Here's chapter 4. Enjoy.
Chapter 4
After a few hours of walking, they all sat down to rest.
It's strange, Melendie thought to herself, me telling them what to do.
Edmund finally broke the silence," So Melendie, how is it that you're the only one in that whole town who knows how to get to Macebreth?"
"Well King Edmund-"
"Please," he said, interrupting, "just call me Edmund."
"Same with me; just Lucy."
"As with me; Susan."
"Me as well; only Peter. Now that that's cleared up, please continue Melendie."
"Well, I'm the only one who knows because, I'm the only one in that village that is of mixed-blood," They stared at her confused. "I'm part Macebreth," They now understood. "My father was born and raised there, but somehow, he ended up here. Here, he met my mum, and just stayed. When I was old enough to understand, he told me stories of Macebreth and how to get there. Though he never told me why, or how, he left." As she was telling them this, they could've sworn that there were tears forming in eyes. But, she blinked them back, and looked up at the sky.
"It's getting dark," Melendie continued. "We should try to get some sleep."
"Good idea," Lucy agreed.
They laid out blankets and pillows (these were given to them by people in the town). Unfortunately there was only four of each.
"That's alright," Melendie told them. "I'm fine with sleeping on the ground."
"You are?" Edmund asked.
"Let's just say, I'm used to it."
"Please, just take mine," Lucy suggested.
"No, I'm fine; honestly. Now, let's all go to sleep."
Within minutes, the five were all asleep.
Some hours into the night, Melendie was having her nightmare:
"Mum! Dad! No! Stop, please! No!"
She bolted up, breathing heavily. She started to cry.
Not wanting to wake the others, she walked over to a nearby tree and started really crying.
Peter woke up. He saw that Melendie wasn't in her spot, but crying by the tree. He went over to see what was wrong.
"Melendie?" he asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. She jumped around, startled, to see who it was. Seeing it was Peter, she turned back around, quickly wiping away her tears, hoping he hadn't noticed them.
"Oh, Peter. I'm sorry to have woken you.
Melendie, what's wrong?"
Nothing. Nothing's wrong," she told him walking back over to her spot. "We'd better go back to sleep. Lots of walking tomorrow. Goodnight." She laid down, facing away from him.
He sat down next to her. "Melendie, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, really," she answered, her voice breaking.
"Just tell me what it is. She realized he wasn't going to give up."
"Fine," she said, giving in. "I'll tell you." She took a deep breath and started:
"My parents and I were so close. Though we were so very poor, we loved each other dearly. My mum could always make me laugh, and my dad... he actually taught me how to fight."
"What happened?"
"Well, one night, my parents had heard something, so they got out of bed to see what it was. I, then, woke up to screams and cries, and swords. I ran out of my room to see what was happening. I saw a few of Macebreth soldiers attacking my parents. Before I knew it, a couple had broken away, and started beating me. The next thing I heard was one more sword being drawn, two screams, and then... silence. I was only 10 years old, and my parents had been murdered right before me. They had come because they were taking all metal everyone had, even money, in order to create weaponry. And my parents needed everything, or else we wouldn't have been able to survive. But the Macebreths didn't care."
While she was telling the story, her voice kept breaking. She tried her hardest to keep the tears back, but a couple had found their way through.
"What happened after?" Peter asked her.
"Well," she said, blinking back tears, "since I was too young to live on my own, I was sold as a maid. But the couple that bought me treats me like a slave. They're completely horrible. Once, I tripped and spilled some water out of a pitcher. They beat me because of it. They also make me sleep outside, all the time. Even during the winter! But, they do at least give me a mattress to sleep on. But, when they're especially mad at me, they make me sleep on the ground without the mattress. That happens a lot, so, that's why I said I was used to sleeping in the ground." Tears were now easily flowing down her face. "I hat them so much!"
Peter could tell that she was in pain, and he wanted to comfort her. He gave her a hug, and held her for a few moments.
"Melendie, I am so sorry. Is there anything that I can do to help with anything?
"No. Thank you."
"Are you sure? I am the High King," he told her, with a fake built up attitude that made her laugh.
"Yes, I'm sure. Just go back to sleep. You'll need the energy for walking tomorrow."
He went back to his spot. As he was lying down, he saw Melendie shiver when a cold breeze blew through.
"Are you sure you don't want a blanket?" he offered.
"I'm positive. You need it," she told him.
"I can probably tear-"
"Peter, really. I'm fine. Goodnight," she rolled over.
"Goodnight."
Another wind blew through, and she shivered again.
Very quietly, he tore the blanket in half. He quietly walked over to her, and placed it over her. She stopped shivering.
As he walked back, he looked back at her and smiled.
Tell me what you think. Next chapter coming soon.
