KAMORA
Kamora walked in her bloodied state all the way to Lord Marokeâs house but was disappointed to find that he had left for the capital already.
She collapsed in front of the house, wondering what to do next. She had no money, no friends, and, considering that her house had just burned down, no place to live.
~You canât give up yet~, she thought, encouraging herself. She had come this far already.
There was no use stopping now.
Footsteps alerted her to someone coming her way, but she was too tired and injured to stand up. Looking at the approaching stranger, she tried to make herself look more dignified.
âWho are you?â the person said.
It was a young servant boy, judging from the way he was dressed. His clothes were very simple, and he wore a straw hat and a woolen glove.
He seemed to be done for the day.
âMy name is Kamora,â she answered simply.
âWhat are you doing in front of this house? Donât you know who this house belongs to?â the man pressed, totally ignoring her introduction.
Kamora thought hard and fast, wondering if she should tell this man what Lord Maroke had offered her. But then again, seeing as she hadnât agreed immediately, the chance of Lord Maroke accepting her was very slim.
âI just missed myâ¦my guardian,â she opted to say instead. âHe wanted me to follow him back to the city but I didnât agree. I have changed my mind now, but itâs too late. He is already gone.â
âWhy didnât you agree the first time?â
Kamora didnât know if she should divulge what her family had done to her to this stranger, and she also didnât understand the shame she felt at being associated with them. So she thought hard about what to say and finally came up with something.
âMy family,â she began, âI felt guilty about leaving them. It turns out, though, that they have no use for me.â
Remembering the way the vine had almost choked her to death, Kamoraâs hand involuntarily went to her neck. Noticing that action, the manâs eyes slowly took in Kamoraâs appearance.
She didnât know what he saw in her, but he finally let his guard down.
âI just happen to be going to the capital,â the man said. âI can drop you off at your guardianâs place. Where does he stay?â
âHe is a servant working for Lord Maroke. So I guess he might be living in the lordâs home,â she lied.
âI work for the lord too! That is where Iâm headed. We both can go there together.â
Kamoraâs eyes lit up. âReally? Thank you so much!â she said excitedly, pressing both her hands to her chest.
Slowly, she stood up, ignoring the pains all over her body.
âWhat happened to you?â the man said, fully taking her in.
Kamora just smiled sadly, not answering.
The man left her alone to go get his horse and belongings. As she stood there waiting for him, she sent a short prayer to the heavens for helping her get help.
She wouldnât have known how to get to Lord Marokeâs manor.
The man arrived a few minutes later with his horse in tow, carrying a little luggage over his shoulder. He urged her closer to the horse, helping her get atop it.
When she had gotten comfortable, he climbed in behind her.
âAre you going to be able to manage? The journey is quite a long and bumpy one,â he said.
Knowing that he asked out of courtesy for her injuries, Kamora nodded. âIâll manage,â she said.
They began their journey out of the town, and the closer Kamora got to its entrance, the lighter her heart felt. She was finally leaving.
She had the opportunity to start a new life.
Her mind went back to the house which had burned down, and she used the time to think about how it started. It was definitely caused by her, which meant her fatherâs claim of her being a half-witch was true.
The only thing she didnât know was how exactly she started it.
Perhaps, in the city, she could find more ways to learn about this part of herself that she had just discovered.
If Lord Maroke didnât accept her, she could earn her living as a witch. They might be looked down upon by society, but their help was still very much needed by plenty.
The thought that not everyone in her house had died made her heart beat suddenly with anxiety. She calmed herself, taking deep breaths.
~Even if they are alive, itâs already too late.~ She had escaped, and nothing they could do would bring her back.
They had tried to use her blood to enhance their powers, so she would have to become stronger than themâso strong that they couldnât even dream of trying it again.
It was still nighttime.
Kamora had not only discovered her true nature, but she had also been attacked, had burned her house down, and had escaped.
The day had been a very long one for her.
She didnât know how long they rode, but they had long since passed the town they came from. Her helper, whose name she still didnât know, had told herâshouting against the moving windsâthat they were closer to the capital.
Kamoraâs heart beat fast, as she was nearer to her goal.
Finally, in the early hours of the morning, while everywhere was still dark and the moon had slowly disappeared, they entered the capital city.
It was more than anything Kamora had ever imagined.
People were up, setting up stores and preparing for their business of the day. There were so many houses close together, and even though it was still dark, people could still be seen roaming the partially empty streets.
Kamora took it all in, wondering when sheâd arrive at the Maroke manor.
But she didnât need to fret. Barely half an hour later, they finally stopped in front of a manor with huge, intimidating doors at the entrance.
âWe have finally arrived,â the man behind her said.