Captured | Completed

Chapter 11

"You're kidding me!" Jayce raised his hands up.

"No, I'm not," Pippo said as he reached for Jayce's arms. He pulled them down and looked into his eyes. "Look, you can ask Anastasia."

"Fine, fine." He looked into his older brother's dull blue eyes. "but right now, I need to go find Kalika and the family."

"Right, go." Pippo let go of him. "Go."

Jayce smiled, he walked towards his horse, noticing it was tied to the tree. Kalika must've done it for me. He thought as he untangled the rope. He got on the horse and rode into the city. Jayce rode past the agora, past homes, and the Bouleuterion. Finally, he reached his own home, it was strange coming back home, especially in such a time. He looked at a white horse drinking in front of his house, tied to the hitching post. Smiling, he leapt off his horse and tied him to the hitching post opposite to the white one's.

Jayce walked into the house, no one was around, he suspected up stairs. As he walked up the stairs, he heard sobbing, perhaps his parents crying tears of joy that they knew he was home, or maybe crying sadly at the loss of their son. Just as he reached the top of the stairs, he saw what he would never expect to see in years. 

"Echo?" He uttered. "Mom? Dad?"

Three heads turned to look at Jayce, all happy, eyes brimming with tears. They waved him over, he walked over and hugged each of them, Echo the longest. Behind the bundle of hugs stood Kalika smiling at the sight in front of her. She walked past them and turned her head to look at them one last time, Ajax looked at her and nodded his appreciation, Kalika nodded back and walked down the stairs.

She sighed as she reached the door, happy that she had done a good job with Ophion and Jayce, but now it was time for her to return home, which she just couldn't do. Kalika felt hot tears in her eyes, she undid the knot in Andor's rope. Kalika looked down at her dirty dress, she felt good to finally have the dirt back, the messiness she would always have when she was helping Echo or Jayce. She got onto her horse, flicking the reins, she went towards the river. 

As she rode by the river bank, she thought about her family. Especially about her younger sister Oceana. If she came home, she knew how everything would go. Her father would frown, his arms crossed, he would scold her for not coming home sooner, and if Kalika tried to explain what happened she would just get in more trouble, his family just wouldn't listen.

His mom would come to her, hug her and tell her they missed her. Really, she would just try to spoil her and tell her all these great things which Kalika knew wasn't true. Later after her spoiling was over, she would finally get her into work, scolding her like she used to.

Her sister would come running to her, Oceana was Kalika's best friend, she would jump into her arms and they would hug each other tightly until one of them would ask to let go because the other was squeezing too tight. Oceana was only two years younger than Kalika, they would never ever try to hurt each other, and they were one of the closest sisters you would ever see. 

Her brothers would probably rush towards her and hug her for a minute, then realize they shouldn't. She would smile and take in whatever she could get. They would hand her something, perhaps a ball or something to play with. They were only a year younger than her, so they were able to play a lot of games together. 

All of them would play together, Oceana, Rhodes, Odysseus and Kalika, the closest siblings ever. They would stick by each other's side no matter what. When Kalika would get her scolding, Rhodes would stick up for her every time. Whenever she was tired and just couldn't do the rest of her job, Odysseus was there for her, sometimes she would come home from Ajax's family so tired and beat that she couldn't finish the chores at home. And whenever she was sick or hurt Oceana was there to treat her wounds, even the ones in her heart. 

Rhodes and Odysseus didn't work at Ajax's home, but they did stay home and learn with their father, they couldn't afford to go to school, but they would still learn with him. Oceana would often be the one cleaning in the house, soon Rhodes, Odysseus, and Oceana will join her in Ajax's home and start cleaning there. Kalika felt better about that because then she would be able to help take care of her siblings.

Their family was a hard one, many times they would get beatings, but Kalika especially. Their father gave her very high expectations. She was only 10 when she got the worse beatings, her father had hoped she was a boy, but they had a girl. Now she was 14, soon she would need to get married soon to another man, and she didn't want to see how that would turn out. 

Rhodes and Odysseus were 13 and had about 7 more years before they would need to get married. Lucky for them. Oceana only 12, she would marry soon too, and it probably wouldn't be fun for her either. 

Kalika looked at her reflection in the water. She saw a strange girl, one with tears running down her face, one without her family, lost and forgotten. She looked up, not wanting to see her anymore, as she trotted down the river, she saw a girl, a young one. Kalika got off her horse and walked towards the girl, pulling Andor along with her. The girl sat on one side of the tree, tossing a ball up and down. Kalika sat on the other side, Andor standing and watching. The girl turned as she heard Kalika come by, she stood and stood in front of her.

"Kalika?" As she saw the familiar, look alike.

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry if it takes so long!

I might not be able to update as quickly as usual, but every day or maybe every 2 days. I just have family over and, well you know how that goes.

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