Chapter 6

I woke up early as the sun began its slow rise. I walked out of my bedroom, and began to prepare breakfast. Everyone else was still asleep- good.
I got such an early start today because today is Shane and my seventh wedding anniversary. I pulled out the flour canister.

"Momma," came a voice from behind me. I turned around to see my six-year-old daughter there, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Kala, you should be asleep. What's wrong?" I said, walking over to her.

"I heard something outside. When I looked out, it looked like someone was leaving in the shadows." She said. "Momma, he looked like you always used to describe the man who's really my Papa as." Shocking fear swept my body into sudden stillness.

"Kala, are you sure that's what they looked like?" I asked.

"Yes, Momma," answered the young girl. "I found this letter on my windowsill. Will you read it to me?" She handed me a piece of parchment folded up with the names, 'Liliana and Kala' written on it. I flipped it open, reading through it once before I read it out loud. It read,

My two darlings, I've missed you so. I can imagine your happy with your lives now, and thought I'd just let you know how I've been doing over these years.
My father died last winter of the flu caused by the blizzard. I've been living alone in the same house, though by now it has long since been in need of repair. I've found money for food by assisting the Tribe police in murder cases, often as the one to bring down the ax.
I cannot go one day without thinking of you, and I know that you might have forgotten me, but I still hope for us to be our own family one day.
I know I mustn't keep you from your lives, so I shall now go. My heart will be heavy with sorrow, but I am leaving this village to find a new home in an easier place to live. I've realized now that I can hope and dream but never live out the life I long for.

So long, my two sweethearts,

Brendan

"Momma?" Kala asked anxiously. "What does it say?" I was too choked up to answer her. Over the years of forbidden friendship, I'd forgotten much about him, but the memories all seemed to come back, as if to relive my childhood.

"Kala, I'll be back. I- I've got to get something from the store. I forgot to get it last night. Tell your father where I am if he wakes up before I come back, okay?" I instructed. Kala merely nodded, but I left too soon to even notice. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me until I'd reached the Garsion Clan houses. My sides were heaving as I gasped for breath. Slowly and shaking, I walked the roads I so familiarly remembered. I stopped at a house, which used to be bright with a colorful garden, but was now hardly a house at all. I walked up, peering inside a window. When I looked in, I saw a torn up blanket, some wooden dishes, and what looked to be parchment paper and a quill. I walked up to the door. I knocked lightly, my heart pounding. No answer. 'Of course, I knocked to lightly,' I thought, and knocked louder. Then I heard footsteps. With each step I felt as if I should run, but I stayed where I was.

The steps stopped, and it felt like hours before the door opened. I stood there staring, as the man before me did the same. I guessed the expression on my face was similar to the shock on his. I gulped, and decided to speak.

"B-Brendan?" I stammered.

"Liliana, you look beautiful. Those seven years did you good." He said, with a slightly less shocked expression now.

"Kala brought me the letter," I began. "I'm sorry about your father."

Brendan looked down. "I knew it would happen. He saved everything he could for me to eat or use for warmth. But judging by how I ended up, it was in vain." I looked at him, and saw a tear form in his eye.

"So, is it true?" I asked, changing the subject. "Y-you're leaving, for good?" Brendan looked up at me.

"Yes, I plan to." He muttered. I looked down at my feet and shuffled them awkwardly.

"I'll, I'll miss you." I said in near whisper. A tear fell to the ground, and soon another followed.

"Don't cry." Brendan said, lifting my chin. "Unless Shane is no more, we cannot be together anyway." I looked into his eyes. His voice was calmed and comforting, but his eyes shown love and sorrow.

"Brendan, don't go!" I blurted out, but I knew I was going to since I first came up to his home. Brendan backed away.

"You're married with a child; I cannot distract you from your duties to your family." He said.

"I'm married yes, with a child, yes, your child." I said, reminding us both of the painful days of our childhood.

"Lil, Liliana," He corrected himself. He couldn't call me nick names now. "You should probably go. I shouldn't have written to you, it just gave us both heavy hearts to mend later."

"No, no, not at all. It was wonderful to see you again, especially how much you've grown." I answered. "But yes, I should go."

"Goodbye." Brendan said.

"Brendan, just one thing, don't leave without saying goodbye in person, no matter what Shane says about it." I kissed his cheek and left, stopping at the market and buying two sugar cane roots so my story would be believable.

When I got back home, I saw the Tribe police there.

"What's going on?" I asked. "What's happened?" An officer came up, Kala struggling in his grip.

"You're under arrest for your husband's murder." He announced.

"My hus- What? Shane? Kala, what happened?" I questioned as the officer tied my wrists.

"I'm sorry, Momma!" Kala sobbed. "I'm so sorry! Papa got up, and he saw the letter. He said you would be locked inside for as long as my real Papa was still here, so I, I," she continued on, but the sobs drowned her out.

"The punishment for murder is death. Seeing how young this girl is means that as her parent, you also are to blame." The officer said. "Come along." He jerked me into the hands of a large, strong man, who led me along to the police station. Kala and I were put into cages, as if we were wild poochyena. Kala cried her apologies to me until the officer threatened to put her in with a seviper.

"You are to be put to death for the murder of your husband at dusk. If you have any last requests, they will be granted an hour's time before then." The officer said, then walked out of the room and stood at the entrance.