The Runaway Mother

Thief

It had been a week since Lyna finally let Seth go on one of her raids. Her success on that mission had only made Seth all the more determined to prove herself to her mother. It had alway seemed like no matter what she did she couldn't win her mother's approval or trust.

As she sat on her mat up in the attic, she wove her dark hair into a braid. As her nimble fingers moved through her curls her mind began to wander. She had been having so many dreams as of late and they all seemed to have a common theme, there was a man, dark...mysterious.
Seth shook her head as her thoughts became blurred, she could never quite picture him. He was a shadow in her mind, a myth. As she tied off the braid she went down to check that her mother was truly asleep.

Yes!

She smirked and headed back up. Seth opened the window and carefully exited, setting her feet quietly and firmly in the roof below her.  With slow and calculated movements she closed the window behind her and headed down till she reached the rope that she had secured there a few days after they had arrived.
It didn't take long for Seth to be down in the alley and off running through the streets.

As she had grown she had become resilient and self reliant. Other than keeping her fed and constantly drilling her on magic and sorcery her mother hardly paid her attention. This had lead Seth to develop a strong personality and a vivid imagination. Every time she was relocated to a new place she found new ways to have adventures without her mother knowing. Something in her heart has always made her feel held back, captive. This is why she had to explore.
But she knew that her mother was protecting her, keeping her safe. Her life had a purpose, she was born for greatness, that's what her mother said, and that's why the war lord was after her.

Seth kicked a stone down the street as she walked. The polluted night air was thick with fog and smoke, smells of every kind saturated the air and left Seth taking quick breaths to avoid the stench. As she walked she thought back to her dreams. The only place she felt safe was in her sleep, that's when she felt at home. Seth continued on her way, seeing gang members leaning against street corners and rodents scurrying for cover under the scattered garbage that filled the alley. It wasn't a beautiful place but it certainly was one that kept her on her toes.
Seth's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as a soldier burst out of the building in front of her. His dingy gold armor and tall boots were unfamiliar to her, and he certainly didn't look like he was a local. She leaned against the wall to better conceal herself from his view, she wanted to get a closer look at this foreigner. She watched as two other soldiers left the building.  Each had a sword and some sort of device on their belts, they had short battle ready capes and the most impractically peculiar helmets on their heads. Seth couldn't help but smirk, these men stuck out like soar thumbs!

She quietly followed them in the darkness and listened in to anything they said. Something about searching for a princess and having no luck. They looked weary and tired, as if they had been on mission for months.

"If his highness would just move on and accept that she's gone we could be home with our families right now!" One complained.

"Don't speak of the prince in such a manner, he has lost his only child to a criminal and worries not only for her safety, but also that of the realm. Who knows what else the monster is capable of." The second defended his Royal, apparently sympathetic to his loss.

"In any case, if we check off this place it simply means that we will be back at square one." The third concluded.

This princess meant so much to them! She couldn't help but feel bad for the prince, she knew what it was like to be without a father, she wondered how much pain he was in without his child. Seth was listening so intently that she didn't realize how close she was following them. When she finally pulled out of focus enough to realize what she was doing, she was close enough to see the devices on the soldiers belts.
Attached to the leather straps about their middles were small gold tiles with some sort of crystal imbedded in them, with ancient writing surrounding the gem.
It was a curious device and Seth couldn't help but want it for herself. What a treasure it would be!
With great caution Seth snuck up behind the soldier. She was quiet as a mouse and smooth as the slither of a python. Time seemed to slow as she reached for the tile.
As soon as her hand was close enough she pulled with all of her might. The tile came loose and she bolted, heading for the safety of the alley behind her.

"THIEF, STOP!!"

Seth laughed and ran as fast as she could. She jumped onto a can in the alley and scaled a wall, moving up onto the roof and heading back for home. The soldiers were no match for her swift escape across the roof tops. She shoved her new treasure in her pocket and took a leap, grabbing the rope that would bring her back home.

Seth was on an adrenaline high as she climbed through the window, there was nothing quite as exciting as running from authority. Her joy was quickly shattered when she turned around after closing the window only to find her mother glaring down at her with an ice cold expression.

"Mother.."

SLAP.

Seth sucked in a breath in shock as she found herself holding her palm over the fresh handprint that was now throbbing on her cheek. Her world began to spin as the gravity of the situation sank in. She was caught, mother would never trust her again.

"Who the hell do you think you are sneaking out like that." Her mother spat dangerously. There was a deadly poison in her voice that made Seth wish she had never left.

"I just wanted to explore, I didn't cause any trouble I promise." Seth's voice trembled, she was terrified to say something that might set her mother off again. She didn't look up, making eye contact would be a fatal mistake at a moment like this.

"You could have been killed, or worse! Captured. The war lord has eyes everywhere and your magic is just powerful enough that if anyone were to manipulate it, you could become a deadly weapon."
The most sickening thing about Lyna's words was the twisted truth that she spoke. All of this was for her own gain. However, Seth's mind was too scrambled to understand that.

"I'm sorry-"

"That's not good enough."

Lyna roughly grabbed Seth by the wrist and yanked her towards the stairs. Seth's eyes widened in horror, she knew what was happening.

"Mother no! No please! I'm sorry! I'll never leave again! Mother!" Seth sobbed desperately as fear seized her heart and panicked settled in her chest.

"If you can't obey the rules then to keep you safe I have to contain you, you know that." She didn't budge in her resolve as she dragged Seth down the stares and to a back room of the house. Tears blurred Seth's vision, inhibiting her ability to see her own movements. She punched at her mother's arm, begging her to stop. This was something that her mother had only done twice but it was her worst nightmare.

With that Lyna slammed Seth into the wall, and pulled a device out of her pocket. The metal ring was a collar that lit up as it activated. Sparks of electricity sprung from it as it roared to life. "I have to keep you safe, this is your fault. You are making me do this." Lyna said seriously. With that she shoved the device around Seth's throat.

Seth screamed in pain as it locked tightly around her slim neck. The device latched and attached to a metal patch on the wall, keeping her locked there against it in a standing position.
Hot tears rolled down her face as her mother walked out of the room.

"I love you Sethyana."

Seth sobbed silently as she stood in the darkness. The icy ache in her heart rose up again.

She was trapped.

Her mind floated back to her dreams. The man within them seemed to be her only comfort. And she didn't even think he was real.