Highlander's Conquest

Goddess

Beforehand...

Eva felt her body floating in utter darkness; her eyes were closed. Even with losing slight consciousness, the young woman couldn't help being in peace. She slowly opened her eyes, and it was nothing but darkness in her surroundings. The young woman couldn't help but notice that she was floating within the darkness.

To her surprise, she felt unafraid; Eva found comfort in the darkness. "Where am I? What happened?"

"Ye are in the stage between life and death, young maiden," said a soft feminine voice.

Eva flinched as she looked around, but there was nothing. As she turned her face forward, a light was apparent before her. The light then turned into a feminine figure. It was a woman. She was tall with an average physical appearance, her face as light as the moon with slight freckles on her cheeks. Her eyes were light green that glowed in the darkness; her blond orange hair was curly and so long that it reached her feet. She wore a long and see-through light pink dress with plant vines as decorations.

Eva had to admit that the woman was beautiful, but she held an aura that demanded respect. "Wh-Who are you?"

The woman looked at her; she smiled. "Tis wonderful to meet ye in the flesh, young maiden. Ye may not know me or my story, but I am Aine. In the Celtic religion, I am the Goddess of Love, Summer, Fertility and..." The young Goddess was a bit thoughtful. "I can go on, but time is at the essence. Do ye remember what happened to ye?"

Eva was shocked. She couldn't believe that she was looking at a goddess. So many questions were in her mind. So much so that she didn't hear Aine's question. "Wait, you say that you're a goddess. Why should I trust you? How can I know that you are what you say you are?"

Aine let out a sigh. "Look down on yer chest."

Eva did as Aine told her; her eyes were wide as if there was a hole in her chest and heart. "What in the!? How did this-!?" That was when the memories came to her.

The tournament.

Sword Fighting.

The strange man.

The bow and arrow.

"As I said before, young maiden, ye are in the life and death stage. However, since ye want proof that I am a goddess, this is my act." Aine extended her hand to Eva's chest. A light pink light glowed and closed the wound.

"What?" Eva touched her chest; the hole was gone. "I-I don't understand?"

"It is alright, young maiden. Everythin' will make sense in due time. However, there is not much time left. I know ye have many questions. Ye wonderin' how you arrived in this time and era. It was I that brought ye here."

Eva was still for a moment. She did feel anger and curiosity. "Why?" 

"Tis a long story, but I knew Callum's mother to cut things short. Her name was Cara. She has worshipped me since she was a child. Cara initially was from Ireland but arrived in Scotland for an arranged marriage to Callum's father. Callum's father was not a good and faithful man."

Eva listened intently.

"Cara suffered much hardship in the marriage, but she was filled with love and hope when Callum was born. She still worshiped me when she could. Her husband never agreed with her beliefs. He would punish her if he caught her praying to me or the other gods and goddesses. All the mistreatment made Cara ill. My heart went for her. I appeared before her and promised her a single wish before going to the afterlife."

"What was her wish?"

"All that she wanted was her son to know and feel love. She feared that Callum would be like his father. That was her only wish."

Eva was thoughtful for a moment. "So, you brought me to the past. Why me?"

"Ye had a good heart and soul. True ye may have faults, but that is the nature of ye humans. However, yer soul was strong; I knew ye were the right one. That is why I let ye find Callum's journal."

"Wait, journal?" She remembered the book from the museum, which led her to this time and era. "So that was his journal!"

"Aye, it was the easiest way to bring ye here. Before arriving in his era, it was as just Cara feared; Callum became like his father even onto his death. However, I had a promise to keep, and I brought ye here from yer time to the past. Tis a risk that I took for the future may change. Now ye know."

It was silent between the two women. Eva didn't know what to think or feel anymore. Now she knew why she was in her particular situation. "So all this for Callum? I don't even like him! He treated me like a slave! You wasted your time!"

Aine smiled. "Ye think that. That moment was his time of death, but ye stopped it. History is now changed by that action alone. Why did ye save him from death?"

Eva didn't know what to say. "I-I don't know."

"Well, ye will live and eventually find out why ye have done so. Ye must return. Ye have people waitin' for ye."

"Wait, I have one more question."

"Aye?"

"Will...Will I ever return home? To my time?"

Aine was quiet for a bit but then smiled. "It will eventually be yer choice. It will only be a matter of time. We will see one another again; I promise ye that." The Goddess disappeared.

Eva tried to call out for her but felt a tight pull. Everything was going fast.

Everything was dark until Eva felt something on her forehead.

She opened her eyes.