The Skabelse

Final Words

"Did I ever tell you how Horan and I met?" he asked. When she shook her head, he continued, "I can't remember exactly how old we were but I know we were no more than seven. My father threw a party after a good season of harvesting. We had all sorts of food that night and I didn't hold back. I made sure to try one of everything, but I only got half-way when I started feeling sick. So I went outside and retched in the bushes. Once I was done, I remember I crawled away and laid down, looking at the stars. It was the first time I really paid attention to them. Thousands painted the sky and I had never felt so peaceful as I did in that moment. But then a boy who was my age and was missing his two front teeth tripped over my legs that were jutting out from the bushes. At first I was angry for being interrupted but he only laughed and brushed himself off. He asked me what I was doing laying on the ground and I told him I was looking at the stars. I remember he looked up and eventually he laid down beside me. We talked about anything and everything that night and when morning came he was my best friend. Has been ever since too," Bjorn finished, reminiscing.

His story warmed Rowan's heart and she sighed as she thought about Horan and her cousin. She regretted the harsh words they shared by the creek so long ago, but was happy they were able to make amends if she were to die tomorrow.

"I liked that. Can you tell me another?" Rowan asked, laying down on her side. Bjorn nodded to himself and told her another story, this time about his first hunt with his father. On and on he went until he realized Rowan had fell asleep. Even though she wouldn't hear it, he whispered to her goodnight.

Morning soon came and the guards came for the Gladeswoman. Both Bjorn and Rowan were awake and were talking lightly to one another. As soon as she heard the distant sounds of footsteps, she could feel her heart in her throat as both fear and adrenaline coursed through her veins. She took deep breath's to calm her nerves, but it only helped slightly.

Lucian unlocked her cell and stepped aside, motioning for her with a tilt of his head to leave. For a second Rowan thought about fighting back with every thing she had, but if she did thought would only show she was afraid and she refused to do such a thing. So with one last deep breath she stood up and walked out of the cell.

"Can I at least say goodbye?" she asked, looking at Bjorn. Lucian looked over to the Rorik and rolled his eyes, "Make it quick."

Rowan gave a curt nod and quickly walked over to where he was standing. She snaked her arms through the iron bars and held him tightly, not wanting to let go. "Remember what I said, Bjorn," she whispered.

She felt him squeeze her even tighter, "I love you," he whispered back. He pulled away and looked down at her, savoring her face and engraving it into his mind just in case.

"I love you too," Rowan replied, and quickly kissed him through the bars. It was sweet and tender and cherished the moment as best as she could. When she pulled away she wiped a stray tear from her eye and Bjorn gave her his best attempt of a smile.

Lucian then nudged Rowan forward, and with one final look at the face she had grown to love she left the dungeon. As Lucian locked the door behind them, she felt as if she were already dead.

The walk to the courtyard was a blur and as the large wooden doors opened, the bright morning sun blinded her for a moment, for she had not seen the light of day for almost a week.

She blinked and quickly adjusted her eyes to find hundreds and hundreds of faces of both men and women staring back at her. There was hardly any room for them to move as their shoulders touched. It took her a moment to realize that many were from the kingdoms Blanche had recruited. Had they come all this way just to see me executed?

Many wore menacing faces and some even shouted obscenities at her, calling her a traitor and other colorful words she had never heard of.

Rowan tried her best to drown them out and only focused on Blanche, who was standing on a large wooden plate form, smiling. She, along with everyone else in the crowd, adorned expensive looking armor. Rowan rolled her eyes and only glared at the woman.