Teased With Hope

 Minta stopped Thunder when she reached the tree line. Within the shadows she hopped off of him and commanded him to stay.

 Two guards stood at the bridge of the city. Below them the water reflected the glow of the moon. She ducked behind a tree and closed her eyes. She felt the corpse as he laid there in the river, gnawed on by fish. She took hold of his hands. His body creaked and groaned as she forced him to untie his feet, his fingers gaining small cuts as he fumbled over the rope. Eventually he was free and he swam to the surface. He pulled himself to the cobblestone above, looking around for any witnesses before he snuck up behind the guards. He grabbed one and pulled him under the water before he could react and the second guard chased them, his sword drawn.

 The man sustained stab after stab as he held the body under the surface as it thrashed against him, his eyes ablaze with rage and terror. When death took the first guard Minta collapsed into the grass. She forced the dead guard to move. Both bodies forced the second guard out of the water and toward Minta as the first guard held his mouth shut. Upon reaching her lifeless form the first guard took the sword of the first and handed it to the man. As he collapsed Minta recovered. She brought herself to her feet and came nose to nose with her next victim. His heart sung to her, a tired song.

 Pressed for time she plunged her claw into his chest and grabbed his heart, knowing her own would sing louder, and she devoured the organ. The man dropped the guard to the floor. She walked to him and held her hand against his chest, a tacky, bloody handprint forming onto him. She brought him to life. Before he could speak she covered his head with a sack and helped him onto the back of the horse. She started for the cave as she controlled the guard, making him hold the other body in his arms as he walked in the other direction.

 "Where are you taking me?"

 "Home."

 "Why did you save me?"

 "Deserve life."

 "Why did you put a sack over my head if I'm not in any danger?"

 "People know."

 The corpse made his way through the streets as they rode in silence in the opposite direction. Blood trickled like rain as he walked, branding his legs and the cobblestone below with the violence that had taken him. He passed the diamond sector and walked up the hill to the castle. The fence that towered over him stood impossibly tall, the posts statues depicting lions. 

 The guard fell to his knees before the gate. He dropped the body onto his lap. He took his sword and holding it by it's blade he eased it through the back of his neck. Minta could feel each layer of skin splitting to make way for the cold metal. The sword sliced its way out the front of his throat before he quickly sent it into the stomach of the other body. Minta held the man upright. She focused, forcing rigor mortis to quicken until the man became a statue.

 They came to the cave just before twilight, stopping abruptly before the fire. Minta kept her gaze locked on the small intruder, her face tight in confusion.

 "Remove sack."

 Minta stared at the child that knelt before the fire as her heart sung. She met Minta's gaze. She cradled a swaddled baby to her chest. 

 "Oh my god! Mary!" The man, Hugo, cried as he leapt off of the horse and ran to his daughter. He peppered kisses upon her face before pressing his forehead to hers, "My angel, I'm so sorry."

 Listening to Mary's heart Minta saw her father spiral out of control, relinquishing her before he lost his home. She spared herself most of the details.

 Hugo turned to Minta. She climbed off of Thunder and he knelt before her feet to press his lips against the soft leather covering her toes.

 "I am forever in your debt," He declared as he laid his forehead onto her boots.

 "Stand," She demanded, her tone unenthused, he did as she commanded, "I give jobs. None for you. Raise daughter. Go in cave, claim bed. I speak Mary," She said, causing him to bow and retreat into the cave so she could sit beside the child, "How find me?"

 Eyes like oil met her own. The voice that passed through Mary's thin lips was monotonous. It was high but with a strained creak. Her black, oval eyes looked to hold knowledge so dangerous it was nothing but a burden, "I followed you home. I followed the music you made. When you got on your horse I lost you so I wandered. I heard the song again yesterday. I followed the blonde and stayed in a tree for some time just to watch all of you. I had to be safe."

 "Still make music?"

 "Yes. It's a bit quieter."

 "Why didn't just look where I live?"

 Mary's eyebrows pulled together, her head tilted to the side.

 "Can't see when listen?" When the child shook her head Minta continued, "Why follow?"

 "In my dream someone told me to take Jack and follow you."

 Minta's jaw dropped. Her gaze fell to the child. She tentatively held out her arms to take her brother. The baby cooed. He reached his tiny hand out for her and tears fell onto his face.

 "Thank you," Minta choked out. 

 Hugo emerged from the cave. He called to his daughter and she rushed to him and raised her arms so he could lift her and hold her close to his heart. They both wished Minta a good night but she simply stared slack jawed at Jack, aware of the others but unable to process them.

 Minta took her brother into the cave eventually. She walked to her bed where Constance slept. She sat down beside her and shook her shoulder. Constance woke with a deep stretch, forcing a groan from her lungs. Her kind gaze met Minta. The adoration written across her face shifted to perplexity when she looked down at the baby. She sat up, securing the thick pillow behind her back.

 "Jack."

 Constance's jaw dropped, the corners of her lips curved. She moved to sit aside Minta. She wrapped one arm around Minta's shoulders while the other reached out to take the baby's hand. He gripped her finger in his chubby little fist.

 "He's so beautiful."

 "Missed him."

 Constance laid her head on Minta's shoulder. Together they soothed Jack until he fell asleep. It was then Minta laid him down in the middle of the bed. The women slept on their sides, facing him, their hands together over his chest.

 Minta slept without dreams for no fantasy could compare to the contentment in which she laid within. She woke in the morning to delicate fingers stroking her cheek. She opened her eyes to face the beauty before her.

 Constance no longer looked like her. She still had sharp features, dark eyes, and dark hair that reached her knees like a thick blanket of shining satin. She had regained her color, her skin tan once again. She now glowed bronze as she had been proudly kissed by the sun. Her extreme curves were complimented by the weight that filled out her body, making her cheeks almost as plump as her cupid's bow lips. Her body had strengthened after training with the thief and the guard for hours each day.

 Minta was shorter than Constance, most people were. Her face was diamond shaped and sickly white. Her blue eyes were sunken. Her long eyelashes reached to touch her wide, bushy eyebrows. Her black hair was straight and had been cut to only reach her shoulders. Her lips were oddly pale. Her cheekbones were high. Her body was petite. It was the body of a racer. 

 It was incredible the change that healing had brought to Constance. Minta felt her heart warm with every twinkle within the older woman's eyes. As they laid there in silence Minta felt unspoken words. It caused her to feel the walls of the cave begin to restrict, her chest to tighten.

 Minta stood and took Jack. Without speaking she left the cave. She prepared a meal for the child and sat before the fire. Gently she let him feed himself. She watched as he mashed the salad into his mouth, dirtying his face. 

 Beyond the stream the servant worked on the garden. Plants were beginning to sprout. Leaning against the mouth of the cave was the guard.

 She returned her attention to Jack when he tried to ease a leaf of lettuce into her mouth. She pretended to bite it.

 "Yum?"

 "Yum."

 Suddenly the witch appeared. She sat atop one of the logs. She wore baggy beige pants and a loose blouse with a lace hood.

 "Mary told me he's your brother."

 "Yes."

 "I'm glad he's returned to you," She said. When Minta nodded she continued, "I had many brothers and sisters. If you ever need my help I'd be more than happy to look after him."

 "Thank."

 "You're troubled."

 Without thinking she looked to the mouth of the cave from where Constance emerged with the thief. She averted her gaze until Constance bent to place a kiss on Jack's rosy cheek, bringing forth a gleeful giggle from the boy. She patted Minta's head once. The women passed the fire and walked into the field. Minta watched them leave for a moment too long and pulled her face away.

 "I understand," The witch reached forward to squeeze Minta's leg.

 Minta met the witch's gaze. Smoke poured from her nose and trickled from her mouth.

 "I was raised in the wilderness. I was taught the basic things that kept us alive but more importantly I was taught that even if you have all you need, if you have nothing to love, you are not truly alive."

 "Not want life."

 "Of course you don't; you don't remember what it's like. I remember that feeling. That stagnant feeling of watching as things just happen around you. When you brought me back I thanked you that next morning. It was hollow. It was a lie until now for after securing the glamour over the cave, the protection spells, after doing everything I could to secure us I slept. Thief checked my pulse I slept so long. Then I went outside and I sat next to guard. I spoke to him to try to make some kind of effort to enjoy this new life. Finding friendship in the others I found my air, the music that is the sounds of the forest is my nourishment. I am truly alive now because I have found love in the beauty surrounding us. Thanks to you."

 "Glad."

 The witch tightened her grip on Minta, "Please do the same. I'm not asking you to jump headfirst into anything, to depend solely on one person, place, or thing. But please do something for the sake of doing it; run in the rain, try to sing along with the birds, climb the tallest tree you can. Your death isn't any less tragic if you've never lived."

 Minta took a deep breath. She stared into the fire. She was called to the field where Constance and the thief grunted as they sparred, giggling whenever they fell to the floor.

 "Sa," Jack called, his arms reaching for his sister.

 Minta bounced him on her lap. He squealed with excitement.

 She gazed into the eyes that came directly from her mother, the soul beyond them that promised love, family, meaning. Her gratitude was endless. This palpable sense of belonging felt so fragile as it hummed between the two. Could it survive shared by others? Was love something that could be touched by greed? Would it be more greedy to hide little Jack away from those that could teach him?