Intertwined prolouge
Heime year 398
She almost wished that the road would stretch out straight in front of her where she rode, quick and hard, yet she was all too aware that as much as it slowed her, it would slow the warband tenfold. Besides, her horse knew the road well, for all the time theyd ridden it before. Aida barely had to look as her mount found the familiar track between the trees of the deep forest. Instead she thought, and thought hard. Once she got out of the forest shed have no chance of reaching Gorm’s fathers castle, if the old man was still alive that was. She felt a chill run down her spine, but refused to accept its suggestion thet the worst had happened. She spurred her horse again. She had to reach him before her fathers men could.
Gorm let out a wordless cry as the physician closed his fathers eyes. His father’s health had been poor for a long time, so he supposed he had no right to be surprized. None the less it hurt, and he mourned the only way he knew how, a warriors wordless cry over the dead. Howling out a hollow note over and over, he was only brought back to the current moment when a timid page scrounged up the courage to approach him.
- My lord? The boy asked. Gorms voice refused to obey him, instead he just looked at the young boy and nodded.
- Theres a herbman at the door, says hes bringing news from Lady Aida. Gorm went cold all over. Aida had never mentioned a herbman, yet somehow he knew that this was important. A fleeting thought grasped his mind, only to be pushed back down, she couldnt be… No. He forced himself to focus on the stairs as he rushed down the stairs, no matter the reason for her message hed be no good to her dead.
As she approached the edge of the forest she had to make a desicion, to circle back round to her teachers hut, or to make a break for Gorm. In the back of her head, she knew. She couldnt exclude him from this, she had to give him a choice, and if nothing else she had to try and give him a heads up.
As she broke through the edge of the forest, however, she saw 2 horses approaching quickly, the normally heavily loaded workhorse of her teacher, and, her heart skipped a beat, as she recogniced Gorm’s warhorse. She almost let her horse slow down with the relief she felt at the sight of the two men, but she didnt know how far away her fathers men might be, so instead she spurred her horse on yet again. As she got closer she almost started crying at the sorrow in Gorm’s eyes, for only now did she accept that which shed known all morning. The cormorant flew no more. She slowed down as she approached the pair, and had barely ghasped out a “ my lord” only moments before her world collapsed completely.
Her green nymph showed up in her saddle, pulling on the reins trying to get her to turn around, she was determined, almost desperate. But far too late as an arrow shot trough the air, piercing her shoulder, the pain made her wince, and her riding horse, not used to the blood, spooked as the smell hit its nostrills. She clasped her arms around her stomach as she fell, hitting her head on the hard ground. The last vision she registered was that of her teacher bloodied and slumped over in his saddle while Gorm desperately fought for his life.
The light burned brightly around her, burned away any face or recogniceable feature, for she was weak. Nor did the beings around her carry any trace of humanity, for they were so far removed from it.
- I meant no harm. She pleaded, scared, for she knew what shed done.
- We know, little one. They sounded almost compassionate as their voice sounded as one deep within her soul.
- Yet you hurt so many, all this suffering and death, for you. She could see their faces in her head, Gorm, her teacher, Terryin the young souldier from her fathers warband, even the young girl that was refused birth.
- I saw no other way. She believed her words, yet she felt their doubt, and once again they spoke with regret in their voice.
- You could have stayed, there was no need to abandon life at court. And he could have learned too. Once again she saw Gorms face, and as her gaze met his beautifully grey eyes, she couldnt contain her sorrow anymore and broke down sobbing.
- It is a heavy burden to owe and right. The voices spoke with compassion.
-Are you ready to shoulder it? Her voice failed her, but she looked up at the beings, nodding as best she could, finally finding her voice.
- I’ll try. She could feel their amusement roll over her, powerfull waves of emotions, such that she could not help but laugh and wonder if the imense sadness that she had just felt was more than merely her own.
- You’ll get help to remember, but itll delay your pursuit of your own destiny…
- Yet my destiny wouldnt come to someone who would leave such a debt unpaid. She finished their unspoken words. And with a wave of their approval she felt herself fall, deeper and deeper through the darkness, sweapt up in a storm. Openingher eyes, and remembering sight, rearing the wind roar around her and remembering sounds, music, the athmosphere at a ball. She remembered tastes, and love, and desire, she felt it. The desire and pleasure of a loving embrace, she let it catch her, and carry her downwards, no longer falling, but enveloped in all the memories, and then she stopped. In the safe and comfortable darkness of the womb.