Chapter 11

“You’re going to help me?”

“yes.”

“why?” She asked, confused.

“because if what you tell me is true, then your mother may be in danger.”

Astria stood silent for a moment, unsure what to say in response to the stranger's sudden concern for her mother’s safety. Did he truly mean that he was going to help her, or was he leading her into a trap? Directly to the people who wished to take her life.

“i know that you may not be able to trust me, but my name is dane and i cannot let you walk the streets alone with only a pocket knife as your defence.” The man chuckled slightly, amused by her confusion.

“it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She responded.

Dane nodded, adjusting his oversized cloak as he smiled once again, showing astria that he was no longer a threat to her safety. He gently leaned forward and untucked the hair from behind her ears, concealing them from anyone who would wish her harm.

“it is better that we continue with your mother’s wishes and ensure that no one else in this town learns who you are.” He suggested with caution, his tone low and soft against the growing winds. “we have to keep you safe if we are to find your mother.”

“thank you.” Astria whispered, suddenly nervous.

Dane said nothing more as he turned towards the crossroads, quickly choosing the first exit and leading her further into the growing silence of the seemingly abandoned town. The cobblestone stabbed at astria's boots as they walked, her back beginning to whine and strain.

Hours passed with no sign of tuviel,dane calling off the search when he noticed that the girl suffered with eac step that they took and decided to carry her back to the inn, knowing that her delicate legs wouldn’t be able to handle the hike back through town.

Astria shifted nervously in his arms, unsure how she should act as their forms were pressed together, the air suddenly seeming too warm

“if you don’t stop fidgeting i may drop you.” The man laughed, watching as a small blush rose in her cheeks. It was the most adorable thing he had ever seen.

“i’m sorry, i have just never been carried before. Not since i was a babe.” Astria murmured, tightening her arm around his neck. “you won’t really drop me, will you?”

He laughed once more, “no sweet girl, i will not drop you.”

The girl smiled, biting her bottommlip as she glanced around the streets; the sun rising over the houses. “where are you from?”

“me?” Dane asked rhetorically, “you wouldn’t know of it.”

Astria frowned, her curiosity spiking. “i have studied every town and city of threosant. I’m sure that imwould have heard of it.”

“i am not from threosant.”

“i don’t understand. Where else is there?”

“there are a great many places in our world, maybe one day i will show you them.”

“really? You would show me these new places?”

“yes, i would. I believe that everyone should experience the world, for all its flaws.”

“this is my first time away from home, before yesterday i had never ventured beyond the swamps of lacus. My mother forbid it.” Astria admitted, quickly growing to trust the stranger.

“then your mother is neither kind normwise, no parent should keep their child locked away.”

“she did it to protect me.”

“no.” Dane corrected. “she did it to conceal you.”

Astria turned to glance up at the strange man, fighting the pull of his purple eyes as she spoke. “what do you mean?”

“she hid you to protect herself more than you, otherwise she would have left threosant behind.”

“i don’t understand.”

Dane placed astria back onto the ground as they neared noah's inn, “you are half deus, so i am guessing that is your mother’s origin and your father is the elf. This means that your mother has been lying to you, all deus know that there are more lands beyond, it is where they originally came from.

But your mother could not bring herself to leave everything behind. And for that, she puts your life at risk.”

“that’s not true. My mother would never do that.” Astria argued, a burning anger seeping through her chest.

“wouldn’t she? Has she ever lied to you before?”

“yes but...”

“then why is it so hard to believe?”

“i..”

“astria!” Tuviel shouted, bursting out of the inn, “where have you been?”

“mother.” Astria gasped, the stranger gently placing her onto the ground. “i could ask you the same thing, i was searching for you.”

“come on, noah's taking us to the edge of town. You need to get your pack now.” She commanded harshly, turning back towards the inn.

“wait.” The girl called, “where were you?”

“that’s not important. Now please, go and get your stuff, we have to leave now.”

Astria scowled, huffing as she took a step towards her mother. “i thought we agreed that you wouldn’t keep anything from me anymore.”

Tuviel turned to look at dane, a strange expression slithering across her features. “we don’t have time for this.”

“fine. But as soon as we leave, i expect you to tell me everything.”

“alright.”