The Almost One Night Stand

Chapter 40

Slowly, they all left except the young black-haired maiden and an older woman. I couldn't make out her features under the veil that covered her face. "The darkness is coming," the young woman said. She placed a hand on her belly, "Will she survive?" Tears rolled down her cheeks as the older woman held her shoulders.

They knelt under my branches, and she dipped her hands in the waters, sprinkling over the younger woman's head and then her belly. "For a time, she will know happiness and love, but that will come to an end sooner than it was intended. Another will seek to usurp her, just as Sebile seeks to usurp you."

She sobbed, plunging her fingers into the watery soil, "Is every generation cursed to this betrayal? Sister against sister, son against father? What is the point of it all, Mother?"

I willed my branches to sway, gently drifting across the water's surface and her bare arms, trying to comfort her. "Even the trees feel your pain, Viviane." She stroked the girl's face, "The cycle will be broken, this I promise."

"But not until my daughter pays the price," Viviane yelled, her face twisted in sadness and anger. "Why seek a descendent if he will only be slain by his own child? How many more will be lost to the grove, Mother? How many more trees will bleed for the land, young girls be lost, mothers mourn? I know my own time comes to an end soon. The visions have already foretold that I'll die in childbirth. So now I at least know it won't be this one, but the next daughter." She stood and wrapped her arms around my trunk, her fingers digging into my bark. Her fists pounded against me. "Tell me oh great Goddess what is my purpose? Poor Morgan was unknowingly forced to bear the son of her half-brother, who is destined to slay his own father when he grows up, the child in my womb now will perish at the hands of the daughter that is yet to come. I have served the Isle faithfully, given my body every festival, carried the Stag King's child, and for what? To witness the downfall of all we had hoped for? To watch generations of my children suffer and die?" Her body slid to the ground, chest heaving, "I'm not strong enough." At that moment she looked so young, so fragile.

The older woman stood to full height and lifted her veil, "Viviane, your path is not of this world and you know it. Yes, your human body will fall to the grove while still young, the Cauldron gives and takes, this is the way of the Wheel. Patterns repeat until lessons are learned. When the descendent breaks the cycle, then a daughter of your line will rise. Only the fates know when that will be. Until then, we fulfill the role we have been given and we fulfill our duties." Viviane stood, taking the hand outstretched to her. Her face was set in determination as she walked toward the temple over the hill.

The woman turned to me as if she saw me and not a willow tree. "Return to your time, Witness. Nimue will need to know of this moment soon. The descendent is closer than she realizes, closer than any of you realize. He doesn't even know who he is yet. You have been tasked with carrying the knowledge, Silas Korba - willow born and marked." Then she walked away, vanishing in the mists as darkness enshrouded me.

"Silas, hey Silas, wake up man." I heard North's voice. I blinked, trying to open my eyes, and lifted my hand to shield my eyes from the bright morning light. Wait - my hand. I jumped up, patting down my body, wiggling my fingers, touching my face. I wasn't a tree anymore - I was me again, thank fuck. "Uh, Silas, are you okay?" North asked, watching me. I probably looked insane right now, but I didn't care.

I grabbed him in a giant bear hug, "I'm not a tree!" I yelled, squeezing him tightly. When I sat him down, he was staring, mouth open. I waved my fingers in front of him, "See, fingers, not leaves, and toes, I have toes again."

"Silas, I think we need to talk to Sean," he said quietly.

For fucks sake, why was I the crazy one with everything going on? I pulled my shirt off and showed him the mark, "See, Suil (pronounced 'Sool'), I've been marked, but fuck North, it turned me into a goddammed fucking willow tree. I was there, I was in Avalon. I saw Lady Viviane give Arthur the sword!" His eyes were round like saucers, but I didn't have any time to lose. "Where's Nimue, I need to talk to her now!"

North mumbled as he followed me back to the house, "Sure, he gets to remember his vision, but not me."

"What do you mean," I asked, stopping mid-step.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, shit, when I was pulled to the grove, I was given a vision, but every time I try to tell it or recall it, the details get fuzzy. Nimue says it's a premonition and I'll remember when it's time, but it still sucks."

I thought for a moment, "Maybe it's because mine wasn't a premonition. Mine already happened."

"I guess that makes sense," he said. "Let's go find her, maybe she'll know." We both broke out running back to the house.  

Author's Notes:  In Celtic lore, Willows are the observers, so I thought it only fitting to translate that as a witness, and who watches everything more intently than Silas.  His calm nature was a perfect choice.  

Pssst...based on the curse, and past Academy info, you might have eliminated some potentials for the descendent... Then again, it also narrows it a bit, hehehe...

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