Eris had listened to the woman’s words, but remained at a lost as to her real purpose. The woman had a definite interest in her, she could tell that. She wanted something from her, to take her away. But it did not make any sense; there was nothing special about her that she could think of aside from the magic that she recently discovered. ‘She doesn’t…did she save me just to have my magic that I can’t use?’ It was a strange realization in her mind remembering that magic users were highly sought after by the military and people wanting power. ‘Could she be one of them? She has magic herself…but why me?’

She backed away from the woman not certain what to think as her mind milled over the different thoughts. Her mind was getting carried away with ideas of its own beyond her control. They were all simply wild fantasies that only purpose was to instill more fear in to her, as though she needed help with that. Fighting against her mind’s aimless wandering was difficult as it was hard not to believe the possible truth in some of what she was thinking. She shuddered to think if any of them could be true.

‘She wants my power…I don’t even know what it I have. How does she know?’ Her thoughts only fueled more suspicious within her until all she could do was fling accusations, most which were not even reasonable. ‘Did that other woman just want my power too? Is that all I am to people?’ She wrestled with her mind trying calm down her pounding chest. The emotions were exciting her body making her sweat and churning her stomach. Her stress was peaking again, she did not know how many more times she could handle it.

‘My baby…I just want to live to see my baby…’ Her hand rubbed over her stomach giving her a focus for once. All the random stray thoughts were disappearing allowing her to think, even just a little. ‘She said Lothua…sounds familiar.’ It took her a few moments, but she finally remembered its meaning. When she was in school she had learned about the kingdom, but its doors were shut to everyone that it faded from people’s minds often. She had not heard the name in many years. ‘Lothua is supposed to be helping people with magic…at least that’s the rumor…if it is true. Maybe…she…’

Eris looked up at the woman away from her distracted expression before. She was still uncertain, but she was already in the middle of nowhere with no way to stay alive. There seemed to be little choice for her knowing that alone she would very soon die without survival skills. She knew plants well enough, but not the land. Her life would be short alone, captured again with her luck.

“If I said yes, how can I trust you? You’re a stranger to me,” she said pausing for a moment trying to think out her words carefully. There was still suspicion, the world was not kind and she had to learn to grow up soon. “You rescued me, but how do I know that it is not part of your plan? You know me as though you’ve been watching me. What is it that you want with me?”