Francis’ cabin was burned to the ground, taking everything with it.
Francis dismounted his horse in silence.
He walked towards the disaster, the snow crunched under his steps, echoing through the frozen meadow. His gaze lowered as he stumbled upon a metal goblet on the ashy snow.
His hands stretched for the surviving object as he studied it before falling down to his knees in the center of the devastation.
His head flew high until his eyes met the Moon.
I swallowed, dismounting Annabelle. My heart rang in my ears as my legs carried me to him.
“Francis,” I whispered, not knowing what else to say. My legs met the ground next to where Francis knelt. His face was peaceful, his hands relaxed... his eyes shone with pain.
His glassy eyes watched straight through me as I knelt before him. A single tear slid down his cheek when he caught it before it could reach his coat and the ash.
My hands wrapped around his neck. Tight, I held him in my arms until he accepted my sanctuary.
In silence we sat on the cold soil.
Time passed around us; the cold, wet snow melted into our clothing.
“Francis,” Simon appeared by our side eventually, his hand falling on Francis’ shoulder. “We must go. The sun is about to come out,” he said, his features turning stone cold.
Francis nodded, reluctantly letting go of me. “Yes.” He cleared his throat. “We must find shelter.” He got to his feet, pulling me with him.
“Issac’s friend lives nearby,” Roxanne whispered carefully, her eyes still planted on the disaster behind us. “Perhaps we could spend the night there,” she added.
Francis merely nodded as he helped me mount Annabelle before charging towards his mare.
In a swift move he turned his horse around, rushing away from the burned down cabin, away from his fallen home.
The dense woods thinned the longer we rode, the familiar spruce turning into naked birch trees.
“Where are we?” I asked Roxanne who rode beside me, trying to remember any markings on the map I had studied prior. Father had often taken Brian and I to ride around the palace, yet he’d always insisted on going west, away from where we were headed now.
“It’s a...” She glanced at Francis who strolled before us. “It used to be a Royal warrior village,” she whispered for reasons I was not aware of; my heartbeat quickened. “After the war, many stayed there, since they had nowhere else to go.” Her lips turned into a thin line. “It’s a human village, we aren’t exactly welcomed there. It’s best if no one sees us.”
“Isaac was friends with a human warrior.” I thought out loud, keeping my voice low.
“Isaac was friends with everyone who didn’t mind his being.” A sad smile stretched on Roxanne’s face at the memories of her past.
“Follow me.” Francis offered over his shoulder, turning his mare towards a narrow path behind a house that was slightly bigger than his cabin.
A small cover on the edge of the forest hid under the birch trees. Four pillars stood at each corner.
Francis dismounted his horse, tightening her reins around the pillar; we followed his lead.
“Are you sure it’s safe for us to stay here?” Simon whispered, tying the reins of his horse.
“I have known this man for years, he was a good friend to my brother,” Francis’ voice cut through the morning twilight, walking around the house to the main entrance.
He banged on the door several times before any sign of life appeared from within. “Have you seen what hour it is!” The voice behind the door exclaimed, followed by heavy steps towards the entrance.
The cold air brushed my hair, letting the stray strands fly over my face. The wet snowflakes kissed my cheeks, melting on my skin in an instant.
The air escaped my lungs when the door flew open.
A young man stood at the threshold of the cottage. His sickly familiar eyes looking over my company.
