The sounds were consuming her, unbearable to her young ears. Her mother's hand, usually soft and comforting, was nothing more than a painful grip. Her little legs struggled to keep up with her mother's frantic strides, as her family's attempt to escape became more desperate. Underneath her hastily thrown on travel clothes, she was sweltering from the fires that surrounded them. She was terrified, unable to comprehend her surroundings with her innocent big eyes. Her father led them, carrying her little brother, a barely identifiable lump beneath his thick furs. Her father's shouts were mute to her ears as she tripped and fell away from her family, her mother's grip on her hand failing. She cried in fear of being separated, as she quickly got up and tried to navigate her way back to her family, quickly becoming lost in the smoke and chaos. She froze, as an unknown man made his way towards her, sword coming out of his sheaf. Her body was paralyzed in fear, unable to move or run. Just as the sword was about to come down, she was yanked away, and the sword was met with another, a loud clash causing the man's sword to fly out of his hands. Unarmed, the unknown man ran away. She looked up, and saw that the person who yanked her away was her mother, and the other sword was that of her father. She felt tears course their way down her cheeks as her father bent down to cup her distressed face.
"Shhh my little knight," he said, "We need to move quickly. My dear, you must stay strong. Stay strong for your Da."
She looked up, her large naïve eyes radiating fear as the havoc surrounding them became louder, "Da, I'm scared." Her voice shook while she reached out and grabbed her father's hand.
"I know my little knight, but you are so brave. We need to go now." Her father reached out and tucked a piece of her unruly hair behind her ear.
"Uther," said her mother, her face lined with worry, "we have to hurry. He is getting closer."
Her father nodded, standing up and leading the group again. Her mother once again gripped her small hand and hurriedly followed.
The family made their way to the staircase that would lead them to the dock, their only chance of escape. As they approached, her father yelled for her mother to run ahead and prepare the skiff. She quickly ran after her mother, who had already untied the little boat and was waiting for the rest to catch up. When she reached her mother, she grabbed onto her mother's thick skirts and turned to see her father with her little brother race behind them. Even she, with her youth and inexperience, could see that they were not going to make it. Behind them, a large figure stood perched on top of a pitch black horse. This figure was massive and appeared to be made of stone and fire as if it had come from hell itself. It seconds, the beast took out a spear and violently threw it.
"Da!" She screamed, "Look out!"
Her father whipped around to face the beast, having the spear barely miss her brother. However, the spear had another target. With a thickening thunk, she heard the spear go through her mother. Turning, she felt time slow as she watched the light fade from her mother's eyes.
"Mama!" She screamed, gripping onto her mother's skirts tightly, as her mother's dead figure slowly fell backward, eventually freeing itself from her grip and falling into the water below. There was nothing she could do to deal with the shock of watching her mother die in front of her.
She continued looking at the spot where her mother had disappeared beneath the water when a tug on her sleeve distracted her thoughts. It was her brother, barely three years old, trying to drag his older sister to the skiff. It was then she heard her father's shouts and the clang of the battle occurring behind them.
"Run my son! Run my daughter!"
Snapping back to her senses she guided her little brother to the skiff, making sure he was secure before turning back to see her father.
Her father was fighting a losing battle. Based on the exhaustion on her father's face and the power of the beast he was fighting, she felt distress rise in her again knowing that her father would not make it out alive. Quickly seating herself next to her little brother, she watched the battle unfold. Hugging her little brother close, she prayed that by some luck her father would make it onto the skiff. The fighting was almost agonizing to watch, seeing her father become injured again and again. Then, her father was left kneeling on the ground, facing the children.
"Go," he said sharply, "now."
He then took the sword in his hand and threw it straight up in the air. She used all the strength her six-year-old body had to push the skiff away from the dock, obeying her father's orders. As the boat made its way away from the dock, she could hear her father's last words to them.
"I love you Arthur, my prince. I love you Asilia, my knight. Asilia, always protect your brother." His eyes were clouded with love for his children as he watched them float away from the danger. Then with a loud thud, the sword landing, piercing him all the way through.
As the skiff made its way farther and farther away, she couldn't help but watch as her father turns to stone then sink into the water, joining her mother. As the dock fell apart, she could feel the hate-filled eyes of the beast watch them whilst they floated away. She turned to her little brother wiped away the tears that had made their way down his cheeks. Bundling him up in his furs, she made a promise to herself that she would always uphold her father's words. Yes, this was a promise that Asilia Pendragon did not hesitate to make.