Chapter 2: Forest
Yena cried herself to sleep in silence. Her back was bruised with whip marks. She knew that crying would only upset her mother so she stayed silent.
Not long after, Yena drifted off as her tears stained her sheet.
In the middle of the night Yena heard a loud crash and yelling. She slipped out of bed and crept towards the kitchen. Her father had finally come back from the laboratory.
"I can't do this any longer James. I can't. And, Yena. I can't even control Yena"
"I know Honey. You're doing the best that you can. Just a little longer. Just wait a little longer. I promise you. When I get the grant we will all be living better. Just a little. I promise."
James cradled Rea into his arms, and felt the tears stream down them like rivers.
Yena's heart shook. She saw her mud-stained neon pink dress in her mother's arms. She knew that Rea spent time making it for her while the other nobles had their clothes tailors.
She felt something unexplainable. What was this feeling? I have never felt this… this pain before. This type of sadness. No. It's not my fault. Momma and I always argue. She always forgives me. She already hit me. It's not my fault.
While the whip marks on Yena's back hurt, they would disappear within a few weeks. But, the memory of her mother and father etched itself onto her heart. It was a pain she never felt before.
*** back to the present***
Yena marched down the empty streets. Aecrea was nothing like Oswell. The City of Oswell had a delicate breeze that even glass windows were enough to shield them from the cold. The streets were paved with cement and every weed was trimmed from their youth. Only flowers blossomed under the sunlit sky.
Mansions populated inner Oswell while knights patrolled the stone walls that reached 10 meters tall. Yena was finally outside those stone walls that imprisoned her for the last 15 years of her life. She was almost an adult. In the empire, an adult is considered 18 years of age. Yena was 17. In a few years she would be married. Maybe even return to Oswell she joked to herself.
Aecrea was different. It was bare to the natural elements of the world. It had forests that engulfed and disguised the small village. Thick wood was the only thing that kept creatures from crawling into her house.
While Oswell smelled like a mixture of flowers and oil, Aecrea wholly encapsulated the pine of the forest. Yena didn't mind this. In fact, she preferred this to the luxurious oils her mother would douse her in.
For Yena, the forest smelt like vanilla. It smelled sweet and crisp. She liked to wander and harvest ingredients for her father- to venture in the unknown all alone and find peace in solitude.
Yena's father moved to Aecrea first to 'take care of some business,' and Yena had moved in a few days ago. She spent most of her days exploring the forest instead of getting to know the village people. She didn't want that to happen again.
This time will be different. I will be different. She chanted over and over again.
In Aecrea, the golden beam of the sun shined longer in the summers allowing Yena to become acquainted with her new home. The forest.
The trees shaded her pale skin. Yena took out a map that she had made herself during her seriously visits. She followed the path that led to a small stream.
Then, Yena noticed something. A bush trembling. Shaking. 'It must be an animal!' She thought.
She hushed her footsteps and sneaked over. Her hands reached out and spread the bush apart. The leaves shuttered.
There sat a little spectator. It was a Specker! A baby specker at that! Yena had read about their pointed ears, fluffy fur, and soft paws. They say that speckers grow into their ears and paws- sometimes 10 times their baby size. Their soft fur then hardens to form spikes. But this baby is just as small as Yena's forearm. It slowly turned to Yena with teary eyes and started crying.
"No, don't cry. It's alright." Yena didn't panic. "Here eat this" She took a peach out of her bag and gently tossed it towards the creature. The baby grabbed it and started nibbling.
Yena laughed for the first time in a while. She was reminded of the puppy* she had in Oswell. He was so cute. Just like the baby spec, her Puppy* had large ruby eyes. But, he had moved too, she thought.
Then, Yena noticed that it got a bit darker. But that didn't make sense because it was morning. Oh, she thought. Oh no. she was kneeling in the shadow of Mama specker, who was not pleased to see her baby so close to a human.
Mama spec starred as Yena slowly looked up and let out a strained, 'ha..ha… ' and smiled.
Yena could read Mama specs face just like she read her mother. ' I'm going to murder you, and there is nothing you can do about it.'
She bolted.
Mama spec chased her unfazed by the branches that were being shredded in her path.
It was a good thing that Yena spent most of her days in the forest because she knew exactly how to get back without the map. She ran fast until her body gave out. She fell. It was her ankle. She screamed from the pain, but also from the awareness that this is where she dies.
Great. 'Noble woman moves out of Oswell and dies in the forest.' The media will have a field day with this.
Yena squeezed her eyes as mama spec came barreling towards her.
*bam*
There was a cry that echoed in the forest. Yena managed to open one of her eyes and saw a blond man hitting the creature with a wooden sword.
"Get out of here!" he screamed and hit it again. The creature then yelled one last time before running back into the forest.
"Thank-k"
" ARE YOU AN IDIOT?" the man screamed.
Yena paused. "W-what? E-excuse mm-me"
" I ASKED IF YOU ARE AN IDIOT? ONLY IDIOTS COME INTO THE FOREST THIS EARLY DURING GATHERING SEASON." The man yelled again. He turned and looked at her for the first time.
"AND.." he stopped.. "Oh umm. May I ask who you are?"
Yena was puzzled again. This time it was his change in demeanor. "E-excuse me?" she repeated.
"I come here almost every day and I never knew that there was a goddess in this forest" he came closer and reached out his hand. He smirked.
Maybe it was the shock of the entire event, but Yena titled her head and couldn't understand the man's blatant flirtation.
She smacked his hand away and got up. "Thank you very much for saving me. But, a lady can not give her name to a stranger."
"Then let's not be strangers" his hand wrapped around her thin waist and he pulled her closer. His green eyes pierced to hers and Yena could now hear the man's breath. He was taller than her, had very broad shoulders, and was much tanner. The air around her was filled with leather mixed with sweat. Usually, Yena would think it was disgusting and naturally shake the man. But, he was strong and handsome.
'Damn, Yena. don't fall for these hoodlums. Come on, let's shake him off.'
While her mind remained sane, her heart thumped an unnatural beat. He stared into her eyes and his face came closer.
No one in all of Oswell would have done this. They would have just stared in awe of her presence.
Yena realized that he was going to plant a kiss on her rosy lips.
"Em-hem" she cleared her throat and struggled to look away. "This is no way to treat a lady. Release me at once."
The man signed and let go of Yena.
"Anyways, who is dumb enough to go into the forest and angry a Mama Specker."
"..."
"AND..." he added, " WHY would you run to the village? Did you want everyone to die?
"... I didn't"
"Of course you didn't mean to do it. That's why you're dumb." he chuckled, "Noah. That's my name. Remember the name of your future husband" he winked at her.
Yena wanted to respond to his outrageous comment but he continued.
"Anyways where do you live? I've never seen you in this village. Did you come from Denbert? No, you're too arrogant for Denbert. Orcera? Wait, wait, wait, Let me guess. Jeane?" He spiraled on to a one-sided conversation with his imagination.
"My name is Yena. I just moved here from Oswell."
Noah's smile broke and his eyes glared at Yena.
"Oh," he finally let out, "You must be James's daughter. Let's get back…"
Noah remained silent for the rest of the way back which kind of scared Yena. She preferred the haughty Noah over the one that didn't smile.
'Is he mad? Why is he mad?'
They found their way to the village that had awakened. Noah parted ways with Yena and left without a smile. Yena was confused.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
tpi13
tpi13 I released 2 chapters today!! The next chapter will be here on Friday! Hope you enjoyed reading!
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