Jillian's POV

I was with Clare and was helping her lay the table and with everything. After we finished our work we sat down to our seats and we were waiting for our special guests to come.

"We did a great job. Thank you for your help Jillian! You're a very good friend."  -She said

"You know that I help you gladly. You don't have to thank me."  -I said while smiling at her.

"I hope the children will enjoy themselves."

"You know, Clare you don't have to worry about it. I'm sure they will. They love you and you also love them and that's the most important to them...not the thing how many food is here or that if everything looks like in a party of the King."

"I know. But I want to make their days special.  In this poverty they don't have the chance to live a normal life. It's so sad."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."  -I told her with a sad expression. 

"But you're like a hero for them."  -She told me and this sentence made me laugh.

"Why would I be???"  -I asked her still laughing.

"Because you're strong. Everybody knows your story Jillian. How your family was assasinated by the orders of the King, how you lost your best friend and how you had to escape from your homeplace."  -She looked away when she said this. I knew she didn't want to snatch off my scars but she did. I didn't reply to her. I was lost in my thoughts again. My mind was on the happenings of my past. But I knew I had to keep my head hold up and smile.

"Look Jillian. I didn't mean to...."  -I cut off her sentence

"I know Clare. And you didn't."  -I smiled

"I'm glad. Now I have to go and change my clothes. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"OK. Just go."  -And she went into her house. I was alone with my thoughts again. A hero?? Of course...impossible. If only they knew how weak I am on the inside.

"Jillian! I'm back." 

"Oh, Clare! You were fast."  -I looked at her. She looked so elegant like always. She was always wearing beautiful dresses. This time it was a red one and she was wearing high-heels. I didn't know how colud she walk in those shoes. Her blonde hair now was in a ponytail. It suited her well. It was not a surprise that John liked her. John was a rich nobleman who lived isolated from every villages, but his estate was near Hartridge, so he always came into the village and that's how he met Clare. It was love at first sight from both of them. I hope they will get married soon. They make a cute couple.

"JILLIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  -I heard voices from behind me. 

"They are here. The children."  -I looked at Clare and told her.

"Yeah. They're in a good mood."  -She smiled.

"Like always."

"JILLIAN!!! CLARE!!!!! WE'RE HERE"  -They shouted and they ran towards us.

"Can you stay a little Jillian??"  -Clare asked

"Of course. I won't go anywhere."  -I told her smiling.

"Jillian!"

"Guys, you're finally here. We thought you wouldn't come."  -Clare told the children

"We're sorry we're late."  -Told Emily. She was an amazing young girl and she looked up at Clare very much."

"It's ok."  -I told them.

"Now that everybody's here we should eat."  -Clare led the way to the tables.

"Yay!!!!!!!"  -Was the only reaction that the children made. 

And we sat down to the tables and we started to eat. There was so much to choose from. The children ate like they were starving for a year. This was the result of our Monarchy. I watched them and I thought that it is so good that we have people like Clare on this world. And I thought about the changes that one could do if they wanted to.

"Jillian!"  -Miana called me

"Yes my dear??"  

"Could you tell us your story Jillian? We've always heard magnificent stories from you but what about today's story would be that one that you know the best!??"  -She asked me so innocently

"Yes Jillian. Tell us your story!!!!"  -They kept echoing this sentence.

"Guys. I don't think it's a good idea. It would hurt Jillian."  

"No Clare, it's ok. You wanna hear my story???"  -I asked them with a challenging voice.

"Yayyyyy!"  -They shouted

"Ok then. Let me begin but before it you should sit down."  -And they sat down onto the ground.

"Are you ready??"  -I asked them with my previous voice

"Yes...start it"

"14 years ago there was a girl called Jillian whose parents were murdered by the Black Soldiers after her birth. Her only relative was her aunt and her name was Elizabeth. She gave her everything she needed. Jillian had a very good friend. Her name was Jane and she was the most powerful and stubborn person Jillian had ever known. Jane had beautiful long blonde hair and green eyes. They were best friends since their birth and their parents were also friends or so Jillian has heard. When Jane was 4 the Black Soldiers also killed their parents. The two girls always played together at the fields of Hatsby. Once they were playing hare and hounds at the field and when they finished they decided to play hide and seek. And that's where the sad part began. Jillian went to hide in a bush and Jane was counting down. And that's when some soldiers came and they caught Jane. Jillian heard Jane shouting with the soldiers and she ran out from her hiding place just to see what was going on."  -The children were listening carefully and there was totally silence so I went on with the story.

"After Jillian arrived Jane shouted at her and asked her to stay away. She called Jillian Jane for some reason. And that reason never was out. Jillian never knew why did the soldiers want Jillian, and Jillian only. But because Jane told them that she was Jillian they took her and left the real Jillian alone. Jillian shouted after them but it was useless. They had already gone with her best friend who decided to sacrifice herself for Jillian. Jane saved Jillian's life. Nobody could do a thing for Jane. People said that the soldiers would take her to the King and that she would be alright. But that was not enough for Jillian but she heard nothing about Jane for months so she could do nothing as well. But after 6 months people talked about a certain topic. They told Jillian that the soldiers realized that the Jillian they had taken was not the real one and at that time they were looking for her. Elizabeth was scared and she thought that it would be the best if they had moved into another village. And that's what they've done. Jillian and Elizabeth moved to Lowburg, a small town at the south of the Kingdom. They lived there only for some month because Jillian was so stubborn to find Jane that she told everybody that she was Jillian, the girl who the soldiers were looking for. She thought that the soldiers would lead her to the place where Jane was. But the people in Lowburg were angry at Beth because they thought that Jillian would bring bad luck to the town. So they had to move again. Jillian's toughness never died and she always did the same thing in many other villages and towns. They had to move  from Holtsfield, Hollowland, Brylon, Carymo, Montalow, and Python and from so much more villages and towns only because of Jillian"  -I told them with a guilty look on my face.

"Jillian was so stubborn!!!!"  -Shouted Jimmy

"Yes, she was."  -I replied.

"And what about Hartridge? How did they get into Hartridge??"  -Natalie asked

"They were like this for 8 years. After that Jillian came into realization: She had to ease Beth's life. So she wanted to get away.  One night she packed her belongings and she went away from Beth. She walked so much and she got into a small village called Hartridge. She wanted to stay there but everybody was so averse towards her. It wasn't because they knew her true identity...it was just because she was a stranger. But a little girl called Clare became her friend and now she could stay. Then Elizabeth arrived as well. She told the villagers who were they because she wanted the villagers to decide whether they could stay or not. But they were friendly and let them stay. And they never told anyone that the real Jillian lived in Hartridge."  

"Wooooowwww"  -They echoed

"It was a good story Jillian. A sad but good story."  -Lina told me

"Yeah. You're a very great teller Jillian!"  -It was Luke

"Thank you guys."  -I told them. 

"Ok for now we had enough. What about your siesta?"  -Clare asked them and they agreed to sleep after my story. So Clare put them into bed.

"Wow you really told your story right. But I didn't know that you were so stubborn."  -Clare came back

"Yeah I was and I still am"  -We laughed together

"JILLIAN!!!!!!! JILLIAN!!!!!!!!!! -I heard a voice. As I turned around I saw that it was Tom, the friend of Beth. 

"Tom!!!! What is wrong??? Why are you shouting???"  -I asked him nervously

"Jillian! This is bad...it's awful..."  He said breathing heavily. I could see that he had run all the way here.

"Tom...what is awful???? You're scaring me!!!!!"  

"Jillian! They're coming...."  -Now I was totally angry. Why couldn't he just said what was wrong? Why he had to speak in riddles??? I got out of my mind and I shouted at him.

"TOM!!!!! TELL ME NOW WHAT IS WRONG AND DON'T MAKE ME FEEL MORE AND MORE NERVOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  -He took a big breath and said:

"Jillian. The soldiers are coming. They're still looking for you and somehow they found out that you were always in Hartridge. You have to escape from here...they're only for an hour from here. You have to run!!!!!"  -I was trembling. 

How??? How???? How could they have known that I was here????? How???????? 

"Haven't you heard?? You have to go Jilllian! Go get Beth and run!! We will cover you, don't worry.  -Clare told me and she tugged me into the way to our house.

"But....."

"No buts Jillian! You have to go! They can't catch you. Who knows what do they want from you? Maybe they want to kill you. Just go!"  -Clare tried to convince me

"Alright. I gotta get Beth. Goodbye for you guys. I hope we will see each other soon."  

"We hope so, too."  -They both hugged me and then my feet was going on its way. I couldn't control it.... I was running to the direction of our house. There were nobody on the streets...they probably hid away from the soldiers.

And that's all because of me.

I was running even faster. Finally I reached our house and I broke the door.

"Jillian! What is wrong with you??"  -Beth asked me. She knew nothing about the incident.

"BETH! THE BLACK SOLDIERS KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE. WE GOTTA ESCAPE FROM HERE.  -I packed some clothes and went into the direction of the door...but i realized that Beth wasn't following me.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, BETH?? WE MUST GO RIGHT NOW!!!!!!"  -I shouted at her.

" I can't go Jillian."  -She said quietly

"WHAT??? WHY??? BETH! DON'T JOKE!!!"

"I'm not joking. Jillian! I have Tom here. I can't leave him. And two people are more conspicuous. And you want to know the truth about your past, right?"

"Yes, but I want you to come with me."

"You will be okay with yourself. Don't worry...all the villagers believe in you. We're covering you, my dear. Just go and find out the truth!!!"

"But I don't even know where to go."

"You should look for Anne."

"Anne? Who is Anne?"

"She was your mother's best friend. I think she's still alive. She lives near the capital. I guess the name of the town is Adrastos. Go and find out the truth."

"Thank you for everything Beth. For bringing me up...for letting me stay with you...for everything."  -Tears came into my eyes and Beth hugged me.

"I hope you will be happy with Tom."

"I'll be okay. Don't worry. Now go, my dear."  -She said and she kissed my forehead.

And I ran again. The only thing I knew was that I had to look for Anne in Adrastos. I hope everything will go well.

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To be continued.

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