[/QUOTE]"Keep that hood down over your head and your eyes to the ground. Don't draw attention to yourself and talk to no one unless you have to. I've packed two loaves of bread. That's all I had left so eat it sparingly on the way." How much a child so young might comprehend of her requests was unknown. The middle aged woman, named Mary, toyed with her daughter's long, blonde locks almost lovingly before taking some sheers from the dining table, and with great regret, cutting the silken strands off to just below the ears. Feeling it was easier to brush and keep clean during the journey. She'd place those strands of what may be the last reminder of her only child into a wooden box full of other precious momentous collected over time.
The girl, all of six, was entrusted into the care of another family in the town, also making their way to greener pastures in Sanctuary. Their goal..giving their children some chance of a better life. Mary's husband had died only a year before and she barely made enough washing clothes to keep a roof over their heads now. The woman scrounged together every item of value she had means to procure in order to raise the money needed to pay for her daughter's to escape to a better life. Right down to her wedding band, every last cent went to buy her a place on the caravan with other families seeking the same goal. The money went to two guards who guaranteed all would be safely delivered to city gates. From there, fate would handle the rest.
Glancing into the broken mirror hanging on the wall of her mother's room, the girl, much more aware than most for her age, softly whispered. "What if the beasties come? What do I do?"
Pressing a kiss to her forehead, she'd answer honestly. "You run. Run as fast as your feet can carry you and never look back. Promise me that." Many of the people in Eden may not trust the Templar's; but, there was no future here for the young. She recognized that.
"I promise." Those big eyes with the golden hue brimmed with tears once the reality of their situation became more clear.
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Kiera never saw her mother again. Nor did the so called guards provide safe passage. In fact, they were woefully ill prepared for the sneak attack when passing through a valley on the third night of their journey. The beasts must have been tracking the group until it stopped to allow for rest as the sun set. Under the cover of darkness, the vampires attacked. Some of the travelers knew how to fight them. Most did not. Their screams of terror piercing the night as people scrambled in all directions trying to find a place to hide.
She didn't run. There were so many of the evil beasts circling around, the only thing she could do was squeeze herself between the three barrels used to transport water while hoping none of the bad things could see her. By morning, the few remaining survivors made their way back to the site. A few hours later, perhaps by sheer luck, a group of Templar's arrived as well. Even though her mother would never know it, her daughter, the youngest of the group, did finally make it to Sanctuary.
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