The skies appeared to be dark and murky without any warning. Arwyn blinked back surprise at the dragon's voice, coming from the walls of her mind. She felt violated. Her personal space invaded. She shivered. Her surroundings started to blur together, the white tree, the green dark sky, the silence.
"Come closer, Gwen." The dragon spoke her first given name. Arwyn gasped without realizing it.
"H-How do you know that name?"
"How?" The dragon's voice had the sound of a smile, "I brought you here, I chose you, that is how."
This caused more questions to fill Arwyn's mind. It was decided that she was given a 2nd chance at life, she didn't know if she should be thanking the mystical creature or cursing it out. "What happened to Eric?" memories of her dead lover made her sad heart crack even more.
"Who?" The Dragon cocked her head to the side. Curious.
"The man that I died with, He was fatally wounded! What happened to him?"
The dragon sat down gracefully, perched on a large root from the tree. "Oooh, him... he surprisingly survived." Her teeth bared in a lazy yawn. "He is not here, if that was what you were hoping." Arwyn's heart sank. She was relieved that he didn't die, but sad that she didn't get a second chance with him. She had truly liked him. Arwyn missed his smile, and the way his dark eyes sparkled. She looked up at her savior.
"You chose me?" She stood tall, trying to show no uncertainty. "Why?"
The creature stretched her long snake like body, fur standing on edge. "Mmmm" the Dragon cooed. "You had what this world needed, You begged for a second chance, and I liked your character, strong, determined, and even though you didn't do anything to deserve a second chance, you wanted one, and you truly regretted the way you lived your life. That spoke volumes to me." She sauntered closer to Arwyn. "I chose you because the soul that body originally had, died to the strength of the powers that that body possesses. She was weak of mind and body. Not you. You carry it well whether you realize it or not." She stopped directly in front of Arwyn. "I grow weary human, are you almost stuffed with answers?"
"No," Arwyn gasped, "I have so many more questions! Who are you? What are your plans with me?" Arwyn began fidgeting her fingers, she found that she was nervous all of a sudden. The dragon's presence was stronger than the mountain's, yet it didn't hurt. There was no suffocating pressure coming down. "Why do the people of this world not come to the mountains?"
"You are full of so many questions, you just might burst." The dragon's size grew larger and the middle of her body grew even longer, so much so that her body looped. She was 15 ft now, before she was about 8ft. "I will only answer the 1st one, and semi answer the 2nd one, the 3rd, well that one is not my place to say. I am Sytra of the moon, I am also Emoce. You can call me either. I am the goddess of life, death and reincarnation. I am the goddess of the water, and the soil and everything beneath the land. I am the goddess of harvest and the goddess of storms; I am what this world created to protect itself from dangers such as humans. I am fate. I am forever, unlike the gods that humans created. I was not created by humans but the planet. That is who I am, that is why I could pluck you from your miserable life and place you into my world." Sytra's head stooped low and her nose touched Arwyn's forehead. "You are here to change the direction this country is headed for in the near future, your power and intelligence are needed here." A light burst from Arwyn's forehead. It made Arwyn feel tingly all over as the light seemed to engulf her and fill her body with the energy the light itself emitted. "As for specific plans, who needs plans? I am sure you will figure it out."
Sytra- Emoce, then lifted up into the air, pink mist appearing all around them. "You will need to come back since you made a pledge to the mountain, but for now I am sending you home, since it is too long of a walk to reach your precious mother before dark." Emoce vanished. Without any sign or indication it was her time to disappear, Arwyn felt a tug, and was swung from the mountain top, like a rock in a sling shot.
Miles flew by in a flash, and Arwyn felt a sudden queasy sickness from the fluid motion. She puked in her mouth, but swallowed, knowing that if she let it out, it would end up all over her dress. She gagged some more, grossed out by her puke. "I am not your rag doll!" she yelled; anger filled her up to the brim. In a flash, she landed safe at the edge of her rose garden. Luckily it was still light out, Arwyn pulled out her pocket watch, it was five. Taking a step forward, she fell down, majorly disorientated, she tried catching her breath, but then Arwyn blacked out for a moment, too exhausted and too stressed from her adventure. She stayed still for a decent amount of time, her eyes closed, trying to adjust her body to not being in motion any longer.
Once composed, Arwyn slowly got herself up off of the ground and made her way to her room. She was worn out and with the servants staring at her in bewilderment, Arwyn knew she looked disheveled. It didn't take long for Merida to come running to her lady. Fretting and scolding her while getting her changed and fixing her messy hair as well as helping wash her dirty face.
"Really! My lady! You had me so worried when you didn't even come back after lunch!" Merida placed a new ribbon in Lady Arwyn's hair, putting her golden-brown locks into a half updo. "I don't like you going out for long hours! And your mother! You are lucky she was out all day! She would have been furious!!"
Arwyn just let her vent. She knew that Merida was worried and she figured it was good to let off some steam. Arwyn was just glad that her mother had not returned yet. With it nearing supper, the lady of the house would return soon. Her mother was never late for supper. Merida brought Arwyn some refreshments, supper was not for a couple of more hours, and with the long adventure that she had just went on, Merida knew that her lady needed some fuel for her worn out body. As she headed out of her lady's room, Merida bowed while calling out over her shoulder, "Eat up and drink up! I'm sure your body could use it!" Arwyn watched after her as she left. The door clicking as it shut from behind the busy servant.
Needing to gather her thoughts, Arwyn poured herself some tea and took a nibble at the sweet biscuits on the platter. A Goddess brought me here? It was not shocking, since she did wake up in someone else's body, after all. However, it did confuse her. It made her feel like she was on a mission that she didn't agree too. Arwyn's mind started to swirl around the fact that the previous soul to inhabit her current body had actually passed away. That was numbing. It was saddening. That the family couldn't properly mourn for their loss. Arwyn stood up and walked over to the desk. She opened the drawers and pulled out the journal. It was the previous Arwyn's journal. Arwyn knew what was already in there, she just wanted to look at the handwriting. Sitting down at the desk, she laid the book down and flipped open the journal. It's thick paper full of cursive and fluent writing.
It was full of frivolous things such as the gossip going on in the local area. Previous Arwyn had a crush on Marcus Linderwyn, he was the oldest son of Earl Linderwyn. From the memories Arwyn could make out and what was written in the journal, he was a serious fellow with his head on pretty straight, currently he was away at University, handsome in a kind of way that didn't quite suit her now. Arwyn flipped through some more of the pages and ran her fingers across the lettering. There was an entry about a mean prank that she pulled on Gineve by snipping a chunk of her hair, it was an obvious snip and when Gineve looked into the mirror she let out a scream so loud. It almost made her laugh reading about it, she stopped. It wasn't nice, but the way the previous Arwyn had written it, it was quite theatrical. Then there was an entry fantasizing about the Grand Duke Lucian Lumian Claire. Not many have seen him, he is the emperor's most favorite child, who is illegitimate, and not the heir, yet is third in line. It is said that he was very handsome. The previous Arwyn was making up a silly scenario that was gushy and very childish. Arwyn closed the book. "I need to put up a little shrine for you somewhere... but where?" She needed a small picture, and some flowers. It wasn't going to get done now, but it was on her to do list.
Arwyn put the journal back and went back to her cushioned chair at the table. She sat back down and picked up her tea, enjoying the view of roses. The window was open, letting the scent of roses waft in. It helped calm her busy mind. She took a sip and put the cup down, it clinked against its little plate.
Sighing she leaned into the back of her chair. The overwhelming feeling of being in over her head started to gnaw at her brain. Meeting Emoce and learning that the goddess had plans for her, had definitely put the pressure on. Something is going to drastically change the direction of this country. How on earth was she supposed to stop that? The last two kings had a goal to live peacefully, and they were doing a very good job of it. What could cause that to change? A war? A new ruler? A coup d'état? The country was in the best shape since its formation. Why should she care what direction it takes? Was it because she was now here, and part of this world? Why? Arwyn drank her tea too quickly without thinking, burning her lip in the process. Arwyn realized that she did not want to die a horrible death again. She at least wanted to not have any regrets if she were to die again...Shuddering at the thought, she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and looked outside once more. Part of this world huh?
Dinner came quickly, Arwyn hardly noticed the time fly by. When she sat down at the table, her mother was already there reading some paperwork. "Hello mother," Arwyn greeted her mother. "What are you reading?"
The marchioness placed the papers onto an empty part of the table. "Just some troubles one of our villages are having." Arwyn's mother paused to let the servants place their meal in front of her and her daughter before continuing. "It's Link, which is right next to us, where Viscount Maylock is having trouble with some parts of its small river, it may be showing signs of early flooding."
Arwyn contemplated what that meant for her mother's schedule. Link wasn't right next to here, it was almost an hour away by carriage, and since it's not outside of the province, there is no need to use the purple energy stone to get to places even quicker. "Does that mean you have to head out tomorrow?" Arwyn looked at her plate. Dinner was some sort of meat, looked like pork, smelled like pork, she cut into it, and took a small bite, tastes like pork! Arwyn loved the food here! She continued to eat her food, as a lady is supposed to of course, because manners matter.
"Yes, I suppose I must..." Lady Lovelace looked a little disappointed as her voice trailed off. She was hardly eating.
"If you don't mind, maybe I can join you tomorrow? I would love to get out more mother, be of more use to you and our people!" Arwyn's eyes twinkled at the thought. Spending more time with her mother and getting her feel for this place, maybe figuring out some of the answers to her unanswered questions along the way.
Her mother's eyes lit up with joy. "Oh, my goodness! Of course! I would love it if you joined me!" She took a bite of her pork happily. "We will be doing some physical stuff; you won't mind will you?"
Arwyn shook her head. "Not at all mother, I could use some exercise!"
"Wonderful! We will be leaving here at 6 am! We must wear trousers for this trip!"
Nodding her head in excitement, Arwyn finished her meal with her mother as they talked more about what was to happen tomorrow. They were going to be bringing food and supplies to help the villagers build a better river wall to protect the town from possible flooding. Arwyn and her mother were to set up tents and hand out food to the men as they worked with the material, which the Marchioness would be bringing them. It didn't sound too hard. Not at all!