I sat in the tall grass now a woman of 25 years, I sat alone. I played with the charm around my neck; it was a promise that I knew deep in my heart would never come to pass a promise made from one foolish child in love to another. I heard quiet footsteps behind me and smiled. It was my father, the legendary general of Eurn.
"I knew I would find you here." my father said, rubbing my head.
"Is mother crying?" I ask softly.
"I am afraid she is. You are her daughter; there is always a fear when you sent away on a mission you may never return." my father said, taking a seat beside me. "Now, with recent deaths, that fear is thrice in her heart.
"Father, it makes little sense the veil grows thinner and thinner. The dead are coming in greater numbers, and they are gaining power." I say, sighing. "I worry about what this may mean, and yet my worries are laughed at in court. My soldiers are dying for people who spit on them and think us mad because they do not see what we can."
"Ah yes, the mighty cowardly lords of the court. Now I remember why I retired. I raised you Nyx like a son because in you I saw a natural born warrior. The Ladies of the temple of fate only cemented my belief in you when they declared you were not to be prepared for marriage but for war." My father said. I looked out over the field; my mind floated to when I was but a little girl no more than five.
"Mommy, I hate dresses." I declared angrily. "I want to practice with daddy!"
"I want nothing more than let you practice, but today you must receive what fate has in store for you," my mother said. Her bright blue eyes seemed sad as she looked me over in my little dress of purple. All children learned their fates at five, girls though, were basically condemned to marriage and childbirth. My mother was an exception when she was declared she was to be a healer of great renown. Her intelligence would only be matched by her beauty. When she was five, the fates stated she was to receive an education befitting a healer. She had the promise of great talent and ability. They said she would marry a warrior of great skill, one who would change the Kingdom for the better.
"Mommy, you are sad." I had said, taking her hand. She hugged so tightly I could barely breathe. My twin sister scampered into the room one was wearing golds and pink, the other baby blue, and silver. Rose, who wore pink and gold, was like a beautiful blond doll, but her head was empty. Sophie was in blue her red hair in ringlets, she was always quiet following Rose around much like a shadow.
"I can't wait to find out who my husband will be!" Rose declared, spinning in her dress.
"I don't want a husband." I said, crossing my arms, "boys are stupid."
"Mommy, must we go," Sophie asked, pulling on mothers dress. My mother smiled through her tears and nodded,
"Yes, but don't worry, I am sure they will be kind to wonderful ladies like you three." My mother said, leading us out of the room.
"Nyx is not a lady. She plays with wooden swords and rolls in the mud with Dexter and William." Rose said, sticking her tongue out at me.
"I don't want to be a lady if your one." I declared.
"None of this, you two. I mean, I will take your dolls, Rose, and I shall take your practice sword Nyx. Am I clear." My mother said, fixing her hair.
"Yes." We all said, rolling our eyes. The walk there felt like I was walking to my doom as women commented to my mother that I shall have to act like a proper lady after today. Several asked if my mother would burn my sword after the fates set me straight. By the time we stood waiting in the hall, I just wanted to cry. When the time came, and all the nobility was called before the fates, I felt numb. I could not recall how long it took for them to get to my sisters and me only that when they did my mother preventing me from running by grabbing my hand tightly. The fates were three elderly women who had the gift of sight. They were cold as they condemned children to what was to be their fates. Two options were given to each child; it was up to them, and their parents to decide whom they would become.
"Rose, yes, daughter to the mighty general." The old fate said "pretty thing you are, my dear, you shall be a wife to royalty, yes but to which prince you will choose? You should be proud Eleanor, you are raising a princess." The old fate said. My sister, curtsy politely as the old fate's attention turned to Sophie. "Show me your hands, girl." The old fate said. Sophie trembled to afraid to move, so I grabbed her hand a gave it a squeeze. It seemed to jolt her out of her stupor, and she presented her hands for inspection. "Yes, as I thought the hands of an artist gifted in music. She shall be one of great renown if she is given proper schooling, or she will be but a commoners wife and bare no less then six children." Sophie just nodded to afraid to do much more. "Nyx." The old fate said, looking me over. "She is adopted, yes?"
"Yes, but I count her as one of my own." My mother said proudly.
"I am sure you do." The old fate said smiling, "hmmm, this one is difficult. sisters!" The crowd murmured, as the two older fates stepped forward. I stood there afraid of what may become of me when the eldest one touched my face. Her hands felt of paper well worn with age, and her milky blind eyes terrified me as they seem to fall upon me.
"The gift of Necromancy flows in her veins, and a warriors heart beats within her. There is more magic held within this child then I have ever seen in all my long years. Yes, greatness is in your future good or evil, that is your choice."
"I will be gone for a week this time," I tell my father as I blink away the memory.
"What is your target?" my father asks.
"A wraith." I say, shrugging, "nothing I can not handle."
"You are not taking your unit with you." My father said, surprised.
"They are still mourning. They need time to rest," I reply as the sun goes lower in the sky.
"How am I not surprised you decided to bare this burden yourself. It is not healthy to push away the women you spent years training. Death in the line of duty is what awaits most soldiers." My father said. "Their deaths are not on your hands, but the nobles who paid your warning no mind."
"You told me once that being a leader means I am responsible for all those below me for it is in my choices there lives and deeds hang," I say hoarsely fighting back the tears. "You did not see what those cultists did to them. I failed them." Tears fall down my face as I fight the memories of what I saw in that abandoned barn. My father grabs me tightly and pulls me into him,
"You warned the council they were too inexperienced for the mission. The court also shares the blame, my girl, you gave those girls honor in death, you brought justice for the evil acts done to them. Take solace their spirits do not linger in anger but instead left peacefully and content." I nodded and break away standing. I look over the field once more; the setting sun made the grain look like gold and the flowers glimmer in the twilight.
"I shall see you in a week," I say, running off. It was tradition never to say goodbye when leaving on missions, not unless death was inevitable.
The edge of town came quickly, and there waiting for me was my unit.
"And where are you going," Lily asked as she tossed back her long golden hair.
"Looks to me like she is leaving on a mission," Rin answered, jumping off her horse. Joan and Nora quickly stepped out behind me, blocking me in so they all could have words with me.
"You need time to rest, time to mourn properly. Those are my standing orders," I say, crossing my arms.
"You expect us to follow bullshit orders like that," Rin says, laughing her honey brown eyes sparkling.
"For once, I did." I reply, sighing.
"So where we going this time." Nora said, her pink pigtails bobbing as she jumped excitedly. Gods, how was she still so innocent with all she has seen.
"I am going to release a wraith. Your all staying here." I say in one last effort of control. They all go silent, looking at one another before laughing.
"You should know better than to think we will let you have all the fun Nyx", Lily says, climbing atop her horse. She winks at me, her violet eyes every bit as she.
"Don't give the council more to bitch about," Rin says, smiling. "Old bastards whine enough as it is."
"Come on, darling loosen up," Joan says, hopping up on her horse. She swings her long legs out and sits sideways, much like a proper lady.
"How in the hell you can ride a horse like that, I will never understand", I reply. "Where is mine?"
"Does that mean we can go?" Nora says, her large purple eyes looking up at me.
"Do I have a choice," I reply as Lily hand me my reins.
"Hell no," Rin says.
"Yay!" Nora yells before scrabbling up the side of her horse. I roll my eyes and sit in my saddle, looking at the women surrounding me.
"The town is called Drifton. It will take two days to get there." I tell them withdrawing the map.
"Shall we go then?" Lily says.
"We shall," I reply. "We ride straight threw."