#river dawning

The sound of magitek gun shots is the only thing I remember the day prior. Blaring alarms, soldiers shouting, the legatus bellowing out orders for us to follow. My daughter will never see these bastards or remember their faces if it’s the last thing I do. My wife, Dancing Reed, just delivered our baby girl last week and my mind is racing with all the next steps of our plan. The guard, Dranen, had been paid. Greedy bastard wanted half my food rations, I told him he could keep his skull intact for not ratting out his love affair with the legstus’ wife to the man himself. The Xaela quickly changed his tune. The smuggler would be waiting for us just outside Laterum, and I had his payment strapped secure in my pack. I breathed, the plan would work. It had to. Thank the gods the delivery went swell thanks to the midwife we met months prior. Rayen was a small miq’ote, only came up to my thigh, but she was big enough to help deliver our child safely, with which I compensated her well with a gold ring my father passed down to me. She probably will sell it for extra ceruleum in the winter, but that is roughly 4 months from now.

“Stream, are you ready my love?” Dancing Reed whispered softly, holding our daughter close, thank the gods she was quiet. The train car rumbled and interrupted my thoughts, were we already close? I nodded,

“Yes,” I replied, but in my heart, this deed would weigh on my soul for all eternity. I studied the patrols for years at this point, I knew when a bastard would pick his nose, I knew I could do this. But the question wasn’t if I could, but rather if I was strong enough. Strong enough to never see my girl grow up. I pushed the grief to the back of my mind, we had a 15 minute window to get to the smuggler. The station we were hiding in, Tertium, was the main connection to the rest of the city. We could easily hide in plain sight as citizens, not soldiers, with the clothes we stole and Reed altered to fit our proportions. The train slowed to a halt, some of the passengers started to get up, some stayed sitting. We stayed, one more stop to go. I looked over to see a couple of pure bloods, the woman dressed in fur and jewels, the man dressed in a long black coat. I looked further to notice they had a little girl, looked to be maybe 3 summers old. The woman in fur eyed her daughter who was staring at me. I quickly looked down at my feet and rested my head on my hand, hoping the purebloods would just sneer and go about their merry way. The woman cleared her throat,

“How far along is the darling?” She spoke, her words clear as crystal. My eyes shot up and Reed was already smiling at the woman,

“Oh just 8 months,” she lied, holding our swaddled daughter close. The woman nodded, her red tinted lips curved upwards into a smile, but it seemed more of a pitiful, sneering kind.

“Enjoy them at that age,” She sighed as she glanced to her daughter, “They turn into little monsters.” She laughed as the daughter kept staring at me, I cracked a small smile to the girl,

“Oh she doesn’t look like she could hurt a fly,” I replied gently, watching my tone carefully. The woman’s laugh stopped and she smiled at me, again, that eerie smile,

“Oh trust me, she’s got an attitude the size of you.” She chuckled. I nodded,

“Ah well, in my homeland we had all the space to run, maybe she just needs a park? The Forum Solis perhaps?” I replied. The woman nodded,

“Maybe, that’s a good idea.” She turned to her daughter, the same white hair and silver eyes as her mother, “Want to go to Forum Solis?” She asked. The daughters eyes widened as she nodded enthusiastically,

“Yes mother!” Her eyes turning from glazed over staring to bright and twinkling, inspired. I smiled, I’m glad I was able to at least help these purebloods not be so cold hearted. Something I noticed every pure blooded child went through some form of coldness other than the unrelenting snow from their peers. Perhaps it had something to do with the separation of transportation that was being built, big metal boxes with wheels designed with 4-5 seats for each passenger. I thought these creations were silly, the train system took us all around Garlemald, we had no need for this new transportation, but the purebloods loved them it seemed. The small garlean girl sat there, swinging her legs in anticipation. Reed looked at me and nudged me slightly, I knew the next stop was only moments away. I nodded to her and started to stand. The train slowed to a halt and the doors opened, the cold air rushing in. The metal clanging beneath our feet as we started to leave, the couple stayed and the woman waved us goodbye. Reed gave her a small wave before we walked out the train doors. The soft snow was freshly cleared by the station workers, this station was just a small walk away from our destination. I turned around to see the city behind us, the eyesore that plagued my life for the past 3 years. I resisted the urge to spit on the ground and curse this whole godsdamned place. They took my home, my freedom, and sent me to war. I will never forgive them. I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind and led the way, walking north east towards the village marked with a huge aetheryte. Reed stayed close, clutching our child in her arms as we walked through the snow and ice, our clothes flipping and fighting against the wind. I squinted to see a light, small, but green, our signal that the smuggler was ready. I turned to Reed,

“Quickly, the child, Reed.” I asked as I held out my arms, I watched as her eyes ever so slightly line with tears as she handed the swaddled babe to me. I leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead, I know this deed would weigh heavy on her soul just as it did mine. I nodded and rushed over to the light, careful with each step of the ice that hid just beneath my feet. I started to hear small whimpers, perhaps she was hungry, tired… Just like me. I wept as I ran, every fiber of my being screamed not to do this, to turn back around and hug my wife and child, to stay together. But doing that would only ensure this girl would end up a slave. I forced the lump in my throat down as I approached the caravan. An older hyur was waiting for me there. I slowed to a brisk walk as I approached him, his white hair and blue eyes, no third eye garlean mark. I took a moment to catch my breath,

“Here,” I reached in my satchel and handed him the payment. The man nodded, snatched it up quick, checking to see if everything was there. He nodded after a second then looked at the baby in my arms. He motioned as if beckoning someone to come out, I froze. Oh gods. Was he a spy? Did he recognize me? To my surprise, a small lalafell came out of the caravan, dressed in what seemed to look like botanist garb. Who is this? The small lalafell man quickly trotted over and smiled at me,

“Is this your daughter good sir?” He asked, my mouth refused to move for a moment, then I nodded,

“Y-yes.” I answered hesitantly, who is this man? Was he the one taking my daughter in?

“My, she is beautiful. Not fit to grow up in a blasted hellscape as this.” He looked up at me, his green eyes glistening with rebellion, “No child of Othard should live under them.” He said curtly, the fear that I would lose my child to an unkind, evil stranger had faded away. Somehow I knew this man understood me and my wife’s predicament. I could see it on his face, was he an escaped soldier perhaps? He nodded to the smuggler and the white bearded man reached out and took the girl from my arms. I handed her over and wiped my tears,

“Please. Hydaelyn protect her,” My lips trembled as I watched the lalafellin man take her into his own arms and smile,

“I may not be Her, but I’ll do my damndest. Thank you uh…” He paused, as if asking for my name,

“Steel Stream,” I blurted out, and he nodded,