Chapter One
A forgotten assassin with warriors past
Lilyice of blood wrath
Pelt of white and eyes of gold
The rouges past was never told
Blood and tears where both shed
A sword that carried vermin's dread
The sad life with truth it brings
All sealed within a crystal ring
The last days of winter were coming to any end. Snow was melting, buds were beginning to grow and all the vague evidence that winter ever existed was disappearing. Myera, the timber mouse, stared intently at the young hare seated before her. He was a wander who told stories in exchange for a fire to sit by and food to eat. The hare puzzled Myera. Usually only aged beast wandered throughout Mossflower, not young fellows as this one who looked strong enough to fight a pack of adders. The hare's eyes lit up as he swallowed the last bit of hot scone Myera had given him. He stood up and with an elegant bow presented himself to the timid looking mouse.
"You're a kind creature, wot. My names Roja, the story weaver."
Myera stuck out her tiny paw and smiled warmly at Roja.
" I'm Myera, the vermin slayer. Please to meet you, Roja." Roja squinted over the blazing fire and eyed the weapon half concealed by Myera's robe.
"Well with an ax blade like that there's no doubt in my mind you're a vermin slayer." Myera's paw moved to her ax. Her father had given it to her in his last days. It was beautifully decorated from hilt to blade with gems of all sorts. Myera held it up and skillfully twirled it upon her paws.
"I call it Bloodflare, the same name Lilyice gave her sword." she announced excitedly. The young mouse held up her ax proudly. Letting Roja see how the light from the fire glistened off the stones giving her weapon a glowing look. Roja leaned against a tree trunk and for the first time observed how young Myera actually was. For even though her eyes held a cold stare there was no doubt that she was still but a child.
"You believe in that myth Myera? Of the assassin Lilyice?"
Myera's smiled faded as her ax dropped to the ground. She glared at Roja as if he had insulted one of her kin.
"Myth!" her eyes grew big surprised at Roja" You think Lilyice is a myth! She was the greatest slayer of all time! Not at all a myth! If you asked I could recite every one of her epic ballads!" by now Myera was shaking with anger at the hare but he didn't seem discouraged at all. Roja looked up slowly and smiled.
" So you claim to know all about Lilyice but I bet you don't know why she was called Lilyice."
"That was her name because of her fur. She had fur as white as the first evening snow and eyes as gold as the sunsets glare." Myera stomped her tiny foot and snorted and Roja.
"I told you I know all about Lilyice. I know how she killed the Pirate Sullen and his crew of ferrets with just a single paw and how she could hunt down a eagle in a storm or a trout in a raging river and I know that..."
"That her real name was Arten"
Roja was now smirking at Myera and was suddenly happy that a fire was between them when she gripped her ax.
"What do you mean her name was Arten"
"Arten. That's her birth name. That's what she was called before her accident. Before her fur turned white and before she was a vermin slayer. That's what she was called when she was just a mere messenger for the Abbey."
Myera's eyes opened in surprise.
"Lilyice worked for the Abbey?"
Roja nodded.
"Yup. She was a messenger for the Abbey. Her uncle, the Skipper at the time, was staying at Redwall and knew that his niece would love to meet the Taggerung. So he invited her to the Abbey."
Myera stared open mouthed at Roja
"ARE YOU SERIOUS? How do you know …..When did…WHO ARE YOU!"
Roja tweaked his ear and laughed
"I told you, I'm Roja the story weaver." At that Myera flung her ax down and sat cross-legged close to the fire.
"Well then story weaver, Tell me the WHOLE story of Lilyice and her days at Redwall. AND DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ONE THING OUT!" Roja smiled. He had been waiting for this moment, when he finally got to repay her with a story. He too flopped on the ground and sighed
"Myera, that would be my Pleasure."