Nell’s father listened to his daughter telling made up tales as they road down the rocky road in the carriage. The little girl had so much to talk about that the days passed by quickly. But on the fourth day, the carriage rocked and came to a stop. Nell’s father furrowed his brow and called out: “What’s going on out there?” 

No answer came even after asking a few times. Nell’s father held his daughter’s hand and looked outside to see that no one was around. The guards that were supposed to be riding next to the carriage had disappeared. “Nell, stay here.”

“Father, don’t go!” Nell, for the first time, was feeling a strong sense of fear. She had a feeling that if her father stepped outside this carriage he would die. 

“Nell, slip through the lower hatch. When you see me land my feet on the ground, you run into the bushes at the side and keep running. Do not stop. Do not look back.” Nell’s father already knew that this was some kind of ambush and betrayal. They would take his life and his daughter’s life without a second thought. It seemed his family was doomed. If it was just him, he could try running. But since Nell was with him, he would not be able to do that. It was easier for him to be a decoy and allow her to escape. 

“Father?” Nell did not want to run away, but when she saw her father’s expression, she knew if she stayed, she would only be getting in his way. With tears in her eyes, Nell readied herself to run. She even ripped her skirt to keep herself from tripping, just as she was taught.

Nell’s father stepped out of the carriage and closed the door. Thunder began to boom overhead as streaks of lightning arched through the dark clouds. Drops of water began to fall from the sky. Nell’s father waved his hand, creating five magic circles, and five balls of fire began to float around him. “I know you are there. Come out!” 

“Heh…” A laugh came from the tree line. But due to the darkening skies, Nell’s father could not see who it was. But he did know one thing. If they had already infiltrated his guard, then…. He did not even want to think about what was going on in the mansion. He took a deep breath and flicked his fingers. All five fireballs shot out in multiple directions. Right now he had to make a show to make sure his daughter could escape. As long as one of his family members could escape he could without regret. It meant he did everything he could.

“Kill him!” A voice came from the forest. Bolts of magic flew through the air, as well as arrows. Ten men with swords also jumped out of the tree line. All in order to kill one man. This was just how strong Nell’s father was. They had to go all out in order to take him down.

Nell shivered in fear. When she heard her father yell out, she knew this was probably going to be the last time she saw her father. She watched as the men ran out of the bushes and engaged her father. She bit her lip and slipped out from under the carriage, and rolled through the mud and into the bushes. 

If she were any other young noblegirl, they would not be able to do this. But Nell played with the commoners in the streets and was used to getting covered in dirt. In fact, she liked going out into the town and living freely without restrictions, but now her life was on the line, and her father was probably going to die. 

She hated this. She hated the fact that she was weak and could not help her father. She hated how her kind father was being targeted for whatever reason. She bit her lip as her tears fell. She ran through the bushes that tore at her dress with all her might. She continued running. Not stopping, just like her father had said.

She did not know if she was being chased. She did not know if her father had already been killed. She knew nothing. Her mind right now was on getting back home and maybe…. Maybe her mother could appeal to the king to find the people who killed her father.

Nell ran for a few hours before finally having to stop. Her legs hurt from running. Her breathing was heavy and she was covered in sweat. Her beautiful green dress was torn to shreds and could no longer even be called a dress. After resting, Nell continued running. She was smart, though, and was running parallel to the road. All of which were taught to her by her father. She never realized the training she had always complained about was actually going to become useful at such a time.

As the days passed, Nell ate nuts and berries. The rain did not seem to want to stop. She soon arrived at the capital and slipped through the back allies. No one even took a second look at her. By this time, her clothes no longer even looked like clothes. She was nothing but a beggar in the eyes of others. 

But when she went to the place that she once called home, she did not see the lavish mansion she had lived in but what seemed more like a battlefield. She walked into the mansion ground to find dead people still lying about. The rain pelted their bodies. She knew the people lying on the ground. Servants, guards, her brother…. She walked into the house to find a large gaping hole in the roof. In the middle, where the rain passed through without hindrance, was a body that seemed to have been burnt to a crisp. It was a woman, and in her arms, she was holding two children.

Lightning crackled in the sky as a booming sound of thunder filled the air. The little girl looked at the figures huddling together. Their charcoal bodies looked like statues. It was hard to figure out who they were, but Nell knew who they were. Her eyes reddened as she stared at the statues. Hate began to boil up within her. Her eyes glazed over as she let out a scream of pain and anguish. “Why!? Why did they need to die!? Why did those who did such evil get to live, but they had to die!? Why does this world hate the good!?”

Lightning crackled in the sky, and at that very moment, it struck down, hitting the small body below.