26 In the Ethel Forest

Since the dome disappeared, despair took over the minds of everyone, Lina, and maids who had just stopped for resting after running constantly started running again as soon as they realized that the Dome had disappeared.

Lina was in the most complex state of mind out of them all she was crying and shouting inside her mind right now her thoughts were all about

'What state Ralph is in, are you alive Ralph'

'Please be alive'

'We have to run; the dome is down'

'The knights and paladins, I have to run faster they will take my baby'

She was holding back grief inside her. she knows everyone else was holding on strong because they rely on her for Aiena she was a motherly figure and for both Lana and Hina she was an elder sister they all were holding themselves together because they know Lina is there

'I cannot break down if I cry, they won't be able to hold it in too'

They were running for two hours now. The brightest star is also at its peak moments looking brightest sending blue and white streaks of color through the night sky but they do not have any rest to appreciate this beauty. Under the blue lights of the night sky, they are running for their lives the only silver lining to this dark cloud of fate for them was that this forest has the lowest number of monsters.

"Viscountess mam, snow is moving a bit looks like she is going to wake up we should stop for a bit," Lana asked Lina with a troubled expression as she stopped running because she knows how much troubled Lina is.

"Yes, Viscountess mam Aiena also seem to be stressed and haven't spoken since she saw the Dome disappear" Hina added as she stopped

"It seems we are far enough; we can rest for a bit but we will run again as soon as snow wake up" Lina answered with an exhausted look.

They all sit beneath a big tree they found nearby the place they stopped at. The tree was big and full of the green leaf which were reflecting the blue of the brightest star looking like a tree from the garden of the moon. It makes Lina's heartache on how they are surrounded by this much beauty when their life was going through such chaos she thought

'Are heavens mocking us, we do not have any food or water, it takes 4 days on the carriage to get through the Ethel Forest but now we are on foot and we do not even have proper directions what if we get lost!!'

All the worries were going through Lina's head as she was seeing Ryu who was sleeping in her arms not once did, she think it was Ryu's fault an ideal mother. Lana was sitting a bit beside Lina and she had Snow's head laying on her lap. Aiena was being comforted by Hina who was trying to cheer her up in different ways trying to get her to laugh because she didn't have much experience comforting till now.

Snow wakes up looking around in confusion she thought and asked at the same time

"where?" she asked as she looked toward Lana in whose lap she was laying

"We are safe Miss Snow; we are in Ethel Forest" Lana answered her while nodding towards everyone else and then Snow with a concerned and troubled expression asked in a hurry

"Where baby??, is he safe?" as she hurriedly gets up only calming as she gets a look at Ryu but unlike every time, she did not ask to hold Ryu maybe she too thinks Lina and Ryu should remain together in this situation. Then she asked while looking towards Lana

"What happened, after I fall?" and then with a sad mood Lana explained to her everything that happened in detail till the point Ralph Dome disappeared. After hearing it all Snow while nodding and tying her wavy open hair in a pony she stands up her white hair and the grey robe she was wearing in the background of Blue Light of the brightest star, moon and other four-star make emphasized on her cold beauty look the silver-colored eyes shined in blue as she faced towards Lina and everyone and spoke

"That cable will be punished no matter how late, trying to betray us and harm baby he will suffer"

With eyes full of resolve, she said no one could see a speck of lie or hollowness in her words. Snow was emitting so much pressure and coldness one would feel a hail storm was coming their way. But soon she calms down and sat beside Aiena who was still being comforted by Hina. Seeing Aiena sobbing and with a dry throat Snow asked her

"Are you thirsty?? Want water"

"Water!!" Hina was the one who answered instead in a bit louder voice because she was the one who did all the carrying while they were going to leave and in tension, she did not even care for drinking water but now when Snow mentioned it her thirst awaken and her throat feels dry and mouth parched.

Looking towards such Hina, Snow removed her robe now she was just in her silver-colored dress which matches with her hair making a bag of sorts out of her robe she chanted while hovering her hand on it

"Water o fluid and gentle for my thirst, I summon water sphere" as soon as she spoke this a water sphere come out of the area, she was hovering her hand over and falling into the bag she made out of her Robe. It was shocking for Hina because she had rarely seen water-repellent clothes. After all, they were costly and only sold in a few places in the world of Pefrion. Looking at such shocked Hina Snow said

"Drink water… safe for drinking," Snow thought Hina was worried if water was safe for drinking or not after that everyone drink a mouthful of water and felt at ease. Lina thought

'With this at least we would not suffer from thirst on the way if only we had something to eat'

Everyone was feeling a bit relieved because Snow just like Lina had a personality that reassures one just by being there. The Brightest star would only be up there for 3 or 4 hours at most now. Lina said while looking towards Snow

"Thanks, Snow if not for you we would've kept going while being thirsty and sorry again because of our family..." as soon as she reaches that point, she got cut off by Snow

"No need, I come myself for baby's safety, and I respect Viscountess too"

As she heard her Lina was filled with unexplainable emotion after being betrayed the same night but somehow, she still did not lose her belief because if there was one Cable there were many people who helped for their escape.

Aiena also fell asleep because the time was way past her bedtime and also due to rapid events made her exhausted. After resting a bit as they were getting ready to walk again the sound of horses coming from a distance was heard, they all stood up but they knew it was too late because the voice was coming from the direction they were going to move towards.

Soon knights seated on horses appeared out of trees and circled the tree Lina and others were sitting at once before they stopped in front of them. Being wary Lina brings out the crimson flames in the air and shouted

"Do not come close, I won't let you touch my baby or anyone else no matter what" Hina and Lana who were seeing her both see a reflection of Ralph in her way of speaking although at the same time they were still very Lina like. Snow too was drawing a glyph on the ground by her feet.

But what happened confused them all the Knights all get down from the horse coming a bit towards them they all kneel pressing their head on ground as the one who was a bit forward than everyone and in middle started speaking

"Please calm your flames Lady Viscountess"

To be continued~