The water dripped down her nose, it fell to her white dress, adding more water to the soaked article of clothing. The trees around her were no more then burnt stumps in the brown ground. Through the dying forest she could see to the other side. Only when the lightening flashed could she make out the figure that stood at the entrance to the woods. The man, much older then her, his gaze never left her even in the dark. Her hands clutched the oversized sword in front of her. Its jewels were bright even in blackest darkness. She slung her hair back then ran toward him. She lifted the sword up out of the ground in front of her with amazing ease and swung it at him. He lifted his own sword and blocked her. She swung again, he blocked. She tried swinging, attacking, her feet slipping on the muddy ground. Every time she tried to attack it was blocked. Finally she swung with all her might, she missed and ended up on the muddy ground. The sword flung from her grip and lay a few feet from her. It sparkled then disappeared. She stood up, mud caking her body, but she still stood tall and proud.
"How many nights must we do this?" the man ask, putting his sword back in its sheath.
"Have many nights until you release me?"
The man chuckled, "You have been chosen, you can not fight your destiny."
Her eyes flashed a bright green, "My destiny is over. I have done my part, now let me go please, please release me, I have paid my time." Her fingers rubbed over the wide sliver bracelet clasp around her hand.
"The deal was you complete your task then you are to be forgiven for what you did," he turned away from her.
Her fingers tightened into a fist at her side, " What I did? You sent me there knowing full well what was to happen! This torture you, you, knew it would happen from the beginning. I am not your puppet!"
He turned around, his eyes flashing red, "You are whatever I chose for you to be. No go back where you belong before I fling you back into the depths of hell, where you were before." Her brought his sword out and flung it at her. She ran quickly away, out of the woods, following the moon that had come out from the clouds to guide her back.
~~
Gwen sat up in bed, her body soaked in sweat. Careful not to wake her husband she got up and dressed. Pulling on a green dress made of rough material, she stole outside into the woods. She leaned against a tears, tears stinging the back of her eyes. Her eyes gazed at house just beyond the trees, a candle flickered in the window. A shadow stood at the window watching, eyes finding nothing that would please them. She fancied she saw a shadow, one her height standing next to him, his arm around her waist.
"This isn't love, its robbery," she turned away from the sight, tears coming down harder now. "I never meant to fall in love with him. I just want to go on with my life, why must these ghosts haunt me?"
She felt something coming, something coming after him. The skies clouded over, storm clouds began to brew. The smell of wetness hung in the air. She closed her eyes and brought them to her chest. A bright glow opened up in front of her, with one hand she reached in and pulled out a sword. It was a man's sword, almost as big as her. The silver handle gleamed in the last bit of moonlight before it was clouded over. The jewels began to shine on their own. A light grew in front of Gwen, in the light was an outline of a woman. When it began to fade, the storm was upon the words, rain beating around the two, lightening and thunder all around.
She raised her sword and gazed at the woman, "Who are you?"