Hessins Daughter

The morning sun shone brightly overhead. Locals of the port and guests of the Green Dragon spilled out onto the busy cobblestone streets blinking, dazed, at the bright golden orb overhead. White snowflakes lazily fell upon their cheeks and carpeted the port city.

“Snow?” One knight asked as he rose a armored hand to catch the white fluff that melted on the steel. They still had two or three moons before winter was to come, many crops had yet to be harvested and carried to the larders and now were estimated to be frost bitten and destroyed.

Bells Chimed in the distance, ringing with an eerie note against the crisp white layer that covered the port. The La Seine Lord and Lady was calling the citizens to the city square for an announcement.

Lyn stood in the window of her chambers at the Green Dragon, her staff was in hand as she watched the patrons slowly turn and move down the cobblestone road towards the ringing bells. Arms slipped around her waist and a chin rested upon her shoulder “It is a bit early to be calling the city to square, isn’t it?” Cyrus asked quizzically. “Surely the sun will rise up and melt the snow by noon.”

Jae’Lyn shook her head slowly “I do not think so, the snow is thick and heavy...” she reached out to brush the snow away from the seal “Too dangerous for horses to run on. The Joust will be canceled and many of the farmers will have to sacrifice the festivities in order to save their crops.”

“Mm...a nuisance to be sure.” he turned his face into the crook of her neck and planted a nipping kiss there “At least there is still hunting, we plan to enter that event at least yes?”

“I won’t pass up the chance to practice my bow.” Jay’lyn chuckled “But we best go see what the Lord of the city has to say.”

“Darn. And here I was hoping to have the tavern to ourselves for breakfast. Biscuits and gravy, hm?” he mewled hungrily “A mug of ale to warm the soul before the hunt.”

Jae’lyn laughed “Aye, and impair your aim to make us lose. Come on, get dressed!” she grinned and poked his exposed ribs.

The South Port, city square was a large courtyard that overlooked the sea, the city was built up on a land rise that dropped several feet to a black, jagged cove where the sea crashed against the side. There were three coves in which the merchant ships docked to deliver goods by hauling carts and wagons up ramps to the city above. Attached to the mainland however and stretching out to the sea was a long bridge that connected the city to an island. It was at this bridges entrance that the city square was found. A large, stone dragon towering proudly at it’s center while citizens crowded around.

The Lord La Seine was a strong and noble lord, young in age and newly appointed to his duties here. Loved by all the port and it’s citizens respected him. The Dragon Prince as well as his cousin, the lady of the coast and wife of Lord Rodsvard. Many of the important figureheads of the coast were there but it was the Lord La Seine to speak.

“Citizens of South Port. Friends and neighbors of Ra’vain. Due to the unexpected snowfall the Joust will be canceled until further notice.” he informed in a deep and commanding tenure that carried over the gathering “We shall attempt to clear the field while our hunters bring game for the masked ball and feasting tonight. The sword contest shall be moved to the pier and games will be provided to entertain. Do not worry! The snow may be here early but our spirits are still high and we make this years Zenith a memorable affair.”

“Ooh...” Jae’lyn moaned from where she stood upon the dragon statue, her hand stabilizing her upon the stones mighty claws “I forgot about the masked ball. Mother wishes for me to be there.”

Cyrus chuckled from below, arms folded and back leaned against the statues tail “Don’t want to go i take it?”

Jae’lyn sighed and jumped down beside him “I don’t mind the dancing, nor the dressing up for that matter...but mother wishes for me to meet a couple suitors who have been writing to her all summer.”

“Ah. So I am to fight for my ladies honor then?” Cyrus asked with a raised brow “And who shall I be challenging to duel this night?”

“Bao’vein Ravengaurd....” Jae’lyn answered with a frown “Lord Ravengaurd’s firstborn son and heir.”

The foot that was propped up on the statue dropped with a thud and Cyrus glanced to her “A formidable foe indeed, I best expect a grand reward when I win my ladies favor.”

“Oh shut up.” Jae’lyn smirked and gave him a firm shove which had him fake stumble and nearly topple over in the snow “You know I don’t like all that fancy talk of ‘ladies’ and the like, and besides...I’m a Liaison, technically I’m not supposed to marry.”

“Apparently your mother see’s differently.” Cyrus grinned and offered a hand out to her “But it doesn't matter, my blade will cross with any suitor that seeks to take you from me.”

Jae’lyn smirked as she took his hand “And what if you were to lose? Will you leave me to suffer frilly dresses and prissy ladies of court? Say it is so and I will gut you now, string you on my shoulders and take you in for the hunts prize.”

“Oh ye of little faith! Truely! I am hurt.” Cyrus grinned and rose her hand to bite at her inner wrist not covered by a leather glove “I shall win, again and again, and prove my worth to your parents. Even if I have to slay a dragon to do so. I will.”

“Slay a dragon then.” Jae’lyn laughed “But die and I shall make you regret such drab, romantic words.”

“Are you saying I am drab!?” Cyrus gasped with a look of hurt.

“No.” The Ruce girl grinned “Merely your attempts to woo.” she leaned to the side and whispered in his ear “could use some practice!”

“Well I-hey!” Before he could retort however Jae’lyn had taken off running “Not fair!” Her laughter was all that answered as she raced him to the forests edge where all the hunters were convening for the hunt. The hunter to bring in the largest game would win this years prize.

“Hey! Lyn!” A young voice called out causing Jae’lyn to stop by the warden, a scrawny looking hunter in brown leathers carrying a scroll and quill to mark down each contestant entering the Dark Forest. Lyn turned to see her younger brother approaching. Rohirs girlfriend was with him. Or so she often liked to tease. It was true anyways. Kisa Rosalind had been her brothers best friend and love interest since they were children. “Can we join you?”

Lyn shrugged as she took the parchment from the warden and began to write down their names “Sure, but you have to keep up.”

“Im sure we will be able to manage.” The young redheaded Rosalind spoke up for Rohir “Father said he would catch up with us later, he had a few things to discuss with your mother.”

“Well I certainly won’t turn down your fathers back up.” Lyn nodded as she moved towards the forest edge and the little path that lead further into the dense trees “We will need someone to help carry Ursala home” she chuckled. Ursala was a legendary Dire bear that was said to roam these forests. It had been many years since anyone had seen her but was the prime target of many hunters.

“How far do we plan on going in? I heard the Dark Forest was filled with lost spirits and dangerous predators...” Kisa asked as she quickened her pace to walk alongside Jae’lyn.

Jae’lyn shrugged “Well the stories are true. The Dark Forest is one of the more dangerous ones in Ra’vain to get lost in. But this is my home, I know my way around and Jaer is here to help keep us safe.” she pointed towards a thick bush where something dark slinked past the shadows. Jaer was a panther. Lyns friend and companion. Cyrus had found the large cat a cub in the forest during one of his hunting trips with the arrows, the little cub was meowing out and struggling in the thick winter snow, cyrus found him, took him into his robes and brought him to Jae’lyn to nurse and care for. Now the cub was a grown cat and followed her around in the shadows or waited for her hidden in the forest while she mingled within the cities. Not many liked seeing a panther strolling about the streets after all and she didn’t want to risk her friend getting hurt due to misunderstanding.

“Well its not that I am afraid.” Kisa rose her chin and flicked red hair over her shoulder, she carried her bow in her left hand and wore the rosalind green colors as par tradition for the mountain dwellers. “And besides, I was hoping to hunt something more exotic. I tire of rabbits and deers. They are not challenging enough and they don’t really fight back.”

Jae’lyn laughed “Keep talking like that and you will be called Ruce. Ever hunt a shark?” she grinned knowingly before stepping off the trail “Well stay close then...we will see what we can find today. The early snow might be a blessing for us and I personally know the head cook in La seine’s kitchens, she can turn a mouse into a delicate dish!”

“Speaking of delicate dish. I do hope you brought something to eat.” Cyrus laughed behind her, they had skipped breakfast after all.

“Oh suck it up. Of course i didn’t bring any food with us. Do you want to alert the entire forest that we are here?” she smirked and scrunched her nose cheekily at him.

Together and with many, merry, boastful back and forth they continued into the forest and their hunt. It would be some four hours before they found a target. It was no bear and no predator to wrestle. Merely a large elk with towering horns grazing at some grass. Slowly the party had fanned out and separated in an attempt to close their prey in. Each were skilled and moved stealthily in the under brush, extra careful with the snow that made every movement echo eerily around them. It was Kisa that would take the shot. She was their best marksmen and could handle a bow better than any of them. Rohir put his ears to the ground and listened to the earth around them, signaling the way to move and when to hold their steps. They were the four of them a perfect team. But it wasn’t to be so this day.

The Arrow fired and flew through the air just as a distant scream ripped through the silence of the forest. The Elk rose it’s head at the shrill cry and bolted, the arrow missing by mere inches as it flew past it’s intended target and embedded itself into a tree near Cyrus’s hiding spot. Again the screaming sounded and crashing of something running through the forest had the small hunting party move out of their hiding places and close their ranks, searching for the source of the cries and snapping twigs.

Suddenly a man burst through a brush and ran right through the startled hunters, he batted at his head and body as if he were being attacked by bees and yet...there were no signs of the buzzing and stinging creatures following him. “Run!!!” he howled in terror before vanishing further into the forest.

“What....was that about?” Kisa asked cautiously as she stood back to back with Rohir, Jae’lyn and Cyrus doing the same.

“Maybe he found Ursala?” Rohir suggested in a poor attempt at a joke but considering the strange event it couldn’t be far off. Whatever it was, it was dangerous, and out there somewhere not to far away.

“Well we best not stand around here to find out.” Jae’lyn suggested as she turned towards her brother. Her actions completely froze however when she saw it. There by the oak tree...a something had moved. Narrowing her eyes she stepped forwards towards the oak, pushing past Rohir and Kisa as her feet carefully stepped into the snow around her.

“What is it?” Kisa hissed only for Jae’lyn to raise a hand, silencing further words. There it was again, it was undoubtable now. It was a older gentleman, standing there under the old oak tree. His head was cocked to the side with a noose hanging about his neck. The stranger part however was that his body had an almost translucent glow...almost as if he were a..

“Wraith!” Jae’lyn hissed, her actions tensing and spine growing rigid as she stared at the strange spector. Wraiths were disturbed spirits of the afterlife, unlike ghosts...they could cause a person harm if one did not know how to ward themselves from such creatures. Jae’lyn was a mystic and knew about such things. One wraith wasn’t a problem in her mind.

Kisa gasped and Jae’lyn glanced to the Rosalind hunter. The girls green eyes were wide and fearful as she pointed to the opposite edge of the grove they stood in. Two more wraiths stood, watching. “Another!” Cyrus hissed, pointing to another behind a bush.

“I see three more.” Rohir chimed in as well. They were surrounded! Again another scream broke the silence of the forest, followed by another and a third. It seemed other hunters were finding these wraiths and their encounters were not so friendly. “What do we do?” Rohir pressed, expecting his sister to have the answer.

“Aah..” Jae’lyn hummed nervously as she looked about, all four hunters had their backs pressed against one another by now. Slowly the wraiths started to drift in towards them

“Jaaade...” Cyrus pressed urgently, his sword coming free of it’s sheath.

“I know I know!” Jae’lyn gasped, her finger pressed against specific carvings in her bow. She had salt in a pouch at her side, it would keep the wraiths away but then they would be stuck and there was no telling how long these wraiths would choose to hang around. The problem was....this was not normal. Wraiths don’t normally come out in such numbers here...There was a certain order of balance to things and it seemed that balance was broken.

“Lyn?!” Kisa gasped as one wraith rushed forward a few paces

“Ok ok...Umm! Run!” Jae’lyn finally decided as she darted towards the oak tree with the older wraith, it was their marker that lead the way back to the path and out of the forest. Urgently the others followed.

The old wraith sounded a mournful and chilling screech as it rush at them, but Jae’lyn was prepared as she uttered something under her breath and a push of her hand salt exploded out towards the wraith and with a spinning twist the bow shifted back into a staff, as she cut through the wraith causing it to flicker and vanish. It wasn’t gone, but it was enough to allow them passage through the forest. Feet snapped and broke branches, slipping on snow and mud as they continued to run. They could see others, more wraiths filling up the Dark Forest, they were everywhere! Some dark, some light in color, some strange and uncertain, all of the afterlife and all not supposed to be here.

Kisa cried out, her foot had slipped on ice and sent her falling down a small hill, rolling to the bottom covered in leaves, mud and snow. She screamed, there in front of her was another of the wraiths, a wrinkled and old looking hag whose toothless mouth opened wide as if to devour the mortal inches from it’s face.

Jae’lyn cried out and jumped the distance, her staff stabbing the ground between them, an explosion of gold light erupted around the girls and the wraith screeched out in pain, retreating away from them as Ja’lyn pulled Kisa back up onto her feet “Run! Run now! I’ll hold them back!” she commanded sternly as she shoved the Rosalind towards Cyrus and Rohir “Keep them safe Cyrus! Run to the dragon statue! I’ll see you there!” Cyrus was a good man, and his feelings for Jae’lyn were honorable, but he knew when an order was just that, and how to follow it without asking questions. Grabbing Kisa’s arm the warrior took off further down the road. Rohir followed, glancing back only once.

Jae’lyn stood in the center of the road, her eyes closed as she uttered a spell, focusing her energies into her staff and lowering it into the ground. The moment the staff touched earth a bubbling started to rise up from the ground, salty sea water slowly geysering up to kiss and bubble at the base of Jae’lyns staff. The first, nearest wraith charged and Jae’lyn shifted to meet it, her staff whipping up to cut through the wraith, a trail of the seawater following it’s path. Like a knife to butter the wraith dispersed and vanished. A second attacked and with a spinning back kick the seawater once again followed, dispersing the wraith on impact. In force more rushed in, as Jae’lyn slow advanced back step by step in an attempt to slowly retreat from their oppressing numbers. Despite the odds, Jae’lyn fought fluidly and without flaw, her staff moving like a viper striking quick and deadly at each that dared attack her. A crunch underfoot signaled that she had found the main highway road that lead in and out of the Dark Forest. With another spin Jae’lyn slammed her staff down, slapping the ground to send sea water spraying out in one final defense before she turned, and ran. As she ran she signalling a sharp whistle and a few seconds later a large, black panther dropped from a nearby tree branch to run alongside her. The forest was no longer safe for either of them.

At the edge of the Dark Forest many hunters were rushing out frantically, one fell and screamed as three wraiths set upon him, the farmers and citizens of South Port had started to gather and take notice of the commotion, fearfully back away from this strange display of otherworldly events. Jae’lyn stumbled out with her panther companion close on her heels, several farmers all gasped and backed away from her, not entirely unexpected but at least the city was safer at the moment. Passing by the gates Jae’lyn turned and gazed out at the Dark Forest. Spectrial ghosts and wraiths were convening at it’s edge, there were hundreds of them and they all just stood there, not yet daring to get near the city.

“Whats going on!?” One citizen asked, a frightened mother hearding her curious children behind her skirts

“Are those....ghosts?” an older farmer asked, trying to control his frightened horse that refused to go any closer to the tall gates. No one could make sense of what was going on, why were the spirits called out in such force? Why were they attacking the hunters?

“Jade!” Cyrus voice called out from the city square, he stood atop the dragon statue and waved to her, they had all made it out safely.

“Are you guys ok?” Jae’lyn asked as she jogged towards them.

Rohir nodded “A bit shaken up but we are fine.” Carefully he pulled Kisa closer who wasn’t sure to be ecstatic and excited or shaking fearfully in her boots at how closely she was to that one wraith.

“I hope my father made it out....” She muttered with concern.

“Im sure he is fine Kisa, I-” Jae’lyns thoughts were interrupted as the sound of bells started to ring, it held a much more urgent note than the call earlier this morning.

“Lyn!” A familiar voice called and before she could turn she was pulled into a tight hug “We just heard, are you alright? Rohir? You ok son?” Aditi, the Salty and head lady of Sharkhead asked her younger children. Behind her Sylvia stood with arms folded and eyes on the forest beyond the gate. Sylvia was Jae’lyns and Rohirs youngest sister.

“We’re ok mama.” Jae’lyn nodded “What’s going on?”

“Ash is calling the city to gathering. There are still many who don’t know about the dangers and need to be alerted. The gates will be closed until we can sort this out. You...wouldn’t happen to know anything?” Aditi, Jae’lyns mother asked.

Jae’lyn shook her head “No... The spirits are not supposed to be wandering free like this, our ancestors long ago made an agreement with mother sea and the dragons of the coast. We were to be left in peace, allowed to hunt freely and in return we give back to the land, cultivate our crops and keep the forest safe. I don’t know what has happened to change this.”

“Well....” Aditi nodded slowly “We will try and figure it out. Until then, stay in within the walls and don’t forget...I expect to see you at the ball.”

“Thats still happening?” Jae’lyn sighed and rolled her eyes only to cringe under her mothers stern glare.

“Until we know what is going on with the snow and ghosts, we still have a Zenith to help and a full city filled with guests that traveled far and wide that require destraction.” Aditi said “If we allow them to sit about fearfully we will start to have riots on our hands demanding answers we don’t have. Your going to the ball, and your spending the evening with Bao’vein. He is a good lad, you really should give him a chance.”

Jae’lyn sighed and grumbled a disgruntled ‘yes mum...’ before Aditi pulled her daughter into a tight hug and went to Rohir to make sure he too was ok. Sylvia, her younger sister snickered “Princess Ruce called to duties? Do you even know how to dance?”

“Shut up Syl.” Lyn growled “You're going too, remember?”

Sylvia shrugged “Yea, but I’m not forced to dance with a stuck up raven either. I plan to find the sweets table, hide under it and enjoy the rest of the night watching you stumble around in a dress.”

Jae’lyn huffed “Love you too Syl.”

The girl named Syl grinned and offered a wink before leaving her sisters side. A hand pressed against Jae’lyns arm and a kiss found her neck “Don’t you worry none.” Cyrus purred “I won’t let this night be all bad.”

“Thats what im afraid of” Jae’lyn laughed as they turned to hear what the Lord of La Seine had to say about the new surprises this day.