Hollow winds carried the message or dread, the moon was nowhere to be found, there were few stella in the sky pouring little light, from the above two eyes seemed to be losing their light.
Garrett laid on the cold snow slowly turning warm under his own blood, his throat was filled by bleeding and everything that he could see was fragments of his life.
The figure vanished in dark and Garrett's heart was getting slower and slower by every passing second, his body was going numb and eyes heavy.
"Maria, Violet..." The names that were in his mind, he couldn't speak neither can the movie, there was no blood left to carry anger through his veins, what there was left in the body of clay was prayers...
"Please be safe, my love, my world... I wish I could've seen you both happy, Violet running without care, you growing old...
I wasn't a good husband and father, I am leaving you early at the hands of this world, forgive me....forgive m—" The last breath left the chest of Garrett and the night engulfed him in the cold slumber.
***
The dark forest, Maria was running with Violet in her arms.
Oblivious to Garrett few men were able to slip away to pursue her, they were far but Garrett was prepared for such a situation.
When he planned to run away to the north, he brought a spell enchanted talisman.
A talisman attached to a cloth makes the person invisible if lost sight and sound of, the only way to counter it to never let go of the fight of the user and once the user face is seen and heard again, the user becomes visible again.
The talisman was both on Violet and Maria's clothes, they ran deep into the woods and the pursuer wasn't able to locate them.
Maria ran non-stop, her legs cried in pain and she didn't think about it for a second, in her mind there was only one thing going on, Violet's safety.
While Violet's heart was getting crushed by guilt...
***
Violet's PoV
Why am I like this? Always like stone on a drowning person?
A burden...
I looked at mama, her helds me tight and her eyes had no concern, it was papa and me...
If not for this frail body, maybe I could've helped mama and papa, if only I hadn't got caught by those masked men papa wouldn't have had to stay behind.
It's all my fault...
"Mama-" I whispered because somewhere in my heart, I knew my words would hurt her, she tightened her arms around the blanket I was wrapped in.
"What happened?" Mama didn't look at me, her eyes were fixed on the track and legs moving.
"Please leave me here, please mama..." I said.
But didn't even look at my direction, she just continued to run...
She sighed and then said, "what a brave thought, but tell me...do you really think that I'll leave you alone like that?" She said with a smile, and I know she wasn't laying.
Then suddenly we heard a crack behind us, they were close...
Mama worries rose, the desperation on her face was clear as day, she looked around and then her lips trembled.
"Oh no, no... How can I forget about it?" Her face was twisted in deep regret, she looked around.
Then Maria stopped with her sight dipped in despair, there was no way they can loose pursuers off their tails, there was only way to run but if they do, they'll be caught.
It was dead end, the left was blocked by the tall mountain and in front there was a cliff, if one had to run they can only go back or go right.
Maria took a deep breath and tried to recall everything she learnt about these woods then she recalled a small advice from the women while hunting.
"If you ever get stranded in dark woods, you'll only end up to edge of cliff, to return walk straight back.
If chased by any beast, always look for the low cave."
The sound of pursuers getting close was like drum on heartbeat, mama then stopped with her eyes fixed on me and then she whispered...
"If only we can save at least."
***
The pursuers were getting close, even though with talisman Maria was not visible aur audible to them still they had a way to chase her, they had a compass which needles pointed to the direction that was taken by any being.
Unfortunately for Maria, no animal lingered in the forest, people call ot dead woods, for there was cliffs and woods only on these parts, there weren't any greenery to attract the herbivores and their absence made the hunter and predators ignore the woods too.
There were no prey or predators in these woods until tonight, the masked few, only few remaining chased with the shadow figure riding a large wolf.
The figure got close to masked men and they looked at her with low gaze,
"We have found traces, in few moments we'll find them also." One them spoke,
"Don't make me regret putting my trust onto you all, I am already second guessing." The figure spoke.
The masked men looked at each other and nodded then their legs came to halt.
"looks like we found them." They ended up in front of a straight cliff and half of the pathway blocked by the tall mountain riddled with sharp rocks.
"She can only go left." The men spoke and the figure chuckled.
"Pick up the pace." It spoke and they rushed at the way like mad dogs.
Even the nature seemed to conspire against them, Maria still had that blanket with her arms around it.
"Just a little more and then everything shall be over." Maria ran but then a voice echoed...
"Maria!" It was loud and hoarse just like Garrett's, it felt like he was close.
Maria thought he had won and was coming to join them,
Maria shook in dread and in slight relief, and made a mistake.
Maria's legs stopped and she turned back, she yelled back while unwrapping her face, the moonlight reflected on her face and then reaching to the sharp eyes of seasoned assassins.
But Maria realised the plot she immediately covered her face and started running but it was too late.
"Oh the love, even the mightiest fell as the victim of it." The figure spoke and nocking an arrow, she aimed at the running rags, because it was impossible for them to lose her sight.
The string pulled back and then a sound of whistle silenced the loud sounds of crushing steps.
The arrow struck Maria on the right leg and she fell on the ground, she squirmed in pain and tried to get up but before she could, the rapier went through her femur of the left bone.
Maria screeched in pain holding the blanket like her life depended on it.
The figure chuckled and then spoke...
"How far do you thought you can get away while holding a grown child? Turn around, show me your face, I want to see you arrogant face riddles with regret as you'll realise that everything will be taken away from you!" The figure kicked Maria on guts and sent her flying.
She rolled with heavy force until a dead tree stopped her, she laid on the back coughing blood but her grip didn't loosen up.
"Persistent, that's what I really liked about you." The figure walked up to Maria and moonlight made the face visible to Maria.
The green eyes behind the round spectacles looked down at her, the blank hair tied up in a bun with a cloak worn neatly on her body.
Maria clenched her teeth in pure rage and veins swelled up and fist tightened up and she uttered her name in hatred beyond words.
"Calla..." Her eyes were red in anger, the betrayal didn't seem like a betrayal right now, it felt like it was anticipated...
"Sister..." Calla smiled at her, in pure contempt she leaned down to snatch the blanket she thought Violet was in, but moving her head close to Maria, but it was her arrogance inciting her making her blind to the fact that a mother determined to protect her child is far more dangerous than any beast walking on earth.
In a flash, Maria pulled out a knife and slashed left eye of Calla, the blood gushed out and Calla scremed in agony.
She covered her eye to stop the blood and was squirming as if salt was sprinkled on a leech.
"YOU BITCH! YOU LOWLY WHORE I'LL KILL YOU! I SHOULD'VE KILLED YOU! I'LL MAKE YOU SUFFER! YOU FUCKING BITCH!!" Calla was screaming in angony, she got up and pulled out the sword from one of the men, she slashed Maria's arms off and then snatched the blanket.
"You'll pay for this! Don't expect an easy death you lowborn bitch! Just because you raised Violet doesn't think you are deserving of my mercy!" She slashed another one of her arms in crazed humor.
But her smile faded as she saw smile on Maria's face instead of pain,
"Why are are smiling? Have gone mad?" Calla spoke...
With blood coming out of her mouth Maria spoke with the smile,
"You really think you can continue the facade of loving mother anymore? With everything you done until now?"
Hearing this Maria eyes moved to blanket and Calla looked at it too,
"Don't worry, I know hundred of medicine to erase memory! Everything she heard and saw will be-"
"Lady Calla!" The men spoke and angered Calla turned to them,
"What?!" Her angered soon was replaced with horror as she saw unwrapped blanket.
Instead of Violet protect in those rags, there were stones with a talisman slowly burning.
"You'll never see or hurt my daughter again..." Maria spoke and then an explosion shook the mountain...