Chapter 1
“They say she’s eight feet tall, and she rides on an animal that’s more beast that horse.”
“Granddad, no she’s not.” The child giggled as she played in front of the hearth with dolly’s so worn they’d become faceless over the years, a small detail that didn’t bother the child any.
“Eyes as black as night-“ he whispered as the flames cracked on, “teeth sharpened into razor points-“ the child finally looked up to her elder as he lunged for her with twitching fingers itching to amuse the little one, “and claws as big as butcher knives!” he howled while the child squealed with laughter and mirth as he attacked her with trembling fingers and laughter in his eyes, tickling her sides until she collapsed in giggles.
“Granddad that’s just a story!” the little girl howled as she smacked at his hands laughing.
“No no my dear. You must believe it. You are capable of such great things, just like her.” He smiled as the little girl stared up at him with bright blue eyes, so youthful and full of life. Something he was quickly running out of.
“Father!” Suzanne hissed as she stormed in from the doing dishes having heard the tail end of their conversation. “We talked about this, stop filling her head with lies and fantasies.”
“You don’t know this Sue-“
“Yes I do, look at the world we live in now pa. How many times do we have to discuss this, this is the third time this week.” she hissed angrily, scooping up the little girl as she brushed her fingers through the doll’s straw hair, the toddler having no inclination of what her family was arguing over. “She will never have a chance out there. This isn’t the glory days, she’ll be persecuted, not celebrated.”
“Times are changing girl, have some faith.” He sighed as the smile slowly slipped from his face while settling down into the chair in front of the fire. Without the grin, he seems twice his age and feeling every year he had watched pass. “Once upon a time, they were gods. Gifts to this earth-“
“And now they’re beaten in the streets and starved like dogs.” She spat as her three older sons walked in from their evening chores following dinner. “She cannot leave this farm father and you know that. Who knows what will happen to her if she does.”
“You could head North. You know what they say-“
“With what dad?! We have nothing to go with, what could possibly be out there for us?”
“A life Suzanne, a better life than the one you have here!”
“There is no life there-“
“There’s no life here for you! Look at you. Elizabeth will never marry here, she’ll never know love, or a job, or a life outside of this farm. Is this all you want for her? And what about when you’re gone? Who will she have then? Her brothers won’t be here for that, you can’t put this on them. They have lives they have to live!” he exclaimed. “Times are changing Suzanne, you’ve heard what they did for that girl in the capital. They let her command their armies! If they let her do that now, think of what could come for our people. The freedom this could give Elizabeth!”
“You can’t honestly believe this to be true father.”
“You’ve heard what they’re saying now, don’t lie.”
“It’s true ma-“ her second oldest chimed as he wiped his face free of dirt on a cloth she’d left for them to clean up with.
“You bite your tongue Matthew.”
“It’s all over town, across the county. They made her commander, one of Elizabeth’s kind.” Her oldest offered as she rocked the little girl in her arms back and forth, desperate to cling on to any serenity she had before the debate took over her household.
“They said she’s turned the tides of war already, that she was raised by the king. If he can accept one of them then times must surely be changing. She’s going to change things ma-“
“That girl is nothing but a weapon wielded by a cowardly selfish king and you all know it!” She hissed. “It’s cruel of you to put these thoughts in your sister’s head, this commander or whoever she is is a pawn being used by the king, just like your father was. She’ll be slaughtered for a fool’s game just like the rest of them. And that will never change.” Suzanne spat at the boys as she climbed the stairs to the upper attic to put her youngest daughter to bed, cursing the world they lived in… and how cruel it could be too its inhabitants.
It had been an impossible three years. She took a moment at the top of the ladder to collect herself as her only daughter tugged at one of her stray hairs. After the loss of her husband in the last war, and trying to feed three growing boys, the last thing Suzanne expected was to lock eyes with a baby girl who was cursed.
A baby who would never be accepted into this world.
A baby that would never make it in the world they lived in.
“Mommy why were you and Granddad fighting?” the little voice broke her mother’s heart as she tucked her youngest into bed.
“We weren’t fighting baby, just disagreeing.”
“I don’t like it when you yell mama.”
“I’m sorry little one, we won’t yell anymore okay?” she smiled as she tucked a piece of raven hair behind the little girl’s ear, watching as she’d already started to nod off.
She had watched the brutality of the world take lives faster than she cared to admit, and no one, not even a legendary commander could change that.
Tears filled Suzanne’s eyes as Elizabeth’s small eyes fluttered shut and her head fell to the side, showcasing a display of what looked like black vines that danced across her skin up her neck towards her ear. A beautiful design that reminded Sue of ivy.
A mark that laid out a four-year old’s entire future.
A mark that differentiated her from everyone else as cursed.
