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"I told you we can't fly. I'm going to get sicker, I'm going to want blood, we can't risk it." Wren snaps as Rosalie drives to an airport.
"It won't be a problem. We have money, Wren, it's handled." She says, parking up beside a small jet.
"You..." She begins, but stops herself. Of course she did. She rented a jet. Its Rosalie, she's extra like that.
Jasper steps off it and opens Wrens door for her. "How do you feel?" He asks.
"I'm fine. Its only been a few hours. Did she come?" Wren asks, looking at the plane.
Huilen peaks out and smiles small. "Hello, Wren." She says.
Wren rushes up the steps and takes the seat beside Huilen and a younger girl. "Hi... Who's this?"
"This is Nani, she is from the tribe the legend originated from."
Wren smiles at the quiet girl. "Hi..."
She swallows hard. "Hello." She whispers. It frightens her that she is in the presence of a witch.
"Do you mind telling me the legend? All the details." Wren asks.
The girl looks around nervously, giving a shaky nod as the door of the plane is secured. She grips the arm rests. "Um..." She says.
"It begins in Norway. Many many years ago." She says. "The norse people that came to be known as the vikings. They weren't explorers yet, they weren't who you know them to be. Around 5000 years ago, one community started using the magic the land gave them for bad. Within a few generations, they didn't need the help of the gods or the land and could do it alone. These were the first magic holders of Europe. They wanted eternal life. They thought they deserved it. So that is how your kind came to be." She whispers, looking at Huilen.
"Once they had created the curse that makes you stop aging, they realised the dark consequences of it. But they couldn't undo it - didn't want to. The gods tried everything over the years to slow them, and in part they managed. If it wasn't for them there would be many more leeches around. About 1500 years ago, they'd had enough. That is when they sent the 4 witches - ones they'd created. Each was given the task of killing the original dozen that made up the coven as they believed it would wipe you all out to take the originals away. In return for their work, they were given human lives and the protection from that curse. When the gods realised they couldnt rid the world of you all well... They stepped back. And have left the world without control since."
"What happened to the 4 they sent?" Jasper asks, a frown on his face.
"They spread across the world and tried to teach as many people as they could about the signs of an immortal so they were aware. They lived normal length lives and all died quickly. Their stories were shared but many were lost in translation or turned into tales and myths. My tribe, a very old tribe, we kept the word of the witch who came to us all those years ago as sacrid writings. We still speak of it and honour it today." She says.
Wren watches her. "That's why you're nervous, isn't it?" She notes. The girl shakes her head. "You are. You're playing with your skirt a lot and you keep looking at the exits. Of course you realise we're thousands of feet in the air but you'd rather die from falling than at the hands of immortals - of which there are 3 surrounding you."
Nani clears her throat. "Fine. Yes. I'm nervous - what is to stop any of you killing me? Especially you with your sickness and lack of control." Her voice has an edge to it.
Wren smirks a little. "Don't worry. I'm not thst hungry - yet. Its Jasper you should worry about."
Jasper smirks a little. "Behave, Wren."
"Is that any way to talk to your step mother?" She gasps.
Nani is alarmed. "Step mother!?"
Rosalie rolls her eyes. "She's not our stepmother, not in any way. She's dating our father figure, that is all."
Nani retreats off to her own seat at the back of the plane, muttering in her tribal language. Huilen sits quietly gazing out of the window while Jasper, Wren and Rose play a quiet game of cards.
By the time they've landed, Wren is relieved to get off the plane and breathe in the cold fresh air of Norway. They're on a private air strip far from civilization, just a bit away from a private town a lot of rich people visit to ski when the weather is right. Her hunger is growing and her energy is already beginning to dwindle.
Jasper takes her hand and squeezes it gently. "You okay?"
She nods small and gives a soft smile. "I want this to be over..."
"Soon." He promises.
Rosalie opens the door to the fancy car that waits for them. "Come on, the sun's about to rise and its going to be a clear day. We need to be out of the public eye as much as possible so it's lucky its a long drive."
"Is Nani coming?" Wren hesitates. She doesn't know if she'll handle being in an even smaller space with so much blood tempting her.
"Nani refuses to come any further so Huilen will take her to a hotel and help her journey back tomorrow." Jasper says.
Wren sighs in relief as she climbs in the back seat, Jasper getting in the drivers seat and Rose in the passenger. As predicted, just as Jasper pulls out of the airstrip onto the deserted road, the sun bursts over the mountainous horizon. Wren leans her head on the window as she watches the beauty of Norway pass by them.
"Wren?" Rose says, holding the phone out.
She takes a deep breath as she sees Carlisle's name. "Here goes." She mutters, taking it as she hits answer.
"Rose where is-"
"I'm okay."
"Wren!" He gasps. "Where are you!?"
"I'm making things right. I'm gonna fix this." She says, closing her eyes. "It's happening again... And I can't let you sit and watch me fall apart. I want you to remember me healthy if things go bad." She whispers.
Carlisle's heart breaks. "If something happens I want to be beside you, I want to be at your side. I want to be the last thing you see."
Wren smiles small. "You will be - I'll never stop thinking about you, I swear. Be optimistic will you? This could fix me."
Carlisle is silent for a moment. "You're leaving me again." He whispers.
Wren frowns deeply. "No! No, not like last time." She promises, a hand on her chest as her heart begins to break. "I'll never leave you like that again, I swear." She promises, tears falling down her cheeks. "I told you, I want to be with you forever. So I'm not going to die. I'm going to see you as soon as all of this is sorted, as soon as I look healthy and normal. And I'm gonna marry the shit out of you." She laughs small.
Carlisle gives a weak laugh as Rose and Jasper smile quietly from the front. "Promise?" He whispers.
"I promise. I'll see you real soon, handsome."
"I love you, Wren. Birdie."
"I love you more, Carlisle Cullen." She promises, hanging up. She let's the phone fall beside her only to the middle seat, both hands covering her face as she begins to cry. Neither Jasper or Rose say anything, letting Wren cry it out.
-
"Wren?" Jasper whispers as he shakes her gently.
She jumps awake and stretches, looking around as she squints. "Mm?"
"Were here." He says, climbing out.
Wren sits up straight and looks around, noticing the small village. The sun is beginning to set and she climbs out, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. "This is it?"
Rose nods, her and Jasper stood either side of Wren. "It is. We're probably the first people here in centuries. They're a very primitive village, they stick to old ways."
Wren nods small, looking at the village. "I'm going to go alone."
Jasper scoffs as Rose growls. "No you're not." They both snap at the same time.
Wren smirks a little. "I am. They'll trust me more if I'm alone, they'll know I'm not immortal. You can hear what happens from here, I'll be safe."
Jasper and Rose share a tense look as Wren begins to walk towards the village. They can indeed hear, but that doesn't calm them. They'll have to focus hard to hone in on Wren's voice and if she goes too far on the other side of the village, they won't hear.
It's a tense 20 minutes as they watch her walk the hills to the village. She finally makes it, surprised as she sees someone waiting by a well. "Hi..."
"Wren Cooper of Seattle." The man says. He has a very Viking look about him, his hair half shaved and braided back, rugged facial hair on his jawline.
"That's me." She nods.
"This way." He says, motioning to the village.
She takes a deep breath and follows, with no idea what lays in store for her.