Chapter 12 - The Escape

"Mother is that you?" with my half-opened eyes I saw a withered and distressed face crying holding my head in her arms and continuously but gently wiping my face, with a wet cloth,

"Yes! it's me, I came back for you so please Aaris get hold of yourself and look at me dear please if you also leave me then what would I do, I will also lose my will to live so please don't leave your mother like this open your eyes, please Aaris" Her tears were falling on my face like it was raining, and her voice was trembling.

I tried to speak but now even uttering a word seemed like an impossible feat to me but while she was holding my head in her arms I used everything left in me to keep my eyes open, I lifted my arm and grabbed the hand the was on my face, and with the help stomach, I mumbled...

"I won't leave you no matter what so, please don't ever abandon me like again.. I will keep you happy so please don't leave me alone".

" I promise I won't, ever again so let's escape from Here while we have time, but first let us go to Doct.." my mother squeezed her moist eyes with difficulty, "Aaris will you make another promise with me until our feet cross the borders of this domain you won't give up you understand," she said to me looking with courage and I believed her I nodded in agreement, she went into the cottage to take some belonging of ours and then I tried to stand up on my feet but fell on the floor, I didn't have any endurance or strength to move my legs, they refused to listen to me but I tried to stand again with help of my arms but the same thing happened again, my mother came with few things in her hand and saw me on the floor she threw the belongings on the side and running belongings,

"Aaris can't you stand, if not please don't push yourself," she said,.

"it's okay it just I have become a little lethargic,"

"Don't try to act tough you stupid kid" she picked me up from the floor and lifted me by her arms, "Looks like you haven't eaten properly, once we get out from here I am going to chubby you up" she looked at me with a sadden but bright smile,

"But what about the things the books, the clothes, and everything?" I was finally able to speak because of her beside me.

"The world is useless if you are not in it, So keep quiet and it's not like this is my first time I carried you, I still remember the day clearly when you were as big as my arm," She said holding me close to her chest and then she picked a cloak with some strange blue markings on it and left the cottage, we picked the route that goes through the forest behind the mansion and led to outskirts if the town, when we were about to leave the area of the mansion I suddenly recalled and asked my mother,

"Please stop! Mother leave without me"

"Aaris this is isn't a time to be-"

"I can't leave this place until 21st so please go without me," I lowered my gaze "Dustin casted a spell on me and started that if I tried to leave this place before 21st I will die"

She examined my neck and looked relieved,

"Don't worry today the midnight has passed today is the 21st and thanks for telling and also I will fulfill my promise with the Tresguy later let us first take you to a safe place" She was in a hurry like she hiding from something, it was obvious that she wanted to leave this place as soon as possible,

"Let's go" and we started running into the forest, her eyes were fixed on the path and I felt peculiar ease at that time but then I thought of something,

Why Dustin took the mother away?

Why he put the condition on the spell to dissolve after 21st?

How did she return on the 21st?

The surprise that Dustin was talking about,

"Mother how did you managed to return, did they released you because you were innocent?" I asked her,

"Dear we can talk about this later but for now you should know that breakthrough the prison."

I understood that I shouldn't ask anymore but,

"Did somebody helped you?" my heart was beating fast hoping that my assumptions prove wrong,

"Yes," She answered me, I had a feeling that this is not because of luck something wrong is happening here,

"Aaris I know what you are getting at but this isn't a time to hold back ourselves, because of fear and I don't regret my decision to run away and come back to you," She said she was also well aware of the situation but it was true the option that was left for us is to move according to their wish, I was afraid, that something bad will happen again, and held her tightly.

"My-My don't tell me, my little emperor, is scared and here I thought you will protect me, don't worry there is still some hope we can get through this" She chuckled,

"I will protect you from now on and I am sorry that I couldn't when they were taking you away" I had this regret,

"No no no, don't be sorry I was just kidding I was really delighted you stood up for me..Ah!!..... I am sorry dear I am proud of you."

As we were running we saw a light through the forest it was a luminous stone lamp to guide the way for this path we finally reached the outskirts just a few steps more and we will be freed from this land that is what I thought.

Suddenly some noise came from the forest and we turned back.. three-man with a black cloak came out of the forest they were not Ravens so why are they here and they were wearing strange masks on their face too...

"So this the Bitch and her pup" one of the men spoke in a harsh tone,

"Let's finish this quickly before Ravens find her" another man who was with them,

"Who are you and what do you want, if you are here for me or my son then I give you one chance to retreat otherwise I won't show any mercy on you" My mother expression turned hostile in an instant, and took few steps back and held me tighter,

Suddenly one man started to laugh hysterically and removed his mask,

"YOU!!" my mother was stunned,

"Are you surprised, I really wished that we could talk a little more but you see, I was ordered to kill you and Your Son before you step out of this domain."

The man spoke.