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Snow.

Ariella looked outside her bed chamber window, teal blue eyes looking over the treeline in awe. Within the last week she had experienced many "firsts", but this had been the only pleasant one. Some time over night the snow must have started as there was already a few inches weighing down on the dormant tree branches.

It looks so peaceful...

She marveled, watching as small flakes gently floated down from the early morning sky and coating the kingdom below. Ariella had never seen such a thing before, but her mother had told her about it. On the islands it did not snow, even in winter. The air for most of the year is warm and humid, with rain storms coming often during their "winter." The snow was beautiful, just as her mother had described. It was too bad she had to experience it within this cesspool of a kingdom.

"It's the first snow of winter."

"AYE! Ma'lei hewa!" Ariella spun around, speaking in her native tongue. In the capitals language, she would have something along the line of "What the hell!"

"Don't you people ever knock?!" She hissed, glaring down at the small servant girl who had quietly entered her bedroom undetected. "How long have you been there?!"

"Oh! I- I am sorry, G-goddess. Please, take my apology. Truly, I.. I was only..." The servant girl began to get on her knees, bowing her head deeply and refusing to make eye contact.

Ariella practically shivered at being called "Goddess." She groaned and hurried over to the girl, gently pulling her up and back onto her feet. "Stop. Don't do that. I am not a Goddess."

"You.. you are her. Goddess Aurelia reincarnate."

Ariella stepped away, eyes still glaring as the girl continued to look at the ground in shame. "I said stop! Please." She sighed and turned back to the window. "Just call me Ariella." She had grown so exhausted hearing herself called a "Goddess." The people who believed this were delusional, clearly grasping to anything they could for hope to win the war. Insane!

"What do you want?" Her moments of peace with the snow had been ruined. It was time to start another agonizing day as a prisoner of the Imperial Family. Her heart ached at the thought, her body tense. She has tired... so, so tired. How long would she have to be here until the Emperor decided that she was not some reincarnated Goddess? Would she be allowed to live even if he did?

"I only came to wake you.. but.. but you were already awake."

"So leave me."

"I.. uhm... I am sorry, Godde-... Erm.. Ariella. Upon the first winter's snow, we hold a festival and pray to the gods of season. Do you not know? We give thanks for a bountiful year and ask the gods for a comfortable winter until spring arrives. Great Emperor Ulric has asked that you join the church in this, as you will be a high priestess one day when you have awoken Aurelia."

Ariella heavily sighed, refusing to look at the servant girl now and instead focusing on the snow outside. Even this snow, beautiful and serene, was bringing her pain. Perhaps this was not such a great first experience after all. Nothing here could make her happy.

"Ariella?" The servant girl waited for any sort of response, but Ariella was clearly trying to shut her out. Now it was the girls turn to sigh. "Uhm... The Emperor also would like to introduce you to those he is calling "The Divine." I have heard that they will teach you how to unlock your strength. We must get you ready in your priestess garb now, we cannot have the Emperor waiting on you." The servant girl, hesitant to grab Ariella, began to walk closer to her. "If you could please follow me, Goddess..."

The half-elf stood frozen in the middle of the throne room, absolutely gobsmacked. She, Kythaela Wyvernhide, serving the Goddess’s reincarnate? An insignificant peasant from some backwater village, personally caring for the Goddess Aurelia? This had to be a dream. Kythaela would have slapped herself across the face with all her might to check if she was not in the presence of Emperor Ulric Blackwood and a small audience. So she waited, just for a moment or two, to see if she would wake up, or if someone would reveal that they were only playing a prank on the gullible woman. But when neither happened, her hands shot up towards her mouth, failing to stop Kythaela’s soft gasp from escaping her lips.

Words could not possibly describe how honored she felt. She had never been more proud of herself: she was chosen to do something special. It was a warm feeling that gradually turned cold as the exact words the Emperor uttered reached Kythaela’s frontal lobe. A scapegoat: the Emperor chose her to be sacrificed for “the greater good” … all because she kind of looked like Aurelia’s reincarnation --- and unlike her, Kythaela was expendable.

Terror’s cold embrace took ahold of Kythaela. Thoughts ran wildly through her head. She thought of death, the finality of it. Was she prepared to die for her country, her Goddess? She thought about what would happen if she failed this holy mission. Are the consequences of failing something Kythaela can live with? Even the thought of flat out refusing the Emperor’s request flashed through her mind but that was just as quickly pushed out. Although Ulric chose his words carefully, his “request” was a thinly veiled order. As a mere commoner, a subject of the Great Aerowyn Empire, defying the direct order of Ulric Blackwood was treasonous. The Empire would make sure that Kythaela and her family were disgraced and unwelcomed as long as they resided within the Empire. She could not do that to her family.

The train of thought that lead to her family loosened terror’s grip on Kythaela, allowing her to relax. Recalling each of their faces, voices, and mannerism made her realize what was and always had been her top priority: her family. Whatever she decided at that moment would affect her family no matter what, so Kythaela had to be absolutely sure that her decision benefited them.

Kythaela closed her eyes and took in a depth breath, before bowing. “There are no words that can accurately express how honored I am to be chosen for such an important role.” The people around her nodded in agreement or looked at the display with indifference. No one here expected her to say no to Ulric: she was a servant and he was her Emperor. This meeting could not have played out any other way. Up until the point where she continued with a, “However.” Kythaela could feel the room become uncomfortably still, eyes all staring down the foolish half-elf.

“I must humbly request two things from you if you wish me to take on this duty, your Imperial Majesty.”

Kythaela’s elven ears heard the audience mutter amongst themselves, shocked by the nerve of the lowly woman. Kythaela swallowed as she lifted her gaze towards the Emperor.

“I have a family that I love very much back home. A great distance separates us, but not a single day has passed that I don't think of them. As much as I wish I could be with them, we are not financially well off, hence why I am working here. My first request is that they are compensated handsomely upon,” Kythaela hesitated to get the next words out, “the unlikely event that I should perish.” The silence that followed her sentence and Ulric’s hand movement commanded her to continue.

“My second request… is that my family will not be punished for my actions during my service to the Goddess, no matter the outcome.” Kythaela rounded up all the courage she could muster at that moment to look straight into the Emperor’s eyes, “My failures are mine, and mine alone. I will bear any punishment without resistance, but my family cannot be blamed for what I do.”

She bowed her head down, praying to the Gods and Goddesses, “These are my requests, your Imperial Majesty.”

For a few moments the Emperor looked down upon Kythaela, his hardened face not moving a single muscle. His council watched him carefully, holding their breath in anticipation until suddenly a warm chuckle escaped Ulric's mouth and he smiled. "You are brave, aren't you girl?" He gestured as if to wave her off, out of the council chamber. "So be it then. You shall have your wishes."

---

Praise the Gods, she did it. She had no idea how, but she managed to do it: Kythaela forged a legally binding contract with the Emperor. He could probably nullify the contract if he truly wanted to, but at least Ulric would not able to do it in good conscience. Kythaela would have to have really mess things up for the Emperor to become vindictive enough to go out of his way to nullify the contract. That or the Empire itself would have to be in a dire situation in need of someone, anyone, to blame. A situation which the Goddess Aurelia was to save them from… Hopefully.

Kythaela straightened her dress, in an effort to look more presentable, and took in a few deep breaths for the seventh time since she reached the door. Just passed this door was a mortal deity, an awe inducing powerful being; the god who can change the world. Her heart couldn’t stop racing. Perhaps it was a fruitless endeavor to even try to calm herself down, but she didn’t want to make a bad first impression. Stay cool, calm, and collected, Kythaela. You can do it. She pulled out a paper filled with key phrases in the Kassian native language. Kythaela only just started to study Kassian, so she was far from fluent. She did, however, hope that hearing something familiar would make the introduction process much smoother.

After putting the paper away, the servant knocked on the decorative door. When she got no response the second time she knocked on the door Kythaela let herself into the Goddess’s private quarters, “Pardon my intrusion, Goddess.”

It was impossible for anyone’s eyes not to be drawn to the beautiful figure in the room, despite the elegant decorations that overflooded the space around her. Standing near the window, in all her holy radiance, was the Goddess Aurelia. She who saved Aerowyn from evil many centuries ago; the one so powerful that she could shape the world as she pleased. Kythaela felt her cheeks blush when the Goddess locked eyes with her. The half-elf quickly averted her gaze to look down at the floor. To think that someone would ever mistake someone like Kythaela with the Goddess, flattering, but it was an insult to the Goddess.

Kythaela performed a formal Kassian greeting gesture, “<Good day, oh great one. You honor me with your presence.> ” The Aerowyn accent was thicker than molasses and even with how slow she talked, Kythaela still fumbled with the words. With how badly butchered her following sentences were, Kythaela should have stopped using Kassian, yet she trudged on. Maybe the servant would have noticed the change in the Goddess if she had just looked up, but she didn’t. “<With your permission, allow me to introduce myse---…>”

Ariella's gaze snapped towards the girl, eyes shooting icy daggers with intent to kill. "You mock me?" Her hands slowly curled into fists as an animalistic urge came over her body. "Leave!" She pointed to door, face beginning to flush with anger. "Get out! NOW!"

At first, Kythaela didn’t know what had happened. Did she do something wrong? Well, she must have. Why else would the Goddess be so furious with her? She opened her mouth to explain that she meant no ill will, but instead of words with meaning, a strangled noise took its place. Kythaela turned pale, breaking out into cold sweat, as panic set in. Her throat tightened to the point that she couldn’t breathe. This couldn’t be happening now. No. Not now of all times.

Where did the courage to negotiate with the Emperor go? Was this meeting not just as, if not more, important for her family?

In a last-ditch attempt, Kythaela tried to fish out the piece of paper with Kassian on it, but her trembling hands made it near impossible to do such a simple task. She was a heartbeat away from fainting when she finally pulled out the piece of paper. Perhaps it was because she felt some form of relief when she finally got the paper that Kythaela’s throat relaxed. As soon as it did, however, instead of a sound ---whether it be a pathetic noise or actual words--- coming from her windpipe, what Kythaela had for breakfast shot out of her gullet.

She may have managed to save her family from the wrath of mortals… but what could she possibly do to protect her family from the wrath of a Goddess? Nothing. All Kythaela could do was pray and hope that another God would take pity on her miserable soul.

Darkness all around him and the cold, wait cold. This isn't the isle he was sold from, wherein gods names could he be. He stared forward and felt a wooden wall in front of him, then to his sides and behind him. He stood and hit his head almost immediately, as he was thrown up like whatever he was in was being tossed about. Which, of course, was being tossed about on the inside of this container. He grumbled slightly as he just sat back down and closed his eyes before his container hit another bump before stopping, sending him for a little into the front wall.

"Praise that I do not freeze here and die, for my gifts to this world are fully given to those who truly need it." He said before a small slot opened up, with a tray being pushed inside. Bread, water, some bits of unknown meat. Well, at least whoever had him fed him well. But through this, the wind also struck as his bones. He took the items from the tray and used the tray to block the port. It left him in the dark again, but it would halt the cold for a short time.

"lift it and we will give you blankets, it's cold and you're supposed to enjoy your stay, which I wouldn't know why they gave us that to put you in..." some man muttered from outside the carriage, he did as he was told, and through the slot, several large blankets were given.

"Where are we going?" Kurtis asked as he slowly moved one blanket to cover the hole a little, and the others around a corner to which he found himself lying in the pile like a feral dog with thrown away bedding or towels.

"You'll figure out when we get there Von Braumer

Kurtis would eat, and then he would think, something he hasn't done in a very long time, probably not even at this moment, but something would strike him funny, did they just say his name, instead of Kurtis, but Von Braumer? He shrugged it off and leaned back, wait, is he going home. No, the answer would be, but he would find out in a few hours.




He wasn't as cold as he had been before, he was still cold to the bone but he had a somewhat full stomach and blankets covering the rags he wore. He stared out into the blank void of darkness that surrounded him. Then the wagon, and therefor the container they shoved him in stopped, and he went forward some into the wall when it stopped.

"Is this the carriage we sent for Von Braumer?" asked an older voice.

"Aye, and we gave him blankets and food, well we just gave him blankets when it started snowing." replied the voice from before.

"It looks more like a prisoner box."

"Aye it is, we got it because we bought him from a gentleman trading, we were surprised we ran into him. A thwack could be heard outside the carriage.

"Well go on, get him out of there, and get him some clothes, a bath, and some real food... he isn't a prisoner, he's a guest."

"I thought he was gonna be one of the goddesses serving boys." another thwack would be heard.

"Get him out of there, and I might not disown you and your brother, idiots both of you for keeping a guest locked up in the dark for... however long you had him."

The latch lowering one of the walls was lowered and a scraggly looking man with somewhat greying hair appeared in a pile of blankets on the side of it. There were vomit and other bodily fluids through the crate, and it had a wretched smell.
The main looked up at the two younger men and the other man who looked maybe five to ten years older than him.
"Burn this box, and don't speak of this to anyone... A bath, a barber who can let me properly and cut my hair, and something to ea ... I don't remember most of my travels after I got back to the mainland, but if I am to be seen with any goddess, I do not wish to be looking like her worst subject, and from the looks of it, I don't want to look like a peasant in front of people who know me."

"Of course, if you are to guide the Goddess as one of the Divine, we will get what you need... and have some of what you are known for in the quarters we have provided for you. Now, if you will follow me, let us get you a bath, and something to shape your appearance, we have clothing and items that may fulfill your current needs before we have you meet those who will join you on the goddess's journey, as well as meeting the goddess.

Kurtis would pull his legs over the sides of the where he laid, and he would fall on the ground, having some trouble standing as he hadn't truly stood in some while. Having to be helped to his feet before his night could continue.




To the beginning of the "William Tell Overture."
He opened his eyes and stretched a bit, feeling a bed beneath him, at least one fir over him, a somewhat shaped hair and beard. Not reeking of piss and excrement, it felt odd, much like his childhood, had his last year or two been a dream? It was warm, and on the side table was an apple, bread, and cheese, a smaller bottle of wine and a glass. Some had already been eaten, and he felt a bit of cheese in his teeth, it was nice. Calm, and sweet. He looked at the walls, the ceiling sliding from the bed after only several hours of sleep, not many but he felt well-rested. Maybe it had been all a dream, but this wasn't a room he had been in before, but he did remember some of the architecture and craftsmanship styles from when he was a child.

He grabbed the apple and took a bite to it, he felt sick to his stomach, probably the wine, and also food that is somewhat fresh. A knock rapped along his door and he looked to it, "Yes?" he asked.

"We should be getting prepared with several other of the Divine for when you meet the one who will awaken the Goddess." said Clergil, one of the servent heads. "But come, I'll show you to the hall where the other Diviners will meet, and where you will meet Ariella, who you will help with awakening the goddess, and with your recent divination and ability with the gods... We hope that there can be wonders made...

It wasn't a dream, this bed is just comfy and I think I've had too much wine with not enough food, thought Kurtis as he got dressed.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Fingers dance idly across the polished surface of marbled granite, nails painting out the resounding tempo throughout his room. Elijah, deep in thought, a most common tick in him being the only thing to break the deafening silence in his own little world, his thumb subconsciously stroking his chin, awaiting his father’s reply. Sitting upon that same surface of his desk was a crystallized mirror. Shards of floating glass, imbued with magical properties formed the image of the elder Masterson as he too was deep in thought, reading the letter sent to him via raven only days earlier.

“You’ve really managed to piss him off this time, haven’t you?” The distorted voice of the crystals resonated out to him. Elijah’s eyes instinctively wandered out towards the window as he began formulating a response in his mind. The air had grown much colder lately, the starting signs of impending winter and soon enough snowfall would grace the land, “She is not the goddess, Father.” The tapping stopped as Elijah leaned back in his chair, his fingers folding and interlocking with each other, his embered gaze never leaving the glass panes of his window. “So you have stated in your letter here, and exactly how well did Ulric take those words?” The mirror mockingly asked him.

“Better than I thought… less than I’d hoped.”

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“My Lord, I must advise you to seriously reconsider this announcement involving the Kassian girl!” Elijah was hot on the tail of his Emperor, having watched and listened for days while the insanity of it all took off. First it was kidnapping some poor peasant girl in the streets, next it was comparing her visage to that of the goddess Aurelia, now it was announcing to the world the return of the goddess; enough was enough. “One person, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, looking seemingly like a portrait from a thousand years ago, does not one a goddess make! Please My Lord, you must see reason to this!” He had to do something, they were already considering making one of the servants in the castle a scapegoat as her appearance was very nearly identical.

"Quiet!” The Emperor stopped mid-stride and turned quickly on heel to face his advisor. "I will not hear it anymore.” Faded & tired hazel eyes glared at the young man before him, “You know that I trust Lord Baron a great deal. What reason would he have to lie?!” The Emperor huffed and turned, seemingly done with the conversation. He began to walk down the hallway again, toward the audience chamber. "For God's sake, Elijah, he once led my royal guard. He has no reason to lie to me! In fact, he has more reasons NOT to lie to me.”

Elijah came to a halt as Ulric turned on him, the young man’s heated gaze matching his Elder, before he turned and continued back down his path. “This is not a matter of trust and loyalty, My Lord!” Elijah’s own strides carried him further ahead, passing Ulric before turning to face him, hoping to halt his advance. “This is about common sense! What if he’s wrong about the girl? Think of the political backlash you would face, kidnapping an innocent girl, claiming she’s a goddess among mortals? We are already in a war and making such bold claims could not only lose us allies, but make more enemies, it would be the end of the Empire!” He let the words sink in, but more than frustrated Elijah continued on, “You’ve done many a great deal for this kingdom, and your word is law, but you cannot deny that there are those who believe your decisions to be controversial, this would only add more fuel to the flames.”

Ulric paused briefly, looking his advisor up and down as if to question why he would ever think to cross into the Emperor’s path. "And what of it? Are great things not done when there is also great risk?” He shook his head, moving past the younger man. "Your father might have thought better to question my decisions. I advise you to hold your tongue on this, young lord.” The Emperor once again began his walk to the audience chamber. "We will awaken the Goddess.” He paused for a moment to look back at his advisor. "And if we don’t… Aerowyn may be lost for us all.” He stared at Elijah, clearly wanting to further elaborate on this statement but instead keeping whatever it was he knew to himself. It was time to announce Goddess Aurelia’s return.

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Aerowyn may be lost for us all, initially Elijah thought Ulric was filled with spiteful pride and arrogance, but those words left an ominous foreboding that only left more questions with no answers. “He’s playing a dangerous game, for what the worth is I know not of.” Elijah’s face turned back towards the visage of his father, “He’s deliberately hiding something, something that could very well affect everyone and everything involved.” The crystals in all their odd distortions chuckled in resonance with Kenneth’s voice, “Ulric has always been that way, one to burden himself with all of the responsibilities, even when those around him were willing to aid him.”

Elijah stood up from his seat and walked towards the fireplace, a subtle flash in his eyes igniting the semi charred remnants already there, the ignition quickly warming up the cooled room. “He certainly makes it difficult to play the role of advisor,” he stated, turning around and walking towards a nearby cabinet to shuffle through his clothing. “So what do you intend to do about your role with the girl then? Simply give up on her before anything has even started?”

“No,” he stated with confidence, wrapping a burgundy cloak around himself, inlaid with silver trim, “I shall do as my Lord commands and ‘awaken the goddess’, however his expectations of what I am to do with her, will be entirely different from what I actually will do with her.” Approaching his desk once more, he stared into the crystallized image of his father, “For now, I must bid you farewell, the ceremony is about to start. I will send more information to you once I have a further inkling of understanding to it.” The image chortled, “Of course, I look forward to it. I wish you the best of luck, and as poor in taste as it might be, may the goddess guide your steps.” Elijah’s face grimaced as he saw his own father smirk in the mirror, a hand wave gesture later and the fractured mirror mended itself into a solid piece of glass, the only reflection in it was Elijah’s own. Turning on his heel to march out of the room, he stated to no one in particular, “She is not the goddess,” and slammed the door behind him.