Chapter 4

• The next day Emma saw the sunlight coming through the window of her room, she woke up haggard, unable to sleep all night, watching her sister who was still sleeping, her eyes fell on her neck that was marked with a deep reddish hue with the shape of Nasir's hands, She wanted to cry in frustration for not having prevented Ashley from suffering at the hands of that man, touching the side of her face that burned, she felt that it was swollen, she thought, - our lives will be hell in the hands of those men, if the moon goddess allows it, today we have to escape.
• The girls went to visit Jacob to see how the travel arrangements were going, he was furious to see Ashley's neck and Emma's swollen face, they told him what had happened and reassured him that they were happy to escape, nothing could be worse than what they were going through; Jacob informed them that they would escape before the moon was hidden, he would wait for them at the back of the house that overlooked the forest, from there they would travel on horseback along the path up the mountain until they reached the limits of the southern lands, he also told them that he had convinced a warrior known to his father to let them cross to the other lands, one of his men would accompany him.
• That night, they went downstairs to dinner, they acted normal, their uncle only watched them, while their aunt talked about how their marriage would be and that the same day each one would travel with her husband to different clans, that they should not resist because it would be worse, the girls looked at each other and nodded their heads, they did not feel like arguing, then they asked permission to retire to their room.
• With the silence of the night, Emma went to the room where her little brother slept, she took him carefully so he wouldn't wake up, she wrapped him in a fur cloak, she went out with all the care she could to not make noise, Ashley waited at the door, watching that no one appeared, they carefully went down the stairs, when they crossed the kitchen, they noticed that their nanny was there on waiting for them to say goodbye to them.
• The girls cost Romina that they would be leaving that night with Jacob's help, her heart was glad, she would no longer watch them suffer under the power of their uncles and then in the hands of those cold and merciless men, the girls insisted that she leave with them and little Nick, but he flatly refused, he would only be a hindrance on the long road he had to face, that night he prepared them a package with food and another with milk for the child, he waited patiently for them in the kitchen to say goodbye, he knew he would never see them again. "I have prepared food for the road, I want you to know that I will never forget you, nor your mother, a woman with character and a good heart who was always looking out for each one of us, I am glad that Jacob can take you to your grandfather."
• Emma spoke in whispers, so as not to wake Nick. "Thank you nana for the love you have given us since we were born, after the death of our parents you have known how to take good care of Nick, too bad you don't want to go with us."
• Romina whines sadly as she gave Ashley a package with bread, cheese and milk for Nick. "I already told you my reasons why I'm staying and my Goddess Luna is going to protect them for me my girls, I'm going to miss you."
• Ashley gives him a kiss and a hug goodbye. "We are going to miss you too and your snuggles." Then she breaks away from the old woman and says. "We are leaving, now go we don't want to get you in trouble."
• Emma approached the old woman who was sobbing, kisses her forehead and with a sad face hugs her warmly.
• Elizabeth at that moment went downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of water, she felt a little noise, scared she went over to hang the light, seeing her nieces dressed, she asked annoyed. "What are you brats doing there, where were you thinking of going?"
• Emma immobilized with little Nick in her arms and Ashley with the food package and the bag with her things, they looked at each other and did not know what to do.
• Romina without thinking pushed Elizabeth making her fall on the floor, she encouraged them to leave quickly while Elizabeth screamed for help, Romina threw herself on her to cover her mouth. "This is no time to stand still, run my girls, run without looking back, don't worry about me, I already lived happy is alive, live yours."
• Emma seeing Romina on the floor next to her aunt says. "Romina we can't leave you here with them, they will kill you."
• Romina with pleading eyes begged. "Please go do it for your mother and me, be happy."
• They ran out of the kitchen door that led to the back of the house overlooking the forest, fear gripped them from the moment they began to run, halfway a piercing scream coming from the throat of the old woman made Emma paralyzed, Ashley with her eyes full of tears hugged her sister; then they felt the big and strong hands of Jacob who dragged them into the forest, without wasting any more time he mounted each of them on their horses.
• From that moment they began a dangerous and exhausting journey through the deserted mountains towards the border of the southern lands, all the way Emma was crying as she remembered her past with her parents, her nanny and the few kind people of her herd, afraid of the unknown that she now had to face in the cold lands of her grandfather.