Purpleland: Chapter 7

Plans were quickly made for my return. Marcus, showing surprisingly that he might in fact have a sense of humor however deeply buried, housed Britt in a room adjoining mine. It seemed that there was no hope of delaying the departure. That gave me only one day to speak to Alena.  I found her in the field behind the main house. There was a rock there that we had often sat on together and talked for hours. Now she sat there alone. When she saw me she smiled.

“Come here Kail and sit with me.”

I came but did not sit. “You know I have to go back.”

She nodded.

 “And I will have to stay there, perhaps for years.”

“Of course I know.” Her voice was very soft.

“I want you to come with me.”

She looked up sharply.

“As my wife.”

“Oh Kail.” There were tears in her eyes and she put her arms around me. “I should have to leave mother and father and the mountain. I should have to be queen. I should never again be free. Kail, I’m seventeen. I have so much more I want to do.”

“But Alena I love you. I would die for you. Does any of that matter if we are in love?”

“You are in love.” Her voice was not cold only sorrowful. “I do love you but I do not know yet whether I should not be just as happy loving you as a brother.”

Her words struck something in deep me and I felt as though I had been punched. I pulled away from her.

“I love you Alena. I will always love you. I will come back for you when I can.”

She just looked at me with her sorrowful grey eyes and it cut deeply that she said nothing about waiting for me.

Many men have said they would always love the woman who is at the time the object of their affection but few maintain their passion. I will swear to anyone that what I said to Alena on that day was true. I love her still and my love has never waned. Soon death will come to seal the promise as fulfilled.

Purpleland: Chapter 6

Alena’s mother slowly gained back her strength and Marcus became used to his new duties so the three of us were often together. Marcus had not really been changed by his new title and it was like the old days when the three of us were always together but now there was no secret of my love for Alena. Even Alena’s parents knew about us. As often as the three of us were together Alena and I were alone. Her mother’s illness had made Alena more solemn and she laughed less often but when she did it was an even more beautiful sound than formerly. Nor did her solemnness dampen her shining beauty. It only served to add to all her other charms a gentleness which could not fail to enthrall me even more.

I knew that my father wasn’t well and that my happiness could not last. I knew that someday soon there would come a summons and I would be irrevocably saddled with a kingdom I had never wanted. But in those days I closed my eyes to anything I didn’t want to see. I didn’t want to think about what would become of my love for Alena when that occurred so I didn’t. I enjoyed her company and her laughter and closed my eyes firmly to the future.

The messenger came about a year after Lord Stephan’s death and he did not come to tell me that my father was dead and I was king but to bring a royal summons. My father had it seems regained some of his strength and now was made fully sensible to the fact that his young son would likely be king within the next few years and had no experience ruling. He now wished to impart his wisdom so that I would be prepared to take up the reigns of the kingdom. At least that was the impression conveyed to by the messenger, one of my father’s sworn body guards, dressed all in black and it seemed ready to spit me on his sword, crown prince or no, if I did not return with him. He glowered at me as if the fact that my father was dying was all due to something I had done.

His name was Britt and he made it clear that he cared very little whether I wanted to return or not. His lord had told him to bring me and he would take me back. We would leave the next day and not all the protestation in the world could sway him. In jest, I compared him to a boulder. He gave me a look that could have permanently frozen my tongue to my sword and informed me that the boulder would be rolling tomorrow and better be moving if I had any views as to not being crushed.

Purpleland: Chapter 5

The next few months were some of the best of my life. I spent almost all my time with Alena. Marcus was constantly busy and Shay spent all her time in the library so there was no one to disturb our time together. I wanted to tell her how I felt but at that time I seemed like I had all the time in the world and I was sure she knew anyway. We explored the mountain together and talked about almost everything.  She was so beautiful. I wondered that her father had not set up a marriage for her. She only laughed and told me that she was not likely to be promised until Shay was engaged. I asked her whether that was likely to happen soon but she had a strange reluctance to talk about her sister and I let it drop.

The days with Alena lasted four months before they were cut short. Alena’s mother fell ill and Alena spend all of her time by her side. I still spoke to Alena often but usually hushed conversations of five minutes outside the sick room. I would have been happy to sit with her by her mother’s side but it would have been improper for me, a man not part of the family, to be in a lady’s bedroom for any length of time. I strove to show every solicitude to Alena and her mother. I rode for the doctor whenever he was needed. I Brought Alena food and convinced her to eat. I did my best to distract her father form the worry that was eating his mind. Marcus also spared no expense for her care and went to express his sympathy to Alena almost as often as I.

It was during that time that I developed an odd friendship with Shay. It started when I went to the library one rainy day to find a book. There I found Shay. She had her head in her arms and was sobbing. I had never really liked Shay but seeing her so touched me and she was the sister of the girl I loved. I went to her and begged to know what was the matter.  She only sobbed harder and said something unintelligible about her mother. I told her to stop crying and that her mother was getting better. And she sobbed out that it was not just that, then she looked up and there were tears in her grey eyes.

“She loves Alena. Not me. Never me. And my father too, It’s always all about Alena with them. It’s not her fault of course, she can’t help being beautiful and adored by everyone but that doesn’t make it any better for me.”

I told her that I was sure her parents loved her just as much as they loved Alena but she shook her head.

“I went to her when she first fell ill and all she did while I was there was ask for Alena. Of course Alena would be the better nurse but I wish she could have been, for a half an hour, content with me.”

I had never thought about how Alena’s obvious beauty and favor with everyone would affect her older and much more subdued sister. But I saw that what she said was true. Her parents were always talking about Alena and her accomplishments and I rarely heard them even mention the name of their older daughter. I patted Shay’s arm rather awkwardly and told her she was very beautiful and that things were sure to get better. She smiled at me with tears in her eyes which were the same exact shade of gray as Alena’s but were still so different. Then thanked me and left. After that I would talk to Shay sometimes. She was extremely intelligent and I found that she could be pleasant company. Not that for a moment I thought of exchanging my love of the younger sister for the older. I was I love with Alena, desperately, madly, forever.

Purpleland: Chapter 4

We had been there about a year and a half when we received word that Lord Stephen had grown suddenly and violently ill and was not expected to live. Marcus, of course, had to go back immediately and I insisted on accompanying him. Right before we left Marcus went to speak to his young companion. He came away looking solemn and I got the impression that things had been broken off. For what reason I could not tell but I thought perhaps that it was because it seemed likely that Marcus would soon be lord in place of his father and must either take her as a wife or be apart from her until he was secure in his lands. They were both eighteen, not quite too young to marry but to ask a girl of that age either to leave her entire family or to keep up a connection to someone who could not possibly see her for several years was difficult to say the least. I thought it likely that for these reasons he had broken off their connection or else he had offered to marry her and she had refused.

We did not reach the house in time. Lord Stephan died only a few hours before we reached his side. I was not sure what to feel as a saw the one person who had truly played parent to me white and dead in the bed he had used his whole life. A young man of eighteen is not supposed to show emotion but I have to admit I cried. Marcus did not. Even as a small boy he had inherited his father’s reserve along with his almost white hair. Marcus simply stood by his father’s body with a face like stone and said not a word to anyone.

We buried Lord Stephan with his fathers behind his castle and I stood beside Marcus as they lowered him into the grave. Among the mourners I saw Alena and her family. At first I didn’t recognize her, so great a transformation she had undergone while we were away. She was now sixteen and where she had been mildly pretty when we left she was now absolutely and completely beautiful. She was in the black of mourning and her expression matched the occasion.  But nothing could dampen the radiance of her beauty. I was struck dumb and beside me I saw that Marcus was likewise afflicted. She hugged both of us tightly and told us how sorry she was. Then she on the verge of crying told us how in the end he had never stopped speaking of both of us and how she was sure he loved both of us as any father could love his sons. I thanked her and Marcus just nodded. Then her family joined us.

 Shay had undergone a very different transformation. She was also more beautiful but where Alena was light she was shadow. Not only was her hair dark where her sister’s was light and golden but something about her made me afraid while everything about Alena comforted and reassured. Shay nodded to both of us and expressed her condolences in a voice that was low and almost hypnotic. Their parents express similar sentiments and it did not take Marcus long to convince them all to stay so that Alena’s father could help him put his affairs in order. I was very glad of the chance to be closer to Alena and talked with her the whole way back. She was still the Alena I had known and by the end of the afternoon I was very much in love.

Elgaboth the Kidnapping, Chapter 8

Anna woke early. It had been two days since they had met Angela and things were going as well as could be hoped. Kurt’s ankle was not as swollen as it had been, though he still could not walk without pain. Angela had wrapped his ankle tightly and made something like a crutch for him to lean on. Something about their relations bothered Anna. Kurt was protective of her, asking her not to go out after dark, hobbling along beside her when she went to get water. In fact the only time his depression lifted was when he felt he was helping Angela in some way. There was a clear difference in the way he treated her and Anna and, while Anna did not wish for his attentions, she could not miss what the difference implied.

In Anna’s mind Kurt had always been in love with Lucy. Ever since their third day at Elgaboth, when he had spent all evening in a lively debate with her on all subjects, he had paid her every attention, flowers when she was ill, books when she was bed-bound, long walks around the grounds on good days, reading by the fire on bad. Anna did not want to burden her cousin by asking but she was almost sure that Lucy returned these feelings. She had been conflicted over the situation for a year now. On one hand seeing two people she loved so much find each other was a joy to her. But at the same time Lucy was nowhere near Kurt’s station.  Lord Falcona was much more liberal minded than many of the other lords, but would he consent to his son and heir marrying a commoner? Anna was not sure of Kurt either. Did he even plan to bring this up to his father? Or perhaps he was simply riding the high of his feelings while he was young, meaning to marry well later. She had resolved not to interfere and to trust that Kurt and Lucy would act honorably towards each other. This decision did not preclude a fair amount of significant looks and giggling between herself and Cassie.

This new relationship with Angela, however, made Anna nervous. She was not sure if this was a reflection of his love for Lucy, protecting someone like Lucy being the closest thing to actually keeping Lucy safe, or if Lucy and Angela were both his type and he would take what he could get. For you could not deny that Angela was Like Lucy. The same sweetness forged of suffering, the same care for others. They both had studied how to care for those in pain and both gave without a thought for themselves.

Anna still knew very little about Angela’s background. About all she would say was that her mother was not strong mentally and had been unable to believe that her daughter was pregnant. Nothing would convince her and finally Angela had decided it was best she go. Anna had never been one to ask hard questions and she did not now, believing that Angela would tell her what she needed to. The thought of what to do next weighed on Anna’s mind. She wondered whether it was safe to go back to Elgaboth, assuming they could find it again, but the thought of leaving Angela alone was too terrible to contemplate. Anna Decided they should wait to attempt a return until both Kurt could walk and Angela had recovered from her child’s birth. Kurt agreed with this so the three of them had settled to life in the tiny cottage.

Anna forced herself to leave the warmth of the blanket she and Angela shared. Kurt would need water when he woke and she couldn’t have Angela walking all the way to the stream with Kurt tottering unevenly beside her. She bushed the rotting door aside and stepped out into the brilliance of the day. It blinded her for a few seconds but when her eyes had adjusted she almost dropped the jug in surprise. Straight ahead two boys stood, staring rather awkwardly at the house. The taller one was painfully thin with dark hair and darker eyes. He had a tense, coiled look. The other boy was blond with a large nose set between blue eyes. He looked more anguished than anything else as though some worry was eating him from the inside.

The taller boy sprang into action bowing to Anna and speaking. “Ma’am, could you possibly help us with something? We are looking for a young lady, only a bit younger than yourself. She would have dark hair and green eyes.”

“Why are you looking for this girl?” Anna was suddenly suspicious. She did not know much about Angela’s past but she knew that she had wanted to leave it behind for a reason.

“You see,” said the boy, “She’s my sister.” His voice cracked for a second. “And I have to make sure she is well.”

Anna’s suspicions climbed higher. Angela had spoken of her mother, stepfather, and stepsister, but had never mentioned a brother. She wondered if this was, perhaps, the one who had seduced and betrayed his Angela. “And who is he?” She asked turning to the younger boy.

The older boy shot a hostile look at his companion. “He has a debt to pay.”

          The blond boy squirmed and said softly, “I’ve known Angela since we were children.”

So they were looking for Angela. Anna was unsure of what to do. She could not know if they were enemies until Angela saw them. Unfortunately if they saw Angela there was not much she or Kurt, in his weakened state, could do to defend her.

“Wait here and all get you some water, then we can talk about this girl.”

The boys nodded, though the older one sent her a suspicion glance.

Anna hurried inside and gently shook Angela awake. “There are two people looking for you.”

Angela turned pale and looked as though she wanted to run.

“I want you to look out and tell me what you want me to do.”

Angela nodded weakly and put her eye to a crack in the door. At the sight of the boys she started violently and without a word burst out the door. She threw herself into the arms of the older boy and sobbing clung to him.

“I thought you were dead. I thought your spirit had left the earth. I mourned for you. How are you free? How are you here?” Questions and exclamations meddled into a single train of noise and Angela clung to her brother.

At the sight of Angela the other boy had turned whiter than Anna had thought possible and was looking almost sick. Anna thought he might benefit from someone to talk to so she stepped forward and introduced herself with a “Hi I’m Anna.” She wondered if he was the father dragged along by a vengeful brother and quickly cast him in the role of “seducer and betrayer”.

The potential seducer and betrayer, looking younger than ever, shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Angela was still sobbing uncontrollably into her brother’s shoulder.

“I’m Jack.” He paused. “You have to understand,” he said in an undertone. “Jordan was taken away years ago. She thought… we all thought he had died in a prison camp. And now he’s back like some sort of miracle.”

Anna nodded not fully understanding but not ready to ask anything just then.

Angela finally seemed to remember them. She smiled at Jack, who Anna was beginning to suspect was incapable of either seduction or betrayal. “Good to see you Jack.”

Jack attempted a returning smile but it did not make it to his lips. “I’m glad we found you.” He said softly.

Angela turned to Anna. “Anna meet my brother Jordan.” At the last word she started crying again and hugged him.

Anna reassessed Jordan. Now that she was no longer thinking of him as a potential seducer and betrayer he was quite good looking. There was something too thin and too tense about his tight muscular frame and something too cold in his dark eyes but now that he was with Angela even these flaws had faded slightly. He had a dark mop of wavy black hair and darker skin than his sister. He moved gracefully almost like Cassie. That thought snatched her mind away to the dark chamber she had so studiously avoided. Thoughts of what could be happening to her friends at that very moment.

Jordan nodded coolly towards her. “We will speak later about what brought you here but I thank you that my sister was not alone. My sister and I have much to speak of.” He smiled at her and she shuddered with happiness.

“Of course,” said Anna.

The walked off and sat on a fallen tree together, Angela’s young joyful voice rubbing the edge of bitterness off her brother’s face.

Elgaboth the Kidnapping: Chapter 7

Lianna stared at the bodies. She had killed them without thinking, without even trying. She did not know or care why they had come to take her from the cage but as soon as he opened the bars and grabbed her wrists she had killed him. She could do it again. They had only to touch her and she could descend into the maze again. She knew the way now and she could not forget the tantalizing gleam of her power. The darkness inside her had stirred at the sight of blood and had come fully awake at the taste and smell of death, and the part of her that usually fought the darkness was so numbed that before she knew it the darkness had her. She let out a high pitched laugh and kicked his body from her contemptuously. By then two other guards where there, but they did not come to close. If they had she would have killed both of them. Elwin was crying and babbling questions. The prince in the other cage stared at her like she was some monster of legend. It was then that he came. He stood alone in the grass taking in the dead bodies, and the convulsively sobbing Elwin.

"Lianna. Come here."

His voice held much more intense power than the other commands she had resisted before and she found herself shuffling toward him and she fought the command desperately.

"I will not hurt you."

When she reached him he took firm hold of her wrists. She tried to kill him but this time it did nothing. He tied her wrists with a silver cord and suddenly she was out of the maze, or at least the maze disappeared.

He turned to the men. “You are witnesses that he was told not to approach until I arrived. His blood is on his own head. Get someone to bury him.”

The two men bowed and backed away.

"Follow me," He motioned to Lianna.

She found she could no longer even begin to resist so in a few moments she was in what appeared to be his personal tent.  He turned to regard her with his mismatched eyes.

"Has anyone told you what you are child?"

She just looked at him with her broken blue eyes.

"Do you know why you can do what you just did?"

She continued to stare but this time slowly shook her head.

"Do you know anything about demonspawn?"

Her head came up and she finally spoke "I am not..."

"Yes you are. So am I thanks to my dear mother. You're not first generation. I would say second or third. Do you know any of your grandparents?"

She gave no response, anger making her fierce.

"Well as most of your half siblings are not twins I would venture a guess that it was your father. He died before you were born right?"

She continued in sullen silence.

"And I would venture to guess he was not exactly a kind man."

"What is your point sir?" Her voice was sharp.

"Only that one of your grandparents or perhaps great Grandparents was a demon. You're from Pinkland I suppose. Their demons are quite notorious for interbreeding even if they're bound to the mountains. I take it you're fey. Your sister seems almost normal."

"Leave her out of it."

"As you wish, do you know what fey means?"

"No."

"Well demonspawn are always twins, right up to the fourth generation and one of the twins is always fey. The fey twin is much more affected by the demon heritage. Both the twins will usually have powers but the fey will be much the stronger. Sometimes the fey goes mad, sometimes he or she is born an imbecile. Both twins are usually morally lacking, particularly the fey. It is rare to meet a first generation with any kind of moral conscience. Would you like to hear more?"

"I think you have told me quite enough."

"Very well, I will take you back to the cages and see that you have no other chances of using your new talents on any one, especially your sister."

She whirled to face him, eyes blazing. "You think I would kill my sister?"

"As I said demon spawn are lacking something morally. I know of more cases than I like to think where the fey killed the other."

She turned icy. "Sir, I have no intention of injuring Elwin in anyway. That is the one thing I could never do."

He looked at her quizzically. "Tell me you were never jealous of your parent's preference for her. Tell me you never looked at her and hated her because she had what you didn't."

She was angry again. "You, sir, cannot know anything..."

He cut her off "I can know everything. You are fey she is not your parents, being human will naturally prefer the other just as mine, being demons, will prefer my sister." His eyes soften just a bit and his voice was almost a whisper. "I would not trust myself alone with her had I just discovered I had the power to kill. So I will not trust you alone with your sister. I do not mean this as an insult my lady." He bowed to her and offered her his arm.

Lianna stared at him. "You play the gentleman now?"

He looked her in the eyes with infuriating coolness. "I am attempting to run this operation with as little discomfort to all concerned."

Lianna stared incredulous.

"My lady, consider that no one, excepting the fighting men, has been killed. None of the ladies have been menaced, injuries or defiled. Yes I have burned your school and essentially kidnapped all of you but I ask you: Would you prefer I had refused this command of my mother's? She would have sent someone else. And trust me if she had not of your little friends would have been returned with their lives. And their deaths would not have been easy.” His eyes again softened. "I am well aware my lady that I am no paragon of virtue but I have been so placed that there are few roads left open to me. I have not the benefit of your moral philosophers or your holy orders. I have only my conscience, a sorry thing but one that most first generation demonspawn cannot be said to own.”

She ignored him and he led her back to the cage. This time he placed her not with Elwin but with Jon, the Blueland prince. Neither spoke.

Elgaboth, the Kidnapping: Chapter 6

If they had but known it the procession of prisoners passed with a mile of where Anna and Kurt slept, but by the time either woke their friends were many leagues beyond. Anna woke suddenly to find huge green eyes staring at her. She sat up with a start. About three feet to her left was a girl, very beautiful in an extremely youthful way. Her dark hair cascaded down her back and contrasted with her tan and creamy skin. The large green stared out at Anna. Anna would have guessed was thirteen or fourteen if she had not been very obviously in the latter stages of pregnancy. Anna did not know all the customs of Greyland but she did not believe they gave girls in marriage that young.

“Hello,” she faltered, quailing under the bright green eyes.

 “Hello,” said the girl. “Are you in need of anything?” The mesmerizing green eyes seemed to fill with concern.

Anna sat up slowly. “Yes, I suppose we are. You see…” she stopped, this girl seemed friendly but at the same time Greyland was not on the best of terms with Mixupland and Kurt could be held for quite a ransom if someone took it into their heads to hold him for one. “We lost our way in the dark. Where are we?”

“Greyland, the Quinila province, we are not particularly near any towns or even villages since we are so close to the border. Is there some way I can help you find your way?”

“Well,” said Anna carefully, weighing their need for help against the fact that she knew nothing of this girl. “My brother,” she indicated Kurt, sleeping a few feet away, “hurt his ankle rather badly. I don’t think he can walk for long. Do you know of a place where we can rest for a few days until he can walk?”

“Well,” said the girl. “There are always inns and the like in the towns but the closest one is about half a day’s walk at a good pace.” The girl seemed to ponder something. “If you come with me I will show you a place you can rest not far from here.”

“Thank you.” Anna a slight lessening of the pressure that had followed through her veins since the sound of screams had disturbed her sleep. “My name is Anna, what’s yours?”

“Angela,” Said the girl.

Anna put her palms out in a gesture of friendship. “I am glad to know you Angela.”

She knelt down and gently woke Kurt. He woke to pain and tried to push her away but eventually Anna had him sitting up. She introduced him to Angela as her brother. His first name was so common that she did not think it would hurt to use his real name. Kurt’s mood seemed to lighten with Angela’s acquaintance. Between them they helped Kurt to get up. Then he leaned heavily on Anna as Angela led him through the forest. They came to a small hut covered over in ivy. Angela opened the door to reveal a dark room with several pots and pans, a heap of blankets and a small fireplace. Herbs hung from the ceiling in profusion. Anna helped Kurt over to the blankets where he gingerly lowered himself to the ground.

“Can I see your ankle?” asked Angela kneeling beside him.

Kurt nodded wearily; the walk had taken a lot out of him. She carefully rolled up his pant leg.   

“We are going to have to get your boot off.” She said looking at it hard.

The idea seemed to sap Kurt’s remaining strength. He lay down with an arm over his eyes. Angela gave the boot a few experimental tugs, then, suddenly, yanked it off his foot. Kurt sat up and released several choice words which belied Lady Falcona’s careful upbringing. Angela jumped back looking a bit scared. Anna had no such scruples.

“Oh lie back Kurt. That was the only way to get it off.”

Kurt snorted but lay back obediently.

“Do you think it’s broken?” asked Anna as Angela knelt to examine the ankle more closely.

“How long ago did this happen?”  She looked from Anna to Kurt.

“Last night,” Said Kurt. “I jumped out of a window and landed on it wrong.”

“How did it feel then? Could you move or walk it at all?”

“Oh I could walk, even sort-of run, at first.”

“Then it’s not broken. The bone might be chipped but the immobility is caused by the swelling, not the other way round.”

“Great news.” Said Kurt, there was a hard edge to his voice. “Maybe I won’t be utterly useless.”

“Can we do anything?” Said Anna wishing she had paid more attention to her grandmother’s vast medical knowledge. It was odd to realized how much she and Lucy relied on each other. Never having a strong interest in anything medical she had always had Lucy to remind her of the name of that obscure plant that relived headaches or the way to correctly treat a broken bone. She forcefully pushed back thoughts of Lucy and the ways Lucy had relied on her.

Angela picked an herb from the ceiling. “This will ease the pain if he chews it. This,” she said pointing to another white colored leaf, “will make him sleep if the pain is too bad. But do not use it often.”

“Thank you,” said Anna. “Do you live near here? I don’t mean to force you to help us, but if you could check in on him or something. I just have no idea what I’m doing.”

Angela blinked her huge eyes. “I will be here.”

“What do you mean?” Asked Anna, confused.

“This is where I have been living. I was with the gypsies but they had to go to their gathering and outsiders aren’t allowed. They took me there because it’s so far from everyone they said I’d be safe.”

“You’re all alone?”

Angela nodded.

“But what if… “ Anna was in the awkward positon of not want to assume that her new friend was with child and wanting to know how she planned to deliver alone.

Angela seemed to understand. “In gypsy culture babies are birthed alone. They told me what to do if the pains start but they wouldn’t have helped even if I was with them.”

“Forgive me if this seems impertinent, but do you have no family?”

“I lived with my Mother and step-father, but I couldn’t stay there. It… it wasn’t working.”

“Angela, how old are you?”

“Almost fourteen.”

Something shifted in Anna’s brain. Up til now she had been thinking of Angela as an adult helping Kurt and herself who were still nearly children. She realized now that Angela was almost two years younger than her, essentially homeless, with no one to care for her. She determined then and there that, at the very least, she would see that Angela had someone with her when the baby came. “Do you know when?”

“I would expect in a week or two it was eight and a half months ago.” The last sentence was hesitating.

Kurt interrupted them from the corner. “So are we going to do anything about what happened?”

Anna turned to look at him. “I don’t see what we can do. Even if we could get back to Mixupland the authorities must know now and what would we do beside alert them.”

“I see.” The hard edge was back in his voice.

Anna didn’t feel that further talk would help him any. She reminded herself again that he was simply afraid for Lucy and Cassie, but that just brought back her own fears about her friends. Angela looked back and forth between them.

“Angela, why don’t you show me where we can get water.”

The pair went outside and began walking toward the sound of running water. 

“You have to forgive Kurt.” Said Anna, “Several friends of ours are in danger and he wishes there was something he could do.”

“That’s alright,” said Angela looking at the ground.

“So is there no where you can go to have the baby? It will be dangerous for both you and the child if you have it out here.

Angela shook her head. “Nowhere…” she hesitated. “There is one place, but I don’t know where it is or I don’t know where they are. Now, there’s nowhere I can get to.”

“Alright, we’ll do our best.”

When they returned Kurt was in the same position as when they left. His eyes were closed but Anna could tell by the way he held his head that he was awake.

“Kurt, put your foot up.” For a second Anna had needed to see him move, to be sure he wasn’t leaving her there alone.

Kurt made a no-too-friendly grunt and moved his foot onto the small stool.

Anna spent the rest of the day learning about how and where to find food. When she finally allowed herself to rest her mind was weighed down by the responsibility she now felt for Angela and Kurt. Whenever she was able to forget this for a time, her own fears would creep in upon her and she would wonder if Lucy needed her to care during one of her attacks or if her friends were even still alive. After being woken several times by Kurt crying out she finally fell into a fitful slumber.