Fermia walked briskly down the cobblestone street, her escort trailing behind the closer she came to the house. She clutched her long skirts close to her hips, ensuring that she didn’t trip on them in her haste.

“My lady, please slow down!” her escort huffed, the skinny man wheezing as he tried to keep up.

“The note said it was urgent! How can I slow down?”

Hecama, what is going on? Why summon me in the middle of the day?

Finally, Fermia reached the wooden door of the house, and turned to speak to her escort.

“Wait here, please.”

“You know I’m not supposed to-”

“Miles. She is my sister. I will be fine.”

“… Alright then. But this better not bite me in the arse.”

“I’ll take full responsibility. Thank you.”

Fermia turned and went inside, the heavy wooden door thumping closed behind her.

“Hecama? I’m here!”

“Fermia!” A voice called from the top of the staircase. Fermia looked up and saw her sister, long blonde hair secured in a tight braid, an anxious look on her face, her usual smiling mouth turned down in a frown.

“Hecama, what is going on?” Fermia questioned as Hecama descended the rounded staircase. The younger woman put a finger to her lips, then grabbed her sister’s arm and pulled her into the front room, closing the door behind them.

“I don’t know what to do, Fermia.” Hecama turned towards her sister, and Fermia could see that her eyes were bloodshot from crying. Fermia came forward, clasping Hecama’s hands firmly.

“Tell me what has happened.”

Hecama seemed to be unable to meet her sister’s gaze. After a moment, she took one of her sister’s hands, and placed it on her stomach.

Fermia could only stare in shock. No, this can’t be, how in the world…

“Please say something, sister.” Hecama whispered, finally locking eyes and revealing the depths of her anguish.

“You’re… You’re sure?”

“Yes. I’m sure.” Fermia recoiled from her sister, ripping her hands from her grasp.

“How could you do this to him!?!” Fermia yelled, forgetting for a moment that she should be doing everything she could to keep this news a secret. She lowered her voice to a scathing whisper. “Sleeping with another man? I know your relationship isn’t ideal, but if you wanted someone else you should have-”

“I didn’t!” Hecama whispered back, coming forward, clutching her chest, tears breaking free and spilling down her face. “I didn’t… I could never.” Fermia stopped dead in her tracks.

“What are you saying?”

“This is his child.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Apparently not. I swear to you, I have been with no other man.”

Fermia closed her eyes. How did this happen? But there is no use in wondering. It must be true. My sister would never lie to me. The only thing that matters now is keeping her safe. Fermia opened her eyes, seeing her baby sister standing across the room, so scared, so vulnerable.  Can she do what must be done?

“You can’t stay, Hecama. You must leave the city.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“The baby will have to be marked soon after birth. If the child is like him…” Fermia watched as realization flooded her sister’s countenance.

“They’ll take her away…”

“You have to leave. Now, while you’re still able to travel with ease.” Fermia took her sister gently by the shoulders. “I will help get you out.” Fermia moved to open the door, taking her sister by the hand. “Come, let’s pack some clothes for you, and I’ll charter a carriage to take you to-” Hecama froze.

“I have to tell him! Fermia, please, go and get him, I have to-”

“No!” The force of her exclamation seemed to jar Hecama more than anything else. “You can never tell him, sister. You can never tell anyone.”

“If he’s to be a father, he should know!”

“No, he shouldn’t. Hecama, think. You’ll be leaving him behind forever. He will never see you again. He will never meet his child. Do you really want him to carry that kind of grief?”

“But if I don’t tell him why, he’ll be just as affected. How can you expect me to leave without telling him this?”

“I’m trying to protect you, and him. If it ever got out that our kind could have children…” An involuntary shudder ran through Fermia’s entire frame at the implications of this knowledge becoming widely known. “We’d be exploited further than we already are. Please. You must leave. And he must never know why. You cannot contact him ever again. Do you understand?”

“… Yes. I understand.”

The night sky was peaceful. Fermia felt the calm was the greatest of betrayals. The turmoil of the day’s events still raged within her. Hecama walked beside her, quiet in her grief at the certainty of leaving her life behind. She would never see her sister ever again. She would never see her lover, the father of her child ever again. And Fermia, she would never meet her niece or nephew.

But they will be safer than if Hecama stays, Fermia thought. The certainty that this was the best course of action stopped her resolve from wavering.

Fermia stopped as she reached the courtyard of the north city gates. A carriage pulled by four horses sat near the gate, the driver speaking to the guard. Fermia dug into her pocket, and brought out a bag of coins, placing it in Hecama’s trembling hands.

“Here. Use it to pay the driver, and for food. Keep it hidden, so you don’t become a target for thieves.”

“Fermia, I’m so scared,” Hecama sobbed, hugging her sister tightly. “Can’t you come with me?”

“You know I can’t. My disappearance would cause more of a disturbance than yours.”

“Will you tell him… tell him that I’m sorry.”

Fermia nodded, and felt her throat tighten at the lie.

It would be better to keep him in the dark. Who knows what he would do if he knew the truth.

“Good luck, sister. Keep safe. Find work. Do not let anyone assist you in the birth. If you do, they will insist on marking the baby. It will be hard. But it is the only way to keep you together. It is the only way to keep the child out of their hands. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Fermia. I understand. Goodbye, sister.”

Hecama broke free, then walked to the carriage. Fermia watched in the shadows as Hecama paid the guard off to allow them through the gate, then climbed into the carriage.

“Stay safe,” Fermia whispered. Then she turned and began making her way back through the shadows.