Marrok

Chapter 22

A sparrow hawk perched on the edge of the window of the high tower where Maifynn resided at the home of the Gill's. It delicately moved its clawed feet across the mossy stonework and peered through the narrow murky window into a dimly lit room. It could not see Maifynn with its keen yellow eyes, but it could sense her presence. Moving forward, it tapped at the bubbled pane of glass with its small but sharp, curved beak, but nothing within the room seemed to stir. Unfazed, it raised its talons and began to scratch at the fragile glass instead, causing it to crack loudly.

A shadowy figure loomed near the window within the room, wild iridescent, green eyes peering out, seeking the cause of the intrusion. The sparrow hawk stopped scratching and drew nearer to the broken pane, her own, piercing yellow eyes meeting those of the figure within.

"Mallow?" croaked Maifynn, stepping closer to the window.

"Maifynn," replied the sparrow hawk, her yellow eyes narrowing below the tawny brown crest of her head.

"Why do you seek me out, Mallow?" asked Maifynn.

The glass shattered inwards, causing Maifynn to step back and Mallow flew into the room, circling with grace above Maifynn's head before spiralling at speed to the ground in a flurry of feathers to appear as a woman before her. Tawny brown hair flowed down Mallow's back to a slender waist belted with a thick leather strap, above a flowing crimson skirt that peeked out beneath a brown feathered cloak, pinned with a brass amulet at her breast.

"You have set in motion the prophecy that was told many moons ago," Mallow replied, the feathers upon her cloak rustling as if caught in some invisible breeze.

"What prophesy is that?" Maifynn sneered.

"You will not live to see it fulfilled, Maifynn, for you have interfered with the path of The Fates," Mallow replied in a caustic tone.

"I had no choice," Maifynn rasped. "I could not allow her to go through the pain of heartbreak as I once did."

"But you made that choice and so has Seren. Her punishment will not be as severe as your own, but she will pay as you no doubt advised her."

Maifynn fell to her knees and began to weep, her head bowed before Mallow who looked on without pity. "Can I do nothing to absolve Seren's punishment?" asked Maifynn, her voice feeble.

"She cannot have what she desires, Maifynn. Do you understand?" Mallow asked, her tone softening.

"For her absolution, I will put right what I can," Maifynn replied looking up into Mallow's pale yellow eyes.

Mallow's cloak of feathers swirled around her and the scent of the woodland filled the otherwise fousty room as she transformed back into the form of a sparrow hawk, with a speckled breast. She flew with grace out through the window and the broken shards of glass lifted from the floor of the room and melted back into place as if nothing had happened.

Maifynn remained still on the floor looking towards the window, tears tumbling down her withered cheeks as her eyes returned to a shade of grayish-green.

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Seren climbed the steep steps of the north tower in the grounds of the Gill's estate that looked out to the forest beyond. No one, except Seren dared enter, even Lord Gill himself. Maifynn had been a part of Seren's life since her birth and despite the uneasiness that always plagued people in her presence, the Gill family had maintained her service.