The darkness still ruled the skies when a lone woman entered the temple ground, effortlessly piercing through the defensive barrier. It was a cold night, the coldest Winterspring had seen in months. Still, the snowing did not cease; surprisingly, it intensified. The wind carried tiny snowflakes that felt like a razor against exposed skin. Nonetheless, the cloaked woman slowly pushed forward, disregarding the harsh conditions. With her face covered by a wooden mask of ashen colour, she looked terrifying.
Beside an arch, a purple-haired woman clothed in loose robes stood, spectating the stranger's approach with mixed feelings. Like many times before, she took a vigil over the temple ground, patiently marching back and forth the line the second barrier drew. Thalyssae Stillbloom had seen countless people arriving at the sanctuary over the years. A single glance was enough to narrow down the priestess's speculation. It was safe to say that the stranger did not seek shelter. Hence, she started walking towards the cloaked woman, wanting the intent of the intrusion to be revealed.
"May the Goddess be with you, stranger," Stillbloom said, halting.
"May the Goddess be with you too, priestess," the cloaked woman replied, stopping as well.
"What do you seek here?"
"I'm but a messenger, priestess," the stranger said, unbuttoning her heavy fur coat. "I'm merely here to ask for a favour."
"What kind of a favour?"
"I'm humbly asking the Wintersping Elune's temple to take care of this child."
The cloaked woman gently pulled back the thick fabric to reveal what was contained within. Stillbloom leaned forward, her eyes practically sparkling with curiosity, and found her gaze returned. Within the blanket was wrapped a child with a pinkish complexion and snow-white hair. The girl quietly stared back at Stillbloom with eyes matching her own curiosity. They seemed unnaturally focused for a child so young and small she could not have been older than a few months, after all.
"What's her name?" Thalyssae asked, adoring the tiny one already.
"Fyrerenna," the stranger's response was but a whisper, but the priestess heeded it.
"Is she yours?"
"No," a hesitant reply came a moment later. "I'm merely a messenger asked to deliver her here," she added rather quickly.
"Who are her parents, then?"
"As of now, it matters not," the cloaked woman sternly said. "Though, I have an envelope for you. It'll unseal itself once Fyrerenna's twenty," she added, gently rocking the child.
Afterwards, a moment of silence fell upon them. The priestess was unsure what to think about the whole situation. But... she would accept the child, as she has already started falling in love with the tiny girl. Then, a strand of snow-white hair surfaced from the cloak. The minor detail spawned another question that would inevitably remain unanswered.
"What about her eyes?" Stillbloom inquired.
"Oh," a soft gasp escaped the white-haired woman's slightly parted lips. "Aren't they precious? So rare and intense; she's inevitably destined for greatness," she added fondly.
Indeed, in Night Elven society, golden eyes were scarce and widely believed to be reserved for the chosen ones, destined to shake the world's foundation.
"Who are her parents?" the priestess repeated her earlier question.
"I'll not tell you," the masked woman said harshly. "Take her and raise amongst the others," she added, giving the purple-haired woman the child.
YOU ARE READING
Sometimes it's just better not to know
FanfictionFor nearly 20 years of her life, the only areas that Sammara knew were located near the temple of Elune in the Winterspring. Like many other children, she was put there cause her family couldn't take proper care of her cause of their duties. But is...
