The air is fresh outside Aurora’s cottage, a sweet smell drifts throughout the village. How strange this place is… Almost normal. A lost traveler would never guess an entire coven called it home. It’s quiet at this time of night. The tavern having long closed and the children put to bed. The only sound is the soft breeze of wind gently flowing through the trees. Aurora said the moon was full tonight. Though still, not even the faintest flicker of light breaks through. My eyes drift aimlessly, wandering through the trees while my mind tries to make sense of this dream.
King Samir… I was… him… I think. I saw the events of the Rose War unfold through his eyes. I felt his feelings, heard his thoughts. But how? Why? Does The Black Rose know my true intent?
“Can’t sleep?” The voice jerks me violently from my racing thoughts and I whirl around to face its source. Aurora. She had left after dinner to meet with Nyx.
“No.” I say. Turning back to the woods. Footsteps echo into the night as she joins me at the railing. She turns and lifts herself up onto it. “So… did Nyx have anything to say about a cure?”
“No, not yet. But she has officially assigned Durin, Rhys and I as the Rose Knight’s official guard.” I let out a soft chuckle.
“Official guard. What do you think of all this?”
“I thought it a terrible idea at first. If the Rose Knight is supposed to be so powerful, why does he need a guard? But I think this is an opportunity for all of us. You get to keep on living, and I will finally be able to get the hell out of Mournewood.“ She turns to the woods, her gaze longing to see anything but what’s inside them.
“Are you really so eager to leave? There is no guarantee that we return.”
“Good. If I’m being honest, I hate it here.” She smiles playfully at me. It is strange seeing this side of her. The bright rage and hatred that burned within her has dimmed. I let out a soft chuckle. What changed? I stand from the railing, running my hand through my hair and taking a breath.
“So I’m your ticket out of here, that still does not explain why you’re being nice to me. A few hours ago you tried to burn me alive.” She rolls her eyes and lets them drift away from mine, her expression becoming guarded. She ponders her answer for a long while. Until finally sighing and pushing off the railing.
“We’d better at least try to get some rest. We’ve a long day ahead of us.”
----
The morning comes far too quickly, loud knocking rips me from sleep. I look around the blurry cottage, false sunlight beams through the windows. More knocking. Where is Aurora? I stand, trying to blink away my blurry vision and approach the door. Aurora stands on the other side, her fist hanging in the air. I look curiously at her.
“What? You wanted me to walk in on you two with your trousers down?” I smirk slowly forces its way onto my face. She rolls her eyes and pushes past me, headed towards Ivar’s cot. “Where is he?” He was always much more of a morning person than I, though I’m not sure what he would be up to this early in a place like this. I pause for a moment pretending to think as if I had some inkling to his whereabouts. Feigning disbelief I shrug. She lets out a long sigh and squeezes her eyes shut.
“Find him, and meet me at Mother’s. Quickly.”
“Rough morning?” I ask. She glares at me as she walks past, whatever softness she had found for me last night is gone.
“Just find him.”
I find Ivar in the tavern, drinking alone at the bar. He’s always been a quiet man, but he seems amiss. I take a seat next to him and ask the bartender for another round. Ivar glances over to me, then returns to his silent drink.
“Did you sleep alright? The cot seems a bit small for you.” I chuckle and lift the mug to my lips. Ivar is silent still, an unreadable expression on his face. I sit with him in the silence, allowing him to gather his thoughts.
“What did you tell her last night?” He asks.
“Nothing really.”
“You lie.” I can feel the silent anger in each word.
“Alright. Fine.” I sigh deeply, he’s not going to like this. “I told her about my family.” Ivar is a large man, but somehow his patience is larger than he is. He takes a long drink, and sets the mug down gently.
“You play a dangerous game, Soren. What if she's marked?”
“Then I’ll put a blade through her stomach.”
“So you say. But you reveal to her a secret which you do not share easily.“
“She’s saved our lives twice, and is risking her life to help me be rid of this curse… I had to tell her something.”
“Yes. Something. But what you chose to tell her, could be the reason we meet an early grave.” I look at him confused.
“What do you mean?”
“You took a gamble, with both of our lives as the bet. You seek revenge on a Black Rose witch, and still you tell one of your past. Words spread faster than fire, Soren.” His face is growing darker, anger building in him I have not seen for a long time. “So… If you are going to treat my life as a bargaining chip. I will leave you to die alone. If you want my help, do not take me for granted.” There’s pain in his voice, a deep pain I have not seen in some time. My heart aches for my friend.
“Ivar, I know it was brash… selfish even. But I need you to trus-”
“I have trusted you in the past. Trusted your feelings. But you know as well as I, people have paid the price for following them.” His hard eyes pierce my soul. A cold rage burns in them. “So I say it again. If you want my help, do not take me for granted.” I have never seen his gaze so intense, never heard his voice filled with so much anguish. I can’t do this without him, and he does not deserve to be treated this way.
“You’re right. I didn’t see it this way in the moment. I do not wish to see harm come to you, I will do as you ask.” I offer a soft smile, which he does not return. I sigh and clap a hand on his back. “Come, Aurora sent me to find you, we are to report to Nyx.”
We find Nyx sitting at her grand desk with several large tomes open, muttering to herself as she reads from each. Her eyes flicker up to us as we enter the room, breaking her trance.
“Ah, there you two are. Come, have a seat.” She waves us to two ornate chairs, opposite her. “Aurora tells me your wound has fully healed?”
“Yes, it is as if it were never there.” She smiles, proud of her daughter’s abilities.
“Good, now to business. The Black Rose communicates with me… indirectly. As such I do not have a perfect understanding and thus, the many texts before me.” She waves motions to the books on her desk. “But from my research I have gathered enough information to get you on your way.” She leans forward, resting her elbows on various tomes. “With the cult in Mournewood being far too dangerous for us to investigate. We must look outward to smaller encampments in order to gather the information we need.”
“What information are we after exactly?”
“The whereabouts of the cult leader and his lieutenants. They are the… anchors the Noxbleum is using to stay connected to the realm of the living. As such, we will need to remove them in order to both eradicate the cult from the earth and break your curse.”
“Seems our goals are aligned then.”
“It would seem.” She pauses, looking down at her desk searching for something. She scrambles through the many tomes before brushing away a space and laying a map on her desk. She points to a small piece of written text along the bank of a river.
“Oakhaven. According to my interpretations, the cult has set a foothold there. Corrupting many of the locals to its cause. As this is a rather new investment by them. The Black Rose suggests there as a starting point. I have already informed our contact of your impending arrival.”
“Are we supposed to be looking for anyone in particular?" I ask.
“You’ll know when they find you. Now, I have already briefed Aurora on the situation, you’ll find her at Durin’s shop. She will guide you to Oakhaven.” She stands and motions towards the door. I nod and we make our way to Durin’s shop.
