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| Chapter 1 |
| ~Fifteen years later~ |
| She was in a dark corridor and all she knew was that somewhere in that darkness it was waiting for her, searching for her. A blazing eye swept a desolate battlefield. A woman's scream pierced the darkness. She looked nervously behind herself as she started to walk down the corridor. Swords crashed against each other in battle. Glancing behind again she went faster. Booted feet marched down the corridor, thump, thump. Frightened, she began to run. A woman screamed in labor. Faster. Ancient battle cries rang out. "Cithri Agules!! Prethaire nie Reginestra!! " Faster. Swords clashed. "Reginestra bannal!!" Arrows flew, horses screamed, blood colored the ground, and a pitiless eye watched searching for... "Morgain, wake up! It's Festival day!" Eilis grinned down at her, "The nobles are to be there and Treasa says that her da told Sean that the duke himself is going to judge the Games. She says that he is going to take the top contestants up to Caerguen to be trained as knights." Morgain stopped with her shirt halfway laced, "Will he truly take the winner?" "That's what the herald said." "What herald?" "The one that Treasa's da listened to in the square last night...Are you ready yet?" Eilis replied impatiently as Morgain quickly braided her long hair. "Nearly. Go tell Father that I'm taking you with me to the Festival." Morgain watched her little sister as she ran off to tell their father. No one should be that cheerful in the morning. It gave one a headache just to watch her. Morgain stood up, irritably tossing the fiery braid over her shoulder. Sighing she went into the kitchen where she found her father at the table with Eilis on his lap. Seeing her in the doorway he smiled, pushing a plate towards her. "Eat. You'll need it if you're to convince Duke Garath to take you as a page... What?" he looked curiously at her. Morgain grimaced as she laboriously swallowed the food, "Athryn, have you been trying to cook again?" Rohan looked sheepish "Is it that bad?" Morgain nodded emphatically, still trying to get the taste out of her mouth. "Worse. Please, Athryn, don't try to cook by yourself." she grinned, "Unless, that is, you have some hidden ambition to be a poisoner!" she laughed. "I'll give you money to buy something to eat at the Festival since you think my cooking so horrible." he grumbled in mock irritation. "Thank you Father." Morgain replied taking the proffered money. Rohan turned to his younger daughter, "Go get your cape Eilis sweetling. Thanks for taking her Morgain. I have a lot of things to do today." "And one of those things is the getting of my birthday present, making it be in my own interest to take Eilis for you!" Morgain laughed as she got her green cape from in front of the fire. Moments later Eilis raced back into the room, her eyes sparkling with excitement, trailing her light blue cape behind, "'Gainwy, will fasten my cape please? I keep pricking my fingers." With a chuckle Morgain helped Eilis and then led her out the door. |
| Morgain pressed the tip of her sword to the hollow of Sean's throat. "Yield?" she asked pleasantly. Sean looked nonplussed, "Do I have to?" Morgain thought about it for a moment, "You really should. Otherwise, we will be sitting here for a very long time and I want to get supper. "Oh. Right. I yield." Sean replied cheerfully. "Come on, lets go get our prizes." "I don't get a prize, you won the Games." he mock whined. "You do to! You just lost the final match. You won all the rest." She replied as she helped him up. Lightheartedly continuing the verbal match they went up to collect their reward. |
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