Never Run

036 ::: Never Believe

Hiiii :) 

Please don't hate me for taking FOREVER to write another chapter. I apologize and as much as I would like to say that it won't happen again, let's be honest, it probably will. BUT I do promise to finish this story. It is almost done, however, I am thinking about 5 more chapters.

Enjoy! :) <3

The silence was deafening.

As soon as Xaler was hit with the ball, everyone stopped anything and everything that they were doing. It was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. And even though it had nothing to do with me, I couldn't help but hold my breath and be on edge. I was concerned for the young children that were just trying to hold on to whatever little bit of innocence they had until it was destroyed by the very thing they had just accosted.

With narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw, Xaler took a deep breath and slowly turned around to the children who were shaking in their spots out of pure fear. The dirt and rocks crunched beneath his heavy feet as he advanced on the children, stopping to pick up the makeshift soccer ball on his way.

The tomato I held in my hand began leaking from clenching it too hard. I was a coward because I too was afraid to turn around and intervene. At any point, I feared my involvement would only worsen his mood, thus causing whatever repercussions to be greater than they already would be.

It wasn't until a small movement out of the corner of my eye did I finally come back to reality and faced the current situation.

A woman of older countenance, lined with valleys of worry and defeat, hesitated for just a second before trying to go forward again. My hand shot out and grabbed her around the wrist, "don't," I just barely breathed. I didn't want to be too loud and alert Xaler.

If I could save one soul today, I would.

She swallowed hard, "my babies."

The wind was knocked out of me by her confession with my heart dropping into the pit of my stomach. And even though I tried, I knew she saw the small tears that formed in my eyes at the thought of her most likely losing her children today.

I grip her wrist tighter, "it will only make it worse."

"Please," she begged, but I couldn't only repeat my actions and hold on even tighter while shaking my head. The woman covered her mouth to try and stifle a sob. I shifted my attention to Xaler and if he heard it or not he didn't show it.

He finally reached the children, towering over them for a beat before squatting down to their level. Still, I held my breath in fear. This was wrong, this was a mistake. I should've just said to go back to the castle or talk him out of this whole idea. Had I done that then these poor children wouldn't be in this current situation, they might still have had a chance to live and grow up. This mother was going to lose her children and it was all because of me.

All every one in the market could do is watch with bated breath and hope for a punishment that didn't result in death or severe maiming, but knowing who was in front of them those chances were slim to none.

Wordlessly, Xaler held the soccer ball out to the boy in front, motioning for him to take it which the little boy did after a painstakingly long minute, except due to his shaking hands, the ball fell to the ground. Whether the little boy was just trying to buy himself more time or not, I didn't know, but still, Xaler was unmoving and just stared at the children in front of him.

However, Xaler's silent pause felt world's longer than that of the little boy until he finally stood back to his full height and towered once again over the children.