Chapter 33

-EDITED-

As the days passed on, Ember sat in the cart, leaving unless needing to use the bathroom or to eat. She was not one to just lay for hours at a time unless sleeping, but, it's the thing she does most often. She found that days became shorter, but that was the fact she slept more than when she was awake.

Ember did not rest during the night as she waited to see Astarte. Ember yearned those light tingles when Astarte touched her. It's a weird feeling, there was no denying that. But it was a feeling she felt comfortable with; Knowing that Astarte was the only person who could provoke such reactions within her.

With these feelings telling her what this was, she didn't want to believe it. How could she feel this way towards a fellow woman? It was odd and unusual, but it felt right. It was like a candle had been lit and there was no putting it out, and she loved it.

It made her almost able to float on the clouds and walk on air; it sounded like puppy love when she thought about it. Maybe she just admired Astarte. She was amazing. She was a quick thinker; The only reason Ember caught her is that she was more agile than her. Ember leaned her head against the wooden back of the cart. As they passed by the woods, for a second, she saw Magdion. She swallowed, they would stop in the inn for the night. Ember felt her heart sink when she realized that her father would not be there to hug her.

As they pulled into Magdion, crossing over the rushing river, Ember looked at the city. It was filled with light; it was weird seeing such a lit up place. It had been so long; she had forgotten how bright a civilization could be. As they passed by the quiet streets, the market was empty, a few couples going out to the fields to have a late-night date.

Ember had heard of this Inn, it was the cheapest and bigoted. Despite all the Inns around, there was not one that allowed Nekos to rest in them. Often they would use the justification that they had fleas or ticks as if humans could not have lice or ticks.

Ember got off the cart, "I'm going to my old home. This Inn is bigoted, I'll see you tomorrow." She growled and walked away. A few men suggesting that she could hide her ears and tails, but it was never that simple. If it had been, she wouldn't have housed so many traveling Nekos.

As she stomped down the street, Atherton following behind, she grumbled to herself. The entire idea of turning someone away for something they couldn't help was idiotic. She wondered if other countries were like this, it seemed to be the way of life everywhere.

As Ember walked to her home, her anger quickly turned to grief. She looked at the house she had grown up in so quiet and dark. She remembered the way it looked on nights like these. The warm summer breeze would flow through the open windows were Ember and her father stood making dinner. With Atherton laying on the couch, listening to the crickets chirp.

The field behind her house was filled with so many different memories filled with emotions. She ran her hand over the painted deck. She had painted this herself when she was eight years old. She had switched in-between shades so often, that she had at least 12 different colors on the deck alone. The door had been a similar victim to her sporadic changes in color.

Ember reached down and lifted up a large rock, grabbing the key that was hidden underneath. She unlocked the door and stepped in the dusty home. It didn't take long for her house to get dirty like this. She looked around the living room, covered in knickknacks and pictures of her family. A couch with an old quilt covering the top with a large window behind it. Ember walked into the small kitchen, it had an oven, a fireplace to boil things and a preservative cold box and rack.

As she continued on, a small hall leads to her parent's room and hers. Her parents were perfectly made, her father always preferred a cleanroom. In her bedroom, it was still in the disorder that it was in the day she left. A small letter sat on her crowded nightstand. It was neatly folded and she picked it up. She carefully opened the piece of parchment and look into its contents.

Inside she found a note, some written by her father and some from her mother. As she read through the note, her violet eyes watery up. Ember read the note out loud, to let all of the words sink in.

Our dearest Ember,

If you are reading this, the worst has happened. Both I and your father have had untimely deaths. As I write this, I hope this will never happen. That I will burn this letter when you turn 18 and out in the world. I know that reading this will be hard but let me tell you, writing this is harder. I hope that I will get to see you grow into an intelligent, strong-headed, trusting young woman. That you will see the world and finally connect with your roots.

I believe in your little one, that you will do great things and make things better for all species. You have such strong morals and you see things as they are. If you learn the truth, do not hate us. We have always loved you as a daughter and to us, you are ours. You have such a beautiful sparkle in your eyes. From the minute we saw your eyes, we knew what the Gods had prepared for you. It may be hard at times, but we know you will push through. Because we did raise a strong woman and not a pussy-cat.

Ember snorted at her mother's pun but was brought back to the line, "If you the truth..." What truth? What was her mother talking about?

The handwriting changed, from her mother's light handwriting to her father's harsh one.

Ember, we will always be proud of you. No matter what you do, we will always stand behind you. As I write this, I don't even know if you are alive. If they took you to kill you or to torture you. Maybe you are alive and you will return to your home. But right now, there seems to be a missing piece to this home. There has been since your mother left but now it feels like all the joy has been sucked out of this once joyous home.

Without you here, it feels like a piece of me has been ripped from inside my heart. I've never felt so empty inside before. I remember when you beat up that one girl, baby I pretended to be angry at you. For you to learn your lesson but you were the right. Maybe you took it too far, but you were in the right. That little brat deserved what you gave her.

Make sure to keep that lesson in your mind. It doesn't matter how much control someone thinks they hold over you, you will always find a way around it. It doesn't matter if its the royal family, you have always found a way around the social laws they have put in place. You have such a golden heart, but it's also heavy with grief. I pray you don't let your heart turn to stone.

You have made us so proud and we'll always be here for you.

Love, Mommy, and Daddy.

Ember felt her tears fall down her face. She sat on her mattress, feeling the bed squish under her weight. She set the letter down and laid down on her bed. She closed her eyes to try to keep tears from falling out. As the night dragged on, she cried herself to sleep.