Chapter Two
Gavaldon
Sophie shook her head. "Father, please don't make me go," she pleaded.
"Sophie, you must," Stefan said sternly, his green eyes sparkling with tears. "You know you must. It is not safe here, and even if you stay, I cannot take care of you much longer."
"Father, please," Sophie whispered. "I want to stay with you."
"Sophie."
"Father, I'm begging you!" Sophie's voice raised to a shout, and the doctor, Callis, exchanged looks with the nurse, Ciara.
"Sophie, I'm ordering you to go! Because I won't live much longer!" Father also began to yell.
Sophie burst into tears. "I have to stay with you! I want to!"
"It's not safe!" Father shouted.
Suddenly, he began to cough—
Sophie screamed.
On the sheets was blood. Father continued to cough, blood staining the white sheets.
The Elders came in.
"Sophie, it's time to go," the Eldest said in his deep, familiar voice. He noticed Stefan, and took Sophie's arm gently. "Sophie. We need to go."
Tears were streaming down Sophie's cheeks. "Let me say goodbye!" She broke out of the Elder's grip and rushed over to her father. "Father! Father!" She ran through the crowd of doctors and nurses and kissed Stefan's cheek. "Father I love you!"
Stefan looked back at her, smiling weakly. "Goodbye, and good luck in Camelot. Remember, you're never alone. I love you." Then he went silent, his eyes glassy.
Sophie let out a scream of despair, and the Elders dragged her away.
Sophie kicked and screamed, but she felt herself go limp.
The last thing she saw was her house, shrouded in the darkness of the night, just like the grief, the grim reaper, that had wormed its way into Sophie's heart.