She didn't mean to do it.  Not really.  Couldn't they understand that?  Lucinda felt the tears welling up; they threatened to overflow, but she kept them in check.  She was thirteen and as of now, on her own; they wouldn't take her back after what she'd done.

She ran through the veldt, hoping the pursuit would give up before she reached Shadow Wood.  In places, the shrubs grew high enough to offer cover.  She was frightened, confused.  The dark twisted forest lay ahead.  She slowed her pace, stopped.  Shadow Wood was haunted.  She almost turned back, preferring to face her death at the hands of the town council.  Shadow Wood held the promise of pain and perhaps a death far worse than what the people of Cardin could even imagine.  Weren't there bolons and wild jereds and other animals in the forest?

Voices at first distant, grew more distinct.  Closer.  They were catching up.  Lucinda turned back for a moment, but she knew that even a chance at life was better than certain death.  She entered Shadow Wood.

The forest was aptly named.  Shadows threw themselves across the ground.  And occasional beam of light penetrated the ceiling of leaves, but these weren't welcome.  Lucinda wished the darkness was absolute--at least then the movements around her wouldn't be noticeable.

Her ears strained.  Was that a twig cracking underfoot?  Had they followed her into the woods?  No, even with her father leading the pursuit, they wouldn't dare enter Shadow Wood.

Another crack.  A shuffle as if through a pile of dried leaves.  Lucinda turned full circle.  She wanted to run back home. But she didn't have a home.  Not any more.

Crouching, Lucinda scanned the path ahead.  She wished she had a lantern or a torch.  Then something stepped out of the trees onto the path.

"A bit past your bedtime, isn't it?" the figure said.

From the voice, Lucinda assumed it was an old man.  She knew she had to respect her elders.  No.  She was free of all that. Part of her regretted that.  It had been comfortable.  She'd been happy.  Why did she have to be different?

"You didn't let them cut out your tongue, did you?"

"Who are you?" Lucinda asked.

"That's more like it.  Step forth, girl."

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