It all happened so fast... she couldn't look away. She
wanted to look away, but the events before her unfolded like a dream, where she had no control over fate or reality. And the axe swung
down and Hyathia jerked her head away, finally broken from her shock as she kept her eyes closed tightly with all her might, fists clenched at her side.
And then, slowly she was remembering it was raining as she shivered and coaxed her eyes open to see...
She was fully expecting to see the man howling in pain, blood soaking the rain bogged ground. But instead, she saw the assailant lying on his back in a wide eyed panick...
It took her a few quick minutes and blinks of her eyes to realize...
Erin hadn't killed the man. Her heart fluttered at the notion and she almost didn't hear the red armored knight's words. Right. They should keep him alive. They could talk. She swallowed thickly. Talk...
She wasn't sure she had the courage to talk to the man, her throat feeling tight, as if choked. But she continued to remind herself...
'You came this far..' She swallowed and took a hesitant step forward, then another, eyeing the man who, she noted, was too afraid to move, that if he did so the axe might take off his hand.
She studied the man, all dirty and rain bogged and he needed to shave his graying beard. He.. was just human, his features reminding her of her 'Uncle's " (although he wasn't an uncle by blood relations by any means..) She continued her approach until fear cemented her feet again and she lowered her eyes, drew in a breath and asked, "Why?"
The man's eyes studied her sharply. Her hands tightened and untightened into fists at her side.
"Why was I targeted? Why.. are men after me?" She had hoped she sounded brave and unafraid, but her voice quavered as she spoke.
The man growled a little, looking from Erin then back to the girl. He shifted uncomfortably.
"You're a D'al astarot." He looked between the pair again. "The whole attack.. it's meant to upend the duchy. Kill the men, those who don't back down.."
She began to realize what he was saying.
"You'd use their loved one's against them..:" she finished his thought out loud. She was shaking as she continued, "But why.." she swallowed thickly. "Why
me? I'm no one of consequence."
The man looked almost shocked but bared his teeth.
"You don't know?" The man knew her direct connection to the family was more or less fibbed and lied about openly but.. did the girl not truly know herself?
He laughed a little.
"You're the only living true blooded grand child and if you knew who your mother was.."
Hyathia went pale, now
unable.to speak. Her blood line.. so.. the rumors she was a bastard child
were true. But to speak of her
mother..She had to know more.
But then a sudden explosion from above made her cry out as she covered her ears. Oh no.. were they under attack again? Her eyes went up to the hillside path, where a massive plume of dark smoke was rising despite the torrent of rain.