Daine went about her morning routine casually. She refused to allow
last night's events shake her; animals needed to be fed and life had to go
on. It was not until mid-afternoon that a horrible feeling began to swell
in the pit of her stomach. She was not sure if it was due to merely eating
her lunch so quickly, or the odd air which had settled over the palace.
Only one thing was certain: she was queasy, and if she kept up the pace,
she would vomit.
Heeding her stomach's warning, Daine retreated to the horse paddocks for a break. She went straight for a densely wooded area, lured by the prospect of shade. The trees' great limbs would provide cool shadows, as well as a thick trunk to lay back upon. Bent half double, Daine staggered up to a pine. She let herself drop to the ground, titling her head back against the trunk. Sweat dripped from her brow, trickling down her cheeks. Lazily, she wiped it away. (I should be back at the rider mess,) Daine thought to herself, remembering she had promised to meet Onua there. She started to sit up, but fell back half way there, seized by wave of pain. Her stomach reeled.....constricted....and reeled. (Never mind that, Ill just stay here for awhile,) Daine decided.
The woman squinted to look out into the pastures, blinded by the rays of sun glinting through the tree branches. Daine closed her eyes, and sighed deeply. ( Gods, what's wrong with me?) She wondered inwardly. (The world is too bright and yet when I shut my eyes, the void I see there is frighteningly dark.)
Her eyes opened a crack, just wide enough to see a dark blot dart across the sun. She sat bolt upright.
"What the....?" Daine murmured, shielding her eyes to catch another glimpse of the creature. Slowly, she rolled to her feet, curiosity momentarily dulling her pain. The black creature, now clearly a bird of some sort, suddenly returned. It banked hard in the sky, then dove straight down, its sleek body slicing effortlessly through the air. Daine watched the bird weave and plummet before her, tingling with awe. Heart racing, she mustered all the wild magic which lie dormant within her. She cast her power out to the newcomer. (Good afternoon, wing sister), Daine called. (I've never seen a bird fly so beautifully before!)
Startled, the bird stopped in midair. It looked around wildly, searching for the voice which had seemingly come from nowhere. (Over here!) Daine shouted, waving. The bird turned to her, but did not respond. Cautiously, it flapped closer, watching the woman with mistrusting eyes. Daine waited patiently, arm extended. As the bird drew nearer, she saw that it was raven- a very large raven. But its eyes were not the deep, dark color of its species; rather they were clear.....and icy blue.
Daine gasped, taken aback by the raven's striking abnormality. Clearly, this was no ordinary bird. Swamped with intrigue, She reached out farther, urging the bird to land. The motion scared the timid creature. It shrieked a piercing cry and turned in the air. Then, as quick as a lighting flash, it streaked off beyond the trees.
"No! Wait!" Daine wailed aloud. She took off at a run, desperate to find the strange creature. Something, apart from its immense size and odd eyes, struck Daine as almost magical. That feeling, she could not ignore.
Heeding her stomach's warning, Daine retreated to the horse paddocks for a break. She went straight for a densely wooded area, lured by the prospect of shade. The trees' great limbs would provide cool shadows, as well as a thick trunk to lay back upon. Bent half double, Daine staggered up to a pine. She let herself drop to the ground, titling her head back against the trunk. Sweat dripped from her brow, trickling down her cheeks. Lazily, she wiped it away. (I should be back at the rider mess,) Daine thought to herself, remembering she had promised to meet Onua there. She started to sit up, but fell back half way there, seized by wave of pain. Her stomach reeled.....constricted....and reeled. (Never mind that, Ill just stay here for awhile,) Daine decided.
The woman squinted to look out into the pastures, blinded by the rays of sun glinting through the tree branches. Daine closed her eyes, and sighed deeply. ( Gods, what's wrong with me?) She wondered inwardly. (The world is too bright and yet when I shut my eyes, the void I see there is frighteningly dark.)
Her eyes opened a crack, just wide enough to see a dark blot dart across the sun. She sat bolt upright.
"What the....?" Daine murmured, shielding her eyes to catch another glimpse of the creature. Slowly, she rolled to her feet, curiosity momentarily dulling her pain. The black creature, now clearly a bird of some sort, suddenly returned. It banked hard in the sky, then dove straight down, its sleek body slicing effortlessly through the air. Daine watched the bird weave and plummet before her, tingling with awe. Heart racing, she mustered all the wild magic which lie dormant within her. She cast her power out to the newcomer. (Good afternoon, wing sister), Daine called. (I've never seen a bird fly so beautifully before!)
Startled, the bird stopped in midair. It looked around wildly, searching for the voice which had seemingly come from nowhere. (Over here!) Daine shouted, waving. The bird turned to her, but did not respond. Cautiously, it flapped closer, watching the woman with mistrusting eyes. Daine waited patiently, arm extended. As the bird drew nearer, she saw that it was raven- a very large raven. But its eyes were not the deep, dark color of its species; rather they were clear.....and icy blue.
Daine gasped, taken aback by the raven's striking abnormality. Clearly, this was no ordinary bird. Swamped with intrigue, She reached out farther, urging the bird to land. The motion scared the timid creature. It shrieked a piercing cry and turned in the air. Then, as quick as a lighting flash, it streaked off beyond the trees.
"No! Wait!" Daine wailed aloud. She took off at a run, desperate to find the strange creature. Something, apart from its immense size and odd eyes, struck Daine as almost magical. That feeling, she could not ignore.