The lieutenant and some of the soldiers who kept them hostage ran out of the house, leaving only three left with the nine of them.
Luke, who was held up by one of them, muttered something feverishly under his breath. “I…I do want to help you, Mr…Ducky…”
Alice glanced at some of the others, including Skylar whose yellow eyes glinted with a plan. She gave Adalene a look, who in turn gave a subtle nod to Richard.
Richard looked over at Alice and Peter, then made a motion with his eyes at their weapons which were in a corner of the room.
Adalene took a deep breath, then doubled over like she was in pain. She gasped, her face looking like it was drenched in sweat.
“What the-” one of the soldiers started to say.
“Adalene!” Skylar gasped, her yellow eyes full of panic, “Please, sirs, you have to help her!”
One of the soldiers walked over to Adalene in concern. “Uh…you okay?”
Adalene’s hands, which were once placed behind her head were now clenched into fists on the ground. Alice was confused until she saw a small smile form on Adalene’s lips.
In one swift motion, Adalene swept her legs against the soldier’s shins, knocking his feet out from under him.
“Oh my-” the soldier closest to their weapons gasped, as Adalene barreled at him, pushing him against the wall. Skylar stood and ran to the one holding Luke up, kicking him in the gut. Richard grabbed Luke, holding his arm once again over his shoulder.
It all happened so fast, that Alice almost couldn’t process the scene.
Then she yelled, “Hurry!” to Peter and Helen, motioning for them to help collect the weapons with Adalene. She tossed Skylar’s bow to her, then grabbed Richard’s dual swords and put them in a bundle in the bag she was carrying. She figured Richard would have a hard time carrying Luke and the heavy weapons.
Strapping her dagger to her waist, Alice then handed Helen her kopis as they ran out of the house. Alice took one last look at Amelia and Jean, who were standing in the doorway with a fear so great in their eyes.
She wished they could thank and bid farewell to the pair, but they needed to leave before the soldiers found out they were missing. Instead, she just gave the two a curt nod, hoping that one action could extend the amount of gratitude she held for them.
As they ran out into the morning sun, they were met with a peculiar sight.
The Dueglesteiners were being overrun by…a group of children not much older than Alice.
They bore weapons from a simple slingshot and club to much greater ones like an axe or a crossbow.
“Zis…is ze group of rebels?” Adalene said in disbelief, her accent returning.
“Well,” Skylar shrugged, “We’ve fought enemies much older than us as well. Why can’t they do the same?”
“Zat vas…different,” Adalene’s mouth was agape as she saw a girl who looked a little older than Alice shoot down a soldier with a crossbow before taking down another one with only her fists. “You six vere chosen. Zis…zis is just crazy.”
“I’ll say,” Richard agreed, as he saw a tall boy knock the legs out from under another soldier with a dual-bladed axe, before slamming the hilt of it into the soldier’s head.
Peter gulped. “Can…you do that, Adalene?”
The girl with the crossbow scrambled up the side of a building before jumping on top of another soldier, pounding on his head with her fists.
“Of…course I can.”
Before they knew it, the entire platoon was either injured or unconscious on the ground. Richard, whose arm was getting tired, asked Skylar if she could switch to holding Luke up with him.
As Skylar pulled Luke’s arm over her shoulder, he opened his eyes a little, his slurred speech continuing.
“Am…I dead? ‘Cause you look like an angel…” Luke giggled like a drunk man, putting a finger up to Skylar’s nose as he muttered, “Boop.”
She rolled her eyes, adjusting her grip on Luke as the girl with the crossbow walked up to the group. She had dark brown hair that was pulled back in braids, and her eyes were almost as dark as her hair.
She walked up to the group, hands on her hips as she looked over them.
“So you’re the group these guys were after,” her voice was full of a spunky attitude, a smile spreading across her freckled face.
The boy with the axe from before walked up behind her, his arms crossed and his eyes an equally dark color filled with rage.
There was a tense moment between the two groups, as more rebels joined behind the girl.
“Name’s Lydia,” she held out a bandaged hand. She looked at the group again, then asked, “Uh…which one of you is the leader?”
Skylar offered a sad smile, as Luke continued to mutter crazy sayings. “Hehe…silly doggy…”
Lydia looked a bit taken aback. “What’s up with him?”
“He uh…got a little sick,” was Skylar’s response, “But um…it’s nice to meet you, Lydia…?” Skylar offered her free hand.
“Delafaile,” Lydia took Skylar’s hand and shook it. “Lydia Delafaile. And this is my second-in-command, Thomas,” Lydia indicated to the boy with the axe.
Thomas offered a curt nod but otherwise didn’t say a word.
“Thomas is a quiet fellow,” Lydia explained, “He thinks that some words just shouldn’t be spoken. But don’t worry, he’s not entirely mute.” She laughed, her hands returning to her hips.
“So what’re you guys doing out here?” Lydia raised an eyebrow, “I heard you were wanted by the government.”
“Yes,” Alice spoke up, “But we didn’t do anything wrong like they may have told you. We’ve never committed any crime against them, never done anything to make them want to capture us. It’s just…” Alice didn’t know if she could trust them enough to tell them the real reason they were there.
“They’re special,” Adalene finished, masking her accent once again as she nervously adjusted her hood, “They…are part of something greater.”
“You don’t mean…something like a legend?” Lydia asked, “A tale told to some as kids? A tale…of a prophecy?”
Adalene gasped. “How did you-”
“Oh, I’m smarter than I look,” Lydia adjusted the bandages on her hands, before leaning close to Adalene and muttering one word: “Elfe.”
“But rest assured, oh children of the prophecy,” Lydia continued, backing away as she crossed her arms, “We’ll keep you safe from the soldiers.”
…
“Where are you taking us?” Alice glanced over at Lydia, who led the others out of the town.
“Somewhere safe,” was Lydia’s answer, “Away from any towns the soldiers could find.”
A groan sounded from Luke, followed by a crazed laugh as he muttered, “I’m a donkey…” and made a sound similar to a donkey.
“He’s getting worse,” Skylar sighed as she held the back of her hand up to Luke’s forehead, while Richard held onto Luke’s arm once again.
“No worries,” Lydia shrugged, “We have a healer back at the camp.”
“The camp?” Peter asked.
Lydia nodded. “A haven from the soldiers,” Alice noticed Lydia’s hands clench into fists before she released them and continued, “It should keep you safe from them.”
“Should,” Alice heard a voice mutter and turned to see Thomas, whose eyes were still cold and unforgiving as he stared at the ground. “I’ll make sure it does.” His dark eyes glanced at Alice, softening for a moment.
“Yeah,” a girl rebel scoffed, “As you kept us safe that one time in Dorton?” She elbowed Thomas, a smile bright on her face.
“That…that was an accident,” Thomas’ face went red, staring at the ground again.
“Ah, look!” Lydia observed, “Thomas is already talking! You guys must be quite the party, huh?”
The seven of them were silent.
“Well, uh…here we are!” Lydia exclaimed, “The Archstar Sanctuary.”
Alice gasped as she looked at the sight before them. Two waterfalls flowed down the base of the mountain, landing in a shallow pool that reflected the blue sky.
Trees surrounded the area, guarding the oasis like a wall from the outside. Birds were chirping, a sound Alice hadn’t heard in weeks. Flowers covered nearly every inch of the grass, filling the air with a sweet fragrance. Alice thought she spotted a patch of yellow poppies.
A flash of gray fur told Alice that Skylar’s wolf, Luna, was running for the pool, lapping at the water as if she hadn’t had a drink in days.
“I never thought this country could be so beautiful,” Helen said in wonder.
“It used to all be like this,” Lydia admitted sadly, “But not anymore. Not since-”
“The War of Fools,” Adalene finished. “The war that destroyed this country and separated it from the rest of the world because of a selfish and gullible king.”
“Don’t you talk that way about King Dominic!” Richard yelled at Adalene, “He is a great king and ended a war that could have otherwise thrown our world into chaos!”
“W-war?” Luke weakly lifted his head, “My…my father…fought…war…”
“Shh…” Skylar comforted Luke, “We know, Luke, we know.”
“I miss…daddy…” Luke continued to mutter, then rested his head on Richard’s shoulder.
“I know,” Skylar muttered, “I miss mine, too.”
Alice watched them silently, a sad feeling passing over her. She felt bad for the two but understood their bond as well. She missed her family. She missed her parents and her siblings. She missed her home.
As Adalene and Richard continued to bicker about the war, Alice stared at the ground, the tears threatening to spill once again.
She knew it was wrong to cry, especially as they were out of danger for now, but something about Skylar and Luke stating aloud how much they missed their fathers triggered something inside her.
It brought back the grief.
A soft touch to the back of her hand made Alice look up, seeing Peter’s freckled face. His green eyes seemed to glow in the sunlight, his red hair once again falling into his eyes.
He offered a sad smile, recognizing Alice’s distress. His hand wrapped around hers, as he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, a silent gesture to reassure her.
Alice stepped closer to Peter, resting her head on his shoulder. He let his head fall on hers as well, muttering, “I know,” to her.
As Alice stood there with Peter, she thought about all that she had lost in the past two months, but also all she had gained, as well.
She had lost everything at the beginning of this journey, leaving her feeling defeated and numb. But then she met Helen. And Peter. And all the others. They had given her love almost as much as her own family had, and even though every day she was reminded of all she had lost, she would wake up and see her friends and smile.
She had met Peter, a goofy, homeless, red-haired boy who had made her laugh when she needed it most. It was as if he knew, even before she mentioned it, that she was upset and needed help.
When Peter lost his last loved one, Alice tried to do the same, although it didn’t have the same effect on him as it had on her.
In any moment of danger, Peter would jump into action, right there to protect her. Although she never mentioned it to him, Alice appreciated it and wished to do the same for him, as well. That was why she had wanted to defend herself, so she could protect him as well.
It had broken her heart as she saw Peter after he had fought Boromir, barely recognizable with all the injuries he had sustained. And even as she was taken away from his body, she needed to be near him. She needed to be with him.
Just as she did now. And he needed her, too.
…
As the sun began to set that night, Alice walked up to the patch of yellow poppies. She smiled to herself, despite the tears spilling from her eyes.
Peter put a hand on her shoulder, asking again if she wanted to do this. “You don’t have to.”
“No,” Alice answered, “I have to do it. For all of them.”
She picked some of the poppies, along with some orchids, lilies, cornflowers, and daffodils. Then she walked to the edge of the pool, handing Peter some of the flowers.
“I have to…remember them.” Alice wiped her eyes, “I know that sounds…odd, but I have to make sure that they are honored.”
She turned, seeing Richard, Helen, Skylar, and Adalene standing there, their faces full of sadness.
“Can we…honor them, too?” Helen was the first to ask.
Alice nodded, biting the inside of her lip to hold back the tears. Maybe this was what they needed. To honor their dead.
“I’m…sorry Luke can’t come here,” Skylar murmured, “He’s…still asleep. But I’m sure he would love to come here, as well.”
Alice offered a smile, asking how many flowers she would like.
“Two,” Skylar answered, “One for my father…and, one for Chris. I don’t…know if he’s still out there…” her yellow eyes glistened, and she bit her lip a well. “I just…want to honor him in case.”
As she handed Skylar a lily and a cornflower, Alice covered Skylar’s hand with hers, a silent reminder that they were all there for each other.
Richard walked up next, scratching the back of his neck, anxious. “Two, please. And uh…I know it’s a little weird, but I want one for Dr. Goodwell from Hilgaria. I uh…never knew my mother, but I think she was a great woman. And…and Goodwell helped Helen, so…I-I don’t know, I just-I just feel like he deserves this as well.
Alice handed Richard a daffodil and an orchid, offering a sad smile to him as well.
Helen stepped up, looking even more anxious than Richard. “I don’t…know who to honor. I haven’t lost anyone, at least not that I know of, but I, just…I don’t know, I just want to be here for all of you.”
“You don’t have to honor just people you have lost,” Alice reassured her, “If you have something you’re worried about, maybe this can help, as well.”
Helen nodded and asked for a single flower. Although she didn’t explain the reason, Alice handed Helen a cornflower.
Finally, Adalene stepped over to Alice, her expression full of a deep sadness she hadn’t seen before. Adalene held out her hand, muttering, “One, please.”
Alice gave her a lily, reassuring her that it was okay if she didn’t want to give a reason.
“For…for my mother.” was Adalene’s reply.
Peter was given three different flowers, an orchid, a daffodil, and a cornflower. Alice gripped the yellow poppies close to her chest as she led the others to the edge of the pool.
She knelt before the water, taking a deep breath before leading the others in a sort of prayer. It wasn’t specifically religious, just some words to honor their dead.
“As we honor our loved ones and dead, we not only honor their lives but their memory as they live on long after they have passed.
“May we remember them forever, our parents, siblings, and other relatives or loved ones, who have shaped our lives no matter how short or long they were with us.”
Alice lowered her hands, setting the poppies on top of the water as the others followed suit.
“And as we let these flowers drift into the night, may we remember what these people taught us, and remember how much they loved us.
“May they live on in us forever, a part of our lives until our death.”
Alice herself muttered “Amen” afterward, glancing at the others who each looked at the flowers drifting away from them, honoring their loved ones and releasing the guilt each of them felt.
She let out a breath, feeling relieved that she had honored them, and telling herself she would no longer be so consumed by her grief, instead accepting the deaths of her family members and moving on. At least a little...
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