Eterna

~Chapter 1~ Morning

I loved mornings. Most of my life I'd hated them, but I grew to love them as the days passed. Birds chirped, the sun shone, dogs barked, and the occasional laughter rang through my small village. But my favorite part was turning over to see the face of my beloved husband, Roland. He was so rugged, so handsome. He was mine.

I woke up that particular morning with the usual headache and blurred vision. I hadn't slept very well and my stomach ached from hunger. Every night since I married Roland I'd had the same dream; More like a nightmare than a dream, but all in one the same.

I got out of my bed carefully, as to not wake Roland, and headed downstairs. I bathed and dressed in hopes of starting breakfast before he awoke. But like any other morning, he was dressed before I could make it to the kitchen.

"Good morning, my love." He said with a smile. "How'd you sleep?"

"Same." I said, lowering my head.

"Well, that's a shame. You really should see a doctor about it."

"A doctor can't help me with this problem." I replied, before I inched my way toward the counter.

I reached for ingredients from my cabinets in hopes that he would stay for breakfast. I hadn't cooked for him in weeks.

"Now, my love, you know I can't stay. We've been through this before."

"I know we have." I snapped. "All I want to do is cook for my husband. Don't your people understand that?"

He smiled and pulled me away from the counter, gently wrapping his arms around my waist to kiss me.

"I honestly don't know what they understand, Evee. All I know is that it's only a couple more weeks and training will be over."

"You don't need training." I said. "You're already the best."

He smiled at me and kissed me again.

"The training's not for me. It's for the newbies. The youngsters."

"Then why do you have to be there?" I whined.

"Because they need people to train the newbies. They can't just train themselves. They'd be dead before lunch." He chuckled to himself and headed for the door.

"I love you." He said softly.

"Love you too."

He winked and closed the door behind him. I sighed and put my spices and herbs back in the cabinet. I decided I'd go for a walk through the village to pass the time.

The day was busy and full of life. Merchants came through on weekends to sell their products to the public. I walked through the market in hopes of entertaining myself until Roland returned.

"Lady Evelyn!" someone called from the distance.

I turned to see my good friend, Payne. She wasn't one to yell, which surprised me.

"Hello. What is it?" I said urgently, still trying to greet her.

She ran her slender fingers through her silver-white locks.

"I've been doing some research about your dream."

Her mood changed from excited to sullen.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's not very good, Milady." She replied. "I think we should sit and talk."

"That bad, huh?" I said while smirking.

Payne didn't smile. I swallowed hard and followed her to her home.

What she had to say would change my life forever.