Chapter 2
It felt as if we were running forever. I could have sworn I had lost consciousness from the nerves and exhaustion while the woman was carrying me. I took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief as the woman and I had finally stopped by a stream. I was exhausted and my legs were still burning from all the running even though I had been carried for some time. The woman set me down gently and offered me the water skin. I gulped down the water gratefully, feeling it refresh my parched throat. My heart was still pounding from the terror of the goblin attack, and my mind was consumed with thoughts of my father. I couldn't help but wonder if he was still alive or if he had been taken by the goblins.
The woman with me seemed to sense my worry and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, child. We'll find your father," she said in a soothing voice.
As I gazed up at her, my eyes were drawn to her simple yet practical clothing, and the way her short auburn hair framed her face. Her green eyes glinted with a fierce determination that immediately put me at ease. Though she appeared slightly younger than my father, her weathered hands and practical attire told of a hard-working woman who knew the land like the back of her hand. Her long tunic and apron were stained with earthy hues, evidence of the many hours she spent outdoors. She exuded a grounded energy that made me feel safe, as if I were in the presence of someone who understood the world in a way that few others did.
My voice was raspy from all the running and shouting, but I managed to ask, "Who are you?"
The woman gave me a warm smile, her green eyes sparkling with kindness. "I'm Shira," she replied. "I was one of the villagers, I own the herbalist shop in town."
I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you for helping me," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I need to find my father. I can't leave him behind."
Shira's expression turned sympathetic. "I understand. But we need to be careful. The goblins are still out there, and we don't know what they'll do if they catch us. Let's rest here for a bit and come up with a plan."
I nodded, grateful for the chance to catch my breath and gather my thoughts. The sound of the stream beside us was calming, and the breeze that blew through the trees was refreshing. But the thought of my father being missing made it hard to relax.
I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him. Was he captured, injured, or worse? The uncertainty made my heart ache. But I knew I had to stay strong and keep moving forward. For my father's sake, and for mine.
I sat there in silence, my body feeling heavy with exhaustion and my mind still weighed down by hopelessness. As I tried my best to push away the darkest thoughts that threatened to consume me, I noticed Shira rustling around in the bushes. I wondered what she was doing, but I didn't have the energy to ask. After a few moments, she emerged with a handful of berries and mushrooms, which she offered to me.
I hesitated at first, remembering my father's warnings about the dangers of mushrooms. But then again, I was so hungry and tired that I didn't really care. Besides, Shira had gathered everything with such precision that I decided to trust her.
As I ate the food, I felt a bit better. The stew that my father and I had eaten earlier was wearing off, and my body was still exhausted from the hard labor I had done just hours before. But with the nourishment from the berries and mushrooms, I felt like I might be able to keep going a little longer.
"Thank you," I said to Shira between bites, gratitude lacing my words. "I don't know what I would have done without you."
Shira gave me a kind smile, her eyes full of warmth. "It's no problem. What is your name anyways?”
“Timmy,” I responded quietly, feeling a pang of sadness as I thought of my father. “My father and I have a farm in town. Well, we had. It has probably burned down by now with the other homes in the village."
Shira's face softened, and I could see the sympathy in her eyes. "Well, it is nice to meet you Timmy, regardless of the circumstances. We're in this together. Now, let's rest for a bit and come up with a plan."
As we settled down to rest by the stream, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. My mind kept replaying the scene of the goblin attack, and the image of my father struggling under those vile creatures' weapons. But Shira's presence was comforting, and I felt a sense of safety knowing that she was here to help me.
As we talked, Shira explained her plan to trace our footsteps and try to find my father. I nodded, grateful for the guidance. We both knew the dangers of venturing out into the forest, but the thought of leaving my father behind was unbearable.
We waited until dawn, and as Shira predicted, the goblins were gone. We set out, following the path that we had taken the night before. The forest was quiet, but the rustling of leaves under our feet sounded like thunder in my ears.
As we approached the location where we had last seen my father, my heart raced with anticipation. I wanted so badly to see him again, to hug him and tell him how much I loved him. But as we got closer, the stench of death filled the air. My stomach churned, and I had to hold back the urge to vomit.
It was then that we saw my father's lifeless body, lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood. The goblins had attacked him with such ferocity that he was barely recognizable. A single goblin lay dead next to him, but the other one we had seen the night before was nowhere to be found. My heart shattered into a million pieces at the sight before me, and a scream started to build up inside of me, but it was caught in my throat. I felt as though the world had stopped turning.
My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down my face. Shira rushed to my side, wrapping a comforting arm around my shaking body. "I'm so sorry," she whispered softly. "We'll make sure he's properly buried, and we'll make those goblins pay for what they did."
I tried to collect myself, to focus on the anger that had begun to simmer inside of me. I stood up, feeling a burning desire to make the creatures who did this to my father pay. My eyes fell upon the dead goblin next to my father's body, and I began to kick it with all the strength I could muster, releasing all of my frustration and rage with each blow as tears blurred my vision.
Shira's grip on my arm was firm, but gentle, and her words brought me back to reality. "That's enough," she said, her voice soothing. "Let's focus on laying your father to rest."
I watched in awe as Shira waved her hands over my father's body, and suddenly, white flowers began to bloom around him. The flowers were placed strategically, covering some of the more gruesome areas of his body, and creating a beautiful bed of flowers for him to rest on. It was as if the flowers were a symbol of the peace that he had found in death.
"Thank you, Shira," I said, my voice choked with emotion.
She gave me a small smile. "Of course, Timmy. Now, let's go back to the village, assess the damage, and find a shovel so we can give your father a proper burial."
I nodded, wiping the tears from my face. As we made our way back to the village, I couldn't help but feel grateful for Shira's magic. It had given my father the peaceful send-off that he deserved, and for that, I would be forever grateful.
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