Back to the Roots

Cheapter 3: Who are you?

I woke up at night. I didn't know how much time was left until the morning. It was dark everywhere. I got up to drink some water and turned left and walked down the hall. Just as I grabbed a glass, I heard a voice behind me.

FootstepsI ht. I didn't know how much time was left until the morning. It was dark everywhere. I got up to drink some water and turned left and walked down the hall. Just up at night. I didn't know how much time was left until the morning. It was dark everywhere.

I got up to drink some water and turned left and walked do woke up at night. I didn't know how much time was left until the morning. It was dark everywhere. I got up to drink some water and turned left and walked down the hall.

Just as I grabbed a glass, I heard a voice behind me. Footsteps... Then another one. I slowly put the glass down and looked behind me. There he was. Commander Virell. The same man who declared me a traitor in Solvenia and wanted me executed.

He had a rope and a sack in his hand. I had to protect myself, not only myself but also my uncle and cousin. I looked around quickly. I was in the kitchen. I looked for a knife, but there's nothing

tu. The commander was approaching step by step. I wanted to scream, but there was no sound. When I raised my hand to make a "stay away" sign, he grabbed my hand. I tried to hit him, to run away, but it was like I had no strength at all.The commander was approaching step by step. I wanted to scream, but there was no sound. When I raised m"stay

My cousin Mary was lying in her own bed, right across from mine. It was a dream. That dream had scared me so much and left me drenched in sweat. I sat up in bed. I noticed a pitcher of water on the small table in the room. I got up immediately and drank. No water I’d drunk in a long time had ever refreshed me this much.

I sat on my bed, leaning my back against the wall. Dawn was near. I hugged my knees with my arms. As long as my father was in Solvenia, the nightmares I saw were no different from reality. Somehow, I had to bring him here. But first, I had to reach him. I couldn’t go there myself. I decided to write him a letter. I had to tell him I was safe and that I would bring him here somehow.

He had to board one of the ships at the South Harbor. I had acquaintances there. If he told them, “I’m Elia’s father,” they would help him. Thinking this, I laid my head back on the pillow and rested a bit more.

This time, I had another dream. Normally, I didn’t dream much. Either I wouldn’t sleep long, or I would sleep deeply due to exhaustion and forget my dreams. This time, we were in a large hall, gathered around a table. It was a familiar place… but also completely unknown to me. On the table, there was a map and small miniature soldiers. People were talking among themselves. I examined the map. Normally, I was good with maps, but this one was different. It had writing in a language I didn’t understand.

I looked at the people. “South Harbor,” they said. “Let’s start the invasion from there.” I looked up.

“Which South Harbor?” I asked.

They looked at me as if I had said something wrong. I felt very embarrassed. We were planning a war, but I knew nothing.

“When they refused to pay taxes, Solvenia deserved it,” one said.

In that moment, I understood. The attack was going to happen on Solvenia. One of the commanders turned to me:

“What do you think?”

“I can’t,” I said. “I shouldn’t be here.”

They looked at me strangely. One whispered, “Half-Solvenian.”

I turned to him and said, “My father is still there.”

Then, one word echoed in my ear: Traitor.

“You’re a traitor.”

The commanders started walking toward me—and I woke up. The day had broken, but it wasn’t sunny. My cousin wasn’t in her bed. I heard a voice from the window next to my bed. It was Mary’s voice.

“You’re a traitor!” she was saying.

I got up and approached the window. Mary was collecting eggs from the henhouse, telling one of the hens, “You’re a traitor.” The moment I heard her say that, the dream came to mind. I smiled and breathed out, feeling relieved.

“Good morning,” I called out.

“Good morning! Come on, get dressed so we can have breakfast, then we’ll go to the market!”

“Alright,” I said. I closed the window and made my bed. I headed to my bag. I didn’t have many clothes with me—just a few pieces, my dagger, and my notebook. Since most of my days were spent in the palace, I usually wore formal clothes: for meetings, battles, special occasions… So I was unsure what to wear. I had to avoid standing out as a stranger and wear something low-key.

I decided to dress like someone selling at the market. I put on a long skirt, a white blouse, and a corset. When I stepped outside, the eggs had been gathered and breakfast was being prepared. I helped my uncle and Mary. While eating, my uncle asked me what I planned to do today.

“I want to write a letter to my father,” I said. “But I don’t know who to send it with, or how.”

“You write the letter,” said my uncle. “I have some acquaintances at the harbor. They come and go between here and Solvenia. We’ll talk to them; they’ll help us.”

“That would be great. I also know some people at Solvenia Harbor. It’ll be enough if they can deliver the letter.”

For the first time in a long while, I felt hope inside me. We finished breakfast and cleaned up the table. My uncle and Mary went to the market to sell their goods. I told them I’d join later. I sat at the table, took a paper and pen, and started writing the letter.

I wanted my father to know I was well. That I had secretly come to Trenia, found my uncle and cousin, and that they were truly good people who had accepted me into their home and table. I told him to go to the South Harbor. There, if he said he was my father, there would be people willing to help him. I ended the letter with “I love you very much.” I put it in an envelope and tucked it into my pocket.

As I left the house to go help Mary at the market, I thought about the letter I had written. Would it work? I wasn’t sure. What was the state of the country? Had my absence been noticed? They might be looking for me. The acquaintances at the harbor might not dare to help my father. Maybe they were afraid of getting into trouble. Maybe I had rushed writing the letter. If I found someone who could take and bring my father here, everything would be easier. If I offered payment to someone familiar with Solvenia… maybe they’d bring him directly.

I thought of another letter idea. I should write a separate letter to give to the person who would bring my father to me. That way, my father could trust them.

As I walked toward Mary’s stall, I heard a voice behind me:

“Excuse me, miss…”

Someone touched my arm. I quickly turned around. It was a tall, middle-aged man dressed in black.

“You dropped this,” he said, handing me a crumpled letter.

The moment I saw the letter, I recognized it. I reached into my right pocket. It was empty. I had dropped the letter.

“Thank you,” I said, bowing my head in greeting, then turned and took a few steps. As I headed toward Mary’s stall, I saw a few men dressed like the man who had just left, moving in my direction.

I thought about how the man had handed me the letter without ever taking his eyes off me. To avoid drawing attention, I faced forward and walked to the stall. It was quite crowded. Mary had come out from behind the stall and was calling out to the men in black who had just left:

“Wait! You forgot the gold!”

When she saw me, she immediately squeezed two gold coins into my palm and showed them:

“They forgot this. Can you go give it to them?”

I held the gold tightly and hurried after the men.

“Excuse me! Please stop!” I called, but they didn’t hear.

I quickened my pace. I grabbed one of their arms:

“Excuse me, please stop!”

The moment I said this, the three men beside him instantly reached for their swords. They grabbed my arms.

“You forgot your money. I brought it,” I said.

They looked at each other. The man whose arm I held gave a sign, and they slowly released me. They were still cautious. I showed the gold coins in my hand and gave them to the tall young man standing before me. I couldn’t see his face clearly, but it was clear he was important. He was probably from the palace or a noble family; otherwise, he wouldn’t be traveling with so many guards.

I scanned the guards and then looked into his eyes. I didn’t want to get into trouble. I just wanted to leave. So I bowed my head and said:

“Excuse me.”

I turned around and headed back to the stall. Just then, I heard the young man’s voice behind me:

“Who are you?”