IV<\/p>\n
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\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bionca! How many times do I have to tell you?! Get down from there!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Gaia chastised her six-year-old in exasperation. Bionca had grown into an unusual-looking child. Her skin was in splotches of Gaia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s own dark skin, mixed with the pale skin of her father. Similarly, her hair was a strange amalgamation of gold and bistre.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Awww, Mom, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re no fun!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bionca whined as she leapt from the roof of the clinic. As he hobbled out, Dr. Carlton looked bemusedly from mother to daughter. The girl had never learned to fear the doctor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s appearance. Zoran had left him one leg and nose short, as well as a thick red scar encircling his neck. The other Hyrans still recoiled slightly anytime they caught sight of him. He felt a camaraderie with the Harbinger, ostracized as she still was.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hey Doc. How are ya doing?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Gaia greeted distractedly, keeping an eye on her energetic child.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m the same as ever. Listen, Drake heard someone\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s looking for you again, Gaia. Be careful.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Dr. Carlton\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s voice was tinged with worry.<\/p>\n
Fear widened her eyes. She still had nightmares about Zoran and her bleak existence of six years prior. The first and last encounter the Taeshan officer had with Bionca was one too many for Gaia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s taste. She still felt a grim satisfaction knowing that Zoran would never bother them again. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thanks Doc. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll keep an eye out. Hopefully the government hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t started to investigate Zoran\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s disappearance\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she trailed off as her daughter shrieked berserkly before bounding away.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bye Mom! I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m gonna see if Oscar can play!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Bionca! Come back here!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Gaia yelled as her daughter\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s form melted into the horizon, further obscured by the setting sun.<\/p>\n
The little girl was prone to wandering through Hyra on her own. She loved watching all of the people running about their business, though the only ones who would talk to her were the Sullivans and Dr. Carlton. Today, however, she felt an inexplicable excitement. Bionca skipped through the streets, passing by Drake\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s store. She listened for Oscar\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s giddy, snorting laugh. When silence was the only sound to greet her, she continued on, only to be knocked down by a cloaked figure. The woman lowered her hood while offering her hand, revealing sandy auburn hair and deep green eyes that felt oddly familiar to Bionca. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hello, little girl. Can you help me find someone?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Rising, Bionca looked down shyly, remembering her mother\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s warning about the intentions strangers might have. She pivoted back and forth on her heel then locked eyes while tilting her head up. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re you lookin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 for?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
A small smile that failed to reach her eyes appeared on the woman. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Her name is Gaia Durant.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Defeated, Gaia started her trek back home. She\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d stopped by Drake\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s store to see if Bionca had actually gone to play with Oscar, but luck was not on her side. As she neared her home, she could faintly make out light seeping from the cracks in their outer wall and made a note to fix that. Closer still, she heard her daughter\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s high, honeyed voice and relief swept through her. It was immediately replaced with alarm when she heard a woman respond. Had a search party for Zoran finally found its way here? Swallowing the lump in her throat, she steeled herself and burst through her door. A faintly sulfuric smell cut by roses made her nostrils flare. As if in a dream, she swayed toward the woman, hesitant hope beating inside her chest. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mina?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she questioned.<\/p>\n
The woman looked over her shoulder, a smile dancing across her face. Though Gaia was too exuberant to notice, Bionca saw that it still had not reached her eyes. Eyes that her mother shared. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hello sister. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been such a long time.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She rose gracefully, dusting her carmine robe off. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been searching for you since you escaped from Taesh.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mina took a step toward her sister in a nearly threatening manner. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tell me: Where is that foul boy who took you and ran?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Bionca coughed, looking between her mother and her aunt, wondering why they were set on edge by each other. The door creaked open and all other thoughts were driven from the little girl\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mind as she chirped \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Daddy!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and skipped to her father.<\/p>\n
Brion smiled warmly at his daughter, twirling her as she leapt into his arms. He set her back down after kissing her forehead. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hey there little one. How was your-\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He stopped suddenly as he felt a knife at his throat.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Gaia, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s this scum\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fault our parents were murdered!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Mina barked.<\/p>\n
Tears sprung to Gaia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s eyes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mom and Dad are… dead?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she asked in a whisper. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How long ago were they\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She looked to her husband, whose fiery blue gaze had lowered somberly to the ground. The scar under his right eye stretching from temple to jaw seemed to burn with guilt.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Their bodies weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even cold before the two of you fled!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The blade pressed deeper into the man\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s throat. A line of blood appeared.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Brion\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6Is this true?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Droplets descended down Gaia\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face.<\/p>\n
He looked up at his wife, grief and guilt dimming the flame that was ever-present behind his eyes. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sorry Gai. I should\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve told you when we left\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Furious coughing erupted as Bionca tugged at Mina\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s robe fiercely. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Leave my dad alone!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she shouted, spittle flying everywhere as the coughs wracked her small frame.<\/p>\n
Mina looked down at her niece dispassionately. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153He let our parents die, then you married and had a child with him?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d She glared at her twin. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Disgusting.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Scoffing, she withdrew her weapon and exited with a flourish of her cloak.<\/p>\n
Bionca hugged her father desperately, the coughing vanished. She took his face in her hands. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Are you okay, Daddy?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
He gently embraced his daughter back as he looked up at his wife. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I had to get you out of there. My father had your parents killed to break you. I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stand by anymore. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m sorry\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Brittany Teodorski<\/p>\n
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