Golden Fate: A Fractured Nation

A Midwinters Night

Moira's POV

Elijah had proposed and I had accepted. The official announcement had already been made. I would move to the far end of the mainland, right on the border of the Forgotten Kingdom. The utter terror coursing through my veins could not be described in mere words.

Not only was I going to be leaving my family but also my home. This is the same home I had been raised in my entire life, the place my mother died, and the place that made me who I am. I would be leaving that person behind too. That girl who clung to secrets and made snide remarks at court would not survive this war. New expectations would weigh on me, not only from my husband but from both of our courts.

My mind could hardly focus on the idea of an heir when my thoughts always came back to the stranger with the red eyes. He was obviously up to no good, snooping around and keeping to the shadows. I had lost sight of him which only made him look that much more suspicious.

Surely the stranger was seeking something valuable, something not easily stolen or found. If he were but a common thief he would not have made it past the security. He wasn't after an item, he was after information. This information would be pivotal in the war, I just knew it.

After this, I will have read every book in our library that even mentioned the Great War or my family and yet I felt I still was missing so much. Too many records with blurred lines and rescinded notes. I never will have the completed picture of the war, not unless I went to the forgotten kingdom and searched their records.

I chuckled slightly to myself, rolling my eyes. "As if... that wasteland is destroyed beyond recognition. I would not even know where to look," I mumbled to myself. "Even if I did, those records would be destroyed by now." I gently shut my book and brought it up to my nose, inhaling the soft scent.

This book was one of my mother's writings, kept only for its historic value. Her signature was blacked out but I recognized the soft swoops of her handwriting. Many of the books in our libraries were written by her.

Mother often sat in on father's meetings, keeping notes and records for the generations that came after. Mother believed education was the highest gift, especially for a woman. She always mused about how stupid men were to think a woman was weak. She knew a sword was not the only way to cut a beast and definitely not the only way to win wars.

A chilled breeze danced along my skin, causing me to shiver. I looked out of the cave mouth to see the frosted mountain peaks in the distance, my home in the middle, surrounded by the fortress of rock. A heavy fog clung to the base of the range, pine trees coating the lands surrounding it.

I escaped to this cave of ice frequently, sometimes for days at a time. My family never seemed to care where I went as long as I stuck to the trails and took a sword. What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.

I stuffed my mother's book into an ornate leather satchel before scooting closer to the small fire. The flames stayed low so as to not draw any attention but it was warm enough for one person. The flames licked just barely against my skin, warming the frosted tips of my fingers.

A black, leathery nose pushed against my hand. I chuckled slightly before scratching the large beast next to me. "Fael, was I ignoring you?" The large direwolf next to me whined, shoving its head into my lap. I gently scratched her ears, admiring her black fur. "We'll go home tomorrow. I promise. I am done boring you with my sulking." I rolled my eyes. "Want some dinner?" I stood up, gathering my bow and quiver.

Fael stood, her shoulders reaching the height of my chest. I gently patted her shoulder before walking past her and out of the cave mouth. Fael followed closely behind me.