I do not own Shadow and Bone.
"I hope that you find what you're looking for, Keira." Those words kept repeating in Keira's mind as she finished harvesting the apples her mother had requested. She barely registered her hands in the dirt of the garden as she collected herbs.
Saints, what do I want? I want to feel free. I love my family, can I just… Leave them? Run away and abandon them? A voice inside her laughed at this, she could hear the bitterness, taste it in her mouth. You have been saving up kruge for years now. You want this. You need it. You will never be content with this life, surrounded by farmland and tradition.
Keira tilted her head back, staring at a bird soaring overhead. Was that freedom? She thought so. Her lips twisted into a thin line and then almost a smile, a smile full of regret, sadness… Yet also longing. "I will leave here. I will not look back." She promised herself.
She finished collecting her herbs and set to the task of helping her mother prepare dinner, Brigid slightly suspicious at her daughter's behavior, but she chose not to question it. Dinner was a dull affair, at least to Keira. There was laughter and joy around the table of her family, but Keira felt nothing. No, her mind was already wandering to the possibilities that awaited her in Ketterdam.
"I'm very tired," She said abruptly, standing and stepping back from the table. "I think I'm going to bed early." Before anyone could speak, she turned and hurried to her bedroom. Once the door was shut, she dragged a pack out from under her bed, eagerly packing what clothes she thought to bring. She made sure to check, double check, and triple check her stack of kruge. Once she was done packing, she stared at her reflection in the small mirror. She was really going to do this. She shoved the pack under her bed, just in case someone checked in on her during the night, before she climbed into bed.
Keira was standing in the apple orchard, she knew that as soon as her eyes opened. She felt an odd tug, something pulling and nagging at the edge of her awareness, wanting her to follow. Hesitantly, carefully, she went down the path. Her mother warned her not to walk alone at night, but it seemed safe enough. This was farmland, after all, no one would attack her here.
"Keira…" A voice whispered, Keira whirling around in confusion and fear. Something stirred within her, as though it sensed her fear.
"Who is there? What do you want?" She called out into the darkness.
"Keira…" The voice whispered again, this time from behind her. As she whirled around to confront the voice, raising her hands, though she did not know why, she gave a frightened cry as a wolf leapt upon her, fangs digging into her throat.
Keira woke with a cry, sweating and staring wildly around her room. She heard the sound of panicked footsteps, Viktor opening the door and frowning in concern. "Are you alright? Bad dream?"
Keira gave a nod as she touched her throat for a moment. "Y-yes. Is it morning?"
Viktor studied her before nodding, relaxing a bit at knowing his daughter was alright. "Yes, it is. We're getting ready to head to Shriftport. Do you feel up to coming?"
"Of course, let me just tidy up." Keira said with a smile, getting up as her father nodded and stepped out, closing the door behind her.
Saints, what… No, it was just a nightmare. Nothing more, nothing less. Keira mentally scolded herself as she hastened to comb her hair and change into a split skirt and shirt, pulling a coat over it, lacing her boots up. She raced outside after grabbing her pack to where her family was preparing the cart, the back piled up with baskets of vegetables and apples, but enough room for the three children. Her brothers were already there, being scolded by their mother to not eat any of the apples.
"Keira! About time, we were about to leave without you!" Ferris teased his older sister, a grin on his face.
"As though I would let you." Keira said as she tossed her pack up and climbed up after it.
"What is that for?" Brigid asked with a slight frown, eyeing the pack and then her daughter.
"I'm going to stay at Eileen's home for a few nights, she thinks Colin will ask for her hand soon-" She ignored her brothers 'gross' and continued. "And wants me around just in case." She felt a twinge of guilt at how easily the lie fell from her lips. Brigid stared for a few moments longer before nodding, turning forward as her husband urged the cart down the road.
Keira could barely conceal her excitement as the bustling port city came into view. She had leapt from the cart after grabbing her pack, barely registering her parents calling after her to be careful. She made sure to stick to the path to Eileen's home as long as she was sure her parents could see her, but she quickly changed her path to the docks. She stared around, her brow furrowed. She heard so many languages being spoken, she caught bits of Ravkan, Zemeni of course, and Kerch. It was all a bit overwhelming.
"Are you lost, girl?" A rough voice said from behind her, Keira whirling around to stare at an older man with graying hair, a grin on his face. She could see he was missing a few teeth.
"I, um, I'm trying to find a ship going to Ketterdam… I have kruge!" She hastily pulled out the stack from her pack, the man eyeing it greedily.
"Oh-hoh, so you do. C'mon, I'll take you to one." The man said with an easy grin.
Keira hesitated before following the man as he walked towards a small ship. She thought that she could outrun him if it came to that. Unfortunately for her, the moment that they were on the ship, she felt something was off. She felt herself grow dizzy, wobbling and dropping her pack.
"W-what…?" She stared up in confusion, swearing she saw a man standing with his fist clenched. A… Grisha? It was the last thought she had before she collapsed onto the deck of the ship.