My mother knew that the child she carried was a girl. But when it was time for the child to be born, she was surprised to have given birth to twin girls. My sister Elisabeth and I, both with platinum blonde hair and emerald green eyes, were adored by everyone who laid eyes on us. The staff and townspeople from the neighboring village often said we looked like little angels. The feathers behind my left ear had been noticeable since birth, and although it was a mystery to how they appeared, mother loved us equally and was overjoyed by the successful delivery.
However, her happiness was soon to be cut short. One month after our birth; while our father was in his study planning a new design for a client, our mansion was attacked by assassins from a rival family. Our father rushed into the nursery where our mother sat nursing us and hurried us towards one of the secret hallways that disguised our escape. When we made it to the exit, my father was mortified to see the carriage he had set out to wait for us was destroyed, the driver's throat slashed and the horse nowhere to be found. With pure panic, our father guided our mother around the back towards the servant's quarters in hopes of meeting up with someone from our staff. Luck would have it that he was able to meet up with our head butler who helped assist our mother who had become fragile from the trauma.
"Johnathan, do you have any idea where the horses are?" Our father asked, his voice full of concern.
"No sir, they seemed to have all been released before the attack. It appears that the stable boy was killed prior to their release." Johnathan huffed, "If we head to the back lot where the gardens are, we might be able to make it. I managed to get a horse and wagon set up from a passerby."
"Excellent, Johnathan! You've been the greatest help. My family is forever in your debt." Our father cheered.
No sooner had he said that our mother lurched in pain. Using pure willpower, she did not drop us. Father looked back to see what had caused the injury to find a single arrow with black and red feathers sticking out of her calf.
"Johnathan, we have to hurry! They're right behind us." Father yelled, quickening his pace.
Johnathan gripped us and our mother tighter, trying to alleviate the pain from our mother's injury. Our father ran to a nearby shed in search of something to protect us. Unfortunately, all that was there was an old, rusted garden shovel. Desperate for anything at that point, Father picked it up and ran back towards us. Before there could be a short reunion, he spotted one of the assassins running towards our mother.
"Johnathan, behind you!" Our father shouted before striking the foe with the shovel, knocking the intruder to the ground. The assassin got up, pulled out his knife, and lunged towards our father.
"Ma'am, I'm going to ask you to try and run as fast and as far as possible while we keep this one away from the three of you. Quickly now, we don't know how many of them are out there." Johnathan said calmly, releasing his grip on our mother. Mother nodded and did her best to run towards the direction they were originally headed.
Before the knife could hit our Father, he raised the shovel to block it. There, he and the assassin fought for the upper hand. Just as Father was about to lose his grip, Johnathan's body slammed into the assassin, knocking the assailant off Father.
"Get them out of here, Johnathan!" Father shouted as he steadied himself.
"B-But sir-" Johnathan stuttered with shock. His duty as a butler was to protect the family, but he could not defy the word of the family.
"I'll be fine. Just please make sure my wife and children are safe." Father said solemnly before he ran towards the assassin. Johnathan hesitated, then nodded. He ran towards our mother fulfilling his duty as the head butler. Our Father was killed in an attempt to give our mother and us, cradled in her arms, a chance to escape.
As Mother ran down the courtyard towards the mansion walls, she quickly became exhausted, unable to move her legs any further. Unbeknownst to her, the arrow that had been stuck in her leg had a tip-filled with a powerful poison. As she ran, it leaked into her bloodstream and she was sure to die right at that very moment. Johnathan managed to reach her in time to catch her while she fell and in one last burst of desperation our mother handed us over to him, the man who was a lifelong friend of hers and was sure to give us the best care. Our mother gave him one last request as she begged him to bring us to safety and he hastily agreed. He laid her to rest and as soon as he climbed over the mansion walls, the assassins caught up with our mother and finished her before the poison could do just that.
Upon the wagon, Johnathan could see from the distance the mansion being burnt to the ground, leaving no remnants of the Valvnir family. Witnesses later told that those who survived after the flames were lit to the home were hunted down and slaughtered like animals.
Johnathan, along with Elisabeth and I were able to escape, and having nowhere else to run to, he made his way to his home village. Upon arrival, Johnathan created a plan to separate us to avoid any and all potential threats that could befall the two of us in the near future. Pulling some strings, Elisabeth was adopted by another noble family in a neighboring country. They had been longing for a child and she made a fine candidate to be their heir. I was left in the care of Johnathan and his wife.
I fitted right into my new family and they loved me very much. As soon as my adopted mother first held me, she knew that I was different. Often she would say that I had the glow of an angel, and the wings to prove it. She would then brush the feathers that grew behind my left ear lovingly, every time she said it. She accepted me for whatever I was and never criticized my little oddities.
I first met him when I was five years old. My adopted father took me back to my birthplace to pay respect to my lost and broken family. Thinking that no one was around to harm me, my father allowed me to wander the overgrown gardens. Midway through my childish adventure, I stumbled upon an old gazebo covered in ivy and white roses. A bright light filtered through the lemon trees, giving that hidden oasis an almost heavenly glow. But it was not the beauty of this secret spot that caught my eye, but the brilliant man that stood in the meadows.
He seemed to be that of a traveling entertainer for he wore a poet's shirt that was contained under a deep purple velvet vest with silver buckles. Sitting atop of his black slacks was a well-aged belt holding what seemed like a sword of some kind as it rested on his hip. The tip of the sword hiding behind his black cavalier boots. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties with chestnut hair falling in waves down to his shoulders, a purple streak falling in front of brilliant violet eyes. His gaze caught me in a trance as the air around us grew quiet as if time had slowed down.
"Good afternoon, young one. I see you have found your way home." He chuckled softly.
His voice was deep and velvety but had the feel of absolute kindness within his tone. He was like the mysterious stranger that would appear in front of the protagonist and change her whole world only to be discovered as the prince the protagonist longed for. Like in the stories my adopted mother told me before bed. In a blink of an eye, he was kneeling in front of me. The traveler's eyes grew somber as if he had seen something that filled him with dread but that soon disappeared as a gentle smile warmed on his face.
"My my. A half Valkyrie. What a rarity among in itself." He said in a whisper as he brushed the feathers behind my ear. I stayed quiet, confused by what he meant because I had never heard that word before. His touch was gentle and loving, yet I was lost at his strange words.
"I don't understand what you mean mister. You haven't even told me your name." I pointed out innocently.
He bowed his head apologetically. "My apologies young Eir-"
"That's not my name," I interjected.
The man smiled, his thin lips revealing white teeth in the sunlight. "I understand my dear, but it was not the name you were given, but your true name."
"I don't know what you're talking about. My true name is Rose." I stated firmly, filled with childish innocence.
The man let out a soft sigh. "I understand my dear Rose, that it is the name you wish to be called. Though, I find your otherworldly name to be much more, shall I say, enchanting."
I crossed my arms as I let out a huff in annoyance. "I don't really care what you think." I put a hand on my chest. "My name is Rose and that's final."
The man chuckled as he brushed a hand through his dark bangs with enjoyment. "Well then, Rose. How about I tell you my true name?"
I tilted my head in curiosity. "Oh? And what is your true name?"
"It was once, Zadkiel. But for now, you may call me Amethyst or Ame for short." Ame said, his face drooping slightly.
Being a young child I became intrigued to learn more about this mysterious man that knelt before me. "Why did you change your name? Why can't I call you Zadkiel?"
"Well, currently I seem to be a wanted man in this realm. But rest assured I have the highest intention to be as such. So my name has to be different so that I can hide my identity. For a wanted man can only catch a wanted criminal." Ame said with a little smirk.
I put a finger to my bottom lip as I tried to understand what he was talking about. "I'm really confused right now."
Ame placed his hand on my head, and I could feel the warmth radiating from it. I began to notice the wind around us come to life again. Time seemed to start up as a familiar voice drifted through the breeze, calling my name.
"Keep your questions for the next time we meet. I will surely answer them for you." Ame chuckled as he got up.
For reasons unknown to me, my eyes began to tear up. "When will I see you again?"
He smiled and patted my head. "Sooner than you would expect, child."
I briefly turned towards the voice that called me within the wind. When I turned back to where the stranger stood, I found myself alone in the meadow. I look down in front of me to see a single violet rose with wilted petals in place of where he knelt.
A week passed before I saw him again. He stood by the creek where I had gone to play under the trees, looking as if he had been through a fierce battle. His clothing was disheveled and ripped, his boots seemed to be caked with dirt and mud. Despite his appearance, it did not stop his smile as soon as he saw me. Our reunion was as if my brother had returned from months at war. The sight of him filled me with joy.
"Ame!" I cried out happily as I ran over to him and hugged his leg.
He chuckled and patted my head. "How are you, my dear Eir?"
I hugged his leg tighter as I replied in slight annoyance, "I told you to call me Rose."
"Ah, yes. My apologies, Rose. I couldn't wait to see you again." He responded kindly.
I let go of his leg as he sat down on the grass. I gave him a curious look as I noticed the change in his appearance more clearly. "What happened to you?"
"As I have told you before, it is because I am a wanted man. Running from the forces that want to harm me while searching for another will do that to you." He said bitterly.
"Why are you wanted? Who are you looking for?" I replied, vexed by the war-worn appearance.
"I am wanted because I fell in love with a certain maiden. One who made me fall in love with humanity. But the one I search for wishes to destroy that which I love." Melancholy filling his voice.
I began to feel sad. "Why do they want to destroy it?"
Ame's violet eyes dimmed as he answered in a somber voice, "They have a taste for chaos. My own flesh and blood would rather see this realm suffer than to leave the innocents be. From what I have seen, no good will come of him if I allow him to run around any further."
I perked up, "You can see the future?!" My eyes grew wide as I tried to but unsuccessfully hide my excitement.
He gave a half-hearted laugh as he brushed my pale hair with his hand. "Yes, my dear. Would you like to hear yours?"
I bounced up and down with delight as millions of questions filled my mind. Ame patted his lap for me to sit upon. I took up his offer and enthusiastically hopped onto his knee. He placed a hand on my back to steady me in case I were to accidentally slip off.
"Whenever you are ready Rose, ask away." He smiled kindly.
"What will I be like when I'm older?" The question was the first to come to mind, but I was dying to hear what he saw.
Ame cleared his throat before replying, "You will grow up to be a beautiful maiden and a strong and hardy warrior. A pride among your ancestors. The entire village will love you, but with love must also come hate as you will be shunned for such beauty."
My brows furrowed. "That's not a really good future."
"Unfortunately yes, but it is one set among the stars and therefore, I cannot change it." He said quietly.
I sighed. "Well...okay. But, will I get to go on amazing adventures as a strong warrior?"
He chuckled and leaned a bit forward. "You will be the leader of a large army. A true Valkyrie on the battlefield."
I smiled at the thought of being a warrior. It sounded like so much fun to me. To learn I could be like the hero's in my storybooks filled me with such excitement I could barely contain it. However, I would not know the true horror that was to befall me. I paused a moment before asking my next question,
"Will I fall in love?" As any child would ask.
There was a short pause before he answered softly, "You already have."
"Will I find my prince in shining armor?" I pushed.
Ame couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "You already have."
I puffed out my cheeks, " That doesn't answer my questions, Ame."
Ame started laughing. "Well, what would be the point of telling you every detail? There would be no fun heading towards the future knowing everything!"
"But you do! That's not fair that you get to know everything that will happen while I have to go through blindly." I pouted.
"There's a good reason for that, Rose." Ame said, his voice tinged with melancholy, "I need this to be able to avoid capture and unwanted deaths of innocent people. To ensure the best possible outcome, I need to know what lies before me."
I paused, letting his words sink in. Even a child such as myself understood that sometimes it was best to let things lie than to pursue what will never be answered. I let the two of us slip into silence, the rushing water from the stream became my unspoken questions.
Over the next five years, my intuition would guide me to wherever Ame appeared. At times it would be in a busy market where fresh fruits and homemade meals lined the streets, other times it would be near the river or at the gazebo in the gardens of my family's former home. On that day, it was the first day of spring. All the flowers around the creek had bloomed in bright, brilliant colors and the grass grew in vibrant shades of green, hints of early morning dew glistened in the sunlight. Unable to resist the lure of such lovely weather, I ran out to the creek to enjoy such a beautiful day.
The trees gave off a wonderful scent as I spent my time with my feet in the stream staring out across the fields and into the far-off distance, daydreaming of adventures and countries just out of my reach. Cool air danced around me in a daze, I was alone but it felt to me that there was more. Soft, little green lights twirled around trees and flowers. One came up so close to me that I could make out her small opaque wings. I stared in awe, questioning what I was seeing was real or if I had fallen asleep. From behind me, I could hear someone calling my name.
"Ah, I see you've finally met the local fairies, Rose!" Ame's excitement filled his voice. The little fairy darted back to the forest in fright.
I turned around to look at Ame. He seemed no different than before but something about his aura was off, but I could not place my finger on it. Ame smiled brightly as he waved. I smiled back and nodded.
"So that's what they are! I thought I was dreaming!" I said giggling.
"Indeed, they only like the calm spring weather after all. Quite lucky of you to see one." His smile broadened, "Now tell me, Rose, did you come out here to see the flowers?"
My smile brightened as I nodded enthusiastically. " Everything is so pretty today, I didn't want to waste it!"
He let out a soft chuckle. "Well, that is what makes spring special. It's like a new beginning. Would you mind if I join you?"
I shook my head. "Not at all. I always enjoy the company."
He sat down beside me and placed his sword on the side away from me. Taking out his ponytail, he let his hair fall over his shoulders and back before stretching as he rested on the grass. I looked over at him as he closed his eyes, taking in the atmosphere of the creek.
The fairy from before peaked out from behind the stem of a purple flower across the creek. I turned to look at it, holding out my hand to show that I meant no harm. It hesitated for a moment before it hopped over the still waters and into my hand. She sat on my palm and gazed up at me, studying me as if she had never seen someone like me before. Her blonde hair was styled in a braid that came over her shoulder. It was entwined with ivy vines and small flowers as her ruby eyes stared at me with curiosity. The little creature wore a green dress that showed off her midriff. It puzzled me how anyone was able to make a dress so tiny. Her wings were light green in the shape of a butterfly's and opaque in nature. I had never seen such a being before.
"Did you know, not very many people can see them? The fairies I mean." Ame said, sleepily.
I turned to him, confused, "Really? But she's here, clear as day!"
Ame chuckled, "Yes, however only those not entirely human or those who have been gifted with special abilities can see them."
My eyes widened, "So that's why I can see her! I must be gifted."
The little fairy chuckled alongside Ame. "Indeed you are Rose. But you're gifted in a much different way than most people. There's a reason she's curious about you."
I tilted my head at the fairy, "Oh? What makes me so different?"
I heard a little squeak come from the palm of my hand,
"Because you're an angel!" The fairy chirped.
"An angel?" I said getting more confused.
"Half Valkyrie." Ame corrected the fairy. She looked up at me and then to Ame. A look of awe spread across her face. She turned to me and smiled.
"I should probably introduce myself. My name is Celesti, I'm a forest fairy!" Celesti said standing up.
"Hi Celesti, I'm Rose and the lazy person beside me is Ame," I replied, beaming at my new friend.
"Oh, you didn't have to introduce him. I already know him!" Celesti chuckled.
This made me rather confused. How did she know him? I knew he would always appear here before I arrived, was it to catch up with Celesti? Questions filled my mind but I decided to hold my tongue.
Ame got up and raised his arms to stretch again. "Now now Celesti, shouldn't you be heading back before Aine gets worried about you?"
Celesti pouted before fluttering her wings to warm up. "I know I know, she would be just as curious as I am on what happened." She hovered above the palm of my hand for a moment before moving to the ear that Ame could not see. She leaned in and whispered, "Don't get too attached to him Rose, he's going to leave you soon."
After she said that, she fluttered away to the deepest part of the forest. I looked down at the grass and sat there in silence.
"Rose, Is everything alright?" Ame said, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"No, I'm fine," I replied, avoiding his eyes.
"Are you sure?" He moved himself to be in my line of sight. "Your face tells a different story."
"N-no, I'm fine. I really am." I darted my eyes away from him. What was I doing? Why did Celesti's warning hurt me so deeply?
His expression became dark, his eyes glowing a deep velvety purple "Don't lie to me, Rose. I know she told you something she shouldn't have." He said, his voice getting deeper.
I jolted back by his response. His expression and the tone of his voice were much different than what I was used to before. My eyes grew wide in fear, something about him in this moment wanted me to run but the fear within me planted me where I sat.
"U-uh um well, She said that I shouldn't get close to you and that you were going to abandon me soon ." I stuttered, fear hinted in my voice.
Ame's eyes returned to their soft and happy gaze. He smiled brightly at me, the fear of such a change rocked through my body. He placed a gentle hand on my head, sending tingles down my spine.
"Rose, this is a lesson you will learn soon enough. Never trust what elementals say, they like to gossip so be wary of any information they tell you." He replied, his smile seemed somewhat dark.
My face grew redder. "U-uh..."
"Now Rose, remember when I said that things were going to be a bit difficult in the future?" He said gently. "And do you remember what I said about my brother?"
"Y-yeah, I remember that. I remember everything you told me about." I said nervously.
"You see, I have found him. However, there are some things that he has done that I need to…' clean up' before I can confront him." Ame tried to explain.
"What is he doing? What do you mean you have to clean up?" I asked, more calmly now as curiosity got a hold of me.
"Well, Rose, It seems he's started to ha-" He was cut off by a small sound beside the creek.
We both looked over to see a small child on the ground, tears brimming underneath her hazel eyes. I broke my gaze from Ame, got up, and ran through the creek over to where the girl stood.
"Hey, are you alright? Why are you crying?" I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
The girl looked up at me and bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears. "I-I tripped and scraped my leg on a sharp rock."
"Well that's nothing to cry over, I come down here to play all the time and get cuts and stuff like that," I said bluntly. The girl started to sob uncontrollably. I stepped back in shock. What did I say that would make her cry?
Ame placed a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back to whisper in my ear. "Rose, I think you were a little too harsh with her. As you can see, the child is scared. She is much younger than you and therefore much more fragile than you. Apologize to her."
"No, why? I didn't say anything hurtful to her. I just told her that I always come down to play. I was only giving her my opinion." I crossed my arms over my chest, making it clear that it was merely just an opinion of mine.
Ame's grip grew tighter on my shoulder. He gave me a deep, heavy, and disappointing sigh.
"Rose." He finally said, his voice as deep as it was before. Fear raced up and down my spine. I turned back slowly to look at him in fear of an immediate lecture. His eyes had hardened into deep jewels but he gave me a brilliant and wide smile. I turned back to the girl and held out my hand.
"U-Uh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be inconsiderate of your feelings. I guess I don't really know how to handle other people's emotions." I said, trembling.
The girl looked up at me and then took my hand. She gave me a shy smile as she wiped away the tears with her other hand.
"That's okay, I just couldn't hold it in. It really hurt." The girl replied, giggling softly.
"O-oh. Well, at least you're okay." I answered back quietly.
The girl sniffled a bit before she smiled at me. "M-my name's Rea by the way, what's yours?" She asked.
I looked back at Ame for guidance. He waved his hand in encouragement, ushering me to reply to Rea.
"R-Rose. My name is Rose." I stammered.
Ame walked past me and laid a gentle hand on the girl's bloody knee. In no time at all the wound healed and closed up, looking like it had never been scraped at all. Rea looked up at Ame with wide and bewildered eyes.
"T-thank you so much, mister." She said happily, relief from the pain washing over her face.
"It was my pleasure, young one. It is nice to see Rose, as stubborn as she may be, has finally found a friend." Ame replied, helping Rea up before glancing over at me with a slight smirk.
I stuck my tongue out at him. I had friends, not here with us right now, but I had other friends.
"Now tell Miss Rea, what brings you into this part of the woods?" Ame questioned.
Rea perked up, remembering what she was here for. "The Fairies!" She said excitedly.
Ame and I tilted our heads. Didn't Ame say that most people couldn't see them?
A small chuckle slipped through Ame's lips. "Rea, are you sure it wasn't the light-catching your eyes?"
"I saw one! She was as tall as my finger with blonde hair and red eyes. She was super pretty!" Rea said, turning towards the direction that Celesti had flown only moments earlier.
"You've seen Celesti?" I replied with the same excitement.
Rea gave me a confused look before she burst with excitement. "That's her name? She helped me when the dead things came after me so I followed her here to try and thank her."
Ame walked up to her and knelt down. "Rea, dear, can you tell me where you saw these 'dead things'?"
Rea stared up at him, her eyes filling with fright as she remembered what had happened earlier that day. "T-there were three of them, they were deeper in the woods. I-I don't think they wanted to hurt me but I always get scared when they come near me. M-Momma says they're not real and I should suck it up."
Ame pushed on, "Now tell me, Rea, why did you come to the forest in the first place?"
"M-Momma wanted me to collect roots for dinner. She knows what the woods are like and she told me to go to that area to collect the best roots." Rea replied, her lips quivering again.
Ame pursed his lips. "Rea, can you show me this place?"
Rea looked up in shock and immediately started to freak out, " N-n-n-n-no no no no no no no, I don't want to see them again, their skin is all weird and they have sharp pointy things sticking out of them."
I went up to Rea and hugged her, trying my best to console her. Ame stood up and looked over in the direction that Rea pointed for Celesti's whereabouts.
"R-Rea, It's ok. I and Ame are here, we can protect you. I'll even help you gather the roots so that we can get out of there faster." I tried to bribe her to get her to stop crying.
It seemed to work as she sniffled before wiping her eyes again. She looked up at me with big, round hazel eyes as she nodded quietly.
"Good!" Ame said with excitement. He seemed like a kid waiting to go on an adventure, no matter the quest. He walked back over to me and Rea, picking the two of us up.
"Rea, I'm going to need you to be my navigator. Point me in the direction of where you and Celesti came from." His voice was full of vigor and it made me feel just as excited to go on this adventure into the middle of the woods. Rea did as he asked and directed us to the deepest part of the forest.
As he walked, I couldn't help but look over at him. His smile was broad but I could tell that something lingered in his mind. Where we were headed bothered him and it showed with every step he took. Thinking quickly I decided to ask him a question that I had been pondering since Celesti left. I looked over at Rea who seemed to be fixated on the area in front of us rather than where we were currently so I took my chance that he would answer me.
"Ame, I've been thinking over what Celesti said." I finally spoke up.
Ame looked down at me with a confused look. "Oh? And what have you come up with?"
"What's the difference between Angels and Valkyries?" I asked without hesitation.
He grinned and pondered the question for a moment. The way Rea was transfixed on the scenery gave him the security he needed to decide whether he should answer it or not.
"My, my what a hefty question." He replied after moments of contemplating.
"Well, you always say that you're an angel and you always point out that I'm a Valkyrie, so what is the difference between them?" I said, pushing for more.
He laughed. "That is true. But how to word it so that it makes sense is a different question."
I didn't respond and let him try to figure it out. It was a few more moments before he figured out what he wanted to say.
"There really isn't a difference." He finally said. I gave him a look of utter confusion. Knowing that that response would not satisfy me, he tried again.
"Well what I mean by that is… a lot of the stuff you may have learned through text or what to believe in...it's all the same. Valkyries are just female angels that are warriors and deities of battle. All-female angels are Valkyries and all Valkyries are female angels. Any angel made or in your previous case, born, female will always be a warrior. Male angels on the other hand, well we don't have it so easy." He paused for a moment.
"What do you mean male angels don't have it so easily?" I asked, trying to get more out of him.
"Let's see… male angels have to perform incredible feats in order to obtain a title or purpose to avoid being turned into cherubs." Ame shuddered at the thought. "So any male angels made, since we cannot be born within heavenly means, have to fulfill the wishes of the gods."
"Oh, do you have a title?" I asked in curiosity.
Ame slowed his pacing a bit. "Not yet. As I said, I have the duty to capture my brother. Us angels have it hard and it seems the fear of being a cherub drove him mad."
"Maybe you'll get one after you find him," I said, trying to make him feel better.
He gave me a slight smile. "Indeed I might Rose, I might."
"So who are the gods? Are they specific? Is there just one or are there many?" I asked, wondering how his world worked.
Ame chuckled, it seemed to have made his mood better. " There are many actually. All from what the humans here would say are from different religions. The gods and goddesses were originally the first humans ever to be placed on this earth and overtime were granted gifts and powers based on what they did in life. A Lot of them have lost their origins over time but they don't mind. When you have infinity to live for, your past will never define or affect you. Then again, the past never should whether you live for eternity or less."
I sat there silent for a moment, letting it all sink in. Father and Mother were not very religious but I did hear of people praising one god or another. If they heard what Ame said, would they change their mind on who was the better religion? I shook my head at that thought. Something told me that nothing would change if they knew the truth, and it wasn't worth it to me to be a preacher. Not as fun as an adventurer.
The woods around us seemed to get darker, our trail becoming more and more invisible as the trees seemed to multiply tenfold. Ame nudged Rea back to the present to see if we were going the right way. Rea looked at him and then over to me in a daze.
"Rea, are we almost there?" Ame asked.
Rea nodded and pointed to a clearing to the left of us. As soon as Ame got to the border of it, he put us down and told us to stay where we were. I looked past his leg, the meadow was surrounded by decaying structures of wood and stone.
They seemed like houses to me but the ivy on top of them masked their true origins. In the middle of the clearing stood what seemed to be a broken platform with a tall pillar beside it. Swaying gently in the breeze as if waiting for something to happen, a rope with a loop at the end hung on the bar that came out from the top of the pole. I realized then that the path we had walked upon was made of stone that led to an eerie place. Rea started to shiver beside me.
Ame strolled over to where the platform stood, treading over the land carefully. Once he got there, he walked around the structure, observing whatever it was. He placed a hand on the platform and whispered to it. As he did, the structure disappeared into fine dust on top of the breeze.
Rea began to scream.
I turned to her to find her covering her ears, she closed her eyes so tight that whatever was causing her trauma seemed to be causing her pain as well. I ran over to her, holding her tightly in an attempt to comfort her. I looked over into the clearing where Ame was only to see that the scene had changed.
What was once midday in the meadow now seemed to be as dark as midnight. The abandoned and crumbling structures were now their original grandeur as the meadow turned into a thriving village. In the middle of the square sat the platform in pristine condition, the rope being set up by a man in a black hood. The platform was surrounded by people with pitchforks and torches as they cheered and hollered at the hooded man. Men in armor dragged a screaming and crying woman up to the platform, she looked like she had come out of a fire as her clothes were burnt and torn. Her fiery red hair could be seen all the way across the meadow but her cries got to us first.
As soon as the guards set her up on the platform, a priest in a full ceremonial outfit walked up beside her. Out of his robes, he pulled out a scroll of paper. He looked over at the woman, a look of regret and mourning crossing his face. I could tell from where I hid that the man did not want this but due to his role in the village and the angry cries of the mob before him, he had no choice but to give the verdict and sentence the poor woman to her fate.
Clearing his voice, the priest unrolled the scroll and addressed the mob. "Everyone, Everyone, to those who are here today to witness the execution of the witch who has terrified our village for the last time."
The villagers cheered and raised their torches. The priest raised his hand to silence the crowd before he spoke again. "Today you all will witness history at its finest. The justice of God and the Catholic Church that cares for you all. Today, May, the one who has cursed our lands, our crops and has brought plagues upon our quiet village. Her deal with The Devil himself out of lust for power, to try and break the roles the church has placed upon you for a comfortable life she has tried to destroy."
The crowd started to roar. The man in the black hood put the rope over the woman's head as she gave the crowd a cold, dead glare. The priest looked over at the woman, shuddered, then turned back to continue his speech with the crowd.
"May of the Iron Roses, former wife of Lord Ross. Will you testify that you sacrificed your firstborn child and his lordship to Lucifer for power and for control over the common man?" The priest paused for the woman to reply.
"You of all people know I did not do such a thing. I love my little girls and your church tried to drive us from our home. If my husband did not sacrifice himself for our lives, you would have killed us all for money." The woman stated, her voice, even in the face of death was full of confidence and honesty.
"I, May, wife of Lord Ross did not kill my husband nor my children. Your church has lied to you in order to gain land and wealth from my departed husband. If you believe in the truth of what I have told you, I ask you to stand up and speak for an innocent woman." She glared directly into the now hushed crowd. I felt myself wanting to jump up and run into the crowd, shouting at them to stop. I tried to move but a current ran through me, keeping me in place. I looked over to Rea to see her staring at the woman, tears constantly falling, but like me, she could not move a muscle to help the poor woman.
The priest looked over the crowd, waiting for someone to speak up and testify for the woman. "Is there no one who will speak for her?"
The crowd gave a long pause before murmurs and whispers filled the air. The priest tried again. " Is there anyone who wishes to testify for the accused? If there is no one then I, a representative of the church and a messenger of God will place my verdict on the accused."
The woman scoffed behind him. The priest turned and glared at her before looking back over the crowd. Every man and woman in attendance had grown quiet. No one was willing to speak up for her. The air around everyone was so unsure now that it seemed the whole thing would be called off and the woman could go free.
"Do you not remember the famine we went through after Lord Ross's death? Do you not remember the disease, the deaths of friends and family? This woman used Black Magic to destroy this village. Remember who it is that tried to ruin your lives!" The priest insisted. This seemed to get the villagers up again. They shouted and hollerd, forgetting the words the woman said as they blamed her for everything that went wrong in their lives.
"Hang her! Hang her!" The cries from the crowd roared throughout the village and into the woods. The woman said nothing. Not a single tear fell from her eye. Her face was as cold and as hard as stone, no emotion escaped her. To me, it felt like she knew that this event would come to fruition.
The priest looked back to his scroll, a wide grin covering his face. "Then by the decree of the church and His holiness, Pope Innocent the 8th, I find the accused guilty of witchcraft, using Black Magic and conspiring with dark forces against the church."
He turned around to the woman, spreading his arms wide to her. Declaring in a booming voice that seemed not of this world, " May, lady of the Iron Roses, wife of the deceased Lord Ross, You are hereby sentenced to death by hanging."
The crowd erupted with whoops and hollers. The chorus of "Hang her" filled the air once again. The woman smirked. The man in the black hood walked up to her, " Any last words?" He asked.
"They will regret this." She chuckled as the man placed the hood over her head.
Two minutes later the platform beneath her fell, leaving the woman dangling by the rope. I felt the current lift from my body, taking this opportunity, I ran over to Rea trying to shield her from what we had witnessed. She started sobbing into my shoulder.
Not long after, the village erupted into screams and cries of agony. I looked towards the square only to see the body of the woman engulfed in flames. The flames swept across the platform taking the man in the hood and the priest along with it. The sea of flames washed over the village as the villagers fled into the woods.
"T-that's why the dead people looked burnt." I heard Rea whisper. I looked down to find her staring at the scene before us.
One of the villagers stopped behind the tree beside us. He pulled out a rosary and started praying. Rocking back and forth he repeated a phrase over and over.
"I should have said something. She was innocent, she would never have done that. I should have said something." His words confused me but I could not do anything as a wave of flames rushed over him, carrying the body and his words into the night.
I hugged Rea closer and started to cry. I had no idea where I was or what was happening. I wanted to be back to the quiet of the mid-afternoon with Ame and Celesti. Whatever this was, I didn't want to see anymore.
"S-she was innocent. They wanted her to forgive them but they know she never will. T-they wanted to be remembered. That's why they always chase after me. They wanted me to see this" Rea whimpered before sobbing.
The phantom heat of the flames washed over us. I didn't look up, expecting death to be upon us. It wasn't until I felt the warmth of a familiar embrace did I finally lookup.
Ame's face was close to mine, his voice inaudible to me as his lips spoke an unknown prayer. I looked up to find the sky back to the mid-afternoon I came from, the abandoned village was back in its tranquil state. Rea pulled back from me slowly, wiping her eyes.
"Are you two alright?" Ame asked full of concern.
"Y-yeah, I guess so." I managed to say after wiping my eyes.
"T-thank you," Rea said to Ame.
"No need for thanks, child. If you did not tell me about this place. I would not have been able to help the damned that were stuck here." Ame said, getting up.
"What was that?" I asked, turning to him.
"Unfortunately, what you witnessed was something that happened about a century ago. A young mother was sentenced to death for something she did not do." Ame said.
"D-did she die?" Rea asked innocently.
Ame paused for a moment, trying to formulate a response. "Her former self did. The gods put pity on her and granted her something her mortal self would not be able to obtain without their help."
Rea and I tilted our heads and gave him a confused look. Ame just chuckled and patted our heads. Something told me there was more to this that he did not want to explain but due to our state and the complexity it may have been to explain it all, he decided to hold that information from us.
"Now why don't we get started on what we originally came here for?" Ame laughed as he helped us up. "Did Rea's mother not ask for the best roots that one could find here in the forest?"
We both nodded and started out for the nearest plants. For the remainder of our time in the woods, we did our best to avoid stepping into or near the deserted village in fear that we would witness the events of the past once more.
As the sky turned to dusk, we ran back over to Ame with our arms filled with fresh roots. Placing them in a burlap bag, Ame slung it over his shoulder. Taking my hand as I grabbed Rea's, the three of us walked out of the woods. As soon as our feet touched the outside perimeter, a voice called.
"Rea!" A female voice called from the distance. Rea jolted to the side and looked over to where the voice was coming from. She let go of my hand and ran a bit towards the voice. She paused and looked back, her face told me she did not want to leave.
"Sorry guys but I have to leave, my mom is calling me back to do chores. She's probably worried where I've been through most of the afternoon." She said quietly.
"O-oh okay," I replied softly.
Rea turned around and ran off, before disappearing into the distance she yelled over her shoulder "See you around, Rose. I want to play with you more sometime!"
I smiled and waved back. "We can play tomorrow, the same place too! See you, Rea."
Ame tapped my shoulder. I turned to him to see him extending a hand to me.
"You did wonderfully, Rose. I'm proud to see you make such a wonderful friend. Now come, let us head home." Ame said in a kind voice.
I grabbed his hand, feeling the warmth from it. From there, we headed back to the village, talking and laughing about ourselves and the events of that day. I avoided talking about the deserted village in the woods, feeling that it would be something I would learn about later. Instead, we talked about Celesti and the different types of fairies in this world. I asked more about angels and other beings and he was happy to comply.
It was night by the time I made it back to my home. Ame would never come as far as the next-door house, which he did again. Before we departed I asked him one final question, just out of curiosity.
"Why do you never come close to my house?" I asked.
Ame shrugged "Honestly, I'm not comfortable being around humans and mortals in general."
"What about Rea? You seemed comfortable with her. And am I not a half Valkyrie like you keep saying I am?" I pointed out.
"I deal with them when I have to. I've been taught not to mess with humans much in case I were to reveal sensitive information or worse yet, reveal my true self." Ame sighed.
"What happens when you reveal your true self? Also what makes me so different?" I asked, quick to question.
Ame paused for a moment before answering, "Humans have never been able to look at the true form of divine beings. This is because our aura in our true form is so immense and powerful that it kills the humans that lay their eyes on us. You're different because of your half-blood. But I don't know what to show you my true form, I'm afraid it might harm you. I haven't heard of half beings being able to see a divine creature's true form and I don't want to risk it."
My eyes grew wide. I was surprised that such a thing could happen when humans saw an angel's true form. Though I was curious as to what Ame looked like in his true form, I respected his fear and didn't push further. He gave me a quick hug before he left into the night. I carried on the short walk to my home alone and in silence.