This was all I could throw at Ard, the only thing that could possibly convince her to let me stay just a tiny bit longer. I'd gotten this ability to speak, but what's the point if I wasn't able to say the things I needed to? Does Ard understand what she has taken from me?

Ard stopped walking and stared at me. She lifted up her head slightly, moved her eyes somewhere else, and then quickly brought them back to me. "Attie, where's your cloak? And your spear?"

The what? With the chief. Oh. That's the perfect excuse for me to meet with them again, then. All I had to do was go back, ask for my things to be returned, and while I was there meet with my family and my master's family. This is a perfect excuse, why hadn't I thought of it before? "Give Chief. He has, I go back and get."

"No, you're not. Even I have the common sense to understand that you'd be in danger if you were to return. However, the spear and cloak were both gifts that have been provided to you by me and the Móráns, and having them left and possibly stolen I won't accept. Do not mind that they are missing, but in the future I wholly expect this sort of incident to never happen again. Especially with your spear. I will consider letting you meet with your family once again, but right now I still hold reservations over your safety with them."

"Why hurt me?"

"Why would they hurt you? I don't know. I'm unsure, that is the problem. I'm lacking in information regarding your kind, this could possibly be a mortal flaw in my ability to protect my clan. You are a valuable asset towards filling that gap in information."

Why was Ard treating me so callously? "If you without sisters, what say?"

"If I were without my sisters, you mean? Well... I would do everything I could to get them back. If they were killed, I would do everything in my power to kill whoever killed them. My duty as an Ard demands at least that much. I can assume your argument from here. 'Why would you kill my family,' and a family is a group of blood-related fathachs, correct? Yes? Then, 'And expect me to listen to your words even after what you've done.' Is that the gist of what you're trying to say?"

If she understood what I was feeling right now that why was she still standing there giving me speeches? Tentatively, and carefully, I nodded.

"The answer is simple. Your safety is more important than your feelings. Perhaps in a couple of years we could reevaluate whether they can be trusted to not harm you, but until then, and until you're capable of fully protecting yourself, I will not allow it. If I were in your position I would try to bite me, but since I am not I'm capable of thinking in a far-sighted way."

Ard nodded at herself and at her speech, looking at me as if she knew all the answers in the world. There goes my last lifeline. I felt like something broke in me, finally the hope I had kept over this being remedied in some way showed itself to be nothing but a false light. My heart slowed down, and I walked closer to Ard, my head cast down. I could see tears fall from my face as I walked, and I did nothing to hide them. There's no point, I can't escape this monster.

"I am not unaware of what I'm doing to you. I'm sorry things had to be this way, Attie. I had hoped this trip would've made you happy. Apologies are empty, however, and sadly I have no way to show sincerity. There's nothing but continuing to teach you my arts and crafts, you may grow to hate me but these feelings will come to pass. Do not think any rash thoughts, Attie."

I didn't answer, or say anything, but continued to walk with Ard. I don't know how she's planning on retrieving my cloak and spear, perhaps she's going to sneak in and take it from the Chief. But everything depends on whether or not she knows where my things are, and being unwilling to let anyone else get killed by this monster I needed to make certain that she knew.

"Ard, how get stuff?"

"Your leader has it, right? I've developed some level of trading with him. We never meet, but if he wanted to continue our relationship I would think he'd get the hint that you'd need your stuff back. Don't worry about it. You can depend on me."

It's always about finding a way to ingratiate me to her, isn't it? How many times does she think she can do this without my noticing? But I have little ability to do anything but nod and listen to her words, and follow what she says. I can't see the escape for this situation, the only option I have left is to listen and wait for an opportunity to escape. What sort of loopholes could I exploit in the oath? I could think of one that is extraordinarily obvious. Run away whenever I get the opportunity. If I couldn't hear her words, and as long as I didn't hurt either her or her sisters, it would be fine, right?

I followed Ard throughout the day, she didn't run but instead kept a steady and reasonable pace that even I could easily follow. I could run with her if she wanted me to, and we both knew that. But maybe she thought I was in need of rest, and to a degree I would agree with her. My limbs felt like lead, and keeping my eyes straight ahead of me was a heroic act in itself. It wasn't just that I was tired, I felt like my spirit was broken in a very literal sense. What exactly happened when I attempted to break the oath with Ard?

The feeling of dread, of pain that wasn't physical, had washed over me at that time. I felt the strands of light that had grown throughout the year break, fall apart, vanish and even now still hasn't returned. It didn't hurt, but that was solid months of growth destroyed in moments, although I don't fully understand what the webs of light represent, that doesn't mean I don't understand their usefulness. I've figured out many ways to use them that aren't related to healing, much of it having to do with increasing my strength for short durations.

The village wasn't that far away from Ard's home, perhaps at most two days travel if you're having a particularly lazy day. It makes sense why she had known about me, and why she would even initiate in trade with the village. It's not like we were the only ones, but we were certainly the closest. And talking of trade, how did Ard engage in trade with the chief? I've heard rumors but I thought they were fantasies and delusions, idle talk just to waste time gossiping about. But clearly I was wrong.

It was midnight, the stars were shining on us and it took too much work to figure out where I should place my steps so I wouldn't trip or accidentally injure myself, all while trying to pay attention to where Ard was located. Ard continued her walk, not minding the lack of light. I'm not sure if she has the ability to see well in the night, but for whatever reason she was now ignoring the fact that I was struggling. Did she want to go back to the village as soon as possible? That doesn't serve me well. Why wouldn't she run if she wanted that?

But Ard did stop, and in the dark I could see her turn and eyes to me. I could still see her, especially now that I could see her face, as her pale skin could be seen even in this blanketing darkness. "You're planning on running away, aren't you. I want to make this very clear, I forbid you to attempt to escape. I've walked in the night in order to help you fall asleep, just in case you have trouble to. You must be tired, go find a place to rest and I'll start a fire for you."

Figures. Now it's made certain, I'm a slave to this faery, and there's nothing I could do anymore to escape her. I won't give up, there are still ways I could get her to at least be a more humane owner, or if I could convince her to let me go entirely, and if I were to stay alive I'm sure the opportunity would eventually present itself for me to get back at her. How long can my spirit hold under her oppressive control over me?