The Obsidian Arrow

The Obsidian Arrow: Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

[Charlotte’s POV]

            There was an eerie chill in the air that didn’t settle well with the scattered fog surrounding the afternoon sky. It was odd that such fog could still remain so late in the morning when it neared afternoon. Charlotte could barely see through it now to the gathered meeting four hundred paces in front of her. She was perched on a branch far up in an oak tree as she watched below. Snowflake wasn’t with her, but she told the tiger to remain behind. It was strange that the animal had seemed to understand and obey her but she assumed it was saddened by the capture of Starlyn. Of course it had always been her dream that animals could understand the commands and emotions of humans. A faded memory of faerie tales her mother used to tell her began swirling in her mind. The memories replaced her concentrated face with a grimace.

            She had lost her parents when she was young. Barely at the age of five, had she remembered the village being attacked. Her family wasn’t able to afford much but they always seemed to be able to feed her. It wasn’t much besides bread and cheese. Water could always be found in puddles after a rain. Her father would always find cups and bowls often thrown out by nobles for imperfections and use them to store water. After all, even a week without bread was survived with the sufficient amount of water. Thirst was what always took a person first. Charlotte knew that which was why she clutched her steel canteen as she stared at the gathered camp. She held a looking glass to her eye and noticed that Starlyn was to be on stage. She regarded the defenses they kept on her but they seemed insignificant. They no longer guarded her as they once had. Charlotte could see that the elf was growing weaker and her heart sank each time she saw it.

            Memories clouded her mind of her past with her parents. Both had been so full of love and her loss of them was a burden upon her small fragile heart. She never thought to love again, with such thoughts of survival only. It was thought deep within her soul that she would perish like her parents had so many years ago. Often there were times she wished she had been with them when they fell instead of hid. Sometimes she thought that even in death she would be with them, wherever they were, instead of alone. Those thoughts had changed only when she met Searon, but soon she was alone again. She survived the onslaught of the city, where she really found herself alone. Then it was Starlyn who came into her life and restored all hope, and no matter what happened she knew in her heart of hearts that she would not let Starlyn fall. For she did not fear death anymore, only in life was she afraid, afraid of being utterly alone. The faces of her parents were still fresh in her mind as if it were yesterday.

            “Alas, Charlotte! There you are my dear, come here, do come here, for I have something for you!” Her father spoke with cheer in his voice.

            She turned and looked into his indigo with a smile lighting up her young dirty face. Crusty dirt caked her cheeks and her father fell to his knees to embrace her in a large hug laughing all the while. He reached into his back pocket and withdrew a dirty black handkerchief that he proceeded to moisten with his saliva to clean her face.

            “Daddy, what is it that you have for me?” She asked with a glint in her eye.

            “Ah, do not be greedy my child, for it is here in my hand.”

            From behind his back he pulled a scarlet soft teddy bear with only a few specks of dirt. Its chest was pink and bore the scarlet letters, ‘love’. She embraced it quickly giving it a hug almost larger than the one she gave her father. Leaping up into her father’s arms she kissed his cheek gratefully.