Love Beneath The Moon

Chapter 1 - Aurora

I would do this, Aurora had told herself a thousand times. I would do this. Now a thousand and one.

No matter how well she try to hide it, her hands were still shivering around the hilt of her sword. Whether it was the cold of the night or her beating heart, she could not tell. She would have to kill men this night after all, men she ought to make peace with. I should, she told herself one more time, there is no other way.

The longships she and her crew boarded are now a few leagues away from Vistarion's coast. She could see faint lights from the towers that guarded their coasts. Several men have lowered six boats, three on each side, their breathing calm and their actions silent. The Iceborns prepare for the attack. The largest of them looked much like her father, yet this man had a longer beard and greasy black hair. He went to the center of the longship, holding his battle axe.

"Iceborns." He said in a cold grim tone, "Here we are."

The Iceborns nodded and Aurora joined them to not draw attention. Her mask have done well to hide her face.

"Maiari will hide us in her shade, and guide us in her watchful eyes." Said the big man, one hand leaning against his battle axe, and the other gesturing towards the pale white moon. "We shall not fail. The Vistari cunts owes Hagir their blood. Tonight, we shall make them pay."

"Aye." Agreed one of them in a soft silent voice. Soon others followed, each slightly louder than the last, "Aye... Aye. Aye! Aye!"

Aurora herself did not join in with the chant. These men are loud enough by themselves and she did not want to add to the noise for the Vistaris to hear. Besides, they might recognize her voice. Her fellow Iceborns are motley group of men, old and young, all wearing thick fur from wolves and bears that hangs from their shoulders. If they finds out she came with them, they might sail her back home.

"Come. Let us soak our swords in Vistari blood!" The last word of the leader was too loud, Aurora's heart skipped a beat. But as soon as he echoed the words through the black sea, the leader jumped down to one of the boats and the others followed him.

I would do this, Aurora told herself one more time before she jumped down to the boats with the others. Maiari, protect me, she prayed looking at Maiari with her thousand beautiful gleaming stars. The moon Goddess was unusually pale this night, and some of the raiders told her it is a sign of death.

As the four swordsmen rowed their oars upon each of the six boats, Aurora could not help but feel sorrow for the death that would visit the Vistaris tonight. Were it within her power, she would forgo this raid and journey to Vistarion alone. Yet, she could not command a longship unaided, and rowing a vessel alone would require weeks or many moons before reaching the shores.

I come to make peace with the Vistaris, she thought, yet I arrive with a host that brings war upon them. Nearly fifty Iceborns, speeding through the waters, approached this Town near the coast, ready to raid. She ought not to partake in this raid, yet she has to. There was no other way to reach Vistarion swiftly, save for riding the longships with the raiders.

She was not meant to be here since her Father-the Chief of her tribe-had forbidden her to go on that raid or any raid at all. She instead usurped the place of another raider by dispatching him on a fool's errand. With a whispered command, the fool obliged and went on his way, so she seized her chance to join the fray. Fool, she thought. She adjusted the mask of her face.

Soon, the boats approached the stone shores of Old Icestones. This region of Vistarion is heavily guarded with watchtowers, walls, and Coast Guards that have deadly weapons. As the boats drew closer, a rain settled down, a cold gentle rain that encompassed the coasts. Must have been a sign from Freilos, cold from his presence and death of which he delivers. It made the surroundings a little darker, a black veil of falling liquid.