The Weight of Forgiveness

In a small village situated in the soft, rolling hills lived a young woman named Mara. It was a little village, with cobbled paths and warm little cottages, and it would have filled Mara’s heart with peace if there hadn’t been so much rage filling hers. She always had done, for her clever head and sharp mouth did not go unnoticed in the village, and yet a little weight bore hard upon her, which not a person in the world could have hesitated at. Mara had never stopped wondering what had happened to her older brother, Eli, who had vanished several years earlier.

Each night Mara lay in bed staring at the ceiling. But memories of Eli would dare to wander into her mind—how they’d play on the riverside, how he’d laugh at her jokes, how he’d always look up to her. But he was gone now, and Mara could not shake the gnawing guilt. She had always been the responsible party, the one who looked after him. Had she failed him? Could she have done something that would have saved him?

One fine morning Mara was watering her plants when a stranger arrived in the village. He had the long limbs and ruddy complexion of a birch-cutting lumberjack, eyes that seemed to hold a million stories. The villagers had come to him, asking who the newcomer was. Mara’s heart beat a little faster when she heard Eli step out from his lips.

The figure was unfamiliar; she drew near with trembling fingers. “Did you say Eli?” we’d hoped, her voice little more than a whisper.”
The stranger nodded. “Yes, Eli. I know where he is.”
Mara’s throat choked up. “Tell me,” she pleaded. “Please, tell me everything.

Eli had been taken prisoner by an evil warlord in a faraway place, the stranger said. He had been forced for years to work in the warlord’s mines, toiling as one out of the darkness and despair. Mara’s heart ached as she listened—and also filled with hope. Her brother was alive. And, if he were alive, she could save him.

Mara grabbed a small pack of supplies and took off for Eli. Mara Heavybay, the coward! They pleaded with her not to leave, that there were things out there much worse than a six-armed beast, but Mara didn’t have time for that now. She just wouldn’t be able to live with herself, not trying to get her brother home.

The Journey Begins

Mara’s took hard and took a long time. She trekked through dense woods, leapt over rushing streams, and hiked up steep hills. Her path was full of challenges. There were times she was ready to quit when her feet ached and her heart ached. But having Eli in her head pushed her forward.

On one of her walks through the woods, a deep thicket was torqued with the rustle of bushes. She froze, her heart racing. Then out sauntered a tiny, scruffy dog with huge, sad eyes. The dog backed away and shyly wagged its tail, and Mara immediately knew it was the one. She took the dog with her and named him Scout. Scout quickly grew to be a loyal and loving sidekick, shadowing her everywhere, her nose searching for threats and her company during long solitary nights.

As Mara continued on her journey, she met many generous people who invited her to stay with them, have meals together, and gave her wise advice. They regaled her with tales of the warlord’s brutality and urged her to be careful. But they also gave her strength, reminding her that love for her brother would bring her through the darkest of times.

The Warlord’s Stronghold

After weeks on the road, Mara finally reached the warlord’s stronghold. It was a dark, menacing place, surrounded by high walls and administered by cruel guards. So Mara knew she couldn’t go in herself—she had to be crafty.

Later that night, bundled up and black as crows, Mara and Scout stalked toward the fortress. Like the thought itself, Mara found a back entrance and crept in; Eli, sweating for the first time in weeks, was glad at least she didn’t shout.

As she descended deeper into the stronghold, the air became colder and damper. Finally, she reached the mines. The sight broke her heart. Haggard, shattered people toiled in the gloom, their faces vacant and their wills mangled. Eli, Mara wondered, looking through the crowd. And then she saw him.

He looked thinner than she had ever seen him, and his face looked hollow, his eyes empty. But when he lifted his eyes and saw Mara, his face brightened with recognition. “Mara?” he said, his voice quaking.
Mara’s tears flowed down her face as she ran to him and hugged him. “I’m here, Eli,” she said. “I’m here to take you home.”

The Escape

Mara sensed that they must act quickly. Standing up through the elbow, she got up, and they both climbed and blasted their way out of the mines. Scout was at the front, using his extraordinary senses to guide the way through the web of tunnels. But as they were approaching the exit, a guard spotted them.

Mara’s mind raced. She was unarmed, unable to fight. But she remembered what her father had told her: “Sometimes, your words are your best weapon.”

She stepped forward and stared down the guard. “Please,” she said. “Let us go. My brother has been through enough already.” Don’t you have a family? Don’t you know what it is to love someone?”
The guard hesitated, his grip sliding from his weapon. For a brief time, it appeared he would let them go. But another guard came by, and the moment passed.

But, thinking fast, Mara whipped the nearest lantern from its hook and threw it to the ground, setting off an explosion of flame. In all the scrambling, she, Eli, and Scout ran. They zipped through the fortress, skirting beneath guards and bounding over obstacles. Finally, they reached the secret entrance and emerged into the cool night air

The Journey Home

The journey back was worse than the one to the fortress, but this time Mara had Eli. They talked for several hours, sharing stories and reacquainting themselves after the years apart. Eli told Mara about the hard times he had had, but then he told her how he had never lost hope that she would come for him one day.

Mara then told Eli how she had felt guilty, how it was her fault that he had disappeared. Eli shook his head. “It wasn’t your fault, Mara.” “You’ve always been my hero. And now, you’ve saved me.”

Upon returning to the village, the villagers burst into applause and tears. To celebrate Mara’s bravery and Eli’s return, they threw a feast in their honor. Mara and Eli sat hunched alongside each other, close to friends and family, finally at peace with a world they hadn’t known in years.

A New Beginning

In the days that followed, Mara and Eli found their way back to one another and back to their lives, together. They laughed together, cried together, and began to heal the wounds of the past, slowly but surely. In the end, Mara fell victim to the burdens of guilt and emotional pain that chased her and brought her down to her knees, angry, yes, but also thankful yet.

One night, next to the fire, Mara looked at Eli and smiled. “We have lived through so much of this,” she said. “But we made it. Together.”
Eli nodded, his eyes shining. “And there will never be a time when the two of us aren’t together, Mara. No matter what.”

And as they sat before the fire, the stars glittering above their heads, Mara knew that everything she'd endured had been worth it. It wasn’t only about finding Eli—it was about finding forgiveness for herself and for the past. And it was in that forgiveness they had found freedom.

And so, Mara and Eli continued on, stronger than ever, ready for whatever the next chapter held—together.