Chapter 12

We halted as we came to the watch tower, and the guards took our horses as we dismounted. I watched Mother confer with them before nodding to herself and gesturing for me to follow. We walked the short distance to the shrine, and Mother halted outside and turned to me.

“Remember, one day, it will be you performing these greetings.”

She didn’t need to tell me what that meant. I was supposed to watch and learn, just as she always wanted me to do. She turned without another word, and I followed her inside. A group of people sat by the table at the fire, and I instantly recognised Breck and Terwen. It had been such a long time since I saw them, and I had to keep myself from running over to them to throw my arms around them. Mother would never forgive such an action.

Mother soared over to the table, not giving our visitors a glance until she halted on the other side of the fire and sat down. I followed her, halting by her side. The guards had only said that strangers had arrived with Breck, but now, as I saw them, I realised they were more than that—two women and a child, each one from tribes that should never socialise. Even worst, one of the women was from the enemy nation.

I glanced at Mother. She frowned, obviously having noticed them as well, but she turned to Breck.

“I welcome you yet again, Hadarims. May our friendship bloom, as it has done in the past.”

He bowed in reply, and I thought I saw him glancing at the passengers. Mother turned to them, watching them in silence until I almost wondered if she would simply walk out without even saying anything. In the end, she turned to the Aurelion woman and said,

“You, citizen of Aurelion, are welcome here. Our nations share friendship, and I’ve offered refuge to many of your people.”

She turned to the child.

“And so is the child. She is innocent of her Father’s deeds.”

The room fell silent for a moment before she turned to the Zarvān woman and frowned. She wouldn’t be let in, I knew it. I felt sad for them, knowing that they would split up.

“A traitor to this world, daring to seek shelter with people who have died at your sword.”

The woman looked down.

“Be gone. You will find no shelter here.”

Mother stood up, preparing to leave, and I glanced at the strangers. They almost seemed like a family, even though they were so different. I wished they didn’t have to separate. Wait… Wasn’t there..? I thought back to what Martha had once told me about our old customs.

“The gods can offer their mercy”

Mother halted and stared at me. I had overstepped the line, but it is what I would have said if I were High Lady. The priest could offer to mediate and channel the wisdom of the Gods. I continued,

“The gods brought them here for a reason. Let them decide”.

Mother scowled, but I knew she couldn’t refuse calling on the old customs. I could feel the tension growing in the air, but Mother suddenly smiled.

“Yes. Let the Gods decide, just like our ancestors did before us. Trial by combat.”