Chapter four

The sun glared in Gillian's face, as her eyes squinted open, she rolled on her back, yawning. She felt something nuge her shoulder. Turning to look up, she saw the pegasus, viewing her. 

‘You must go little human,’ its head directed to the woods and its foal waiting a few steps ahead. Gillian felt a tremor of fear within her mind from the pegasus, but it was not worried for itself, it was worried for her. Gillian searched up and round herself looking for danger but seeing none. It was a peaceful morning. That was till she heard a high screech bellowing, a murder of crows flew up from the forest and to south. They were scared by something, something big. The screeching became a roaring hiss. It vibrated in the air, an ash-like smell following, the ground trembling. Gillian scrambled up off the ground. 

“Wh-what was that?” 

The pegasus studied the sky in the direction of the roar, silent in its observation. 

‘He’s close’

“What? Who?” Gillian couldn’t help her body's quakes, her heart beating rapidly. 

‘A dragon,’ it answers, ‘it's hunting for its breakfast, it has an acquired taste for humans.’ 

Gillian gazed wide eyed up to the sky. 

 ‘my foal will show you the way. Stay within the trees, it will not see you that way.’ 

Gillian quickly on her feet, tailed in a rush after the foal, heading into the forest. 

A dragon. Gillian could not fathom it, dragons were rare, she knew there were fewer than a dozen and most live high in mountain ranges. But a dragon was there in the forest so close to her home. Now she wished for the safety of her room, the familiarity of Cat and loving embrace of her mother. 

It was faster than Gillian thought but she recognized the forest of her fathers land, the foal coming to a halt allowed Gillian forward. 

“Thank you,” she breathed, smiling dimly at the pegasus, she tilted her head down at it, “wonder why you chose to take a liking to me?” 

‘Mama says i was lucky i found you. I know your going to be a powerful sorcerer,” 

Gillian was rendered silent. Eyes trained on the foal, its voice was an odd comfort in her head, it felt like a piece of puzzle, something that was meant to be. Not at all like the other Pegasus. 

Before the pegasus could speak, a sound broke into the air. 

“Gillian!” 

“Gillie” 

“My lady!” 

Gillian could see figures in the distance, without thought she sprinted to the voices. Instantly she spotted Cat, “Gillian!” she shouted running to meet her, her hands rushed to Gillian's face, checking for injury. Tears streaming from Cats eyes. “Thank the gods, I thought-thought-” she could not finish. 

“I’m sorry,” Gillian whispered. Numbly she let her body rest into Cats. The girl held tight onto Gillian, an iron grip trapping her from trying to escape, though Gillian would not even dare the thought. Biting into her lip, failing to command away the anxiety filling her lungs. Dread. Fear. mixing and combining into a sickening taste, permentating up her throat. The blood seeped away from her lips, settling on her tongue. Swallowing it away seemed to only make it worse. Debilitating, closing her airways. Gasping and gasping, but her breaths wouldn’t even out. 

“Gillian?” 

Her mind buzzed, rang, all the eyes around were on her, watching her. She sealed her eyes shut, she wouldn’t let them stare. Her eyelashes were growing wet with tears maring them, they stuck together like glue. She concentrated on that, hoping it would make her mind not think of the eyes of the men and women who were sent to look for her. Of her father, the lord's face, her chest contracted painfully. Her nails bit into the skin of her palms. She had seen what his magic could do when he was provoked, let alone a servant do a minor thing wrong. Would his magic lash out at her? She knew it was a stupid thought, but couldn’t pull it away. But Lady Regina's punishment would be worse. She had taken servants from their duties to look for her, the dimwitted illegitimate daughter of her husband. Why hadn’t she stayed, why hadn’t she-

“Gillian! Please, please just breathe.” Cat shook the child,  “By the gods quick we must get her back to the manor,” she shouted to someone. Gillian felt herself being lifted off her feet. 

Her surroundings disappeared, nothing was there, she wasn’t there. She was light, floating. She knew she was still in a servant's arms, as they rushed her through the woods. But it was as if she was not in her body anymore. Things were blurring, the woods fading out, into a room that was familiar. Gillian didn’t know where, till she heard soft sobs behind her. Turning she saw a girl no older than fourteen, balled in the corner, her arms caged above her head protecting herself, and another girl sitting opposite her in a chair. 

“No,” Gillian breathed, stepping back, she didn’t want to see this. The girl cried as two maid servants hit and kicked the crying girl, one even holding a horsewhip, which left sore red marks on her arms, she whimpered, lips trembling. 

“Please, please, stop. I’m sorry, i-i- hadn’t meant to touch, you said i could look i-i-” 

“Exactly,” the other girl spat, her chin raised high. “I said look, but you touched it. Touched it with fat greasy hands.” 

“Stop,” Gillian whispered, “stop!” she screamed, closing her eyes, covering her ears, she wouldn’t look at this memory. 

She turned round, knowing what she was to do next to the poor girl, to her sister. She could hear her struggle and the screams as the maids helped shove her into that small cramped box. She remembered how afraid her sister had been of the dark after that incident. Gillian had kept her in that box for hours. 

“No, no, no, i’m sorry, i’m sorry,” Gillian cried, falling to her knees, “please, i’m sorry, i’m so sorry.” 

“Let me out!” her sister yelled, 

“I’m sorry,” Gillian tried to ignore her, pushing her hands harder down on her ears, “i’m sorry,” 

“Please! Get me out! Get me out!” 

“I’m sorry, i’m sorry,” 

“Let me out!” 

Gillian awoke with a start, her room was shrouded in shadow, a single candle light to glow the room. 

“Gillian?” 

Twisting her head she looked to see the lord, his voice was rough and ragged. 

“Are you feeling well enough now?” 

Gillian only nodded,

“I see,” it was quiet till she approached closer to her bed, making sure not to make too much noise, Gillian noticing that her mother was lying asleep on the chair next to her. He stared coldly at his daughter, making her shrink back into her pillow and sheets, “I hope you shall not make such a spectacle again. Your mother was near unconsolable. Not to mention halting the garden party which,” he began in a strain annoyance, '' Lady Regina had spent weeks planning, though she kindly insisted despite that to search for you. Well? Do you have anything to say to that?” 

“I-i am sorry,” Gillian stuttered, 

He sniffed, frowning, “sorry,” he muttered, “why on earth would you run into the woods? You should have listened to Thomas,” 

“Thomas?” 

“Yes,” he grunted, “he told me how you had ignored his warnings about going into the forest, he had even tried to stop you, but you still went, he was luckily smart enough to know not to wander in.” 

Gillian gluped, had Thomas been that upset with her that he went running back to their father with lies. 

“And to wander into that sorcerer's forest, the gods must have been looking out for you to come out of that forest alive girl. No human comes out of that forest alive, not unless you are being accompanied by the sorcerer himself.” 

“I-i-” 

“No,” he cut through, “you will not make excuses.” staring for a long moment, he turned on his heels, marching out of the room, as he closed the door, Gillian's mother groaned awake. 

Gillian felt her tears roll down her cheeks, “Gilli?” 

She no longer held back, sobbing into the crook of her mothers neck. “I’m sorry, mother, i’m sorry, i didn’t-i didn’t-” abbygale pulled her arms around her daughter, stroking circles on her back, “it’s alright sweetheart, it’s alright,” 

Gillian knew the only peace she would ever know was within her mother's embrace. Committing every moment to memory, perhaps then only that memory would haunt her dreams, no more images of her past, only the warm arms of her mother.