Spoiler ahead! Some scenes are from Assassins Creed Valhalla.
Ghosts of You and I
Child, the world is cruel.
The beasts that roam are large and threatening. If they catch you at night, you will be lost. There is no safety to this world. There is no safety anywhere. The wolves that made their home on the mountain howl at the moon. The cold winter forces them to come down and stalk those who dare to walk out at night.
Child, I fear the black wolf has swallowed the sun.
The child looked to the fire with fear in their eyes. The black wolf consumed the sun and the winters will be long and unforgiving. The weak will freeze and the old would die. The black wolf has chased the sun, but only the brown and white wolf could bring back the light.
Elder, why would the black wolf want the sun? It brings life. It saves us from the monsters that lurk. The black wolf does not know the sun does so much.
Child, the black wolf consumes. Inside he is empty and only needs the light. His brother, his sister, they have tried to save him. They have fought him on the mountain. One wolf is enough to make his home, but when he is empty inside, the wolf tries to find ways to consume the bad. He is empty. He is weak. The black wolf needs the sun to fight the dark.
The black wolf howls alone on his mountain.
The song of a saga long forgotten in time.
He sits alone. The snow against his back. The storm consumes everything below the clouds.
Kaya moved her eyes to not stare any longer at the sigil. Her haze quickly disappeared along with her attitude. She still had the glossy look within her eyes, but the lopsided smile turned into a fine line. She ignored the drink and food; even the candle that warmed her hands. The atmosphere had grown tense, though the patrons ignored it for their drunkenness was their source of happiness.
"Seems that it is of importance to Kaya." Eivor stated, not truly understanding why such a thing could cause a quick change in the young woman. Her mood swings were constantly raging storms to calm still waters. Eivor only wanted to get a better understanding of the woman within this strange group. Other then Hytham- who is incapacitated for the time being- is not so complicated as Kaya seems to be. Basim was more fickle with his words. An air of mystery surrounds him closely that not even the wisest of eyes could penetrate.
This woman. He thought to himself. Looking at Kaya whose demeanor looked as if she were an animal with raised fur.
"I'd rather see it burn and forgotten in time. Such a thing should never exist, yet it does. It continues to manifest into a dirty sight. Plagued by those who wish us dead." Kaya clenched her jaw tightly. Stay calm. She told herself. The image of bodies swinging in the wind. The smell of fire burning in the distance. A young Kaya crying until her heart broke and froze over. Things that have been buried in the past manifested into an ugly shadow.
"Finally sobered yourself, Kaya? I believe you had your fill in ale." Basim said, casting a warning glance at the young woman. Her emotions and reactions should not rise up. Even if she were not drunk, Kaya becomes twice as unreasonable when she sees the symbol. Basim knew her story. Only so few knew. A young Kaya left of her family.
"This is truly a sight to behold of one who holds themselves to high." Eivor said in a mocking sense of humor. Kaya was becoming interesting the more he interacted with her. Tearing down her walls and poking at her sense of self built trust and companionship. Evior wasn't desperate to have the young woman trust him fully, but he wanted to see what was hiding underneath her superiority complex.
"Such a symbol brings about a heavy air around you. I wonder what it means to have to look at this with hatred in your eyes. A state I have seen many times before." Eivor continued, curiosity rising within. Unfortunately, Kaya was not one to fall into traps. The young woman knew when information wanted to be leaked.
"Do not mock me in such a manner, wolf-kissed. Men as big as you have fallen for less." Kaya was sobering up. Her eyes locked upon the man across the table. The black wolf kept his gaze upon her in a challenging manner. It would seem that this young woman was not one to easily succumb to an alpha.
Basim could see the interaction between the two and it wasn't one of hostility. Kaya shows her true self around those she trusts and would give up their life for. Basim has seen many of Kaya's faults since she was a child. Mentor Ishmael has mentioned many times of her manners and tongue. Between Eivor and Kaya was like a brother fighting his sister over something the other said. It was rather humorous to see both trying to one up the other to gain their parents favor.
"By your hand I suppose?" Eivor was enjoying getting under Kaya's skin. Sober or not, the young woman was truly a mystery.
"Want to find out?" Before Kaya could stand, Basim placed his hand on her shoulder. Pinching hard to keep her from doing something to cause attention. Eivor may have found entertainment, but to Kaya, the symbol was something more.
"What significance does this symbol have? To see you sober yourself quickly and gnarl like a beast when it comes upon ancient ground." Eivor was fishing for something.
Seeing the symbol had triggered a lost memory in Kaya's mind. She could feel her bones freezing within her body. Sobering thoughts now coming through the floodgates of her hazy mind. Eivor saw this change quickly within the young woman. Her eyes grew darker that the black of night could be seen within her gaze. Her fingers itched to release the hidden blade and strike at the sigil; strike at those who have wronged her in the past. Those who serve under that ash tree deserve a fate worse then death!
Kaya wants to shed the blood of those responsible for the death of her mother and father. To see their corpses hanging from a tree and letting the birds feast upon their flesh. It was because of them, that Kaya has been dreaming of the wolves and the cold mountain. Countless days where she starved and not slept; training until she could no longer feel her bones. Kaya wants to be rid of the vermin that caused her so much pain.
"Those that worship something old and weak, will only search for us. They cause pain and suffering. Taking away basic needs and throwing away those who do not follow. Seeing how they corrupt and destroy, what would someone like you who only knows war could ever understand?" Kaya's words were low and threatening. Eivor could almost see her bare her teeth. Just to push the woman further into a corner could cause her to snip. Eivor was playing dangerously with fire.
Basim grabbed the sigil within his reach. He knew the feelings Kaya was probably going through seeing it. Her drunken state replaced by sober anger. It was a memory forever etched in her mind that could not fade into the past. Her fists clenched tightly; fingernails digging into her palm. He could almost see the tears gathering around her eyes, threatening to fall. The young woman was not going to shed tears of sadness, but rather, tears of anger. Her blood was boiling from the ale and her own worthlessness from that day many years ago. Eivor did not know what to say to find comfort in the already emotional woman.
"Take it. Trade it for what you can." Eivor said, not wanting to further discuss the matter. It would seem that in time, he would understand who or what Kaya was speaking of. This peaked his curiosity for a moment. These people, the Hidden Ones, were so full of mystery. Eivor wondered how much Sigurd was able to conclude about these mysterious people..
Basim knew how much it affected her; seeing the symbol.
The sudden change in her was surprising to Eivor, but he understood to a sense that something must have happened to her in order to react the way she did. It was a story Kaya would have to be comfortable to speak of.
"I know where Gorm is camped. If you wish to see him without anyone the wiser, there is a trick I can teach you." Basim looked to Eivor with a glint in his eyes. Something hiding within sight, but just not within reach. Kaya watched closely and listened intently to whatever tricks Basim had up his sleeve.
…
"Kaya, you cannot simply kill them all." Mentor Ishmael said, holding on to the little girl. Her tears falling from her cheeks as she let out an inhuman cry. Seeing her mother and father hanging by the ropes in front of her, a young Kaya wanted to seek revenge! The angered tears falling from her chubby cheeks broke his heart. Seeing this child so wolf and out for blood. Not even a grown man could stand to watch those he loves die before them. It was cruel.
"Let me go! Let me go! They have to be avenged! Those… those bastards have to die!" Kaya's voice was hoarse, but she continued to scream. Mentor Ishmael kept his hold on the little girl trying to escape his arms. She could claw, scratch and bite as much as she pleased. His robes could handle such an attack from a child, but to calm her would mean to harm Kaya.
The more she struggled against his grip, the worse she cried. Her heart was breaking, she could feel the pain. Kaya has not felt such pain in all her young life. She was told to never cry. She was told to always hide. She wasn't big enough to go against those stronger and hide within the shadows. Kaya was only eight years old! A child! A worthless child.
"I am all that you have left, Kaya. I am your only family now." Mentor Ishmael was not related to her by blood, but to hear him be sincere, Kaya cried harder in the man's arms. The blow of the sand hitting her wet face burned her.
She felt alone.
She felt scared.
But she grew up strong and willful.
Mentor Ishmael watched this small child grow to be a capable young woman. The rightful age to be married off, but to a man far from home.
…
"A few things you should know before stepping into this camp." Basim stated. "Walking unseen through hostile territory is a exercise in subtlety."
Kaya kept her head down, hood covering most of her head. She could hear the sound of heavy boots crunching beneath the snow and rock. Eivor was such a big and heavy man that even the rabbits could feel his vibrations from many miles. Basim walked with such ease without making much sound. Kaya doing the same, but tacking a path that had little rocks and twigs.
"A hood makes you forgettable, dismissed at a distance." The snow lightly falling. The cool wind blowing through their bones. Eivor was built for such weather and moved as if the cold did not bother him. Basim and Kaya had come from warmer weather, but their short time in a foreign country had to make them adaptable. From the roughest terrains of the scorching desert, to the frost bitten wilderness of the world.
"Remain far from watchful eyes and you will be invisible to them." Eivor listened carefully to the man beside him. Allowing every word to seep into his brain. The tactics they used was quiet with stealth in mind. They remained hidden in places one did not think to look. Looking over his shoulder he could see Kaya moving like a phantom in the shadows. Her footsteps were light and the hood over her head made her look menacing. She could hide well within shadow and strike her enemy without them the wiser.
One had to perfect and the other was learning. Basim was being reclusive about his thoughts, though he had not forgotten about Kaya's outburst earlier in the night. What punishment would he fall upon her?
"Do not draw blade or hammer, for these and other sudden movements can break your disguise. And in case I wasn't clear, you would need to put up your hood for the trick to work." Basim was precise with his knowledge. Kaya stopped behind them when Basim looked towards a building up the small incline.
"Gorm is there. In the camp ahead." He said to Eivor, who took long strides up.
Kaya felt unease within her stomach.
"I do not think Eivor would be a fool to kill when peace is offered." Kaya spoke, crossing her arms over her chest. She did not put up much of a fight or argue when she followed the two men. She was too exhausted to bare her fangs and accepted the reality of things. Eivor was going to be a part of her life and there was nothing she could do to chase him away.
"No. But it is better to not shed blood when there will be a time where it is needed. You should know better then others, Kaya. Having been patient for many years." Basim looked to the young woman with a side-eyed expression. Though Kaya could be a loyal fighter; capable of facing the most dangerous of foes, her emotions rise up to quickly. A fatal flaw that could lead to her death. She must learn that though things may not always go the way she wanted them too, one had to accept every annoying aspect of a mission. Whether it be a new location or a novice.
Basim had already made a decision that Mentor Ishmael made the moment Kaya was capable of handling her own tasks. It was a way to improve her techniques while gaining trust in others.
"You are to be his mentor and I will not hold punishment for you." Basim stated without so much as blinking an eye. Kaya could feel her blood running cold and brain going dead. She almost faltered in her stance along a fence post the moment those words had come out of the older man's mouth!
"Tell me that this is to test my humor?" She said, trying hard not to show her seething anger.
"In order to learn as a mentor, you must perfect. I know you harbor a deep affection for Hytham, but you have to let go of whatever it is that you feel. The Hidden Ones do not drive on emotion all too well, but you, Kaya, may be fit to tolerate a man that shows much promise as you." Kaya felt the urge to scratch at her nose in irritation. What nonsense was this?! Why push something out to her when she had no say? If it were not for her exhaustion to fight, Kaya would tear at everything till the dawn rising over the mountain.
Who is pulling the strings?
Author's Note:
I am alive! I know I have said that I will keep with my regular updating schedule, but it seems that my work life is busy. The craziness right now is overwhelming. The pandemic still keeping us at bay and what is happening in Afghanistan is heartbreaking enough with many leaving their country. Hard to believe that we are witnessing so much in our lifetime. Would things get better? Well, it's hard to say. We can only go about our own struggles right now. Wish I could put something positive here and say things will get better.
Guest: Yeah, it's been a tough two months since the passing of my grandfather. He's at peace now and my family is getting around fine. So many questions, and do not worry. They will be answered the more the story goes.
Aeternyx: Good guess about the two wolves. I wanted to incorporate these two animals because they play a big part in Norse mythology. Though I see Eivor being the black wolf and Sigurd the white for two very different reasons. I always found it fascinating that in the myth a wolf is chasing the sun and I thought, we'll, maybe I can put that in the story.If I got it mixed around, forgive me on that part, but it will make sense as we get further into the story. The brown wolves were just an added touch. Wolf behavior is fascinating. And thank you, I have been taking a much needed break.