At first the strain was tremendous, like pushing over a boulder twice one's size. Eivlys strained and struggled as she pushed for both of them to change. It was not her own form that caused the source of her discomfort, the baby's presence made the change all the more difficult for the both of them and the baby shrieked and thrashed in pain.
The old crone threw her head back and she herself cried out as the three of them willed the change to happen. Without warning, the tension and the struggle eased. The baby's legs glowed and transformed into the chubby legs of a human child. The fire behind them shot a torrent of greenish sparks into the sky and the baby grew quiet and fell nearly immediately asleep from exhaustion from her ordeal.
For a few flickers, the crone's eyes burned with green fire, and she continuously mumbled something alien and incoherent to the darkness. She clenched her withered fist and shook it at the shadows as she chanted her unknown litany. Finally, after some time, she relaxed and slumped down, feeling the effects of such a trial. She coughed several times and spat blackish, green ichor to the side.
"Good." Was all she said.
Eivlys : consequences of rebellion
It was painful, and she thought she may not be able to do it. It was almost too great a task to change them both. She could not give up, she could not fail the child. The child would die in that form, not to mention what the old crone would do.
Then she was through, and she and the baby had a new form. The wings on her back folded down against her back and she cradled the sleeping child close. Her skin took on a green color from the sparks and flame, now a soft unnatural white, even paler then her skin normally. She felt the warmth of the child against her bare skin in the dark night, remembering the cottage.
She looked at the ground where the old woman spat. “What are you? How did you find me?†She asked, looking at the old woman, studying her eyes. “You are not a mortal, not like the humans and the adhiel. They do not see the world we see. You know the world that is and not the illusion that they fool themselves with.†She stroked the child’s head looking down at it. “I have seen it, at the grove, everything, alive and full of energy. Changing, and moving and magical, a world made from liquid and spirit, no shape or form but what it needs be at the time.â€
She shrugged to herself. “You may look to be an old women, I do not think you are.†She looked back at the child. “I was raised a human, but I am not one.â€
She focused again, for the final change, from the swanmaid form, to the human form. She looked at the child, focusing her mind, ready for the push this time. She was ready to feel the resistance and to make the change. Once ready, she started to return to her human form, with her feathered cloak over her shoulders, and the baby in hers.
Then she was through, and she and the baby had a new form. The wings on her back folded down against her back and she cradled the sleeping child close. Her skin took on a green color from the sparks and flame, now a soft unnatural white, even paler then her skin normally. She felt the warmth of the child against her bare skin in the dark night, remembering the cottage.
She looked at the ground where the old woman spat. “What are you? How did you find me?†She asked, looking at the old woman, studying her eyes. “You are not a mortal, not like the humans and the adhiel. They do not see the world we see. You know the world that is and not the illusion that they fool themselves with.†She stroked the child’s head looking down at it. “I have seen it, at the grove, everything, alive and full of energy. Changing, and moving and magical, a world made from liquid and spirit, no shape or form but what it needs be at the time.â€
She shrugged to herself. “You may look to be an old women, I do not think you are.†She looked back at the child. “I was raised a human, but I am not one.â€
She focused again, for the final change, from the swanmaid form, to the human form. She looked at the child, focusing her mind, ready for the push this time. She was ready to feel the resistance and to make the change. Once ready, she started to return to her human form, with her feathered cloak over her shoulders, and the baby in hers.
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The old woman seemed poised to answer Eivlys' questions when the young woman began changing again. She held her tongue and waited for the swanmaiden to finish.
This time, with the child sleeping, and the added experience of knowing what to do and what to expect, the change came much easier. There was still a difficult push to get both of them to change, but the lack of the child's resistance made it less challenging. Once they had both been changed, Eivlys could feel the sag and pull of exhaustion in her bones. The energy she had just expended had been tremendous.
The old crone looked on, her milky eye staring like some sort of odd egg pointed at Eivlys.
"There are many things I am, many things I was, and many things I am to become youngling. Much as you, I am more than what can be seen with naked eye."
The woman stirred herself up, looking intently at the sleeping child.
"I came to bear witness to the rebirth of Aetya, who you now hold in you bony little arms. Aetya is a warrior, a poet, a shaman and a most hated enemy. Her's is a destiny greater than you can possibly imagine. I had to come to be sure she was set upon the path to destruction."
This time, with the child sleeping, and the added experience of knowing what to do and what to expect, the change came much easier. There was still a difficult push to get both of them to change, but the lack of the child's resistance made it less challenging. Once they had both been changed, Eivlys could feel the sag and pull of exhaustion in her bones. The energy she had just expended had been tremendous.
The old crone looked on, her milky eye staring like some sort of odd egg pointed at Eivlys.
"There are many things I am, many things I was, and many things I am to become youngling. Much as you, I am more than what can be seen with naked eye."
The woman stirred herself up, looking intently at the sleeping child.
"I came to bear witness to the rebirth of Aetya, who you now hold in you bony little arms. Aetya is a warrior, a poet, a shaman and a most hated enemy. Her's is a destiny greater than you can possibly imagine. I had to come to be sure she was set upon the path to destruction."
Last edited by Vanadius on Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
She sighed, not really wanting to go to sleep, not yet. She still had some soup cooking in the cabin. She had to get back to that. She would eat, and then she would sleep, she decided. She and the child could spend the day at the pond, and then travel come night fall. She would make a sling, perhaps from some of the torn bed sheets.
She looked at the old woman. “That is a terrible thing to say, to wish a child destruction.†She said back with a bit more spite then she had anticipated. “Who is it that would hate a child? Who is Aetya?†She stood slowly, keeping her cloak around her and the baby covered and warm. “If she is so great, and her destiny great, then why is she hated? Please, you must take back this curse from the child. I beg you, please remove it from her head. She is already cursed to only live half a life.†She sighed looking down at the sleeping bundle and she could not see any being worth hating. It was a baby, pure and innocent.
She knew the old woman would not lift it, or if she did the cost would be high. The old woman was not human, and she could tell this more and more. Did the child have a mother, if so, where was she? Or was the child simply created from the fire, and the music. She remembered the music.
She felt the chill of the night even more now, thinking about what she may be in the presence of.
“Please, explain this, old croon, explain? Why is the fate of this child so horrible?†She asked finally.
She looked at the old woman. “That is a terrible thing to say, to wish a child destruction.†She said back with a bit more spite then she had anticipated. “Who is it that would hate a child? Who is Aetya?†She stood slowly, keeping her cloak around her and the baby covered and warm. “If she is so great, and her destiny great, then why is she hated? Please, you must take back this curse from the child. I beg you, please remove it from her head. She is already cursed to only live half a life.†She sighed looking down at the sleeping bundle and she could not see any being worth hating. It was a baby, pure and innocent.
She knew the old woman would not lift it, or if she did the cost would be high. The old woman was not human, and she could tell this more and more. Did the child have a mother, if so, where was she? Or was the child simply created from the fire, and the music. She remembered the music.
She felt the chill of the night even more now, thinking about what she may be in the presence of.
“Please, explain this, old croon, explain? Why is the fate of this child so horrible?†She asked finally.
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"You are gentle and pure girl. That is why you don't understand and why my words would fall upon deaf ears. Many years have come and gone. Many lives destroyed by wars and fires and destruction and chaos."
A milky eye stared at Eivlys. There was a rage there, simmering just beneath the surface.
"The curse remains. It is up to her to rail against it and up to her to defy it. And that falls to you if you wish to defend her. I brought us here for your help. I brought her here because she was in pain and needed someone like you. Now you stand before me and question that?"
The old crone gathered the loose folds of her voluminous robe about her and stood. A withered hand dropped a bag at the feet of Eivlys.
"For your trouble."
She held out her arms and waited expectantly for Eivlys to hand over the child.
A milky eye stared at Eivlys. There was a rage there, simmering just beneath the surface.
"The curse remains. It is up to her to rail against it and up to her to defy it. And that falls to you if you wish to defend her. I brought us here for your help. I brought her here because she was in pain and needed someone like you. Now you stand before me and question that?"
The old crone gathered the loose folds of her voluminous robe about her and stood. A withered hand dropped a bag at the feet of Eivlys.
"For your trouble."
She held out her arms and waited expectantly for Eivlys to hand over the child.
Eivlys caressed the babies head slowly, still humming to it. “It is a pity many have to die, and it is sad they have to leave. But it is chaos, by and by, that brings springs new trees.†She looked at the old woman. She was withered and broken, at least on the outside, so full of hate and malice. “I do not question why you brought her to me. I know you had your reasons, and your reasons see past my own vision. You see more then I can. My mother could always see father too.â€
She paused remembering her mother. What would she do if she were here? “I want to do all I can to help. She is of my blood, and a sister to me. I do not question you, but I question fate.†She looked at the woman intently. She could very well be a fate, a think not seen or understood by mortal minds, but a thing seen by the immortal, a creature who wove time and lives together, crossing events and choosing the outcome of battles and life or death of others. Yes, she could be that very creature; she had to be something close to know she would be here, to know she would be in this house on this night.
“What do you mean, it falls to me to defy if I will defend her?†She looked at the expecting arms, holding the child just a little bit longer. “Who will defend her, if I do not?†She started to hand over the child, waiting for the answer to completely release her.
She paused remembering her mother. What would she do if she were here? “I want to do all I can to help. She is of my blood, and a sister to me. I do not question you, but I question fate.†She looked at the woman intently. She could very well be a fate, a think not seen or understood by mortal minds, but a thing seen by the immortal, a creature who wove time and lives together, crossing events and choosing the outcome of battles and life or death of others. Yes, she could be that very creature; she had to be something close to know she would be here, to know she would be in this house on this night.
“What do you mean, it falls to me to defy if I will defend her?†She looked at the expecting arms, holding the child just a little bit longer. “Who will defend her, if I do not?†She started to hand over the child, waiting for the answer to completely release her.
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"Simple girl. The curse falls to you if you choose to stand for her. There are forces here you cannot possibly imagine. Aetya has a destiny long told before you came along. I needed you to help her, and helped her you did. Now, you have a choice."
The old woman let her arms fall to her sides instead of reaching for the babe.
"You can hand that child over to me, or you can bring about Aetya's destiny by yourself. Either path is a treacherous one, full of pitfalls and traps. Your choice decides your role in these events girl."
"You can stay outside, full of loneliness and despair, but you will live long. Or, you can enter the world of men and be one with them. You will gain friends and allies, never be lonely and share things that you only dream of now, only those riches will be your downfall."
The woman cackled and wheezed.
"Choose girl. Give me the child, or turn and walk away."
The old woman let her arms fall to her sides instead of reaching for the babe.
"You can hand that child over to me, or you can bring about Aetya's destiny by yourself. Either path is a treacherous one, full of pitfalls and traps. Your choice decides your role in these events girl."
"You can stay outside, full of loneliness and despair, but you will live long. Or, you can enter the world of men and be one with them. You will gain friends and allies, never be lonely and share things that you only dream of now, only those riches will be your downfall."
The woman cackled and wheezed.
"Choose girl. Give me the child, or turn and walk away."
She closed her eyes. She did not like humans, not anymore, not since what she had been through. They were cold and mean spirited, selfish and cruel. Could she truly live with such a curse?
Her mother had married a human though; she was born from a human father. He was a good man, strong and caring and compassionate. He would have given up his life to spare her, he would have sacrificed to save Eivlys.
She pulled the baby close to her breast and looked at the woman. “I will take her fate, gladly, if it will free her from it.†She bent down and picked up her clothing and turned. She steeled herself, making sure she would not falter as she walked away. She needed to be strong, or at least look that way. She took her first few steps, then continued, back to the house. The soup would be ready and she would need to feed the baby, that is if the baby could eat solid food.
She may have to find a town fast, to find a wet-nurse to feed the child. So much needed to be done, and she did not even know what she had gotten herself into. She had just chosen a path that would lead to her death. She looked at the sleeping babe and sighed, she had to choose it, there was no choice. “Aetya, sleep long and peacefully, your life is your own. I wish I knew more about you, sleepy Tya, but we will have a long time to find out about each other.â€
Once free of the stand of trees, she will go back to the house to eat.
Her mother had married a human though; she was born from a human father. He was a good man, strong and caring and compassionate. He would have given up his life to spare her, he would have sacrificed to save Eivlys.
She pulled the baby close to her breast and looked at the woman. “I will take her fate, gladly, if it will free her from it.†She bent down and picked up her clothing and turned. She steeled herself, making sure she would not falter as she walked away. She needed to be strong, or at least look that way. She took her first few steps, then continued, back to the house. The soup would be ready and she would need to feed the baby, that is if the baby could eat solid food.
She may have to find a town fast, to find a wet-nurse to feed the child. So much needed to be done, and she did not even know what she had gotten herself into. She had just chosen a path that would lead to her death. She looked at the sleeping babe and sighed, she had to choose it, there was no choice. “Aetya, sleep long and peacefully, your life is your own. I wish I knew more about you, sleepy Tya, but we will have a long time to find out about each other.â€
Once free of the stand of trees, she will go back to the house to eat.
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The old woman snatched up her bag and clutched the severed foot around her throat.
"Make your stand girl. But know this. This isn't the last you will see of me. You are now thrice cursed to suffer the same fate as Aetya. When we again meet, it will not be under as pleasant of circumstances..."
The old crone cackled and laughed as Eivlys walked away, the shrill sounds of her sinister mirth echoing all around them.
Aetya was a pleasant child now, sleeping and content to snuggle against the woman who now shared her fate. Back at the house, the soup bubbled and boiled and seemed to be ready. Before, those four walls seemed desolate and bare, but now with Aetya, they were a little more cozy, a little more homey, a little more comfortable.
"Make your stand girl. But know this. This isn't the last you will see of me. You are now thrice cursed to suffer the same fate as Aetya. When we again meet, it will not be under as pleasant of circumstances..."
The old crone cackled and laughed as Eivlys walked away, the shrill sounds of her sinister mirth echoing all around them.
Aetya was a pleasant child now, sleeping and content to snuggle against the woman who now shared her fate. Back at the house, the soup bubbled and boiled and seemed to be ready. Before, those four walls seemed desolate and bare, but now with Aetya, they were a little more cozy, a little more homey, a little more comfortable.
“Sleep well little one.†She said as she tried to put the words of the witch out of her mind. Thrice cursed, that would be bad, very bad, she wanted to kick herself for having taken the child. She held the girl close to her thin white body, wondering how she would protect such a treasure.
As she entered the cabin, however, she looked at the child, then the home, and sighed. “We will get moving tomorrow night, stay here during the day.†She set the baby down and served up some soup. Wrapping some of her skirt around her hand she pulled the pot off the fire and set it on the ground. She served up a bowl and ate while the child slept.
She watched the night through one of the windows, looking at the sky and the stars. The next day she would help the babe change with the dawn and they would spend it in the pond, but for now, she was alone with the night. If she was cursed, she would do all she could to change fate, break the curse. There had to be a way to break the curse, and she would find it.
As she entered the cabin, however, she looked at the child, then the home, and sighed. “We will get moving tomorrow night, stay here during the day.†She set the baby down and served up some soup. Wrapping some of her skirt around her hand she pulled the pot off the fire and set it on the ground. She served up a bowl and ate while the child slept.
She watched the night through one of the windows, looking at the sky and the stars. The next day she would help the babe change with the dawn and they would spend it in the pond, but for now, she was alone with the night. If she was cursed, she would do all she could to change fate, break the curse. There had to be a way to break the curse, and she would find it.
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