Chapter 64: Chapter 63: Of Separation

The Sun shines beautifully over Normadia during the summer, and especially so over the Monet state. Light filtered through the the vineyards without a single cloud to get in the way, and even if this made work a little more exhausting, it was also so gratifying for Monsieur Laurent. The young foreman of the vineyard was walking through the fields with a satisfied smile on his face, for his intuition had told him that it would be a great harvest that day! And he was rarely wrong.

 

Today he was, once again, correct! But in more ways than he could realize…

 

Father had told me so many times that things would be fine in life. That we merely had to endure and persevere…

 

Lucrece worked hard in the field that day, making sure the grapes grew fat and ripe for the Vendimia in a few months. With her beloved hat on her head and her beloved brother by her side, they simply wandered the vineyard to check each little leaf for signs of pests or thieves. 

 

“There’s a nibble here.” Pietro pointed out.

 

“That’s probably from a bird.” Luci nodded, looking around the yard. “Best to be on our guard for crows or stuff like that, eh?”

 

“They fly in groups.”

 

“Exactly! I think it’s best if we get a broom or something, just in case…”

 

“Sister, what is that?”

 

The taller girl would turn around at her brother’s inquiry, and in the distance she could see a huge dust cloud rising, approaching a little too fast for comfort. Even in her innocent years, Luci knew this could only be bad news.

 

“Get back into the house, Pietro.”

 

“But Sist—”

 

“Go back into the house!” 

 

They were upon us before we could run.

 

Roaming bands of raiders were a big problem back then, and still are. Entire clans worth of men and women of the worst type, hungry and desperate for more money to keep their nomadic style of life afloat. Of course they had their own reasons for it, but to the victims these were worth very, very little.

 

Twenty horses had trampled their way through the vineyard, surrounding both children in an instant. Of course they called the attention of the workers all around the vineyard, who stared in fear of the band as they raised their torches and scattered across the whole state. Well, all except one.

 

“Well, what do we have here?” A huge man reached over to grab Lucrece by the hair, pulling her up and staring with a disgustingly satisfied look in his eyes. “Seems like I got the lucky prize today, guys!”

 

“Let go of her!”

 

Before Lucrece could even say something, little Pietro would rush straight to the man, punching him right in the shins. Of course, it wasn’t even close to strong enough to cause any real pain on a seasoned raider.

 

“Get lost, pest!”

 

With a swift kick, the poor kid would fly away and fall flat on the ground, body twitching out of the pain. Luci cried out, wriggling and scratching at the man’s hand to try to get free.

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“Pietro! Pietro, no! Let me go, you bastard!”

 

“Feisty and with a filthy mouth!? Wow, I really got myself something special today, hahaha!”

 

“Help!”

 

Lucrece looked around herself, screaming and already starting to cry. But people around were either busy trying to extinguish the fires caused by these raiders, or too scared to move a muscle to save her.

 

When push comes to shove, no one will move a finger for you.

 

She had been sacrificed, abandoned by all, and even at her young age she could realize that people didn’t have any intentions of running to help her. Well, all except for one person.

 

“Luci! Let go of my Luci, shitheads…!”

 

Monsieur Laurent needed three people to restrain him, shaking his fists and trying to wield a rusty saw to reach for his daughter. In his desperation he had managed to wound several of the people trying to put him down. But there’s only so much a single man can do against a full band.

 

The one holding Lucrece prisoner, who seemed to also be the captain of the whole operation, walked over to stare the rambunctious man in the eye with a mocking grin on his face.

 

“People will pay very, very good for her, after I get some use of course.”

 

“Don’t you dare! Let go of her!”

 

Seeing the anger, the indignation, so many emotions mixing and clashing with each other on the man’s face was probably a delight for the captain, who slowly grabbed his blade with a free hand and, without missing a beat, sliced Laurent’s neck on the spot. The others let go of him then.

 

“Come on, try to save her now, hahahahaha!”

 

Confident, seeing the man coughing, gargling and struggling, he had no way of predicting how Laurent would suddenly jump and, with his last strength, sink his teeth into the man’s hand.

 

“Argh! What is wrong with you!? Miserable old man!”

 

The pain was enough to make the captain let go of Lucrece as he tried to push away the bleeding, crazy man biting off his thumb. Luci screamed, her first instinct was going to try and hug her dying father… but the man pushed her off as soon as she was free.

 

Their eyes met… and Lucrece understood it was her only chance. So she ran. She forgot everyone and simply tried to run away… only to be quickly chased by one of the horse-riding men and, with a swift hit on the back of her head, all lights in the girl’s world extinguished at once.

 

I don’t know how long I was unconscious…

 

Her eyes slowly opened, and things felt different already. She was sitting on a wooden cart, her arms and legs firmly tied up, her mouth just as well. The forest around her looked unfamiliar, different from anything she had seen. She looked around, seeing the same raiders as before laughing and celebrating a successful harvest.

 

The blood of her father was now dry on her clothes.

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