Kierryn's story

She awoke in sunlight.

Someone was leaning over her. Her first impression was red...red hair, glinting in the light that filtered through the leaves overhead. Green eyes gazed down at her, full of concern. A dark shape stood next to the figure...it purred at her.

"How long have you been out here?" The figure asked in a soft, musical voice. "Are you lost?"

"I...I'm not sure." She stuttered, noticing that she wore rags, and that she was lying on the soft leaves of a forest floor.

It's all right, little one." The figure said, with a slight, sad smile. "I will take you back to your home. You are safe now. My name is Aellynne, and this is Renji." Aellynne gestured to the black lion, who had lain on the the leaves next to her, protectively.

"There is no more home," Kierryn whispered, closing her eyes against the sun. "They are all gone."

Three years later...

Kierryn stumbled into the inn, leaning her staff against the wall, and sitting down with a sigh. It had been a terrible idea...returning to Silvermoon. What had she been thinking?

She tossed her long blond hair back as she pulled off her heavy cloak and gloves and dropped them on the bed next to her. Her golden skin was flushed with anger, but her emerald eyes were shadowed with exhaustion and frustration. All she wanted to do was help her sister...and what a disaster she had created.

She sat and pondered, her intelligent mind working in circles as she considered what to do. Her pretty face, usually graced with a lighthearted smile, was marred by a clenched jaw and a slight frown.

Though born of nobility, she had never understood her parents' obsession with politics and social matters. The only reason she had escaped their fate was her frequent habit of running off to hide in the forest south of Silvermoon. There she might have died, if not for the kind hunter who had found her and cared for her until she could cope on her own. Kierryn had developed her talents with the arcane quickly, and was now strong enough to not only survive, but to thrive on her own. In gratitude, she had adopted the woman into her own House. In time, they had grown to be close friends as well. Kierryn considered the hunter not only her sister, but her best friend.

And yet, all her good intentions had brought nothing but pain. Kierryn's eyes narrowed, and her hands balled into fists. She would make this up to Aellynne, no matter what it took.

And what Kierryn wanted....she would get.

I staggered into the room and sank down on the edge of my bed, before my legs could give way. The room spun a bit. I set the axe, the crossbow and the unused arrows on the ground carefully.

The axe was clean, not a speck of blood. The quiver was full. The man who held me back when I tried to go to her...he said it was too late. He said there was no sign of struggle...

Her quiver was full...

Wrapping my arms around myself, I rocked; back and forth, back and forth. The light streaming through the window assaulted my eyes like shards of glass. I closed my eyes, then opened them quickly.

All I could see when I closed my eyes was red...

...her long red hair...

.......the pool of blood beneath it......

............the crimson flower that rested in the gaping wound in her neck...

I laid my head down on my pillow. I turned and faced the wall.

Inches in front of me, a plain white envelope.

With shaking hands, I opened it. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I scanned the contents. My pillow was damp.

....She would not be returning.

((Noo, you killed off my look-a-like! ))