Face Of Fate

4. Dried tears.

'Hot.' Cressida murmured while running in the castle. Running as fast as possible but her position was fixed, neither the surrounding changed nor she moved. She looked around, the whole place was ablaze. Fire to her left, fire to her right. She ran, trying to escape the fire. Tears dripping down her eyes. Worried, she gazed down at her fast-moving feet which were running on the same spot. Using all her force she speeds up and her form successfully reached her brother's body. With her trembling hand and scratched fingers, she touched it. The moment she did, it shattered into ashes, eaten by the fire.

She screamed and inched back. The fire began to float towards her. Standing on her feet she moved back from the floating fire. Running backward she saw a curtain through her shoulder. Turning around she ran towards it. Hot heavy wind blowing the curtain, unveiling the stream of golden light from behind. She chased it. The more she ran towards it the farther the curtain appeared. Looking down at her feet, she saw them drowning in the pool of fire. When she lifted a foot, blood dripped down.

She again tried to run but was caught by a hand emerging from the fire, beneath her. 'Let me go. It's hot. Too hot.' She murmured again. Slowly, it pulled Cressida into the fire, wrapping its fingers around her ankle. She struggled, shouting and flapping her limbs. A sound of laughter echoed. She looked down to the source of the sound. The face of a man formed in the waves of fire. The same man who sliced the throat of her brother. She scrambled and screamed for help.

"Help it's hot in here."

"Hot.... He....l..."

Cressida abruptly woke up from her sleep. Breathing heavily, she placed her palm on the forehead and looked up. A small lantern hanging from the roof. She looked around and stood up into a sitting position, sweat rolling down her temples. Moving back, she rested her head on the wall. Exhaling a deep breath, she whispered.

"What are these visions?"

It's been seven years since the terrifying incident happened. She didn't remember how long she slept there under the table. Her sleep was disturbed by the blistering heat. When she woke up, the castle was burning. The enemy didn't want to leave a trace. There was no sign of Cressida being alive. No other kingdom of east expected a little, sole survivor. She ran to escape and met with the fire on every turn. Dark smoke was eating her breath away. Her sight was blurring at every attempt she made. However, she reached the hidden tunnel that was safer than the other places. Being underground was protecting from the smoke but hotter than the upper surface. She hardly made out and saw an old woman screaming and crying along with many people expressing the same reaction. The view began to fade as she fell on the ground losing her consciousness, embraced by the darkness.

Recalling the past, she glanced at the same old woman who was sleeping soundlessly. She gave her shelter all these years. She's the mother of a soldier in their castle. Cressida got off the charpoy and opened a side chest. Took the bow and arrows and went out for hunting.

~~~~~

Crouched quietly behind the bushes, she loaded her arrow to shoot a prey. Moving sideways with light steps, she chose a rabbit as her target. Her golden orbs gleamed at the target. Slowly, taking steps one after another, she moved closer. Dried leaves and sticks produced a cracking sound under her light feet. The rabbit began to run on the sound. Instead of following it calmly, she ran after it. Chasing the rabbit, she held the loaded bow exactly in front of her. Following the right-left turns of the rabbit, she hopped the bushes and dodged the branches. Her eyes fixed on her prey. She fell and rolled down, hitting a tree. Her eyes not moving from the target, she stood up and again begins her chase. The moment she got closer, the rabbit went in its hole. Breathing heavily, she stood in front of the hole. Following the path, she reached the rare end of the hole. Igniting some dry sticks, she placed them at the rare end and hid behind a tree. Cressida took a position, loaded her bow again and aimed for the target. Heat causes the rabbit to show up on the surface. The moment it was out, she released the arrow which hit the neck of the rabbit, which jerks and fell trembling.