Moon Helios

Moon Helios

a/n : Oh boy was this hard to write. I’ve had major writers block because I’ve been trying to write Y/n’s character in this was a struggle. There’s one more chapter before we get into the real plot. I’m so excited. There are a lot of triggers in this chapter. I don’t wanna give anything away but READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. Other than that please enjoy.

꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꎇꂦꈤ꓄ ꀤꌗ ꎇꀭꍟꋪꀸꍏꈤ Word Count: 9.2k plus

Series trigger warnings:Child abuse, anxiety, religious trauma, racism, manipulation, division of canon, Alina hate?, trauma, ptsd, bullying, insomnia, self-neglect, mental health issues, guilt tripping, cult theme, blood consumption, cannibalism?? Lost of murder, talks of SA in other characters, Sexual acts, future smut, predatory behavior(not from Aleks) and all other shadow and bone stuff

Act l : The motherland

Chapter Five

A cold air whipped around Y/n as she forced herself off the ground. The snow covered ground caused her skin to go cold and the falling snow invaded her cloudy eyes. Y/n heard the soft groaning of Isla, Niko, Zan, and Kheli. Y/n pushed her body off the ground as her sight kicked in. 

Y/n ran to Isla and quickly helped her up. Isla shook from the cold, Y/n quickly removed her cloak and wrapped it tightly around the smaller girl. Niko helped the other boys up and turned to Y/n.

“Where the hell are we?” Zan yelled as snow whipped around them. Niko groans and rubbed his arms. As he did so he found a small note in his pocket. It read.

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐥. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞.

They all groaned in frustration as they looked around. They were in a snow covered area with no people in sight. There’s a lot of snow, too much snow. Trees covered in snow, the forest was large and vast. 

“How will we know who speaks the language? We don’t even know where we are!” Zan yelled. Kheli sighed softly and dusted snow off his pants. Niko walked over to him and grabbed Y/n’a shoulder. 

“I think we should find a village of some sorts. Maybe we’ll find this ring of Sol there.” Niko suggested.  With a small sigh they all began to walk through the snow covered ground. Y/n tied the blue ribbon tightly around Isla as they walked.

As they all moved through the woods Y/n surveyed the area around them. It was quiet far to quiet for Y/n’s liking, all she could hear were there steps on the snow. Every minute or so Y/n would count everyone’s steps. She’d count five pairs of footsteps all together.

The winds whipped around the ground, messing with there hairs, the dry air causing Niko to cough a few times. Y/n felt the vibrations around them. There were more then there group. Y/n froze her eyes darting around. That’s when she saw it, some men dressed warm fur cloaks, dressed in black uniforms, and weapons.

ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ

Y/n grabbed tightly onto Isla and dashed away. Niko, Kheli and  Zan followed after her as the pair ran. The snow pools around their feet as they run, a village came into view. 

Their feet were heavy against the ground as they panted. Isla’s soft hand tightly knitted into Y/n’s calloused hand. The group runs into the bustling town, narrowly avoiding people as they run. 

“ꌗ꓄ꂦꉣ ꓄ꃅꍟꂵ! “ A booming called out from behind them. A giant of a man grabbed into Isla yanking her, causing Y/n to hit the ground with a thud. The blue ribbon around his wrist causing Y/n to be dragged. 

Niko and Zan stopped running and turned back ready to activate their armor. Kheli was grasped onto by a giant blonde made of pure muscle. Y/n raised her hand motioning them to stop. Fjerdan, they spoke fjerdan.

She understood there language, she was in charge. A rough hand picked her up and her sight allowed her to see his face. He was taller than any man she’d ever seen. A large scar traced down his face from his eyes down to the bottom on his chin. His eyes were icy and sharp, peering into Y/n’s cloudy ones. 

“ꌗꂦꂵꍟ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꁅ ꀤꌗ ꅏꋪꂦꈤꁅ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꓄ꃅꍟꌗꍟ ꉓꃅꀤ꒒ꀸꋪꍟꈤ! ꓄ꃅꍟꋪꍟ ꍟꌩꍟꌗ ꍏꋪꍟ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꉓ꒒ꂦꀎꀸꌩ.” He spoke his voice booming all around. Isla struggled in his grip.

“꒒ꍟ꓄ ꃅꍟꋪ ꁅꂦ.” Y/n demanded. The ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ looked over at her, and furrowed their brows. Who was this tiny girl. Why were her eye’s and her companions eyes white. 

“꓄ꃅꍟꌩ ꂵꀎꌗ꓄ ꌃꍟ ꁅꋪꀤꌗꃅꍏ ꅏꀤ꓄ꉓꃅꍟꌗ! ꌃꀎꋪꈤ ꓄ꃅꍟꂵ!” An older woman with a hunched back and cane yelled. Isla’s eyes widen in distress and she tried to pull away but to no avail. Niko and Zan stood frozen as two more ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟꌗ nabbed them into their iron grip. Kheli struggled and the blonde dug his nails into Kheli’s skin.

“ꌗꃅꍟ ꌗꉣꍟꍏꀘꌗ ꂦꀎꋪ ꒒ꍏꈤꁅꀎꍏꁅꍟ. ꀤꎇ ꌗꃅꍟ’ꌗ ꁅꋪꀤꌗꃅꍏ ꓄ꃅꍟꈤ ꅏꍟ ꂵꀎꌗ꓄-“ The man holding Niko began but Y/n interrupted him.

“ꈤꂦ! ꉣ꒒ꍟꍏꌗꍟ! ꅏꍟ’ꋪꍟ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꁅꋪꀤꌗꃅꍏ! ꅏꍟ’ꋪꍟ ꂦꋪꉣꃅꍏꈤꌗ!” Y/n screamed. Niko, Zan, Kheli and Isla paled and lowered their gaze away. The fjerdan’s all froze and the one holding Y/n lowered her to the ground. 

“ꍟꊼꉓꀎꌗꍟ ꂵꍟ?” He questioned as he set Isla onto the winter ground. Y/n quickly pulled Isla behind her. Niko and Zan were placed on the ground. 

“ꂦꀎꋪ ꎇꍏꂵꀤ꒒ꀤꍟꌗ ꓄ꃅꋪꍟꅏ ꀎꌗ ꂦꀎ꓄. ꓄ꃅꍟꋪꍟ ꅏꍏꌗ ꍏ ꎇꀤꋪꍟ ꍏꈤꀸ ꅏꍟ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꒒ꂦꌗ꓄ ꂦꀎꋪ ꍟꌩꍟ ꌗꀤꁅꃅ꓄. ꂦꀎꋪ ꎇꍏꂵꀤ꒒ꀤꍟꌗ ꎇꂦꀎꈤꀸ ꈤꂦ ꀎꌗꍟ ꀤꈤ ꀎꌗ ꍏꈤꌩꂵꂦꋪꍟ ꍏꈤꀸ ꉓꍏꌗ꓄ ꀎꌗ ꍏꅏꍏꌩ.” Y/n lied smoothly. Niko quickly pulled Zan towards Y/n and they all stood behind Y/n.

The blonde kept his grip on Kheli. Y/n looked over at Kheli, and with a small shake of his head Y/n turned back to the ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ in front of her. The scared man stared down at her, a mix of pity and anger in his icy eyes. 

“ꅏꃅꌩ ꀸꀤꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ ꋪꀎꈤ?” The scared man questioned. Y/n froze, she thought quickly. Her mind raced with possibilities.

“ꀤ ꃅꍟꍏꋪꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ, ꀤ ꅏꍏꌗ ꎇꋪꀤꁅꃅ꓄ꍟꈤꍟꀸ. ꅏꃅꂦ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸꈤ’꓄ ꋪꀎꈤ ꂦꈤꉓꍟ ꓄ꃅꍟꌩ ꃅꍟꍏꋪ ꌗꂦꂵꍟ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꁅ ꀤꈤ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꅏꂦꂦꀸꌗ. ꀤ꓄’ꌗ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꒒ꀤꀘꍟ ꅏꍟ ꉓꍏꈤ ꌗꍟꍟ, ꀤ ꅏꍏꌗꈤ’꓄ ꌗꀎꋪꍟ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꀤ’ꀸ ꃅꍟꍏꋪꀸ.”  

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꃅꍟꍏꋪꀸ?”

Y/n nod softly, she held back the want to attack the man who held onto Kheli as Kheli groaned in pain. The scared man turned to the blonde and sent a chilled look to him. The blonde dropped Kheli to the ground and stood straight. Kheli rubbed his neck, crescent moon marks from the blonde nails were dug into his skin.

Y/n held her hand out for him but Kheli just stood. He stood behind her, not taking her hand. Y/n furrowed a brow but the sound of the scared man clearing his throat brought her attention back to him.

The scared man moved towards Y/n and in instinct she backed up, her group followed suit. The scared man watched them with curious eyes. They moved in sync, like they were all intoned to the same brain. They stood tall even though they were surrounded on all sides by strangers.

Slowly the scared man knelt down to Y/n’s height. Surprisingly he was still a bit taller than her. He stared at Y/n, it was obvious to him she was the leader. The alpha of this small pack of children.

“ꀤ ꍏꉣꂦ꒒ꂦꁅꀤꁴꍟ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ ꅏꍟꋪꍟ ꎇꋪꀤꁅꃅ꓄ꍟꈤꍟꀸ. ꀤ ꀭꀎꌗ꓄ ꉓꍏꈤ’꓄ ꀤꂵꍏꁅꀤꈤꍟ ꃅꂦꅏ ꌩꂦꀎ ꅏꍟꋪꍟ ꍏꌃ꒒ꍟ ꓄ꂦ ꃅꍟꍏꋪ ꀎꌗ?” He stared but Y/n could hear the slight accusatory tone. Y/n tilted her head, making it seem as though she was trying to find the right direction of his voice.

ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ  were known for being able to walk in snow, keeping silent. Y/n studied the scared man’s face. He had a dark beard, peppered with white. His hair was longer than the others, he was in charge. Only ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ who’d achieved officer status could grow a beard.

“ꀤ ꃅꍟꍏꋪꀸ ꍏ ꓄ꅏꀤꁅ ꌗꈤꍏꉣ.”

The scared man’s eyes look to the blonde. His face was the youngest, he seemed a bit worried.

“ꌩꂦꀎ’꒒꒒ ꃅꍏꃴꍟ ꓄ꂦ ꎇꂦꋪꁅꀤꃴꍟ ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍟ, ꃅꍟ’ꌗ ꍏ ꈤꍟꅏꍟꋪ ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ.” The scared man said. Y/n nodded softly. Ville the blonde that had held Kheli rolled his eyes slightly. A low growl came from the scared man’s side. A large white wolf growled softly as it walked near children. 

They all stifled back, the boys cowering in fear when the ꀤꌗꍟꈤꀎ꒒ꎇ neared them. The ꀤꌗꍟꈤꀎ꒒ꎇ growled at Kheli and Y/n moved in front of him. The ꀤꌗꍟꈤꀎ꒒ꎇ stopped its growling and tilted her head. Her ivory fur blowed slightly in the breeze. The scared man gasped softly as the ꀤꌗꍟꈤꀎ꒒ꎇ nuzzled itself into Y/n’s stomach. 

“ꂵꍏꀭꍏ ꉓꂦꂵꍟ.” He called out, with a small whine Maja his ꀤꌗꍟꈤꀎ꒒ꎇ moved back to him. His scared hand gently pet through her ivory fur. Y/n kept her gaze on the wolf.

She was much larger than any wolf she’d ever seen. She was large with powerful legs and a shaggy tail. Her eyes were crimson and had a ring of brown in the center. 

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꌗꉣꍟꍏꀘ ꂦꀎꋪ ꒒ꍏꈤꁅꀎꍏꁅꍟ, ꃅꂦꅏ?” He questioned. Y/n bit back a remark and kept her friends behind her.

“ꂵꌩ ꉣꍏꋪꍟꈤ꓄ꌗ ꅏꍟꋪꍟ ꎇꀭꍟꋪꀸꍏꈤ.” Y/n stated softly. It wasn’t a pure lie. Either her mother or her father was fjerdan. He gave her a small nod and through her sight she saw a woman with blonde hair, and bright blue eyes.

The woman placed a soft hand on his shoulder. Her hair in a braided crown and a thick cape lined with fur is around her.

“ꁅꀎꌗ꓄ꍏꃴ?” The women asks but the scared man, now known as Gustav ignored her. His gaze was strictly on Y/n.

“ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꎇꋪꀤꍟꈤꀸꌗ ꍏꋪꍟ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꎇꀭꍟꋪꀸꍏꈤ, ꀤ ꉓꍏꈤ ꌗꍟꍟ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄. ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꌃꂦꌩ ꀤꌗ ꌗꀎ꒒ꀤ, ꓄ꃅꂦꌗꍟ ꌃꂦꌩꌗ ꒒ꂦꂦꀘ ꋪꍏꃴꀘꍏꈤ, ꍏꈤꀸ ꌗꃅꍟ ꒒ꂦꂦꀘꌗ ꒒ꀤꀘꍟ ꌗꃅꍟ ꎇꋪꂦꂵ ꈤꂦꃴꌩꀤ ꁴꍟꂵ.” He announced. Y/n kept herself firmly in between her friends and the ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ. 

“ꂦꀎꋪ ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍏꁅꍟ ꉓꂦꈤꌗꀤꌗ꓄ꍟꀸ ꂵꍏꈤꌩ ꀸꀤꎇꎇꍟꋪꍟꈤ꓄ ꉣꍟꂦꉣ꒒ꍟ. ꓄ꃅꍟꋪꍟ ꅏꍟꋪꍟꈤ’꓄ ꀭꀎꌗ꓄ ꎇꀭꍟꋪꀸꍏꈤ’ꌗ.” Y/n admitted. Maja howled and a few other wolves howled back. The women came closer but Gustav held a protective hand in front of her.

Y/n raised a brow, was he …. Afraid. Isla clutched on to Niko’s arm as Zan and Kheli stood around her. The winds whipped around blowing cold air at Y/n. A shiver erupted through her skin uncovered due to giving her cloak to Isla.

The women gently pushed aside Gustav’s arm and she knelt in front of Y/n. She stared into her eyes and examined her face. Her hands were soft like rose petals, and Y/n flinched back when her hands gently held her face.

“ꉣꂦꂦꋪ ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꁅꌗ, ꌩꂦꀎ’ꃴꍟ ꌃꍟꍟꈤ ꍏ꒒ꂦꈤꍟ ꌗꂦ ꒒ꂦꈤꁅ.” She mumbled softly. Y/n didn’t understand this strange feeling in her chest as this woman held her face. 

“ꈤꂦꋪꍏ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ꍟꃴꍟꋪ ꌩꂦꀎ’ꋪꍟ ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꀘ, ꌗ꓄ꂦꉣ ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꀘꀤꈤꁅ ꀤ꓄.” Gustav growled but the woman Nora. Nora glared back at him and gently wrapped her cloak around Y/n. Nora looked back at the other children with a motherly gaze. She couldn’t help but notice how close they seemed.

They all huddled together, forming a small diamond shape. Y/n in the front, Kheli and Niko at her sides, Isla directly behind Y/n and Zan in the back. The boys looked ready to pounce. Nora has seen how they followed Y/n’s movements. Where she moved they moved, when she so much and moved a finger they copped it.

Nora reached her hand for Y/n to take. Y/n moved back in confusion. She seemed kind,  it could be a lie. She could be trying to trap them, hurt them. Y/n wouldn’t let that happen. 

“꓄ꍏꀘꍟ ꂵꌩ ꃅꍏꈤꀸ, ꉣ꒒ꍟꍏꌗꍟ.” Nora sighed reaching g her hand further out. Y/n kept herself firmly between this woman and her people.

“ꅏꃅꌩ?”

Nora furrowed a brow but kept her hand out. Gustav stared at his wife in confusion, he kept Maja ready to pounce. The other ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ watched there leaders wife with a curious expression. Her kindness knew no bounds, but to extend that the strangers.

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꋪꍟ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꉓꂦ꒒ꀸ, ꌗꂦ ꀤ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꁅꀤꃴꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ ꅏꍏꋪꂵ꓄ꃅ. ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꋪꍟ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꃅꀎꈤꁅꋪꌩ, ꌗꂦ ꀤ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꎇꍟꍟꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ. ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꋪꍟ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꓄ꃅꀤꋪꌗ꓄ꌩ, ꌗꂦ ꀤ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꁅꀤꃴꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ ꌗꂦꂵꍟ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꁅ ꓄ꂦ ꀸꋪꀤꈤꀘ. ꌗꂦ ꓄ꍏꀘꍟ ꂵꌩ ꃅꍏꈤꀸ.” Nora voices her tone sweeter than any honey the group had ever tasted.

Y/n felt a warmth in her body she’d never felt before. It’s was fuzzy, like sitting at just the right place next to a fire. After a moment Y/n took Nora’s hand. Nora’s smile brightened and she lead the group through the crowds of people. Gustav went to stop his wife but instead he watched.

The crowds parted for Nora like she was royalty. The crowds stared down at the children with a mix of curiosity and disprove. A few children younger, older, and around their age stared at them till their parents pushed them back. 

Gustav looked over at Ville and followed his gaze. It was set on Y/n with a curious expression. Gustav stood next to him in a matter of minutes.

“I want you to watch over those children, especially that girl.” Gustav whispered while looking at Y/n. “Something is off about these children.”

With a small nod from Ville Gustav walked toward his wife, Maja followed closely behind. Ville stared at them as the crowds gathered as each child left his view.

Y/n kept her grip firmly in Nora’s. This women was kind, too kind. That would be her fault, her kindness to these children. They were no ordinary children. They were Helios in training, and they had a job to do.

Snow flurried down from the grey sky as Y/n left the home of Gustav and Nora. For the last two weeks her and her fellow trainees were staying with the leader of this Fjerdan town and his wife. Gustav agreed that the children could stay as long as they lived in the attic and help around.

So there Y/n was, holding a basket, and a small huddle of thin cookies for her to snack on. Y/n journeyed through the town towards the town center. The children playing stopped and stared at her. Their eyes filling nothing but distrust.

Another pair of eyes followed her. Ville’s pale eyes followed her as she walked and snacked. Y/n felt his gaze but didn’t turn to look at him. Ville followed behind her as she walked. Y/n stopped and turned, Ville stumbled slightly and glared down at her.

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꀘꈤꂦꅏ, ꌩꂦꀎ ꋪꍟꍏ꒒꒒ꌩ ꌗꀎꉓꀘ ꍏ꓄ ꎇꂦ꒒꒒ꂦꅏꀤꈤꁅ ꉣꍟꂦꉣ꒒ꍟ. ꀤ ꉓꍏꈤ ꃅꍟꍏꋪ ꌩꂦꀎ.” Y/n answered as she bit into the cookie. Ville grumbled and began to walk next to her. Y/n rolled her eyes as she held tightly onto her basket. She handed Ville one of the cookies, no words were exchanged.

“ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꀤꌗ ꀤ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ’ꋪꍟ ꀸꂦꀤꈤꁅ?” Ville questioned as the pair weaved their way through people. Y/n picked up spices and Ville would add things to her basket. 

“ꁅꀎꌗ꓄ꍏꃴ ꀤꌗ ꃅꍏꃴꀤꈤꁅ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꃅꀤꌗ ꎇꋪꀤꍟꈤꀸꌗ ꂦꃴꍟꋪ ꒒ꍏ꓄ꍟꋪ. ꈤꂦꋪꍏ ꌗꍟꈤ꓄ ꂵꍟ ꂦꀎ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꁅꋪꍏꌃ ꍏ ꎇꍟꅏ ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꁅꌗ ꎇꂦꋪ ꃅꍟꋪ. ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ꍟꃴꍟꋪ ꁅꀎꌗ꓄ꍏꃴ ꃅꀎꈤ꓄ꌗ ꀤꌗ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꅏꍟ’꒒꒒ ꉓꂦꂦꀘ.” Y/n answered as she paid the stall owner. Ville nodded softly, he was going on the hunt with the others. 

Y/n picked up some bad grain and Ville sighed. He took the grain from her hand and handed her a better bag. Y/n thanked him silently as she paid with the krydda. 

Ville’s eyes trailed after Y/n wherever she went. Y/n’a braided hair flowed in the cool breeze. Nora had been doing Y/n and Isla’s hair for the past two weeks. It was customary for unmarried women. 

As they began to walk back towards Gustav’s home Y/n hummed softly. Ville listened intently as the soft sound entered his ears. From afar Gustav ready Maja to hunt, a few other men with him. Gustav watched as Ville brought Y/n home with an almost knowing gaze.

Ville opened the door and allowed Y/n inside. Gustav called him and Ville turned to leave. Ville began to walk down the snow covered path glancing back at the closed door of the home. 

“ꉓꂦꂵꍟ ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍟ, ꓄ꃅꍟ ꆰꀎꀤꉓꀘꍟꋪ ꅏꍟ ꃅꀎꈤ꓄ ꌗꂦꂵꍟ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꁅ ꎇꂦꋪ ꈤꂦꋪꍏ, ꓄ꃅꍟ ꆰꀎꀤꉓꀘꍟꋪ ꅏꍟ ꎇꍟꍏꌗ꓄.” Gustav cheered with a right smile and a pat on Ville’s back. Ville flinched slightly at the roughness of Gustav. As the other men went into the woods, Gustav grabbed Ville’s thick cloak.

“ꀤꎇ ꌩꂦꀎ ꅏꍏꈤ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꅏꍏ꒒ꀘ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꃅꍟꋪ, ꋪꍟꂵꍟꂵꌃꍟꋪ ꌩꂦꀎ ꈤꍟꍟꀸ ꍏ ꉓꃅꍏꉣꍟꋪꂦꈤꍟ.” Gustav growled softly, letting go of Ville. Ville stuttered over his words. No, he didn’t want Y/n, she was a stranger. She was odd, and her friends brought distrust into his home. Gustav merely watched Ville’s inner workings as he guided Maja into the wood.

Y/n brought the basket full of spices, grain and a few other things into the kitchen. Isla and Nora moved around cooking together. Nora kept Isla away from the knives and stove thinking it too dangerous for a girl who couldn’t see or speak. Nora smiled brightly as Y/n brought her the basket. 

Nora had Y/n begin to make some bread. The boys were up in the attic planning out how to steal the ring. Turns out Gustav had it, but it was kept in his bedroom. Nora had mentioned it in a previous conversation. Y/n had also seen it once.

Time flew by as the two girls and older women worked in the kitchen. Gustav soon returned with a kill, a deer. Gustav dressed and cleaned it then left it to Nora. Gustav gave Nora a quick kiss on her forehead and pull Y/n aside. Y/n furrowed her brow as Gustav guided Y/n away. 

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꈤꀸ ꀤꌗ꒒ꍏ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꃅꍟ꒒ꉣ ꍏꋪꂦꀎꈤꀸ ꀸꀤꈤꈤꍟꋪ.” Y/n furrowed her brow in confusion. She always helped with dinner.

“ꅏꍟ ꍏ꒒ꅏꍏꌩꌗ ꃅꍟ꒒ꉣ.” 

Gustav stared down at her with a firm face. He fixed up her hair quickly, adjusting her braid. Some of men entered into the house and Gustav pulled a few strands of Y/n’s hair out of the braid. 

Gustav stared down at Y/n’s s/c skin, it shined softly. Y/n, Isla, Niko, Kheli, and Zan were everything his wife wanted. Gustav had been unable to gift Nora children, so he couldn’t refuse to let this orphans go. Nora has quickly grown attached, while Gustav was only now growing attached to Y/n.

The others were fine but there was something off with how Y/n carried herself. She seemed so sure of herself, yet seemed so scared. The way she’d always push her friends behind her, even the boys. It shocked him that such a small girl was so protective.

“ꉓꂦꂵꍟ, ꓄ꃅꍟꌩ’ꃴꍟ ꍏꋪꋪꀤꃴꍟꀸ.” Gustav murmured as he guided Y/n back to the kitchen. Ville looked away from his conversation with his friend and watched as Y/n walk into the kitchen with Gustav.

Nora handed Y/n some wine and a tray to carry it. Nora kept Isla in the kitchen to help her cook. Y/n walked around the table with Gustav’s company. She’d grab a cup filled with it and wait till the man would grab it. 

The first couple grabbed the cup without much issue. Ville’s hand gently grazed Y/n’s as he took a the cup. Gustav gripped his cup in his iron grip. As Y/n held the filled cup out for Markus to take as he spoke. Markus stared up at Y/n with a raised brow.

The whole table stopped as they stared at Y/n. Y/n motioned for him to take the cup from her. A low growl came from Maja as she rested under the table by Gustav. Another reason Gustav was so enamored by Y/n’s character was Maja.

Maja was the deadliest ꀤꌗꍟꈤꀎ꒒ꎇ of her litter, yet she was so docile when it came to Y/n. Instantly Maja connected to Y/n’s side, she seemed second only to himself.  When Y/n sighed softly and motioned to the cup again. 

“꓄ꍏꀘꍟ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꉓꀎꉣ.” Y/n asserted sternly. Her tone was abrasive and annoyed. Markus glared up at her as the boys walked down the stairs and moved to the table. 

Niko shot a look around the table then his gaze finally landed Y/n’s. Kheli moved to the kitchen next to Isla and helped her with stuff Y/n couldn’t see. Zan leaned against the wall and unreadable expression on his face. 

Markus still made no move to take the cup, he was so used to it being placed in his hand. Gustav moved his gaze to Y/n and then to Niko. Maja sat upright and Nora’s gaze moved to the quiet table.

“ꌗꃅꍟ ꉓꍏꈤꈤꂦ꓄ ꌗꍟꍟ ꂵꍏꋪꀘꀎꌗ, ꌩꂦꀎ ꂵꀎꌗ꓄ ꓄ꍏꀘꍟ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꉓꀎꉣ.” Gustav voiced with a small smile. Markus nodded softly taking the cup, the look on his face seemed to be tight. Gustav allowed the tight smile on his own face, Y/n’s voice always seems to bring some frustration to others but to him it brought amusement. 

“ꀤ ꎇꂦꋪꁅꍟ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꉓꃅꀤ꒒ꀸꋪꍟꈤ ꍏꋪꍟ ….. ꀸꀤꎇꎇꍟꋪꍟꈤ꓄.” Markus politely sneered in a way Y/n thought only she saw.  Nora stopped chopping her vegetables and snapped her head up. Kheli and Isla shared a quick look as Zan moved his head up. Niko rolled his shoulders his white eyes seeming to go sharp. 

Gustav hummed in response and they all raised there glasses in a quick salute to each other. As the dinner continues Y/n goes around bringing food, filling there cups, clearing some finished plates. The others watch as Niko helped Y/n around, Markus keeping his gaze on the pair. 

“ꈤꀤꀘꂦ ꃅꂦꅏ ꂦ꒒ꀸ ꍏꋪꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ?” Markus questioned rang threw for a moment. Zan rubbed his gloved left hand, it was missing a chunk of flesh and scared over, a small courtesy of Y/n biting it out. Many times since there friendship began Y/n had apologized over his ruined hand, Zan would merely wave her off with a smile. 

Niko looked to Y/n unable to answer. His fjerdan was no where near as proficient as Y/n’s. Y/n did most of the speaking now, she’d give them all lessons but fjerdan was a hard language to learn. 

“ꃅꍟ ꀤꌗ ꎇꂦꀎꋪ꓄ꍟꍟꈤ.” Y/n answered taking a plate and giving the deer bones to Maja. 

“꓄ꃅꍟ ꂦ꓄ꃅꍟꋪꌗ?” 

Y/n knew he meant the other boys, Markus didn’t show much interest in the girls. The boys all felt the air go cold, Nora went to place another log in the fire. 

“꓄ꃅꍟ ꌗꍏꂵꍟ.” Y/n’s tone was becoming questionable. Ville stared at Y/n with an uncertain look, he knew where this conversation was moving. Ville had not really understanding of just how close Y/n was with her friends, how could he. After all Y/n and the others were lying about almost everything, and it came so naturally.

“ꁅꀎꌗ꓄ꍏꃴ ꌩꂦꀎ ꌗꃅꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꌃꋪꀤꈤꁅ ꌩꂦꀎꋪꌗ ꌃꂦꌩꌗ ꓄ꂦ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꈤꍟꊼ꓄ ꃅꀎꈤ꓄ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꀎꌗ. ꓄ꃅꍟꌩ ꍏꋪꍟ ꂵꂦꋪꍟ ꓄ꃅꍟꈤ ꂦ꒒ꀸ ꍟꈤꂦꀎꁅꃅ.” Markus began. Y/n ignored the conversation from then on, choosing to help Nora. As the dinner concluded Ville stared at Y/n the entire time. Gustav watched his gaze as Y/n cleared and cleaned with Isla. 

Markus watched Isla move around swiftly with a kind smile on her face. Markus’s gaze ran over Isla is a way that made her friends growl internally. It was not secret all of them were dangerously protective of Isla, but none more so then Y/n. 

A shared glance between them was all it took to decide Markus’s fate. When the time for the group to leave with the Sol ring Markus would die. 

Maybe we’re being a bit extreme, but I don’t really care.

Y/n shuddered at her own thoughts. Sometimes she feared herself, her fury, her anger, her….. darkness. It was too late to get rid of her thoughts of smashing Markus’s head due to the way he was staring at Isla. 

Oh well, not like his wife or children will miss him.

Y/n picked at her nails as Niko and Kheli sat awake with her in the darkness of the attic. Isla was sprawled against Y/n’s lap, Y/n’s hands threading through the small braids she had braided into one large braid. Zan was asleep on his make shift bed Nora and Gustav had made. 

They were comfortable enough but Y/n preferred the floor near Isla’s bed. It brought her a sense of comfort to know if something went wrong nothing could stop her from reaching Isla. Y/n tilted her head back against the plush of the bed as Kheli and Niko we’re across from her. 

After the dinner the group had discussed how they could speed this plan up. The plan was get close to Gustav, and steal the ring. Simple enough but they were getting too close. Isla was content with cooking in the kitchens with Isla, Y/n was growing used to Ville’s and Gustav’s company. The boys were struggling with the fact so many pretty girls were interested in them.

The ring was kept in Gustav’s and Nora’s room, locked away. Y/n alone caught a glimpse of it in passing when Gustav was showing it to Ville, the reason unknown. Y/n hummed softly, the simple tune that she’d sung many times. Niko’s gaze was one Y/n’s shadowy figure, he could barley make out her hazy shape. Through his cloudy eyes and at night his sight was weak. 

Kheli stared out the slightly open window, the moonlight shining perfectly down on Y/n. His sight was hazed as well but Y/n’s figure was easily visible due to the softly shimmer of her skin. Kheli couldn’t explain it, but in the moonlight or under the stars Y/n shinned oh so softly.

"ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ʙᴏʀɴ ᴀ ʟᴀᴅʏ, ᴛᴏ ᴀ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇɴᴏᴡɴ.

ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ʀᴀɪꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴘʀɪᴅᴇ.

ɪ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴏʙᴇʏᴇᴅ, ɪ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴅɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ. 

ʙᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀ ꜱᴏɴ.

ᴀ ꜱᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ʜɪꜱ ɴᴀᴍᴇ, ᴀ ꜱᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ʜɪꜱ ʟɪɴᴇᴀɢᴇ.

ᴀ ꜱᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ʜɪꜱ ʙᴜʀᴅᴇɴ, ᴀ ꜱᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ʜɪꜱ ᴛɪᴛʟᴇꜱ.”

Y/n’s soft melody echoed through the attic. The sound traveled through the window and around the quiet village. Any who were left awake were lulled to sleep by the song in the unfamiliar language. Niko closed his eyes and pulled his blanket over himself. 

"ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴀ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʟᴏʀᴅ,

ʙᴏʀɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴏꜰ ʜɪɢʜ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ.

 ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏʀᴅꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴀᴅɪᴇꜱ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ,

ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜰɪɴᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴏʏ.

ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏʀᴅꜱ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ,

ᴡʜᴏ'ꜱ ʙᴏʀɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄʟᴀᴡꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴇᴇᴛʜ."

Kheli laid against the cold ground and began to sleep soundly. Isla’s soft breath against Y/n’s legs reminded her of the life still in her body. Y/n looked around the attic as she hummed the melody. She gaze went from each other to the next. 

“ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴀ ᴠɪᴄɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ,

ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴀʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇꜰʏ ᴍᴇ, ʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱʜɪᴠᴇʀ.

ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴀ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ʟᴏʀᴅ,

ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ, ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ.

ꜱᴏ ɪ ꜱʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀᴅʏ, ᴍʏ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ʜᴀᴅ ʀᴀɪꜱᴇᴅ."

As Y/n finished her tune she felt tired herself. She sighed softly and pulled a small object out from her pocket. It was a hairpin with a strangely sharp edge. There was a rose at its side, a gift from Isla. Y/n poked herself over and over again with the pin to keep herself awake.

She couldn’t sleep, she just couldn’t. She was in charge, it was her job to ensure the safety of her friends. As her gaze moved about the room, it remained on Zan’s sleeping figure. Even through her sight, even though it was dark she could see him.

There was just something off about Zan, a gut feeling Y/n got whenever she caught his gaze. Y/n didn’t understand how he could forgive her for his hand. Y/n would admit she wished she hadn’t done it. In her fury she lost control of herself. 

The healers at the sanctuary tried there best to fix his hand. His hand still works just fine, he was scared though. Adam was even stranger, but he seemed so obsessed. He’d follow Y/n around at times she’d wish he’d leave her alone. Her guilt stopped her from really telling him to leave her alone. 

Her eyes begin to drop, and she forced the pin into her skin. She bit her lip tasting the metallic of her blood. Isla stirred in her lap for a moment. Y/n halted her movements and then Isla nuzzled her head into Y/n’s stomach. Her senses were blurring and she could faintly feel the dripping of blood from her cuts.

Y/n pulled the pin out and placed it into her pocket. Her black dress was scratchy on her skin but the buzz that surrounded her head caused her to ignore it. As she allowed her eyes to drop, darkness took over her.

𝓨/𝓷 𝓼𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓷 𝓪𝓷 𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓷 𝓯𝓲𝓮𝓵𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓭 𝓪 𝓿𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓲𝓷 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓲𝓽. 𝓢𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓴𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓰𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓵𝓼 𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓮𝓭 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓼 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓽. 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓹𝓾𝓻𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓮, 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓻𝓸𝓻 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮. 𝓕𝓸𝓸𝓽𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓹𝓼 𝓬𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓫𝓮𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷’𝓽 𝓶𝓸𝓿𝓮. 𝓢𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓽𝓼 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓿𝓮.

“𝓖𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵.” 𝓨/𝓷 𝓰𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪 𝓫𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓷 𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓽 𝓷𝓮𝔁𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓮𝓻, 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓴𝓮𝓯𝓽𝓪 𝓼𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓮𝔃𝓮 𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓵𝔂. 

“𝓜𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓸𝓿.”

𝓨/𝓷 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷’𝓽 𝓶𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓰𝓪𝔃𝓮 𝓪𝓼 𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻. 𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓾𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓭. 𝓐 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝔀𝓮𝓭 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓖𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵 𝓯𝓾𝓻𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓭 𝓪 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝔀. 

“𝓢𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓔𝓰𝓸𝓷 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓼𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓯.”

𝓨/𝓷 𝓱𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓭 𝓼𝓸𝓯𝓽𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓼 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓼. 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓼𝓸 𝓭𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓻 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭𝓷’𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓹𝓾𝓹𝓲𝓵𝓼 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮. 

“𝓨𝓮𝓼, 𝓪 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓼 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓴 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓽𝓱𝓮 ʊռʊɖɛǟɖֆ 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽.”  

𝓗𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓭𝓷’𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓹𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓮. 𝓨/𝓷 𝓴𝓮𝓹𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓴𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪 𝓼𝓲𝓰𝓱. 

“𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓲𝓽, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝔂’𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓶𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾.” 𝓨/𝓷 𝓿𝓸𝓲𝓬𝓮𝓭.

“𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂’𝓵𝓵 𝓼𝓶𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓶𝓮?” 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓹𝓵𝓮𝔁𝓮𝓭. 𝓨/𝓷 𝓷𝓸𝓭𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭. 𝓢𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓮𝓵𝓯 𝓸𝓯𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓪 𝓰𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓶. 𝓗𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓪 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓹𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓭.

“𝓣𝓱𝓮𝔂 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓼𝓶𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓗𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓸𝓼 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭.” 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓯𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓼𝓸𝓯𝓽𝓵𝔂 𝓪𝓼 𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽. 𝓝𝓲𝓴𝓸 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓭 𝓲𝓷 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓷𝔃𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓸𝓻, 𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝔀𝓮𝓭 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀. 𝓘𝓽𝓼 𝓭𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓿𝓸𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓮𝓬𝓱𝓸𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓿𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂.

𝓝𝓲𝓴𝓸 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓪 𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓨/𝓷 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽. 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓰𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓼 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓰𝓪𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓸𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓽𝓾𝓪𝓻𝔂. 𝓗𝓮 𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓸𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓨/𝓷 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭. 

“𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓿𝓪𝓵𝓾𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓗𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓸𝓼, 𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓴𝓮𝓮𝓹 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽.”

𝓨/𝓷 𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪 𝓶𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭. 𝓗𝓮 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓰𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮𝓭 𝓪 𝓼𝓸𝓯𝓽 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓲𝓽. 𝓐 𝓫𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓲𝓷𝓿𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓭 𝓨/𝓷’𝓼 𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓮𝓴 𝓪𝓼 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓽 𝓸𝓷 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭.

𝓗𝓮 𝓹𝓾𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓲𝓷, 𝓬𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓻𝓪𝓶𝓮. 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓶 𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓪𝓲𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓭𝓸𝔀𝓷 𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪 𝓶𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽. 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓸𝓹𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝓾𝓹 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓷𝓮𝓬𝓴 𝓰𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓵𝔂 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓸𝓰𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓹𝓲𝓮𝓬𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓷𝓮𝓬𝓴𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓮.

“𝓔𝔁𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓻𝔂.” 𝓗𝓮 𝓶𝓾𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓼𝓸𝓯𝓽𝓵𝔂 𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓨/𝓷’𝓼 𝓯𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓬𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓼. 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪𝓭𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷. 𝓨/𝓷 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓾𝓹 𝓪𝓼 𝓼𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓫𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓻. 𝓗𝓮𝓻 𝓰𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓰𝓸𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼𝓽, 𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽.

Y/n hid behind a large oak tree as snow fell down around her. A crossbow was placed in her hands as a wild boar came into view. She raised her crossbow with a fumble.

Gotta make it look like over never used one of these before

“ꀸꂦ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꌗꃅꂦꂦ꓄ ꀭꀎꌗ꓄ ꌩꍟ꓄.” Gustav mutters softly. Y/n internally groaned as she looked down. Crouching in the snow behind a bush was Gustav and Ville. The others all brought their sons, but Gustav brought Y/n. He would have brought Niko, Kheli, or Zan but they had all come down with a sickness.

It was strange to him that Isla and Y/n were perfectly fine, but he didn’t give it do much though. Ville looked over at Gustav in confusion.

“ꀤ ꀸꂦ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꀎꈤꀸꍟꋪꌗ꓄ꍏꈤꀸ, ꀤꎇ ꌗꃅꍟ ꌗꃅꂦꂦ꓄ꌗ ꈤꂦꅏ ꌗꃅꍟ’꒒꒒ ꀘꀤ꒒꒒ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꌃꂦꍏꋪ.” Y/n nodded at Ville’s words. She may have made it look like she was struggling but she could still kill the boar. Gustav sent a quick glare to the young ones around him. 

Ville promptly turned his head back to the boar while Y/n returned the glare. Gustav chuckled softly at the threatening look Y/n gave him. For a child who could not see, she was quite frightening. When Y/n turned back, the boar was gone.

“ꋪꍟꂵꀤꈤꀸ ꂵꍟ ꍏꁅꍏꀤꈤ ꅏꃅꌩ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏ꒒꒒ꂦꅏꍟꀸ ꌩ/ꈤ ꍏ ꉓꋪꂦꌗꌗꌃꂦꅏ?” Y/n’s head snapped towards the two men as they stood. Gustav ignored Ville’s question as he walked towards the boar tracks. Ville placed his hand in the small of Y/n’s back and lead her towards Gustav. 

Y/n wished she could slap his hand away but made no such move. Ville attempted to take the crossbow but Y/n pressed it against his side. 

“ꀤ ꂵꍏꌩ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꌃꍟ ꍏꌃ꒒ꍟ ꓄ꂦ ꌗꍟꍟ, ꌃꀎ꓄ ꀤꂵꍏ ꀎꌗꍟ ꀤꎇ ꀤ ꉣꀎ꒒꒒ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꓄ꋪꀤꁅꁅꍟꋪ ꀤ꓄ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꍟꈤꀸ ꌃꍏꀸ꒒ꌩ ꎇꂦꋪ ꌩꂦꀎ.”

Ville shivered at her words and backed away. Y/n smirked triumphantly as Gustav stood. He gently brought Y/n to the ground and placed her hands above the tracks.

“ꀤꎇ ꌩꂦꀎ ꉓꃅꀤ꒒ꀸꋪꍟꈤ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꌗ꓄ꂦꉣ ꎇꂦꋪ ꍏ ꂵꂦꂵꍟꈤ꓄…. ꌩ/ꈤ ꓄ꍟ꒒꒒ ꂵꍟ ꅏꃅꀤꉓꃅ ꅏꍏꌩ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꌃꂦꍏꋪ ꀤꌗ ꁅꂦꀤꈤꁅ.” Gustav pondered. Ville scoffed as he began to speak, Y/n merely laid her hand into the tracks.

“ꁅꀎꌗ꓄ꍏꃴ ꌗꃅꍟ ꀤꌗ ꍏ ꁅꀤꋪ꒒, ꀤ ꀸꂦꀎꌃ꓄ ꌗꃅꍟ ꍟꃴꍟꈤ ꀘꈤꂦꅏ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꒒ꂦꂦꀘ…” Ville’s words trailed away as Y/n pointed east towards the lake. Gustav nodded in approval and continued his path. Y/n shot a proud smile to Ville and she crossed her arms gently.

Ville glared softly down at her and he began to lead her. His mind raced with confusion. Y/n was so different from all the girls in the village. She wasn’t timid or so docile. She was rougher and so violent. None of the other girls could hunt, none of the other girls were so peculiar to him.

As the boar came back into view Y/n knelt down in the snow a bit further away from the pair. She took in a deep inhale and allowed herself to feel the buzz of the space surrounding her.

She felt the tress seasoning in the cold breeze, the breathing of Ville, the heartbeat of Gustav. Every vibration of life around her, she focused on. The boar began to move and Y/n lost her focus as Ville poked her leg.

“ꌗꃅꂦꂦ꓄ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꀸꍏꂵꍟꀸ ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꁅ!” 

Y/n shot a vicious glance to Ville as she set the cross bow down. When she looked up the boar was gone. Y/n stood and walked to the area it had just been in. Placing her hand down and feeling the mud in between her hands brought a small comfort.

The meadow would get so muddy in the spring, Y/n would be able to pull the flowers right from the roots. She brought her muddy hand to her nose, deeply inhaling the scent of the ground bellow her. Ville watched her so intently that Gustav could practically feel the radiation of his gaze. 

A loud squeal bombarded the area as Y/n hit the ground. Y/n screamed at the boar began to attack her, its trotters hitting against her shoulders. Y/n pushed her arms against it as it’s ripped off. A haze enveloped her as she was pulled into a pair of rough and muscular arms. 

As her eyes opened their Ville stood drenched in blood spats. The boar a few feet away, the creature twitched as Ville shot his dagger into the boar. Gustav’s arms were tightly around her, his grip so gently in comparison to the feeling of the boar on her a moment ago. 

As the pair met each others eyes the other froze. On Ville’s end he peered into those alluring white eyes the prickled with tears. Her eyes of the snow that he lived in, trained in, breathed in. Her faced was dirty, flushed and had gone pale. Her hunting cloths, a pair of Niko’s pants and one of Gustav’s thick shirts were torn in a few places. Ville couldn’t help but find it strange such a quick encounter could cause such havoc upon her. 

Y/n’s sight was hazed in the strangest way. As she stared at Ville she could make out his figure, but his features didn’t stand out. The blood he was soaked in did. It’s bright crimson color pierced her sight, the droplets forming on the curve of his face. As she was brought to her feet she stumbled into him. The still warm blood getting on her cloths. 

Y/n grasped onto Ville and Gustav’s froze. He stared at the pair, then ordered that Ville watch over Y/n so he could secure the boar. Ville went away from the dead boar a dazed look on his face as he held Y/n.

The ground was cold and wet against Villes bottom, but it was a small price to pay to keep Y/n off the ground and in his lap. Y/n kept her eyes closed as she leaned into him, she took in his scent for a moment. Ville looked around then saw it.

He dug out his knife and cut into the ground, avoiding the roots. He pulled it up covered in mud and placed it into Y/n’s palms. Y/n lazily drew her fingertips over the petals of the flower. There was a thin layer of frost over the flower, the rose. Ville moved her h/c hair out of her face, his calloused hands brushing against her skin. 

A winter rose…. Its roots covered in dirt in her hands. Y/n slowly lifted her gaze to his with a slight tremble. Her lip wobbled as the pain set in, an uncontrollable shiver enveloping her body. Ville’s warm hand against her kept her grounded. 

Her stomach dropped as his thumb brushed away a stray tear. This feeling in her stomach was pounding inside of her. No it couldn’t be this. This was something she’d only ever read about in the storybooks. The way his hand was so firmly pressed against her cheek…..

Y/n hadn’t realized that they were moving and out of the forest till her back hit the couch in Gustav’s sitting area. Ville’s cape was warm and tucked around her. She felt Isla’s warm hand in hers, Niko’s hands on her shoulders, and the rose still clutched in her hands.

The adults in the room spoke in hushed voices, the topic Y/n didn’t care to translate. Isla tapped on her hand urgently as the other two boys watched. 

“We have to do it now, we can’t wait any longer.”

Y/n’s hushed tone was fearful, something the others weren’t used to. Isla stared at Niko, who stared at Zan, who stared at Kheli, who was staring at Y/n.

“One week from today is the village celebration for Ville’s proof of his worthiness today. That’s when we strike.”

The group nodded softly, no one dared to object.

A large bonfire crackled as girls and women danced out the fire. The men drank and laughed as Y/n observed them. Isla had caught the boys sickness and Nora stayed home to watch them.

The moon danced above them as Y/n sat next to Ville’s mother as the women talked her ear off about topics she had no idea why she was talking to her about. She was speaking about the best ways to give birth, care for a sick baby, cooking tips, and sewing tips. 

Y/n simply nodded along as other women joined into the conversation. They began discussing a wedding and venues. Y/n tuned them out as her brain thought back to when Egon found her.

Alina, Y/n and Mal sat in the meadow as Y/n braided Alina’s ebony locks. Mal laid on the ground in front of the sisters with his eyes closed. Figures began to approach from the tree-line. Y/n stared at them in confusion.

The grisha testers had come a few weeks ago, Y/n wasn’t sure who these strangers were. They weren’t dressed in kefta’s but armor in colors that fades from bronze to golden. Y/n stood up quickly as they approached, keeping her body in front of her sister and Mal.

The soldiers tilted their head to the side at Y/n and narrowed their eyes on Alina. The tallest man in a golden armor motioned his hand forward. The others grabbed Y/n quickly and then pulled Mal off the floor. 

The tallest man stalked towards Alina as Y/n thrashed in the grip of the two warriors. The gently grabbed Alina’s chin as she quivered.

“Lina! Get off her!” Y/n shouted as she tried to pull herself away. Mal stood frozen in fear as Y/n continued to push back. The warriors grip loosened and Y/n took a dagger from his side. Y/n ran at the man holding Alina’s chin and sliced at his hand, pulling Alina behind herself.

The man gasped as he pulled back, the dagger raised in the air. The man stared down at her with a small smile. 

“Let him go!”

Mal stumbled forward as the man let him go. Y/n pulled him behind her as pair quivered in fear. Y/n stared up at him with unwavering hatred in her eyes. The dagger didn’t seem to scare him, merely excited him.

He laughed…?

He bellowed with each passing moment his laugh grew. The other armored men shared a smile as they relaxed.

“What is your name girl?” He asked Y/n as he kneeled down. Y/n trailed the dagger after him as he knelt in front of her. Y/n didn’t answer as she heard Alina sniffle.

“Can you not speak?” He tilted his head in mockery.

“I know better than to give my name to a stranger.” Y/n snapped. He held an amused look as she spoke. He turned his gaze to the pair hiding behind Y/n.

“And you two?”

“A..Alina Starkov.”

“Malyen Orstsev.”

Y/n groaned in disbelief as they told their names. The man turned back to Y/n, his face holding not a hint of what he wanted. With a defeated sigh Y/n mumbled.

“Y/n Starkov.”

His eyes piped up in intrigue. He looked between Alina and Y/n for a while. 

“Sisters?” He pondered for a moment. “You don’t look related.”

Y/n’s glare deepened, her jaw tightened. She huffed softly.

“Does that really matter?” Y/n pondered. He shook his head and looked back at his people for a moment. 

“I am Egon Waldow, Lord Helios.”

Y/n blinked a few times and looked back at Alina. She stared back at her in confusion. Mal furrowed his brow.

“You’re what?”

Egon laughed softly as he stared down at her. He gentle grasped her hand that held the dagger. 

“We’ve come for your sister.” Y/n froze, and quickly jerked away. She pulled both Alina and Mal further behind herself.

“You can’t have her!”

“Unfortunately we have to take someon- Take me!” Egon raised a brow at her request. He stared down at Y/n with a slightly smile. She wasn’t meek or skittish like her sister. She stood tall, her grip tight around the dagger as he held it.

“No you can’t go! Ana Kuya won’t allow you to leave.” Alina tried to reason as tears streamed down her face. For some reason Y/n knew she would be allowed to go. This vibration around Egom seemed familiar, liked they’d met before.

“Your caretaker won’t stop us.” His voice held no uncertainty. Y/n slowly bit her lip nervously as she lowered the dagger. Her fate was now sealed.

Guilt prickled at her brain,  this was wrong on so many levels. They had lied and weaseled their way into these people’s lives. They had made bonds that they would be breaking. 

“ꌩ/ꈤ? ꍏꋪꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ ꉣꍏꌩꀤꈤꁅ ꍏ꓄꓄ꍟꈤ꓄ꀤꂦꈤ?” Y/n looked over at Ville’s mother in confusion. The absent look on her face causing the older women to glare.

“ꀤ ꍏꌗꀘꍟꀸ ꀤꎇ ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍟ ꃅꍏꌗ ꁅꀤꃴꍟꈤ ꌩꂦꀎ ꃅꀤꌗ ꎇꀤꈤꍏ꒒ ꁅꀤꎇ꓄?” The older women amused. Her brows turned, raising her chin.

“ꅏꃅꍏ꓄?”

“ꃅꀤꌗ ꎇꀤꈤꍏ꒒ ꁅꀤꎇ꓄ ꂦꎇ ꉓꂦꀎꋪ꓄ꀤꈤꁅ? ꃅꍏꌗ ꃅꍟ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꁅꀤꃴꍟꈤ ꀤ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꌩꂦꀎ ꌩꍟ꓄?” Y/n felt the blood in her veins freeze. Her heart sped up to an unmatchable pace. Courting gift? She pondered softly as she began to nimble at her bottom lip.

“ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍟ ꀤꌗꈤ’꓄ ꉓꂦꀎꋪ꓄ꀤꈤꁅ ꂵꍟ.” She tried to reason. 

The women all laughed at the girl with a smile. Ville’s mother sent the girl a look she was thankful she couldn’t see. 

“ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍟ ꃅꍏꌗ ꌃꍟꍟꈤ ꉓꂦꀎꋪ꓄ꀤꈤꁅ ꌩꂦꀎ. ꃅꍟ’ꌗ ꌃꍟꍟꈤ ꀸꀤꈤꀤꈤꁅ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꌩꂦꀎ, ꃅꍏꌗ ꃅꍟ ꍟꌗꉓꂦꋪ꓄ꀤꈤꁅ ꌩꂦꀎ ꉣ꒒ꍏꉓꍟꌗ, ꃅꍏꌗ ꁅꀤꎇ꓄ꍟꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏ ꅏꀤꈤ꓄ꍟꋪ ꋪꂦꌗꍟ. ꍏ꒒꒒ ꃅꍟ ꈤꍟꍟꀸ ꀸꂦ ꈤꂦꅏ ꀤꌗ ꁅꀤꃴꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ ꃅꀤꌗ ꎇꀤꈤꍏ꒒ ꁅꀤꎇ꓄.”

Y/n never thought she’d be so happy to feel Ville’s hands on her shoulder as the world buzzed around her. Whatever words were said she didn’t hear. Her legs began to move and she felt Ville’s hands on her waist.

“ꌩ/ꈤ?”

“ꌩꍟꌗ?” The quiver in her voice brought a frown to Ville’s face. 

“ꀤ ꍏꌗꀘꍟꀸ ꀤꎇ ꌩꂦꀎ ꀘꈤꂦꅏ ꃅꂦꅏ ꓄ꂦ ꀸꍏꈤꉓꍟ?” Y/n idled nodded her head as music played. As they slowly began to dance, their steps messy and twisted Ville held a smile on his face. Her cloudy eyes stared up at him, her hair was only partially braided. A braid bun at the top while all rest of her h/c h/t locks were free. 

Ville couldn’t help but allow his smile to reach his ears, her hair was prefect in every way. The way the raging fire illuminated all her features. 

 “ꎇꂦꋪ ꍏ ꁅꀤꋪ꒒ ꅏꃅꂦ ꉓꍏꈤꈤꂦ꓄ ꌗꍟꍟ, ꌩꂦꀎ ꀸꍏꈤꉓꍟ ꌃꍟꍏꀎ꓄ꀤꎇꀎ꒒꒒ꌩ.” Ville complemented. Y/n smiled softly as she felt her stomach plunge.

“ꍏꈤꀸ ꎇꂦꋪ ꍏ ꌃꂦꌩ ꅏꃅꂦ ꉓꍏꈤ ꌗꍟꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꋪꍟ ꋪꍏ꓄ꃅꍟꋪ ꀎꈤꉓꂦꂦꋪꀸꀤꈤꍏ꓄ꍟꀸ.” Ville’s laughter boomed as he spun her. Her thick dress twirling around, the fade of grey looked lovely on her. Her skin held a sweet glow to it that Ville had convinced was a trick of the light. 

“ꍏ꒒ꅏꍏꌩꌗ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꌗꅏꍟꍟ꓄ ꂦꈤꍟ ꍏꋪꍟꈤ’꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ?” Y/n slowly her steps as they pair left the dance floor. Gustav watched the pair with a small smile. The village was allowing them to break a few of the courting rule, after all Gustav wasn’t interfering. 

The smell of the cooked boar invaded Y/n’s senses and she gulped softly. She could practically feel her hands covered in dirt, trying to keep the thing from falling on her. 

“ꀤ ꉓꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꓄ꍟꍏꋪ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꉣꍏꋪ꓄ ꀤꎇ ꀤ ꅏꍏꈤ꓄ꍟꀸ.” Y/n uttered softly. Ville shock his head as he helped her moved over a branch. He was leading her away from the celebration, into the woods around the village. Slowly the pair approached a small clearing. 

“ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍟ? ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꍏꋪꍟ ꅏꍟ ꀸꂦꀤꈤꁅ ꂦꀎ꓄ ꃅꍟꋪꍟ?” Ville stopped in front of her. He clutched her hands gently, his hard palm again her slightly calloused hands.

“ꌩ/ꈤ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꋪꍟ ꌃꌩ ꎇꍏꋪ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꌗ꓄ꋪꍏꈤꁅꍟꌗ꓄ ꁅꀤꋪ꒒ ꀤ’ꃴꍟ ꍟꃴꍟꋪ ꂵꍟ꓄. ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꋪꍟ ꌃꋪꍏꃴꍟ ꍏꈤꀸ ꉓꂦꀎꋪꍏꁅꍟꂦꀎꌗ. ꌩꂦꀎ ꉣꋪꂦ꓄ꍟꉓ꓄ ꀤꈤꌗ꓄ꍟꍏꀸ ꂦꎇ ꌃꍟꀤꈤꁅ ꍏꎇꋪꍏꀤꀸ ꍏꈤꀸ ꀤ…” Y/n shot her hand to his lips. Fear ate at her insides, like a ravenous beast. 

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꀸꂦꈤ’꓄ ꀘꈤꂦꅏ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ’ꋪꍟ ꌗꍏꌩꀤꈤꁅ, ꌩꂦꀎ ꃅꍏꋪꀸ꒒ꌩ ꀘꈤꂦꅏ ꂵꍟ.” Ville gently removed her hand and placed his own into his pocket. He pulled out a item covered by a cloth with an engraved wolf.

“ꀤ ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꀘ ꀤ ꒒ꂦꃴꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ.” He placed the gift into her hands, with hands that shock like an earthquake she moved over the cloth. In her hands laid the most beautiful comb she’d ever imagined. Her sight allowed her to see the comb as she ran her fingers over it. It had an arch at each end with simple blue stones placed onto it. 

A tear streamed down her face as Ville took the comb and placed it in her hair. It rested so beautifully in her hair under the moonlight. The smell of smoke began to cloud there nostrils and Ville turned away from Y/n. Under her dress she gently tapped on the stone of her collar, hidden as it always was. 

“ꌗꂦꂵꍟ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꁅ’ꌗ ꅏꋪꂦꈤꁅ ꀤꈤ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍏꁅꍟ. ꀤ’꒒꒒ ꌃꍟ ꌃꍏꉓꀘ.” As he turned back to Y/n, a soft look on his face, the sound of metal going through flesh commenced. His breath paused for a moment as he looked down, in his stomach, a silver dagger with a star at its hilt was plunged deep into his stomach, held by Y/n’s hand. 

His gaze traveled to her as she ripped the dagger from him. Blood pooled from his stomach as he staggered back.

“꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꅏꍏꌗ ꍏꈤ ꀤꈤꍟꃴꀤ꓄ꍏꌃ꒒ꍟ, ꌃꀎ꓄ ꌗꂦꂵꍟ ꌗꂵꍏ꒒꒒ ꉣꍏꋪ꓄ ꂦꎇ ꂵꍟ ꅏꀤꌗꃅꍟꌗ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꀤ꓄ ꅏꍏꌗꈤ’꓄. ꀤ ꋪꍟꁅꋪꍟ꓄꓄ꍟꀸ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꌗꂦ ꂵꀎꉓꃅ ꂵꂦꋪꍟ ꓄ꃅꍏꈤ ꀤ ꉓꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ’ꃴꍟ ꍟꃴꍟꋪ ꀤꂵꍏꁅꀤꈤꍟꀸ ꀤ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ. ꀤ ꓄ꃅꂦꀎꁅꃅ꓄ ꀤ꓄ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꌃꍟ ꍟꍏꌗꌩ ꓄ꂦ ꓄ꍏꀘꍟ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꌗ꓄ꀎꉣꀤꀸ ꋪꀤꈤꁅ ꍏꈤꀸ ꒒ꍟꍏꃴꍟ. ꀤ ꀸꀤꀸꈤ’꓄ ꍟꊼꉣꍟꉓ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꅏꍏꈤ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꌗ꓄ꍏꌩ, ꂵꍏꌩꌃꍟ ꌗ꓄ꍏꌩ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꌩꂦꀎ.” Y/n mourned softly as she caught Ville. As she laid him against herself she felt her tears dripping from her eyes.

Ville grasped onto her dress, his blood coating her. He stared up at her, his eyes wide as he watched the tears pour out of her eyes. She continued to apologize, I plead for his forgiveness as he laid against her.

“ꌗ-ꌗ꓄ꂦꉣ.” Ville muttered softly. He pulled at her braided hair and undid it. He took the comb and pushed some of her hair back with it. He wanted to remember her as she was not as she was now. Not with the tears of her own betrayal in her eyes, with his crimson blood covering her. Just Y/n, the eccentric girl he fell madly for.

Ville held her face, no tears in his eyes, no pain, just his blue eyes peering into her white ones. He watched at her tears hit his face as she held him. His mind didn’t go to his death but who was with him. He held the side of her face, his blood coating her face. 

Y/n felt as he began to go cold, his grin in her face lessened. Her tears poured down her face, angry red strikes covering her.

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꀸꍟꌗꍟꋪꃴꍟ ꌗꂦ ꂵꀎꉓꃅ ꌃꍟ꓄꓄ꍟꋪ.” Ville smiled as his vision began to fade. He gently pulled her down, pressing a gently kiss to her lip. Y/n tasted the iron of his lips mixed with the salt of their mixed tears.

And then Ville was gone. 

The sound of footsteps did not cause her to move. The gently grip of Niko’s grasp on her shoulder shock her gently. Y/n slowly turned to him, a sniffle escaping her nose.

“The house? And Nora? And Markus?” Y/n pondered, her voice cracking.

“Burnt to the ground, Nora’s safe. We left her outside the house. Markus is dead, they’ll never find him.” Niko affirmed not looking down at Ville. Y/n nod softly, Nora was kind. She didn’t need to die. Markus however was doomed from the moment he stared at Isla with lust.

“The ring?”

The sound of jewelry being placed around her neck caused her sight to kick in. Looped around her neck was a simple gold chain with a simple band. A sun engraved into the ring. 

“ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍟ? ꌩ/ꈤ? ꅏꃅꍟꋪꍟ ꍏꋪꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ.” Gustav’s voice cut through Y/n’s sorrows. Gustav froze as he can up in the sight. Y/n holding Ville in a pool of his own blood. Niko standing next to her. Kheli, Zan and Isla in the trees behind them.

Y/n slowly lowered Ville’s body slowly, her eyes not breaking from Gustav’s. She slowly stepped in front of her friends. Gustav walked forward Maja at his heel growling softly, baring her razor pearly teeth.

“Head towards the Sanctuary, I’ll meet you at the cliffs.” Niko stared at her, pity in his eyes. The brittleness of her voice seemed to become apparent. Her hand slowly raised to her necklace, her armor melted over her skin in a moonlight sliver color. Gustav yelled a command at Maja and she charged forward. 

“ꌗꀤ꓄!” Y/n yelled, piercing through the silence. Maja whined softly, sitting down upon Y/n’s side. Gustav glared sharply at her as the others quickly left. Isla remained behind staring at Y/n. With a disappointment sigh she left. 

“ꀤ ꀘꈤꍟꅏ ꀤ ꅏꍏꌗ ꋪꀤꁅꃅ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꌃꍟ ꌗꀎꌗꉣꀤꉓꀤꂦꀎꌗ ꂦꎇ ꌩꂦꀎ… ꌃꀎ꓄ ꈤꍟꃴꍟꋪ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꃅꍏꃴꍟ ꀤꂵꍏꁅꀤꈤꍟꀸ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ.” He breathed. His eyes bore cruelly into her eyes. Y/n couldn’t speak, her words were lodged in her throat. She felt like a sildroher, stripped bare of her song.

No mate to sing in harmony with, no one to help control her song. She couldn’t breathe under his hatful gaze. 

“ꀤ ꀸꀤꀸꈤ’꓄ ꅏꍏꈤ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꃅꀎꋪ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ… ꈤꂦꈤꍟ ꂦꎇ ꀎꌗ ꀸꀤꀸ.” Gustav scoffed creeping towards her, his axe in hand. From her back she pulled a large sword as she began to circle Gustav.

“ꀸꀤꀸꈤ’꓄ ꅏꍏꈤ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꃅꀎꋪ꓄ ꀎꌗ? ꒒ꀤꀘꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ’ꃴꍟ ꃅꀎꋪ꓄ ꃴꀤ꒒꒒ꍟ? ꂵꌩ ꅏꀤꎇꍟ?” Y/n sharpened her brows, her teeth gritting. 

“ꀤ’ꀸ ꈤꍟꃴꍟꋪ ꃅꀎꋪ꓄ ꈤꂦꋪꍏ, ꌗꃅꍟ ꅏꍏꌗ ꀘꀤꈤꀸ. ꈤꂦ ꂦꈤꍟ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꀘꀤꈤꀸ ꀸꍟꌗꍟꋪꃴꍟꀸ ꓄ꂦ ꀸꀤꍟ. ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꉣꍟꂦꉣ꒒ꍟ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꎇꀤꈤꀸ ꃅꍟꋪ, ꍏꌗ꒒ꍟꍟꉣ ꌃꌩ ꍏ ꓄ꋪꍟꍟ.”

“ꀤ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꎇꀤꈤꀸ ꃅꍟꋪ ꍏꈤꀸ ꁅꀤꃴꍟ ꃅꍟꋪ ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꃅꍟꍏꀸ.”

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꒒ꍟꍏꃴꍟ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꅏꂦꂦꀸ ꓄ꂦꈤꀤꁅꃅ꓄.” Her threat held no question, not an ounce of doubt. Ville’s blood soaked the snow as they circled. 

“ꍏ꒒꒒ ꂦꎇ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꎇꂦꋪ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꋪꀤꈤꁅ?” Gustav mocked motioning his axe toward the corpse. 

“꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꋪꀤꈤꁅ ꀤꌗ ꌗꍏꉓꋪꍟꀸ, ꀤ꓄ ꌃꍟ꒒ꂦꈤꁅꌗ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꀎꌗ.” Y/n attempted to justify. The ring was made for their saint, it would help balance light. They couldn’t hunt an amplifier for them, but they could give their saint this. 

Egon would praise her willingness to her saint. Her faith was strong and her faithfulness in him reminded him that she was his ꒒ꀤꈤꃅꂦ꒒ꂵꍟꋪꋪꍟ. Egon could feel his soul would swell with pride whenever she successfully completed a task.

“ꀤ꓄’ꌗ ꎇꍏꀘꍟ.” Y/n froze, she became stiffer than the trees around. Stiffer than Ville as he laid in his crimson. Her hands shock around her sword, her feet digging into the ground. 

“ꅏꃅꍏ꓄…?”

Ville drew his axe back, sighing softly looking at Maja. She sat on the ground, her fur coated in snow. The terror rested on Y/n’s face, the color left her face quickly then ice could freeze over a lake. Gustav watched her hands tremble against her sword, the moon casting against her. 

“ꅏꍟ ꅏꍟꋪꍟ ꁅꀤꎇ꓄ꍟꀸ ꍏ ꋪꍟꉣ꒒ꀤꉓꍏ ꌩꍟꍏꋪꌗ ꍏꁅꂦ ꌃꌩ ꍏ ꎇꋪꀤꍟꈤꀸ. ꃅꍟ ꍟꈤ꓄ꋪꀎꌗ꓄ꍟꀸ ꂵꍟ ꓄ꂦ ꃅꀤꀸꍟ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꋪꍟꍏ꒒ ꂦꈤꍟ. ꅏꃅꍟꈤ ꃅꍟ ꌃꍟ꓄ꋪꍏꌩꍟꀸ ꀎꌗ, ꃅꍟ ꅏꂦꋪꍟ ꍏꋪꂵꂦꋪ ꀤꌗ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꉓꂦ꒒ꂦꋪ ꂦꎇ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꌗꀎꈤ.”

Egon…

His armor was the only that was the pure color of the sun. Only the Lord Helios and his kin were permitted to wear the color of the Saint. 

“ꌩꂦꀎ’ꋪꍟ ꒒ꌩꀤꈤꁅ!” Y/n screamed her hand fumbling around her sword. Egon was the Lord Helios, he’d left his life as a ꀸꋪüꌗꀘꍟ꒒꒒ꍟ. Gustav stared at Y/n his eyes dull. 

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꉣꂦꂦꋪ ꉓꃅꀤ꒒ꀸ, ꌗꂦ ꂦꌃꍟꀸꀤꍟꈤ꓄ ꍏꈤꀸ ꌗꂦ ꌃ꒒ꀤꈤꀸ.” Gustav said. Y/n felt the tears pour down her face leaving red marks in their wake. Y/n dropped her sword.

“ꌗꃅꀎ꓄ ꀎꉣ!” Y/n yelled. Her knees buckled and hits the cold frost bellow her. Her arms clutched her quaking frame. Gustav moved forward, gently running his hands through her hair. Gustav was careful to avoid the comb that Ville placed in her hair. 

Maja wander over to the bawling Y/n nuzzling her nose into Y/n’s stomach. She shudders and she wraps her arms around Maja. 

“ꌩꂦꀎ ꉣꂦꂦꋪ ꁅꀤꋪ꒒, ꎇꂦꋪ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꉣꍏꌗ꓄ ꓄ꅏꂦ ꂵꂦꈤ꓄ꃅꌗ ꀤ’ꃴꍟ ꉓꍏꋪꍟꀸ ꎇꂦꋪ ꌩꂦꀎ. ꒒ꂦꃴꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ, ꍏꈤꀸ ꉣꋪꍏꀤꌗꍟꀸ ꀸꀭꍟ꒒ ꎇꂦꋪ ꌗꍟꈤꀸꀤꈤꁅ ꂵꍟ ꌗꀎꉓꃅ ꍏ ꁅꀤꎇ꓄. ꌃꀎ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏꋪꍟ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꋪꍟꍏꀸꌩ ꓄ꂦ ꌃꍟ ꂵꌩ ꁅꀤꎇ꓄. ꈤꂦ꓄ ꌩꍟ꓄.” He uttered. He knelt down, gently taking her face into his large hands.

“ꂦꈤꍟ ꀸꍏꌩ ꌩꂦꀎ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꎇꀤꈤꀸ ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꅏꍏꌩ ꌃꍏꉓꀘ ꓄ꂦ ꀎꌗ… ꍏꈤꀸ ꅏꃅꍟꈤ ꌩꂦꀎ ꀸꂦ ꅏꍟ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꌃꍟ ꅏꍏꀤ꓄ꀤꈤꁅ ꎇꂦꋪ ꌩꂦꀎ.” Gustav expressed a gently kiss to Y/n’s forehead. After a few moments he stood and began to walk away. Maja moved to follow but Gustav shook his head gently. 

And just like that he was gone. Maja nudged at her side, pushing her to leave. She picked up her sword, took one last look at Ville’s corpse and was gone with the snow.

………………….

The journey back to the sanctuary was long and spend in silence. No one spoke unless they needed to. Y/n’s eyes wouldn’t cease there production of tears. Her face long since gone irritated, the ring heavy around her neck. 

Maja walked in front of all the children, growling softly at Kheli, Niko, and Zan. By the time they reached the edge of the fold other Helios stood at the entrance awaiting them. 

They stared down at the young children, their eyes dull. There armor glistening under the sun, there helmets make each Helios look more frightening to most children. Y/n kept her gaze down as Maja growled at each Helios. Her teeth were bared, her eyes blood eyes sharp. 

“꒒ꀤꈤꃅꂦ꒒ꂵꍟꋪꋪꍟ, how did your journey fair?” Egon’s voice quipped. Y/n raised her chin, her face full of red lines, her eyes seemed more grey then white at the moment, and her lip wobbled oh so slightly. 

Her fingers shakes as she dropped the fake ring into Egon’s hands. His eyes moved to Maja for a moment. 

“ꀤ꓄’ꌗ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꎇꍏꀘꍟ ꂦꈤꍟ, ꀤ ꃅꍏꃴꍟꈤ’꓄ ꓄ꂦ꒒ꀸ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꂦ꓄ꃅꍟꋪ.” Egon nodded his head at her. He gently placed his hand on the back of her neck. His lips gently brushed against her forehead. He rested there head together, breathing in the earth smell of her hair. 

"Be careful child... Just because you are winning does not mean you've won." Egon whispered against her forehead. 

Divider create goes to @astralnymphh