Elica silently made her way back through the workshop, deep in thought about what was going on.

“What’s wrong,” a familiar voice called out to her.

She looked up and saw Frie’s face, his head cocked as he peered at her.

“I have to go home today,” she replied, beginning towards the road once again.

“Wait,” Frie called out, catching her arm to stop her. “You look concerned, is everything really okay?”

“It’s fine,” she said, giving him a faint smile as she removed his hand. “I was just thinking about something.”

“If you say so,” he replied. “I guess I’ll see you here tomorrow,” he asked, stepping back from her, concern still showing on his face.

“Yeah, of course,” she replied, quickly turning and making her way down the road towards Riorna.

Without her partner, the journey was much quieter, with only the sounds of the surrounding forest to keep her from being fully alone with her thoughts.

Is mom okay? She seemed perfectly fine this morning, and not much time has passed since I’ve left, so surely nothing could have happened to her. Did somebody see me and Aeres this morning and report it?

The thoughts continued to plague her as she entered the town, causing her to largely ignore the market that was now bustling with business. Mention of some sort of “delegation,” was the only thing that really caught her attention.

Her thoughts still remained as she got onto the street her home was on, but now with a much more real feeling to them. She gazed at the pimpernels that she had passed this morning, trying to steel herself as she looked at the now closed blooms.

Looking on to her house, she spotted two guards standing on the flanks of the door. She quickened her pace, asking as she reached them, “Is something wrong here?”

“Are you Miss Elica Faerber, daughter of Yohann and Ahren Faerber,” the one questioned dryly.

“Yes that’s me, what business do you have here?”

“Your presence is required inside,” he instructed, ignoring her question as he opened the door.

Elica made her way inside, choosing to ignore the guard’s slight. As she entered the main room, she came to face three people. Her mother sat at the table, her eyes looking away from Elica’s as they met. Her father sat next to her, his arm over her shoulders, motioning for Elica to come in further when their eyes met.

“This is our daughter Elica,” he announced as she fully entered the room.

The third person turned to her, his aged, well dressed appearance commanding an air of authority about him. “I see,” he said as he approached, examining her. “This is definitely the one that was described to me.”

“Um, excuse me,” Elica stammered as she backed away. “What are you talking about,” she questioned, trying to figure out what exactly was going to happen.

“You’re parents here have already been informed, I’ll have you come with me now,” he instructed as he turned and walked out the still open door.

“What's going on,” she asked, turning to her parents. “Where am I going?”

Her mother’s face rose, tears apparent as they welled up in her eyes. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but nothing came, as though her words were being stolen from her.

“It’s best if you learn from them,” her father said as he soothingly rubbed her mother’s back. “Hurry along now, it’s best that they aren’t left waiting.”

Not knowing how to react to the situation, Elica silently nodded and turned towards the door. As she walked towards the door she had just recently entered, she heard light footsteps approaching from behind. A gentle hand on her arm made her turn around, her mother’s face, now wet with flowing tears, met her’s.

“Mom?”

The woman didn’t respond, instead, she wrapped her arms around her daughter, squeezing tightly. She held her embrace for several moments before pulling away, her face forced into a smile.

“Be my strong little girl now,” she whispered softly before turning Elica towards the door, giving her a small push onward as encouragement.