By the time Liriel returned home, the village had already begun preparing for the evening celebration.
The distant sound of drums occasionally drifted through the open window, mingling with the voices of merchants closing their stalls and children running through the streets. Yet inside the Sterling household, there was nothing festive about the atmosphere.
Liriel stood in the middle of her room, hurriedly folding clothes into a worn leather bag.
One dress, then another.
A woolen shawl, two pairs of stockings.
Her comb.
A small pouch of coins she had secretly saved over the past several months.
She hesitated before reaching for the little wooden box on her bedside table, then slipped it carefully into the bottom of her bag.
She was almost done when the door suddenly swung open.
"Liriel!"
She froze.
Mrs. Sterling stood in the doorway with one hand pressed against her waist, her chest rising and falling heavily as though she had climbed three flights of stairs just to catch her daughter committing some terrible crime.
"What," she demanded, staring at the half-packed bag, "do you think you’re doing?"
Liriel slowly turned.
"Mother..."
"Don’t ’Mother’ me." She shouted at her immediately.
Mrs. Sterling stepped into the room and looked around as though hoping the sight before her would somehow disappear if she blinked enough times.
"You are packing."
It wasn’t a question.
Liriel lowered her gaze.
"Yes."
"Why?" Mrs. Sterling asked slowly.
Liriel swallowed.
"I’m leaving the village." Liriel replied softly making her mother’s face immediately tightened.
"Leaving?"
"I’m going to the capital."
For several seconds, Mrs. Sterling simply stared at her.
Then she placed one hand against her neck and tilted her head toward the ceiling in exaggerated disbelief.
"The capital."
Liriel nodded.
"The capital," her mother repeated, as though the words themselves were an insult.
"With whom?"
Liriel hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Mrs. Sterling’s eyes narrowed. "With whom, Liriel?"
"With Ivelle."
The room fell silent.
Mrs. Sterling’s hand remained pressed against her neck.
"Oh, heavens..."
"Mother—"
"You are following that cursed girl to the capital?"
"Ivelle isn’t cursed." The answer came so quickly that even Liriel seemed surprised by it.
Mrs. Sterling slowly lowered her hand.
"Don’t start."
"I’m not starting anything, mother."
"You are defending her."
"Because she doesn’t deserve what everyone says about her." Liriel continued her argument.
Mrs. Sterling let out a tired laugh.
"You are young. You don’t understand."
"I understand enough, mother."
"No, you don’t."
"I know what I’ve seen."
"And what exactly have you seen?" Mrs. Sterling asked sarcastically.
Liriel stepped closer.
"I’ve seen Ivelle help people when everyone else refuses to even stand near them. I’ve seen her give away food when she barely had enough for herself. I’ve seen her sit beside the sick and frightened when everyone else ran away."
Her voice trembled.
"And I’ve seen her cry alone because people call her a monster."
Mrs. Sterling’s expression hardened.
"Because men die around her."
"They die around her," Liriel repeated, "not because of her."
"Then explain it!"
Her mother’s voice suddenly rose.
"Explain why every man who tries to marry that girl ends up suffering! Explain why Damien, that pitiful boy died on his wedding day! Explain why illness follows her wherever she goes!"
"I don’t know!"
Liriel’s voice cracked.
"But neither do you!"
Mrs. Sterling stared at her.
Liriel’s eyes filled with tears, but she refused to look away.
"Nobody knows why it happens. Yet everyone decided she must be responsible because blaming her is easier than admitting we don’t understand."
"Enough."
"No."
"Liriel."
"I’m going with her."
Mrs. Sterling’s face went completely still.
"You would choose her over your family?"
"I am not choosing her over you."
"You are packing your belongings and leaving this house."
"I’m going because she’s alone."
"And that makes her more important than your mother?"
"No."
"Then stay."
Liriel’s lips parted.
Mrs. Sterling pointed toward the bag.
"Unpack it."
Silence.
"Unpack it, Liriel."
Liriel’s fingers curled around the strap.
"I can’t."
Something inside Mrs. Sterling seemed to snap.
She crossed the room, seized the bag, and dragged it toward the doorway.
"Mother!"
The bag flew through the open doorway and landed heavily in the yard.
Liriel stood frozen.
Mrs. Sterling pointed outside.
"If you want to follow that curse, then go!"
Tears immediately spilled down Liriel’s cheeks.
"You don’t mean that."
"I do."
"Mother..."
"I didn’t raise a daughter who would throw her life away for a cursed girl."
Liriel’s breathing became uneven.
Mrs. Sterling’s voice shook now, though whether from anger or hurt, neither of them could tell.
"If you’re so determined to follow her, then don’t come back."
Liriel stared at her mother.
Mrs. Sterling looked away.
"I didn’t give birth to any daughter."
The words struck harder than a slap.
Liriel’s shoulders trembled.
For a moment, she looked like she might fall apart.
Then she nodded.
"Okay."
Mrs. Sterling’s eyes flickered toward her.
Liriel wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"If that’s what you want..."
Her voice broke.
"I won’t come back."
She stepped outside.
The bag lay in the dirt where her mother had thrown it.
Liriel bent down and dragged it toward the gate.
She had barely taken three steps when hurried footsteps sounded behind her.
"Liriel!"
She turned.
Her younger brother came running toward her.
His eyes were already red.
He clutched a small wooden box against his chest.
"Liriel..."
She immediately crouched down.
"What happened?"
He shook his head and thrust the box toward her.
"Take this."
She stared at it.
"What is it?"
"Just take it."
Her trembling fingers closed around the box.
He sniffed and looked toward the house.
"Stay safe, okay?"
Liriel’s eyes filled again.
"I will."
"And come back to Mother if it gets too hard."
Liriel lowered her head.
"But she said—"
"She’s angry."
He wiped his nose with his sleeve.
"She doesn’t mean it."
Liriel stared at him.
"She’ll miss you."
A sob escaped her lips.
Her brother wrapped his arms around her.
Liriel hugged him tightly, burying her face against his shoulder as tears soaked through his shirt.
"Take care of Mother for me."
"I will."
"And don’t let her forget me."
"I won’t."
They remained like that for several seconds before Liriel finally pulled away.
Her brother looked at her with a sadness far too old for his young face.
"Come back."
Liriel smiled through her tears.
"I’ll try."
She picked up her bag, tucked the wooden box safely inside, and tightened her grip on the handle.
Then she walked toward the gate.
She didn’t look back at first.
But just before stepping outside, she stopped.
Her eyes drifted toward the house where she had grown up.
The curtains moved faintly behind the window.
For one brief moment, she wondered if her mother was standing there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Perhaps even regretting the words she had spoken.
Liriel’s lips trembled.
But she didn’t turn around.
She stepped through the gate.
And began dragging her bag toward Ivelle’s house.
Behind her, the door of the Sterling home remained closed.
Yet inside, Mrs. Sterling stood motionless in the hallway, staring at the empty doorway.
Her hands trembled.
She pressed them against her chest.
And for the first time since her daughter had announced she was leaving...
She wondered whether fear had made her say something she could never take back.