Knightess

15

Feathers' cawing and pounding on the window awakes me from my deep sleep. The sun shines in my eyes and my braid is slung over my face. I groan and sit up. I'm exhausted and sore, though I'm not sure why. I crawl out of bed and walk to the window. Some thread from my blue nightdress catches onto the edge of the desk and I break it off. Blue? Didn't I wear a maroon nightdress to sleep in?

I open the window and Feathers jumps in. I take the letter off of his claw and stroke his chest with a finger. I sit down on the chair and examine the letter. Just as I begin to unroll it a voice from behind says, "I don't think you're supposed to be doing that."

I spin my head around and see the women from the forest. I stand up and hide the letter behind my back. Blue laughs, her voice echoing through the early morning air. "It's too late to hide it. Just like it's too late to hide what happened last night."

I freeze as the memories come crashing back to me: the Silver Sword, my mother's gravestone, Salava's death. "How do you know and how did you get into my room?" I ask shakily.

"We know everything. You could say that we know your fate," Green says and walks closer to me.

I'm confused by what she means until I think of our meetings. They disappeared out of thin air. They were able to sneak into my dream. Now they've shown up without a sound and claim they know what I did. "Both of you are the goddesses of prophesies and fate."

Blue and Green nod their heads. I look at Blue. "You are Vaughn, and you"—I nod at Green—"are Mattia."

They both give smiles at me. I sit back down, confusion and awe settling over me. "Tell us, do you know our story?" Mattia asks.

I know their story well; it's one of Grandmother's favorites. I remember Jackin and me crowding around Grandmother's feet as she sewn a pair of trousers together. We were only six at the time, but it feels like yesterday. "I do. Both of you were the ones that warned the gods of the Silver Sword and the prophesy. At the time Vaughn was a slave to Uni and was desperate for freedom. Uni struck a deal with her, promising that if Vaughn could safely deliver the Silver Sword to the First Knightess she could have her freedom. During the journey both of you met, which caused each of you to unlock your powers."

"Seeing that she was a goddess and no longer a slave, Vaughn abandoned the Silver Sword and left with Mattia. Enraged, Uni searched everywhere for the Silver Sword and when she finally found it and gave it to the First Knightess she vowed to have her revenge on both of you," I recall.

Vaughn nods. "This is true. I met her one last time before she gave the Silver Sword away. We both warned her of the prophesy and though she did not listen to us she did warn the First Knightess of the prophesy."

I frown. "Is there a way to stop the prophesy from happening?"

Mattia sighs and hangs her head. "There is no way to avoid what will happen now."

"What will happen now? Now that I've read the words, how much longer until another Knightess is dead? One has already been killed last night." Remembering Salava's gruesome wounds I put a hand against my forehead as my mouth goes dry.

Mattia shakes her head. "When we first unlocked our powers we vowed to never reveal the future to anyone."

I sigh, "Then can you at least tell me who the Powerful God is? If you can't tell me the future than at least tell me who he is so I can perhaps warn him. I just want to do something. This is my fault and I want to make it right."

Vaughn and Mattia share a look. Finally Vaughn speaks and says, "Remember how the Sword Speaker is said to be kin to the Powerful God?"

I nod. "Yes. What does that have to do with anything?"