Lara sat up and groaned as the pain came rushing back to her. Flashes of memory came to her as she gradually gained consciousness, the Orcs beating her, being thrown to the floor, weeping, screaming...Her mouth went dry. Laila! she thought. She gazed around, there were women everywhere, weeping, many still out cold- but no children anywhere.
She struggled to her feet, pain washing over her every time she moved. There weren't any children in any of the corners of the cave, and no Orcs. That should have been a relief, but even an Orc was something to ask about Laila.
"I’ve come to tell ya all that ya children are ok”
Lara spun on her hel, which made her head spin worse. The Orc stood in the entrance, handing out tiny pieces of bread to each woman in turn. Lara moved forwards, towards him and took hers almost without realising.
“Well I’ll be off now, ya wont be seeing ya children for a while”
"No!" Lara darted forwards and touched his arm, shuddering. "Where is my daughter? Please, she's just a baby and she's all alone"
He shook her off with a grunt and continued to walk. As they reached daylight he pushed her back into the cave so she fell to the floor.
"Please! Please!" she continued to whisper, over and over, rocking backwards and forwards. "Please! Please!"
Abruptly she leaned over to one side and was sick, dry retching as she hadn't eaten anything but that small piece of bread. It seemed to break the spell and she began to cry, wracking sobs which echoed around the cave. Few of the women even looked up, too weak or in too much pain, or too involved in their own losses.
"They have your children too?" asked a sympathetic voice behind her. Turning, Lara saw a young woman giving a vague approximation of a smile, though it held no happiness. Lara simply nodded, trying to control her crying.
"I'm Georeliela" said the woman.
"Lara" Lara whispered, her voice coming out croaky. "They have my baby. My baby...she's all alone. My husband is-" she swallowed "-dead. I'm alone, and I can't do anything."
Again she began to weep.
__________________
“Sylphs of the forest,” I whispered. “Spirits of oak, beech and ash. Dryads of Rowan and hazel, hear us. You who have guided and guarded our every footstep, you who have sheltered our growth, we honour you."
the Forbidden Link
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