Found

I had woken up the next day beside the lake, my body weary and hunger pains rolling through my stomach. I managed to catch a small sea creature and harvest some weeds from the water, but neither satisfied the deep craving for food.

It seemed that during my time with the magicians, I had forgotten what it felt like to be truly hungry. To not eat for days on end. I had become pampered.

I sat at the edge, throwing rocks in the water, disturbing the glassy calm surface.

My world felt like that water. Calm and undisturbed until a rock had been pelted my way, upsetting the peace and creating waves that crashed into my life and broke apart the foundations of my world.

My reflection wavered as the water stilled and it became clear again for me to see. My hair frizzed out from the braid that was wound down my head, the dark colour doing nothing for my paled complexion. I looked ill. Dark circles were visible under my eyes from lack of sleep and my eyes were red an