15/03/2021
1 recensioni2008
Kaela felt the skin under her bare feet burn and crack as they hit the wet stones. She had been running for what felt like hours, the cold air of the night blowing underneath her fine linen clothing. Chills of fatigue started shaking through her body, but Kaela didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. The last image of her mother lingered before her eyes as the sun does when you stare at it directly: her red hair scattered against the body of a guard, holding her with a knife lowered on her throat. Her mother had looked at her between the leaves of the bush behind which Kaela was hiding and shouted as they dragged her away. Now, her mother had said. And Kaela knew what she meant. They had talked about it before. If someone comes for me, run and find the Starkweathers. Don’t hesitate. And so she ran, without looking behind. Kaela had no idea if anyone was following her, still she couldn’t allow herself to stop. Her lungs ached, and she nearly surrendered to the fatigue, but then she found herself in front of an iron gate. Finally, Kaela stopped. Her hands reached to open the gate and a painful stinging feeling echoed under her fingertips. But her whole body was in pain, so she just clenched her teeth and walked through. The gate opened on a tight pathway surrounded by overgrown greenery. Kaela stretched her arm out to shield herself from the sharp branches and thorns. After a couple of steps, the pathway widened into courtyard. As Kaela walked through the courtyard the sense of wilderness she had felt was left behind with the pathway itself. There was nothing neglected about it. The trees didn't have any overgrown branches, the bushes of flowers had been recently trimmed. It was lovely, and somehow Kaela was reminded of the meadows she had just been forced to leave. The beautiful, airy lands of Faerie. A chocked sigh got stuck in Kaela's throat, regardless Kaela kept walking and slowly climbed the stairs that led to a mighty wooden-carved door. And now? There was a bell hanging next to the door, so Kaela pulled the string and the sound unexpectedly echoed somewhere far inside the building, leaving Kaela to wonder how the mechanism worked. Caught in her own thoughts, Kaela didn't hear the steps of someone approaching and startled when the door opened wide in front of her. A tall woman stood holding the door. Her hair was dark and thick, gathered in a tight plait that hung over her shoulders. She was looking at Kaela with a curious stare, her golden eyes glimmering in the night light like fire. There was something about her features and the way she held her body that reminded Kaela of the ancient warriors her mother had told her of. Sharp chin, high cheekbones, straight heavy eyebrows. Still, over those fiery features lingered a gentle expression and Kaela wondered how someone so haughty could also seem so kind.
Her lips curled in a warm smile. "Are you lost?"
Kaela just stared. The woman turned around abruptly and a moment later a man had joined her side. He was only slightly taller than her, with light blonde hair grizzled with white, and bright eyes. Where she was all angles, the man had soft, gentle features. He too was now looking at Kaela, but it wasn't curiosity lighting up his eyes. Somehow, Kaela found the courage to speak.
"My name is Kaela, I am the daughter of Keira. My mother has been taken away and she told me I could find shelter with the Starkweathers."
She had spoken with her gaze firmly fixed on the blankness behind the two people standing before her. With the tail of her eye she saw the woman's arm reach out and delicately touch her shoulder.
"Come in, Kaela. My name is Sabina Malatesta, and this is my husband Kenneth Starkweather."
The hand on Kaela's shoulder gently pushed her forward.
"We will take care of you," said Kenneth. And so Kaela looked up, their eyes met. He smiled at her. A heart-warming smile. Kaela understood why her mother had told her to come here. She was going to be safe. But then, all of a sudden, her body gave up, the stress and fatigue finally giving in, and Kaela collapsed. Before darkness overcame, there was the feeling of welcoming arms reaching out to steady her.
Kaela felt the skin under her bare feet burn and crack as they hit the wet stones. She had been running for what felt like hours, the cold air of the night blowing underneath her fine linen clothing. Chills of fatigue started shaking through her body, but Kaela didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. The last image of her mother lingered before her eyes as the sun does when you stare at it directly: her red hair scattered against the body of a guard, holding her with a knife lowered on her throat. Her mother had looked at her between the leaves of the bush behind which Kaela was hiding and shouted as they dragged her away. Now, her mother had said. And Kaela knew what she meant. They had talked about it before. If someone comes for me, run and find the Starkweathers. Don’t hesitate. And so she ran, without looking behind. Kaela had no idea if anyone was following her, still she couldn’t allow herself to stop. Her lungs ached, and she nearly surrendered to the fatigue, but then she found herself in front of an iron gate. Finally, Kaela stopped. Her hands reached to open the gate and a painful stinging feeling echoed under her fingertips. But her whole body was in pain, so she just clenched her teeth and walked through. The gate opened on a tight pathway surrounded by overgrown greenery. Kaela stretched her arm out to shield herself from the sharp branches and thorns. After a couple of steps, the pathway widened into courtyard. As Kaela walked through the courtyard the sense of wilderness she had felt was left behind with the pathway itself. There was nothing neglected about it. The trees didn't have any overgrown branches, the bushes of flowers had been recently trimmed. It was lovely, and somehow Kaela was reminded of the meadows she had just been forced to leave. The beautiful, airy lands of Faerie. A chocked sigh got stuck in Kaela's throat, regardless Kaela kept walking and slowly climbed the stairs that led to a mighty wooden-carved door. And now? There was a bell hanging next to the door, so Kaela pulled the string and the sound unexpectedly echoed somewhere far inside the building, leaving Kaela to wonder how the mechanism worked. Caught in her own thoughts, Kaela didn't hear the steps of someone approaching and startled when the door opened wide in front of her. A tall woman stood holding the door. Her hair was dark and thick, gathered in a tight plait that hung over her shoulders. She was looking at Kaela with a curious stare, her golden eyes glimmering in the night light like fire. There was something about her features and the way she held her body that reminded Kaela of the ancient warriors her mother had told her of. Sharp chin, high cheekbones, straight heavy eyebrows. Still, over those fiery features lingered a gentle expression and Kaela wondered how someone so haughty could also seem so kind.
Her lips curled in a warm smile. "Are you lost?"
Kaela just stared. The woman turned around abruptly and a moment later a man had joined her side. He was only slightly taller than her, with light blonde hair grizzled with white, and bright eyes. Where she was all angles, the man had soft, gentle features. He too was now looking at Kaela, but it wasn't curiosity lighting up his eyes. Somehow, Kaela found the courage to speak.
"My name is Kaela, I am the daughter of Keira. My mother has been taken away and she told me I could find shelter with the Starkweathers."
She had spoken with her gaze firmly fixed on the blankness behind the two people standing before her. With the tail of her eye she saw the woman's arm reach out and delicately touch her shoulder.
"Come in, Kaela. My name is Sabina Malatesta, and this is my husband Kenneth Starkweather."
The hand on Kaela's shoulder gently pushed her forward.
"We will take care of you," said Kenneth. And so Kaela looked up, their eyes met. He smiled at her. A heart-warming smile. Kaela understood why her mother had told her to come here. She was going to be safe. But then, all of a sudden, her body gave up, the stress and fatigue finally giving in, and Kaela collapsed. Before darkness overcame, there was the feeling of welcoming arms reaching out to steady her.