Heretics

Chapter 39: Three Goddesses

      "He told me to keep you here." Ivan said standing in my way. I was headed out the door to accompany Aleksander and some grisha is capturing Alina and Mal in Ferjdah

      "Like hell. I'm not staying here Ivan so move or knock me out." I stood my ground continuing to try and push past him. He sighed and moved out of my way.

      "I'm so loosing my job because of you." He rolled his eyes and I looped my arm through his pulling him along the corridors.

      "We're going to be late Ivan. I am not missing this. Plus none of you know where to go. So pick up the pace turtle."

     "Turtle? I'm in a red kefta!" He seemed so hurt by my comment and when he looked at me with a grin I knew he was acting and we burst into laughter. As we ran well more like I hobbled and he held onto my arm, down the halls towards the door.

      We stopped and caught our breath before Ivan pushed the door open. I paused and took a deep breath and felt the sunlight touch my skin. I relished in it for a moment, just allowing it to warm me before I stepped out.

Aleksander was waiting for me by the carriage and I walked up to him holding my hands out for him to grasp. I smiled at him. I was in an usually good mood.

     I stood like that a moment. Just hands clasped tightly in his just looking at him. Memorizing him for we would be traveling to Ferjdah. I could already feel the cold nipping at my toes and we hadn't even left yet.

      "Shouldn't we be leaving?" I questioned as I tightened my hands around his. His fingers and hands were warm for once. Usually they left goosebumps along my skin and made me shiver in the night.

     "I don't want you to go." The concern for me melted in his eyes as he brought a hand to my face.

     "Aleksander-"

      "You're not going. I will not have you there in that cold with my daughter." He was stern and for a moment I was truly shocked.

      "Alright. I'll meet you at the fold then." I left a kiss on his cheek and backed away from the travelers. He bowed before me and climbed a top his horse. In moments they were gone.

     Usually I would have put of more of a fight but I was exhausted. I had giddy and happy but exhausted. There was a tiredness in my bones that I couldn't shake. An aching in my muscles that wouldn't subside.

     I placed a hand against my belly when I felt the baby kick. She was already so big. She would grow to be a strong leader and maybe even a queen. I would teach her to be modest and kind but brutal and undeniable. She would be fierce and strong but beautiful and gentle. She would be the person that peasants wished to be in their dreams. She would be the thing to plumage her enemies and haunt their dreams and nightmares. There every waking minute.

      My thoughts were cut short by a horrible stabbing pain in my stomach. I screamed and fell to my knees holding out my other hand for anything to grab. My hand found a kefta and I grabbed it and held with everything in me.

      "YELNA!" Someone yelled but I was to busy staring at the blood that was pooling between my legs. I felt weak. My whole body had lost control. I was no longer there in this moment. I was fighting for my life. I was fighting the baby growing inside me. I was winning but she was loosing.

     "Save the baby." I begged pulling Ivan closer to me. He picked me up and rushed me into the little palace. He ran. I felt his heart race and heard his heavy breaths against my ear. I was becoming dizzy. The world around me was swimming.

       "Aleks..." I trailed off. My world was black now. The only thing I understood was the healers speaking.

      "It's her or the baby."

      "It's killing her!"

      "He will kill us if she dies."

     The room went quite after that and I slipped into dreams or rather nightmares. Thoughts plagued with blood and death. I stood atop a pile of corpses. A sword in hand blood ran down my arm and the hilt of the sword covering it in a crimson red color.

      There was laughing. A horrible deep laughter that echoed around the walls closing around me. I stood tall. Shoulders square and my breathing heavy but even. I stood atop the pile of bodies like a mad queen. A twisted crown circled my head in a beautiful Thorne pattern.

      "This is the price." A disembodied voice travelled through the space. The bodies and blood disappeared from everything. I was now in a black room. A blue hanging light being the only source of light in the room.

      "The price?" My voice was hard, demanding. I wanted answers and I was going to get them but this didn't feel like me. This felt like the person I had never wanted to be. The person I had been trying so hard to suppress.

      "For your rein. This is the price. The bodies, the rivers and lakes will run with the blood of all those you cut down before you." This was a different voice now. But it sounded closer somehow. No longer echoing in the space.

     "My rein?"

      "If you are going to repeat everything we say then we won't say it. Figure it out." Three beautiful woman walked in front of me from the shadows.

      One clad in an all black dress, floor length. It looked tattered but in a way that was purposeful. Her hair was silver like the sword I had been holding only moments earlier. Her eyes were a smoking black. A hood attached to the collar of the dress was placed around her face which framed it perfectly.

     The second was very tall woman dressed in a shimmering blue gown. Tight fitting and beautiful. The neckline dropped just enough. The sleeves had gloves that had been made into it. She flowed with a power energy surrounding her and her eyes were a clear beautiful blue.

       The last was dressed in gold. Her dress was similar to the one I had worn to the Winter Fete. Beautiful gold that lined her bodice. It looked as if the dress was a part of her body. The way it showed certain parts on skin and then vanished smoothly into her. A halo hovered above her head. Her eyes glowed gold and sparked danced around her like fog.

      "They mean well." The one in gold started to speak. "I have come to warn you. She has come to claim a life. And my beautiful sister in blue has come to tell you to be weary of your fate for not even we can tell the future."

      "Who are you?"

      The one in gold responded. "I am destiny. She is fate." She pointed to the woman in blue. "And she is death. Do not fear us for we are here for one purpose. To help you."

      "Death..." I trialed off letting this set in. "You will not have Scarlet Rose. I will not let you have her."

      "I'm afraid it's to late for that. She has since passed from this world. She passed yesterday at midnight. I am sorry for your loss." Death walked closer to me and pulled me into a tight hug. I was frozen in time.

      "Quickly now we don't have much time. Fate say your piece." Destiny pushed.

      "Your fate lies in the darkness that divides a country. Your fate will bring you to where you belong." She spine and then disappeared slowly until finally it was only me and Destiny.

     "You are destined to remain with the man you shall marry. You are destined for a throne and a blessing of two hearts in the future. Be weary for you could loose it all."

      I woke up gasping in the bed in the healers room. My body felt like it had been through a hurricane and a volcanic eruption. Every part of me was on fire and I was sore beyond belief. Ivan stood at the foot of the bed. His face said everything I needed to know.

      Death had told me the truth.