She sat
there, unmoving, as rolls of thunder sounded, as sheets of rain poured, as
streaks of lightning flashed, and as the ancient house crumbled. It wasn't in
her place to shed tears, but she did so along with the young ones who were
lucky enough to be saved before the raid. Wet, charred grass fluttered weakly
in the bellows of the wind, and a little girl, the last of the four there were
before this, lost in confusion and sorrow, stood to run back to the house. A
boy rushed to stop the girl from leaving their place behind the fallen trees
and he pulled her down to escape the patrolling soldiers' sharp eyes.
She realized
the alarming conclusion that she would have to lead the children to safety and
protect them. Despite her experience in the war, she could not possibly take care
of six boys and a girl with a traitor of the Crown's military to help. She felt
a firm hand clasp her shoulder and looked back. The man she had grown to care deeply
for despite his rugged appearance and his awkward demeanor crouched low next
to her and gave her a smile she knew to meant to encourage her. She couldn't help but let
her guard down and she leaned in to give a swift kiss on his cheek.
"Victoria,
we'll pull through this together."
Yes, even
though she was still only a teenager, and he much younger than she was, they
would, in some way, end the suffering for the children, and if not for the
children, then for each other.
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