Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 12

"I'm wise because I married well." Ithos grinned, "I married up." 

A few people laughed when they heard Ithos's reply, easing the tension. Cybelline saw several girls look at Myrai with admiration, while some of the older women only shook their head. Ithos came over, "I'll carry that for ye, love." 

"Nothing else te see 'ere." The headman waved his hands, "Yoni, Phalen, and Hedris, take Gargan to a healer and then send 'em on their way." The two tall lads nodded and went to the bloodied and prone man. They brought them a cart and hoisted him onto it. They then dragged the still shocked wife and son away. 

With them gone, the square seemed to return to normal. A few men walked up to Myrai and looked at her weapon curiously but Ithos shoo'ed them away like guard dog. 

"She aint gonna let ye touch that weapon, gents. And no ideas about stealin' my wife while yer at it." He glared at them menacingly, they merely laughed. Some of villagers still looked shaken, having never seen this side of Myrai before.

"Ye think ye know a person after 10 years, well, I never." A woman with a hooked nose scoffed softly to three other women, "Fight like a bloody barbarian, didn't she. It no wonder she's never birthed a child of her own. I heard she's as barren as the Darklands." 

"I don't see how one does with the other," A woman in a pale grey robe said while rearranging her herbs in a basket, "It's not like ye did well with yer child. He's a drunk bastard from what I heard." 

"How dare ye!" The hooked nose woman turned to glare at the woman and then gulped in fear. In front of her was a young woman in her late twenties, plainly dressed and carrying a basket in the crook of her arm. 

Relana Qirian met her eyes squarely, "Ultha, just who do ye think yer talking to?" Her cool eyes bore into the other woman's until Ultha looked away, "Ye best keep yer mouth shut. If I hear ye say somethin' like that again, I'll have ye whipped for spreading lies." 

Ultha shut her mouth, in this village, as in other places anyone with magic, even if it was just enough to heal cuts and bruises, were treated with respect and admiration. Relana was a renowned hedgewitch who lived in the town, in many ways, people respected her more than the headman.

Relana turned to the other women, "If ye want my goodwill, don't ye forget what I said here today." 

"Yes hedgewitch." The women intoned fearfully, casting a glance at Ultha who was still pale, they scurried away.

Relana walked up to Myrai with a smile and looked at the warhammer  "It only seems like yesterday when I last saw ye wield that thing. Time passes quickly, doesn't it, old friend." 

Myrai smiled at her, "For some, faster than others." She looked at Relana's still youthful face, "How are ye?" 

Relana was in the prime of her youth, her chestnut hair flowed rebelliously from her grey veil, framing her crooked smile.

Ithos walked up to her, "Yer did a hard day's work." Myrai smiled at her husband, "It was good exercise." 

"Yer the most beautiful when ye wield it." Ithos said softly and gently pushed back a loose strand of hair, "I could watch ye all day." 

"An entire army would have to die by her hand to satisfy yer desire." Relana said dryly. Cybelline watched them in the shadows, quietly observing the three people without making a sound. 

Ithos turned to where she was hidden, "Cyd, come out here and meet yer aunt Relana. The black sheep of our family." Cybelline blinked, shaking herself free of the shadows, she walked up to them. Ithos had known she was there all this time. She was well honed in her craft, yet he had spotted her without effort.