The Old Gods

Into The Unknown

That is how the alliance between the Pagan and the Christian kingdom, through the good will of the people, and the marriage between a Christian King and a Pagan Princess. But the Pagan Princess will have to make a decision which will break her heart, to leave her home, and everything she ever knew.

Soon Christians were preparing to leave, the lands of Gora Nevskaya, but Zorya didn't feel ready for that yet.

"Where is your princess brother?" Jonah asked looking around for Zorya, but Darius knew where she was quite well.

"She is saying goodbye to the forest."

"What?!" Jonah asked.

"You heard me, she is saying goodbye to her forest. Now send the people to meet her parents here, they wanted to say their goodbyes as well. Until that happens we are not leaving this place." Darius said and Jonah nodded obeying the orders of his brother.

Zorya stood in the forest with her wolf by her side, breathing the fresh, forest air, wishing she could carry it with herself. She looked at the river, the trees, the animals, the sound of the forest was calling her, to remain there, where evil people could do no harm. She wished she could remain there, in her forest forever, with her gods and feel safe no matter what.

"Прощай, Матушка Земля, может быть, я увижу тебя снова, но может быть- никогда." Zorya said with a sad smile. She picked up a grass from the ground and placed it in her pocket, so she could have something to remind her of her forest.

Soon Zorya run back to the camps where everyone was waiting for her, but Zorya was surprised to see that even her parents were there.

"Zorya before we leave, there is someone you would like to see." Darius said.

"We wanted to say goodbye to our little girl." Mira said with a sad smile, knowing that she will probably never see her daughter again.

"We are going to miss you little one." Vadim said.

"Thank you for everything, I know that someday we are going to be together again." Zorya managed to say feeling her throat tightened, once again, she will have to fight to hold back her tears.

"No, don'r cry, stay strong and be happy, never look back on this place because you are going to have a new life." Mira said.

"And I am sure that it will be hard at first, but you are strong, and you will be able to fight for your happiness. May the gods be with you and protect you on your way." Vadim said.

Zorya couldn't bring herself to say anything, she was sure that she would break down crying if she only tired to do so. She embraced her parents in a long and a tight hug.

"I promise you Mira and Vadim, I will do everything to keep your daughter happy and away from any harm." Darius suddenly said. His army killed their son, but he will make their daughter a queen and give her a new life.

"Thank you King Darius. You are a good man." Vadim said.

"We have to leave now." Jonah warned his brother.

"We love you my dear, we will always no matter what you do, don't you ever forget that." Mira said.

"And you will always be in my hearts." Zorya answered. Never before she felt such a pain in her chest, not even when her brother was killed. Having to say the last "goodbye" to those who raised you, to those who are your own blood, and to those who will always love you more than anyone else possibly could was the hardest thing she ever had to do.

Soon Zorya was on the ship together with her wolf. She waved to her parents until she was sure that they could not see her anymore. Taking a deep breath she inhaled the smell of her homeland. It was true, Zorya will never see her parents again in her life, and she will visit Gora Nevskaya when she is much older, and when her children are old enough to have their own children as well.

Suddenly she could not hold her tears anymore, but she refused to let the people of Walnia to see her cry, after all, she was going to be their queen, and they needed to believe that she was strong enough for that.

"Zorya..." Darius approached her. He felt that she needed some time to think at first, but now she believed that she needed support, and it was his duty to be there for her. After all he promised her parents that he will do so, and he wanted her to know that she can count on him, as her husband.

"I am fine Darius." Zorya answered looking away from him.

"You don't have to hide your tears from me." Darius gently said, but she still didn't want him close to her.

"Zorya, I am not leaving your side." Darius spoke again moving closer to her.

"I don't want them to know that I am weak, I don't want you to think that I am weak. I don't want anyone to watch my tears, do you understand that?!" Zorya asked him.

"Don't worry about me princess, I am a blind man, but even if I saw you crying, you would still be the strongest woman I know." Darius answered her. Zorya then felt that she could have a support in him, she felt that he will be there for her, no matter what, and that he respected her sorrow as well as her joy. Zorya approached him and warped her arms around his body leaning her face to his chest, allowing him to be her shield from the rest of the world.

Darius felt warm, like he didn't feel in a really long time, and he had missed that, to feel so close to another human being, to be important to someone. He held the pagan princess tightly in his arms enjoying how small she felt in his strong arms.

"Don't worry princess, from now on, I will protect you, everything is going to be alright." Darius whispered.

The princess have killed before in the battle, but in her own way she was so innocent, and apart from her forest she didn't know how the world was functioning, she was completely clueless and if he doesn't protect her, the noble people on the court of Walnia will eat her alive.

The journey took some time, and Zorya decided to use it wisely by studying more the language of Walnia and everything that she needed to know.

But nothing could prepare her for what is going to happen in the castle of Walnia, nothing could prepare her for becoming a queen.

*Прощай, Матушка Земля, может быть, я увижу тебя снова, но может быть- никогда (proshay matushka zemlya, mozhet byt ja uvizhu tebya snova, no mozhet byt nikagda) -Goobye, Mother Earth, maybe I will see you again, but maybe-never