Ciaran's face drained of color. He stumbled backward, fear and shock twisting his eyes into something raw and vulnerable. The stories his father told, the warnings, the hatred of magic, all crashed into him at once.
"What's wrong?" Aelwen's smile faded, her heart aching at the look in his eyes.
A look that saw a monster. The joy on his face was gone and replaced by an old and familiar loneliness, sharp as winter's bite.
"Get away from me!" Ciaran's voice quavered as he scrambled backward, his boots slipping on the mossy earth. Fear sharpened his features, and he ran, branches whipping against his cloak.
"Hey. Wait! I'm not going to hurt you!" Aelwen called after him, trying to keep her tone gentle, a hopeful smile tugging at her lips. Each word seemed to bounce off his terror, leaving her feeling hollow.
"Aelwen!" Babis' voice was urgent, his teeth tugging at her skirt, anchoring her in place.
"But why is he running from me?" she breathed, her brow furrowing, confusion and hurt swirling in her chest. "I did nothing wrong!" Her voice trembled, softer now like a secret plea.
"We have to go!" Babis insisted, his voice laced with anxiety.
Suddenly, voices rang through the trees, loud, commanding and edged with steel. "Prince Ciaran!" Men shouted as their horses whinnied and hooves thumping the ground, vibrating through the roots beneath her feet.
"They're from the palace, Aelwen, we have to leave now!" Babis' panic was contagious.
But Aelwen hesitated, her heart pounding. She dropped her herb bag, defiance burning in her eyes. "I can't." She darted after Ciaran, weaving through the trees, leaves brushing her cheeks.
"Aelwen!" Babis roared, helpless as she disappeared.
She caught up to Ciaran, grabbing his shoulder. He spun around, his face blanched with terror.
"Help!" he screamed, stumbling and collapsing to the ground.
"Wait! I'm not going to hurt you!" she pleaded, kneeling beside him, her hands raised in surrender but Ciaran continued screaming. She tried to hush him, covering his mouth gently, but he fought her, his cries muffled yet so desperate. "Why do you run from me? What have I done?" Her voice cracked, her grip trembling.
"Because you're a witch! You're evil." he spat, wriggling free, his voice thick with revulsion and fear.
Aelwen forced a smile, fighting back the sting of rejection. "I haven't done anything wrong," she said, her breath coming in ragged bursts.
For a second, Ciaran's eyes lingered on her lips, on the delicate curve of her smile. It looked so earnest and so heartbreakingly pure. Something inside him softened, but pride and fear quickly reasserted themselves.
"Help!" he shouted again even louder. His panic rising.
"It's not my fault I'm a witch. I was born this way!" she whispered, eyes falling, her voice small against his accusations.
"Help! A witch!" Ciaran's voice was raw, echoing through the forest, drowning out her words.
Suddenly, the forest erupted with movement. The branches crashing and armor clattering. Aelwen was hemmed in by a ring of men, their swords gleaming, faces set and hard.
"My prince, are you harmed?" A burly man with a bow stepped forward.
"She's a witch!" Ciaran cried, running to the man's side, pointing at Aelwen as if she were a venomous snake.
Aelwen's heart thundered in her chest. Her hands shook. She looked for an exit but the circle was tight.
"Please, I mean no harm," she stammered, her voice barely audible.
"Kill her," barked a cold voice. Lyle, his eyes merciless, stepped from the shadows.
"Sir Lyle!" Ciaran gasped, shocked.
Aelwen heard Babis' voice in her mind. "Aelwen?"
"I'm surrounded," she whispered, her eyes darting. "What do I do?"
"You know what you must do. Get out of there!" Babis urged, desperation in every word.
"I said kill her!" Lyle roared, and without hesitation, an archer loosed an arrow.
Aelwen gasped as pain exploded in her shoulder. She dropped to her knees, blood seeping through her tunic. A mournful howl tore through the forest. Babis's agony echoing her own.
As the soldiers raised their bows for another volley, a piercing scream erupted from deep within Aelwen's soul, a sound not entirely human. The ground trembled, the air shuddered, and a shockwave of raw power blasted outward, hurling men and horses backward, scattering them like dry leaves. Even Ciaran was thrown aside, tumbling through the undergrowth.
Aelwen collapsed, gasping for breath, her vision swimming. For a fleeting moment, her gaze locked with Ciaran's confusion, fear, and something like regret flashing between them.
A figure with broad-shouldered, bare-chested and hair wild strode into the chaos. He knelt and cradled Aelwen carefully, lifted her from the bloodied floor.
Everything went dark with pain. Then came the scent of crushed herbs and the feel of cool linen.
Aelwen awoke in her bed in Iura. Lois bent over her, hands gentle but firm as she cleaned the wound. Aelwen's limbs weakened. A cold emptiness gnawing at her chest. The memories of the attack came rushing back vividly, leaving her breathless.
"You're awake?" Lois's voice was soft, but her eyes were hard with worry.
"Nana…" Tears spilled from Aelwen's eyes, hot and silent. "He hated me. He… he was the first person I've ever spoken to, and he hated me."
Lois pressed a damp cloth to her shoulder, her touch brisk but caring. "I warned you, child. If Babis hadn't called for me, what would have happened?"
Aelwen's voice broke. "Why did he run from me? Is it my fault I was born like this?" The words tumbled out, raw and aching.
Lois's expression softened. "Don't let anyone make you ashamed of who you are. You're destined for greatness."
Aelwen's eyes brimmed with tears. "Why me?" Her voice was barely a whisper. Pain and doubt tangled in her chest.
"Because you're special," Lois said, gently wiping a tear before it could fall. "You carry a power the world fears and needs."
Aelwen's voice trembled, thick with grief. "He really hated me. Everyone here does. I saw it in their eyes. they fear me. Hate me."
"The royal family…" Lois's jaw tightened, old hatred simmering in her gaze. "They are not people to trust, Aelwen. They are your greatest enemies. They took your mother's life, and they will stop at nothing to take yours. Remember that, child."
Aelwen closed her eyes, a storm of sorrow and anger swirling inside her.