The Forest surrounding Etmaer wasn't usually this quiet, Arete had learned long ago. It's sudden stillness from just a moment before brings chills to her spine.
She stands up from the spot beside the river she was crouched over, tossing the wet clothing she was just washing off into her basket before she quickly stomps her way up the path to her family's cottage. Arete keeps her eyes low to the dirt path, trying her best to ignore the eyes on the back of her head, The Lyra.
It was back and it was watching her. Decidedly, she was its next target unless someone more bloodied than her walked into the forest. She had human blood on her hands, despite that she wasn't a terrible person, but the smell was enough to lure The Lyra to her. It'd be watching her for the next few days, she knew that, until it would inevitably learn her routine and be hungry enough to finally pounce. She'd happily call herself bait as if to justify her impending death. Her dying would lead hunters to The Lyra, hopefully.
She groans, continuing to walk up the path, black static invading the edges of her vision, another groan. She closes her eyes and hauls forward. Once her feet finally reach the familiar stone of the steps to her cottage she breathes a sigh of relief and practically sprints to the door, forcing it open and slamming it shut before slowly relaxing her back against a wall. Arete's eyes scan the inside of the cottage, no sign of her family, not of her four siblings, her mom or uncle. With a shake of her head she walks over to the kitchen, looking out the small window over the sink as she wrings dry the clothes she just washed, the water drips down her forearm, although most of it makes its way into the sink as intended.
The view from the window showed the river and the forest just past it. As expected, once her eyes reached the tops of those trees she felt it again, eyes meeting hers despite the fact she couldn't find them. Arete closes the curtain over the window and focuses on drying the clothes.
…
The Lyra had been here before, Arete was only ten, a few months after her parents had welcomed her brother into the world. Back then she still lived within the walls of Etmaer, the mundane life within the village was brightened up by its occupants, namely an older woman called Kalaer.
…
Arete feels a tap on her shoulder, her head snaps to behind her, heartbeat pounding in her ears. Once a smiling face flooded her vision she immediately slapped a wet washcloth at it. Gods, she hated that annoying face and.
"Aric!", she shouts at her brother, annoyed, repeatedly hitting his face with the wet washcloth. Aric laughs while trying to dodge the washcloth. With a groan she stops lashing the washcloth about when her arms get tired. Arete turns back to her bin of clothing to continue her task and coughs.
"Any reason you're doing that here?", Aric nods his head at the bin full of soaked clothes at the sink full of dirty wash water. "It's a nice day out, right? Was it my turn to do laundry?", he groans, stepping beside her and shoving her aside. Right before he starts trying to take the clothing from her hand she shoves him back and returns to her original spot.
"No it's not your turn, I just decided to do it here this time.". He hums in response, crooning his head at an angle. "It's so inconvenient though.". She frowns at him and coughs into her shoulder, "You're inconvenient.". A quick second of dry laughter bursts from Aric, "That doesn't make sense.". She rolls her eyes and continues to wash the clothing.
In her head she was torn, tell Aric or don't. On one hand Aric was strong and reliable when it came to anything physical, he was indirectly affected by the Lyra in the past, as indirectly as having your father killed can be. On the other hand, he was still sensitive about the topic, Arete wouldn't know if to trust him to not tell anyone.
Arete sighs and presses the palms of her hands onto the sink's edge, leaning on it. She nods at the curtain.
"It's back."
It takes barely a fraction of a second before realization flooded Aric's expression. Eyes wide, brows furrowed, Arete could even see some small tears clinging to his bottom lash. "What?", his voice slightly cracked, she sighs and nods.
Arete nods at the curtain again, "It was watching me earlier, I felt it.". Aric's hands immediately shoot up to Arete's shoulders. "Does anyone else know, does mom know? When did this start? Earlier, right? We have time, right-", she interrupts him, "One thing at a time Aric.". He nods and lets out a breath, staring at the floor.
"You're the only person that knows and it started earlier.", Aric looks at her with a bit more hope, "So we still have time?". She tilts her head, "Time to do what? We can't outrun it, and we certainly can't kill it", she shakes her head.
"We have to find something! Eirene probably knows! Her husband is a hunter, they tell each other everything!". Arete sighs, she wasn't going to involve her pregnant sister in this fiasco anytime soon. She shakes her head again, "No, it's just better if I…", she hadn't even thought of anything to say. The thought of being chivalrous and giving up her life to feed the local human eating monster was tempting, her flesh would keep it satisfied for years, hopefully long enough for them to find a solution for the next time it comes around. On the other hand, she wanted to live, to see her sister's child grow up.
Arete had so much more to live for than to die for. Lost in her train of thoughts it seems this decision was made for her, Aric sprints to the storage room. "We're going!", he shouts before closing the door and rummaging about in the storage room. She turns her head to the storage room and sighs. She dumps the rest of the forgotten clothes into the sink, someone else would have to take care of them while she's gone.
Arete walks to her room, tucked under her pillow was a journal. Anyone in her family would recognize this journal, it was her father's. Inside were pages he wrote everything in, interesting bugs, landscape drawings, how his day went, grocery lists, etc. It was unorganized and messy in the best way possible, just like her father.
She opens the journal to the last entry. The last entry contained a drawing of a bug, underneath that was a short paragraph, one that Arete has read more times than she'd like to admit.
…
1.9.1608
I feel like I'll be gone sooner than I thought, I found it watching the children last night. I'll go into the forest soon, hopefully find a way to stop this. I don't know if I'll be back at all. To any of my family reading this, I love you.
…
It was obviously so rushed, and most likely meant for Arete's mom the way he referred to Arete and her siblings as "The Children", but that's what gave it its charm. Arete found herself reading that small entry whenever she found herself in trouble, it would calm her down. Arete couldn't understand why, it was sad if anything.
She puts the journal down as the door to her room opens, she sees Aric standing in the doorway, his worried frame shaking as he carries two large bags over to Arete.
"This one is yours.', he tosses a bag on her bed and nods at it. "Some more space in there, you can pack more, I just did the essentials.", he says as he lets out a little shaky breath, he had obviously rushed over here. "Essentials?", Arete opens the bag and looks inside, giving him a nod.
"Are you sure about this?" She stands up from the bed, tying the bag around her back. "I left a note for everyone, they'll understand. I even left them coordinates to where we're going.", he nods his head. "We're going somewhere specific? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of running away from this thing? We can't settle down, besides, mom wouldn't want to give up this cabin".
He sighs, "You're right, but it's better than nothing. Besides, once we find a way to get rid of this thing we can come back here.", she hums in response, "If we do." He frowns, "When we do."
Arete sighs, knowing it was useless to argue with her stubborn brother. She glances around her room one final time, her eyes land on the journal on the bed. She bends down to pick it up and places it in her pocket. Without a word they leave the room. She looks at the dirty clothes floating in the sink, Arete and Aric's eyes meet for a second, she could see the guilt.
In unison they take their first steps outside the cabin.
…
The sun had barely risen before Arete rushed her way to the bakery near her house. Standing at the door of the bakery was Kalaer, she was still rather young back then, taking care of her ailing mother while owning a bakery was no easy task.
Kalaer greets the young Arete with a cheery smile. "I made it fresh this morning just for you.". She places a piece of cloth with fresh bread into Arete's hands. "And the ducks.", both her and Arete chuckle. "Thank you!", she nods and smiles, placing a few coins in Kalaer's hands before running off into the forest. Conversations with Kalaer were usually this short, she was far too busy to entertain kids for long.
Arete runs into the forest, she stops by the cabin to grab a plate, dusting it off quickly and stuffing it in her skirt before running to the riverbed. Once at the riverbed she sits down, unwrapping the piece of bread. Arete takes a few bites then crumbles off the edges and throws them into the water for the fishes and ducks to fight over.
She was so lost in her entertainment that she didn't hear it, to be fair it was quiet anyways. When she notices a large shadow looming over her, she looks up. Arete's eyes widen as she's greeted by the sight of blood.
…