Andgiet Scinn: Oneirophobia

III

The moon was high in the sky, its yellow tinted light glazed above the trees with the light slowly shining through the leaves of the trees. The wind was cold and mellow, as it blew past the figures who hiked up deeper into the forest.

As the night progressed everyone was in gloomy spirits. Smoke from the capitol could be seen even if they were far away from it. Altheia, still in shock, has not said a word nor shed a tear but was just silently staring unto the crackling fire in front of her.

"Your highness, I have scouted the area." Valerie reported to Alexis as she approached him.

Valerie's blonde hair and blue eyes shone with the illuminating light from the fire. Her hair tied tightly with a piece of cloth, she was Alexis' second in command. She was a pretty but also skilled warrior who was one of the best in hand to hand combat and this was by far the worst battle they have fought and lost.

Turning around to look at Avery who was currently comforting Altheia. The youngest looked calm for some odd reason; she was just staring at the fire that crackled slowly in front of them. Their Father's right hand, Cole who was a six foot tall man with black hair and brown eyes. He was calmly tending to the fire roasting rabbits he had caught.

"I think the rabbit roasting is not helping Theia." She commented trying to lighten the mood as she looked at the usual sunshine and warm child who was just sitting like a doll.

Turning to look back at Alexis, when she did not hear any response from him. He was busy looking at Palais du Vitrolly that could be seen from where they were; indistinct screams could still be heard, they could see the selenite gates of the palace reflected with the hues of red and orange as Vitrolly was set ablaze and the smoke floating upwards merging with the dark sky of the night, and the scent of burning skins and wood reached them.

He looked at the capitol with empty eyes, his hand held the branch right above him tightly until it broke off. Holding the arm of the tree he had broken off, until it broke in his hand. His nails dug deep into his hand until he drew blood.

Valerie sighed knowing that this was hard for all of them. They had lost their home and now were watching it burn to ashes. She knew that the three had it much worse with the possibility of their parents being dead. She sighed, closing her eyes before placing a hand on top of Alexis' shoulder patting him in an act to try and comfort him.

He looked at her with an unreadable expression then looked back to his siblings. All three of them were too shocked to express what they were feeling. Avery looked back to him, with the look in her eyes it was clear she was asking if their parents were dead. They came to an understanding that that was indeed the case.

Alexis went to sit on Altheia's left side as Avery hugged her from the right. He was observing his youngest sister, he felt uneasy seeing that she wasn't blinking for the past minute and just kept staring. The more he looked at Altheia the more he felt anxious about what happened to their parents. He covered her eyes with his hand for a few seconds, in an attempt to make her close her eyes. Removing it afterwards, sensing that Altheia had closed her eyes and her breathing became soft as she had fallen asleep with the fatigue of processing what had happened.

"Me and Valerie will check the capitol to see the situation tomorrow. You stay here with Cole and watch over Altheia." Alexis addressed Avery, not bothering to give her a glance in fear that he would break down in front of his younger sister.

Caressing Altheia's hair as he added. "She's the most unstable at the moment so just watch over her."

He adjusted Altheia's position to put her in a comfortable position. Removing her hair from the barrette, and letting it down. Avery quietly eats on the side as she watches her siblings wanting to see the capitol as well. Staying under the starry night sky would have been good if it were any other day. None of the four had slept except for Altheia.