Captured | Completed

Chapter 15

Jayce woke up tired and bleary eyed. Usually, someone was there to wake him up, and early, he looked around and there wasn't anyone around. He thought that Kalika might come by, but he was wrong, she didn't come, and he didn't know why.

He always expected her to come, she did after all say that she always would. He got out of bed and watched as Echo came by. 

"Hey, let's go find Kalika." He said as he walked down the steps.

"Sure, but first, change your clothes." She said as she followed him.

"Oh... right." Jayce went back up the stairs and into the room. Minutes later, he came out in a different outfit, one that wasn't for sleeping.

Together, Echo and Jayce walked towards her house, Echo leading. She had been to Kalika's house before, unlike Jayce, who had only known her for a month. He looked around, no one there. 

"Where could she be?" Jayce asked.

"Out back." Echo walked past some bushes and trees, Jayce trailing behind her.

Jayce heard shouting in the back, he wondered why, but he decided to ignore it. Echo stopped in her tracks and he was about to push her. 

"Hurry up Ec-" He stopped mid sentence. "What happened?" He stepped in front of her and looked at the group of 5.

"Nothing," Kalika said as she put up some laundry on a rope.

Jayce stared at Kalika, she had the same braid as she had when he first met her, a silver headband in her hair and a golden armlet slipping down. He looked at her hands, tied with rope and connected to a chain that was tied to a stump.

"Why?" Jayce asked as he pointed at the rope.

"Punishment." She said as she pinned the sheet in place. "It isn't that bad, plus I'll be out of it soon."

Ophion looked at Kalika, she tried to make sure that they wouldn't worry about her, he knew that he just wish that she would at some point realize that they were there for her and that she didn't need to worry about them all the time.

"I'll meet you at the front line," Ophion said as he left. "we should leave guys, her dad is coming soon."

Jayce and Echo nodded and walked away. They waited by the river with Ophion who sat there silent. FInally, Jayce spoke up.

"Why are you meeting her at the front line?" He asked as he watched him stand up.

"You're not coming with me, so I talked with her, she is," Ophion said as he walked away.

"Going where?" Echo asked. 

Ophion stopped and turned around. "Sparta." He walked away to the front line.

Kalika ran towards him and they chatted, Jayce watched from the river and sighed, he knew he should go but he thought otherwise. He looked to Echo, she looked down at her hands.

"Jayce, I'm going. You can choose to stay but I'm going," she looked up at Ophion and Kalika.

"Where?" He asked. 

"I'm going to Sparta." Echo stood up and walked away, leaving Jayce to think.

He didn't want to be left alone, but he didn't want to follow them. He thought about it, but he still had the gut feeling that it wouldn't be right to go with them. He thought over and over again, what he should do, but he just couldn't seem to make up his mind.

~*~

"Thanks again Echo," Kalika said as she got onto Andor.

"My pleasure, after all, I owe you, a lot." She smiled as she got on Jayce's horse.

Ophion got on his horse and they all left, passing the front line by going through the forest. As they went through, Kalika spotted a figure, a person. 

"Pippo." She whispered silently.

"What?" Echo said as she turned to where Kalika was looking.

"Pippo's here." She said as she halted her horse.

The others stopped and stared, a man coming closer to them. He held a shield and sword, making him scarier in the dark.

"Kalika." He said as he sheathed his sword. "Ophion? Is that you?"

"Yes, Pippo, and one more," Kalika said as he stepped closer. 

"Who?" Pippo rubbed Andor's mane and looked up at her. 

Echo rode up closer and smiled at her older brother, who stared at her in disbelief. He dropped his shield, which made no sound as it hit the grass. Echo dismounted and held her arms out, Pippo hugged her and looked into her blue eyes.

"I haven't seen you in so long." He let go of her and picked his shield up.

"I just got back." She replied as she climbed back onto her horse.

"Where are you going?" Pippo asked as he lifted Echo back onto her horse.

"Sparta," Ophion said as he tightened his grip on the rein.

"You're joking." Pippo laughed, but as he looked at the other's expressions, he realized that they weren't kidding.

They looked at their hands, and he looked up at them. He slung a pack off his shoulder and handed it to Kalika.

"Stay safe." He said as he stepped back.

"Thank you Pippo," Kalika said as she flicked the reins, the others following, leaving him in the dust.

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I hope you enjoyed!

15th chap! Woohoo! I am hoping to make over 20, so please support me while I make this book.

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