Allerleirauh

Chapter 20

20

SAARLAND DER LICHT

The hood of my coat was my only protection against the rain as I ran deeper into the forest. I could hear the distant screams and shouts coming from the burning castle behind me, but I didn’t dare to look back. My eyes blurred with tears as I continued to run.

Myriah . . .

I paused only for a moment as I reached a thicket of bushes I could conceal myself in. I was hesitant in glancing back at the erupting castle in the distance; I didn’t know if I could bear the sight of what I had done.

The rain came down heavier, mixing with the tears on my cheeks. My chest ached at the thought of Myriah being gone from me forever. Everything inside of me twisted with a deep-rooted sadness I never felt before. Despite my blurred vision, I knew I needed to continue. My entire body ached from running, from fighting my way out of the castle. Through the trees, I watched pillars of black smoke curl up into the night sky. Images of charring skin and screaming courtiers filled my mind. Myriah. In my carelessness, the only person who had ever truly loved me was gone. It was all my fault. What had I done? I lifted my hands to my face and felt everything inside of me crumble into pieces.

My life . . . my home . . . Myriah.

I knew I had to keep going. I could almost hear her in my mind and heart telling me to ‘be strong.’ I pushed myself from tree to tree, as tears fell freely down my face. What was to become of me now? Where was I going to go? I turned back only one more time, taking in the sight of the red l*****g flames.

“Goodbye,” I whispered, my words drowning in the thick fall of rain.

I knew I had to leave before I was discovered. I didn’t know if anyone from the castle would be looking for me. I pushed through the thicket of bushes and tree limbs and continued to move as fast as I could despite my blinding tears. My legs wanted to run faster, but with such a heavy coat, I would only tire myself more quickly.

I had many miles to cover in the darkness before the sun came up again. The rain seemed never-ending. It became clearer, the farther away from the castle I ran, the more alone in the world I was.

With the rain falling over the hundred pelts, I pushed the hood away from my face, letting the water soak over my hair and face. The walk in the forest became tiring, and the darkness started to play with my eyes. I began to see shadows shaped like the king between tree limbs, ghosts of the monster I left behind. Would he always haunt me?

After a moment of rest, I pushed onward through the deep thicket. I knew if I kept the moon to my side and the stream on the other, I would make it to Saarland der Licht before sunrise. As soon as I saw the sun begin to crest over the distant mountains, I knew I needed to hide. I imagined if there were any of my father’s supporters left, they would be in search for me. My legs were numb and my entire body was cold. I pulled myself into a small bundle and laid beside the base of a hollow tree. I would be safe for now. I would sleep, and I would figure out where to go in the first day of my new, free life.