Moon Glaive

Chapter 15: Indu

"Where...am I..."

Indu's vision contained darkness, a suffocating, fear-inducing blankness. Mother! Where are you?

"Mhhmm! Mhhmmm!"

Only when she tried speaking did she register the presence of a cloth gagging her mouth shut. It pushed painfully at the back of her head and tightened to an unreasonable point. Through the minuscule gaps left by the imperfect tie could Indu breathe, albeit with difficulty.

Something – a rope, Indu guessed – forcefully kept her hands tied behind her back. Her muscles ached - a clear indicator of the immense time she spent bound by ropes.

The cool touch of rough metal pushed on Indu's legs as she tried to move forward. They restrained her with a clank, and she fell sharply to the ground.

"MHHHM!" Indu groaned from the pain in her shoulder. When she knew her fall was inevitable, she angled it to where her shoulder would impact the ground first, fearing neural trauma if her head were to hit the ground.

Her jaw became sorer as she desperately fought against it but to no avail. When she lost hope of undoing the gag, Indu's body sank. Unable to get up, Indu lay flat against what she believed to be a cold, cobblestone floor. She could feel the same dress she had worn when her family went out together that morning, so it meant her kidnapper hadn't stripped her. However, with the approaching summer, Indu had completely stopped wearing sweaters and jackets, both of which she desperately desired. She trembled, curling into a ball to conserve as much warmth as she could.

Mother! Father! Where are you guys! Save me, please! Tears rolled down Indu's face as she begged in her mind. It had all happened in a flash. One moment, she and her mother were frolicking in the streets of Andreion, but the next, she was blindfolded and thrown into a prison cell-like area.

"Mhmmm...Mhmmm! Haaaa!" A beautiful, gasping voice sprang into existence somewhere to the right of Indu.

"Mhmhmm!" Indu tried to scream out "mother," but what came out was a muffled moan. Despite chains restraining her, Indu stubbornly fought against them, desperate to reach her mother's embrace.

"Oh my god!" Her mother suddenly gasped. "My baby...my precious baby...I'll get you out of here...mother will save you...."

"Mhmmhmm..." Indu felt like crying, a wave of relief washing over her when she realized her mother was okay.

"Indu, I know you want to come here, and so do I, but don't move and save your energy. I will protect you at all costs. You don't have to worry." Her mother reassured, and Indu relaxed subconsciously. Her mother's voice was like a honeyed apple – superb just from the first word, but only getting better the more she spoke. It contained a soothing, soul-calming undertone that left Indu falling asleep on her mother's lap on numerous occasions. Hearing it now put her stressed heart at ease, but her anxiety about what would happen next weighed on her mind.

"I'm sure your father has realized we're missing by now. He'll personally lead the city guards and save us. You don't have to worry, baby." Something clanked where her mother's voice came from, and then Indu realized. "If I could remove these shackles, I could comfort you in my arms. When we get out of this, I'll let you stay in my lap as long as you want, Indu."

Indu "mhmmed" instead of nodding because she wasn't sure if her mother had a blindfold or not.

We'll make it out okay. Yes, we'll make it out, okay!"

Indu fervently prayed internally.

A squeaky, irritating noise broke the sounds of Indu and her mother's attempted escape. A gust of chilly air made caused goosebumps to rise on her skin. The chatter and laughter of passersby enjoying the adolescent night were abruptly cut off by the shut of a door – not too hard, not too soft, but with enough force to not draw the slightest hint of attention – which rang a hollow, desolate screech. An ominous aura filled the room, and Indu shivered.