Cold waves washed over her feet as she sat in the water. She breathed in. The air was cold, crisp, and sweet. Despite the war, she had found a way to make things peaceful for herself. Waves washed over her feet once again.
"Mmm..." She mumbled.
Winter had to be the best time of her life. The waves were cold as well as the air. It was exhilarating to swim in the water and get out with the cold air brushing against her skin. She cherished these times.
"Hey!" Someone called out to her.
She turned around. Her brother was on the porch, waving to her.
"Mum said you should get your bum back in here! It's starting to snow!"
She looked up. Light, wispy, white ice fell from the sky. It touched her nose. She didn't even flinch. Instead, she grabbed the twin swords that sat by her side and walked inside. Dinner had already been set. She sat down next to her brother, who had already started chowing down before praying, and prepared herself for the meal. Her mother crinkled her nose at her.
"No weapons at the table..." She said in a scowl.
She rolled her eyes and kicked her swords under the table. Her mother glared at this action. She brushed her off. She didn't care if a fomor came and ripped her to shreds at this point in time. She had chosen fighting for a reason. Her mother had just let it go. The door swung open, making the cold air like a guest who had just entered.
The air greeted her like a friend. She giggled a bit but not loud enough for other's to hear. Her father rumbled in.
"Children! Your father has returned!" He boomed.
Her mother and brother got up to greet the large sized man. She sat at the table, staring at them. Her father looked at her with sweet eyes.
"Ah... My daughter..." Then suddenly, he grabbed her around the neck and laughed heartily, "Do you still think you're tougher than you're own damn father?!"
She pushed him off, giving him a slight smile then nodding. But really, she still felt weak. Like that Lann guy who came by a few weeks ago. He had wobbled through town, clearly out of energy. Her family had the kindness to give him shelter. And after a few weeks of taking care of him, she acutally had fallen for him.
But he had a flaw. He wasn't very strong at the time. She was better at twin swords than him. But she had no idea how to use twin spears so she felt weak. She felt insecure. And everytime stupid Lann would beat her, she would chew his ass out with words she's not supposed to know. Slowly, her and Lann's relationship drifted apart. One day, he just left. No goodbye or anything. Just a fucking note.
Sadness overwhelmed her and she vowed to herself that she would never fall in love.
"Does the misstress of the sea think she can beat me?"
She gave her family a cold shoulder. Fighting just reminded her of him. It made her heart ache.
"No... I don't think so... I'm going to bed."
She walked up the stairs. The smile off her father's face quickly disappeared. Usually, she would pounce at the opportunity. Why was it today that she felt... Distant? Without knowing, he was already asending up the creaky wooden stairs. He opened the door softly, so soft she couldn't hear it.
He could hear the words that mumbled out of her mouth:
"Why did you leave such a fucking scar on me? Does this make you happy?!"
He immediately knew what she was talking about. The Lann boy who had came by. His daughter was head over heels for him. He didn't want to stop it, he just wanted to let love be love... And it caused this. Instead of comforting her, her father left the door. She continued to sob without the acknowledgement of others.
Soon night had fallen. Everyone had already headed to bed. That's when she had her chance. She pounced out of bed and darted for the door. The door swung open with her command. The night was cold and dark. She ran out in the snow and set up her 'training' ground. Dummies sat in the snow as she set them up.
She grabbed her swords and swung at the dummies. Hit after hit, she could see the wood flying off of these things. She one more chop would cause her to get new ones and only the Goddess knows how hard it was to get these. She put her training to rest. Then suddenly, she heard screams. The screams of humans.
Her mother and father ran out. Her mother was cradling her brother in her arms.
They ran to town. It was terrible. Dead bodies were being shredded by the bloodthirsty fomors. Some of the alive were either injured and about to die or running from one. The sight made her mother scream. That caught the fomors attention. They ran towards them in a crazy ran, as if they were pounding on the ground.
It grabbed her mother and cracked her skull open. It then started stomping on her brain, killing her almost instantly. She stared at the fomor in horror. Unable to move, the fomor ran towards her. She couldn't do anything... The fomor jumped up and almost attacked. It flew a few feet forward. Her father had protected her. She couldn't control her emotions. Her knees collapsed and she started crying at her mother's feet.
She didn't really mean what she said earlier. About her getting ripped up by a fomor. She was just joking! Come alive, please come alive. She prayed to the Goddess, but nothing happened. Her mother was dead. Her father sat in front of her, panic in his eyes. He shook her shoulders.
"Listen to me! You- you need to get out of Malina! Grab Ellis and get to the ferry!"
She shook her head, "No, no, NO. Dad, I'm not leaving you." She sobbed.
"You have to, you have to. I need my children alive to expand the family tree and experience things that I haven't. Please... I need you to stay alive for me..." She could hear the tears in his voice.
She looked at him, then nodded. "Okay, okay. Then, ah, go home. Right? And grab everything you need. Your swords, my chainblades, clothes, and medicine. Okay?"
She nodded once more and picked up Ellis. He was only five years old yet he knew what was going on. He bounced in her arms while she ran towards their home. She grabbed everything she could, even something to hold Ellis in. She was being weighted down with all these things, but what was important was getting out of Malina and somewhere else.
She took the safe yet long route to the docks. Hastily, she approached the ferryman. She purchased a ticket as fast as she could and boarded the ferry. She looked behind her and waved to her old home...
"So what's your name?" The nice blonde woman asked at the inn.
She pointed to the boy on her back, "This is Ellis. And my name is... Vella."
"Well, Vella. Welcome to Colhen. Are you ready to start a new life?"