurt such a bright and harmless child? One that made flowers bloom with the touch of her hand?
She knew the answer, of course, plenty of hunters would have done what her parents had planned. Or worse. If her parents didn’t kill the girl, they likely would have turned her over to an even worse hunting family. It had been part of the reason she had taken the child and ran the way she had.
The girl stopped when her new momma called for her and she smiled brightly before darting over to her and throwing herself into Dawn’s arms. She still didn’t speak much, but no one was all that worried about it. All things considered, she was adjusting better than anyone had anticipated.
It had been a relief, to say the least. The first thing the girl had audibly spoken was her name and only to Dawn. She had yet to say anything to anyone else, but she had been told that was to be expected. Ria saw Dawn as her rescuer, her savior, and she trusted the defected hunter. No one else had really proved to the child that they could be trusted as well. The girl was, however, quick to sign, but it was still something she only really did with Dawn.
The child beamed up at Dawn, her ever shifting eye color a pale, almost pastel pink today to match the pink lilac flowers that decorated her hair today. She had asked Dawn to braid them into various strands, the flowers never wilting so long as they stayed in contact with her.
Dawn smiled down at her in return, hugging her tightly before tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She would do anything necessary to keep this little girl safe, no matter the cost. After all, she had already given up everything she had ever known for the sole purpose of making sure she was alive and she would do it all over again if she had to.
“Are you ready for lunch, little one?”
Ria nodded and signed “yes please” before spinning away from Dawn and skipping her way back up to their makeshift home, the skirt of dress bouncing around her knees as she moved.
Everything in the place had been gone over with a fine tooth comb, making sure there was no iron for the little girl to burn herself on so there was no risk or worry as she threw the door open herself before turning to sign at Dawn in a frenzy.
“Come on, momma! I want honey bread!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” she signed back, speaking the words aloud at the same time.
Ria was the first thing in her life to make her glad her family had insisted on all of them learning sign language as kids. Their reasoning had been a means to communicate without less than human things hearing them, but this was a much better use for the skill.
She smiled warmly at her little girl as she set about to make her lunch, never once regretting taking the chance to rescue that little girl and run. She had never planned on being a mom, never wanting to raise a child in the life like she had been.
Now here she was, away from everything she had ever known with a little fae girl calling her momma and she had never known a heart could be so full.
