The children of Suomi, daughters and sons of the hardworking farmers, ran laughing to greet the old bard walking toward the village’s temple.

“What will it be today?!”

“Your battles in Chaos?”

“Or a story of dragons?”

“Adventures of Medenia?”

“Tell the one about Medusa again!”

“No, the one about the Oren pirates!”

“Settle down young’uns! Settle down!” The bard said, laughing at the eager, smiling faces, as he sat down at the foot of the Deoch temple, “today’s story is about a girl,” the bard said finally smiling at the faces around him. Their eyes went wide.

“A girl?!”

“Was she an archer?”

“Was she a warrior?”

“A Gladiator!”

“Did she fight monsters?”

“Nay, but she was a priestess. A priestess here at the temple of Deoch,” the bard said softly.

“Here? In Suomi?” a little voice came from a girl, eyes wide.

“Aye, she was just like you…” the bard cleared his throat and played a few heart tugging notes on his harp as he started declaiming,

“When lightning struck the tallest tree,

When clouds thundered down their rage,

When tears of heaven soaked the face

Of beautiful Suomi, then came a legend

Into this land. Then came the beautiful,

The good hearted and kind Andromache…”

***

My name is Andromache. It means “the girl for whom men go to war,” but I don’t like war at all, war is gruesome, not full of glory. I hope no man has to go to war for me. He’d die for sure, and then I won’t have any man at all. That’s what Alexis told me anyway.

Alexis lives in a farm near ours. He can be annoying sometimes, but he’s a good friend. Sometimes we sneak into Goran’s farm and pick out red ripe cherries to eat.

Mama says I shouldn’t eat too many cherries or I’ll get sick and then the soldiers in Loures will come and take me far away, but Papa always laughs and says no soldier will ever take his princess away. I love my Mama and Papa, they love me too. I don’t have any brothers or sisters. I used to have an older brother but Mama says Sgrios took him away when I was very little and there was also a little sister but Sgrios took her away too. I don’t like Sgrios.

***

Alexis’s little sister Anna is sick. She has caught the fever. Mama says I am not to go near her or else I will get sick too but I don’t care. Me and Alexis picked fresh grapes for her to make her feel better. I prayed to the gods to make her feel better fast.

Yesterday a priest of Deoch came to our farm. I had never seen one. She wore a beautiful violet gown adorned with gold. Gold and violet are royal colours, so I asked her if she was a queen and she had a laugh like bells tinkling. Papa kept calling her ‘My lady.’ When she left I asked him why he had done so.

“Why, because she deserves lots of respect, because she is a High Priestess at the temple here,” Papa smiled, “She’s good to us farmers.”

“Do I deserve respect too?” I asked.

“Of course you do,” he smiled. From that day on Papa called me ‘My lady’ too. It made me feel so special and so happy.

***

The old bard paused for a breath.

“When is she going to battle?” asked a little boy eagerly.

“Nay, she won’t battle lad,” the bard smiled, “She will conquer the land, but she won’t battle.

The Fever, it struck death upon so many,

It struck death upon the little girl Anna.

It struck fear into the hearts of all in Suomi,

It struck fear and death upon so many…

And one day the Fever knocked on

The door of Andromache’s happy home.

It had come to take away their peace,

It had to come to inflict pain and grief,

Pain and grief upon the little Andromache…”

***

Mama had gotten so sick. Papa wouldn’t let me go near her. I was so scared. I wasn’t allowed to see Alexis anymore. Papa said it was because of them Mama was sick. Papa said it was because Alexis’s mama had asked Mama to help with Anna one day. He was so angry that I couldn’t even argue.

“Papa?” I asked him one night while he was sitting outside staring at the stars.

“Ah, my lady,” he smiled pulling me into his lap. He was in a good mood. I smiled hesitantly. His mood changed fast these days.

“Look at the stars Andromache,” he whispered and I followed his gaze, “Look at how to envelop us in their light. They are like a million faeries scattered across the sky.”

“They’re so pretty,” I sighed, settling back against him. Papa always made me feel so safe and secure. He always made me feel protected. I knew no Loures soldier nor Sgrios could ever get to me as long as Papa was there.

“Yes, they are, just like you,” he smiled. He was silent for a few moments.

“Papa?” I asked turning around to look at him.

“Yes?”

“Is Mama going to be okay?” I asked fearfully.

“She’s trying to be,” he whispered, his voice cracking, “she’s trying very hard.” His hold tightened on me and I looked back up at the stars. It looked like thousands of faeries had sprinkled shining specks of dust across the sky. I wondered if faeries could cure Mama. I fell asleep in Papa’s arms thinking about the stars.

***

It had been six days after Mama had left us. I was sitting in the house listening to Papa yell at someone. The person he was talking to had a voice like bells tinkling. I went to the door to see. My eyes felt tired and they burned in the light because I had cried so much.

“You could have cured her yet you didn’t!” Papa was saying.

“I couldn’t do anything. It was the will of the gods. I tried researching the cure, but I didn’t have the right herbs, I’m so sorry,” she was saying, her head bowed.

“You Aislings are all alike. You could have saved her, you have healing powers! Yet you didn’t!” Papa’s voice was cracking.

“I really did try…” she said softly, tears swimming in her eyes, “I am sorry.” She looked up and her eyes fell on me. She smiled softly and I pulled my red hair out of my eyes hoping I didn’t have dirt on my face or mud caked tears. Then she left.

Papa stormed back into the house without giving me a glance.

“Papa?” I whispered but my strings of words could reach him no more. He went toward the fire and sat down, mumbling to himself. I closed the door and hoped that happiness wasn’t far away.

***

“Her mama died?” A little girl asked, awestruck.

“Aye, little one, Sgrios took her also,” The bard nodded his head, full of wisdom.

“Did Sgrios not like Andromache?” a boy asked fervently.

“I do not know, but maybe we’ll find out when we finish the story.

And so the days became dark

Enveloped in rage and grief

Her father turned to something,

Something so terrible and she cried

As she saw him change. And then,

The day came when he turned

Against her, against his little princess…”

***

A storm was brewing outside, thunder and lightning raging in the skies. I was tending the fire. Papa was sitting at the table.

“Papa would you like to eat?” He didn’t answer. I didn’t ask again. He seemed so distant now. I felt so scared. It was as if Sgrios had taken Papa too. I noticed the bottle at the table. He had been drinking tonight again.

“Papa?” I tried again, hoping he’d eat.

“Whaddya want?!”

“I just…just want…” I couldn’t get the words out, his tone was so different from the man I knew as my Papa.

“Speak louder!” he yelled standing up, “Speak up! I don’t have time for insolent little brats like you!”

“Papa…” I felt tears come into my eyes, “Papa please don’t do this…”

“Don’t do this?! Don’t do what?!” he towered over me.

“Papa you’re scaring me!” Now the tears were falling freely. I was too scared to wipe them off. And then…then it happened! His hand rose and came down against my cheek in a burning sensation.

I yelped in pain , crying.

“Shut up!” he yelled as he came toward me again.

“No, Papa, please stop this! Please!” I scrambled away to the door, my knee scarping on the ground, my shirt tearing, but I didn’t care.

“Come back here!” he called.

“No! You’re not my Papa!” I sobbed and ran into the night, ran as fast as I could, ran till I could run no more, and fell upon the steps of the Deoch temple. The rain poured over me and washed my soul of my pain. Suddenly everything went dark and then I saw a brilliant light. A brilliant, warm light…

***

“Deoch touched little Andromache,

Deoch relieved her of her pain.

He gave her the Aisling spark,

He gave her his spark like a new life…

And so she awoke, an Aisling.”

“Wow…” the children awed.

“An Aisling!” someone said.

“So lucky!” Another one chirped. The bard laughed and continued,

“In the light of the next morning’s dawn

When the dew settled upon the grass,

A priestess came out of the temple and found

A new Aisling sitting on the steps…

***

The priestess guided me to be a Priest after I assured her it was what I wanted. I hated war, so why would I be a Warrior? Monks also fought so I wouldn’t choose that path. Rogues were far too sneaky and Wizards used black magic. So a Priest I became.

The great priestess, Lady Callisto, with a laugh like bells tinkling, welcomed me into the Deoch fellowship and so I became a Deoch worshipper. She braided my long red hair in one beautiful braid and gave me priestess clothes. She even gave me boots!

I never saw my father again. I rarely stepped out of the Deoch temple until the day the Acolyte mundane Vivianne told me to audition for a play at the Suomi Theatre.

***

At the day of the play I was so nervous. I had been an Aisling for four Deochs now. Some of the others at the play were much much older. One had been an Aisling for seventeen Deochs! I felt so young. And there was such a big crowd too. I just couldn’t believe I made it in and I got the lead!!!

The director, Menelaus, was a really nice guy. He said I had talent. And now there was crowd here to see me…The High Priest of Deoch, Lady Callisto, was there too!

I saw many faces in the crowd. I recognized some of the people from Deoch fellowship. I was a Deoch Acolyte now so I was well known, especially since I lived at the temple and was seen waxing the holy statue so often.

One face caught my attention however. He was sitting in the first row wearing peasant attire but the dugon on his forehead told me he was a monk. I had learned much about the different paths now and I knew monks fought but they were also nature loving. He looked eager and he smiled a wide smile when I looked at him. I looked away. I was much too nervous to smile.

Finally Menelaus called us all together and we all wished each other good luck.

“May Deoch light your way!”

“May Glioca’s love guide you!”

“Ceannlaidir will give you courage!”

“Luathas’ knowledge will be your guide!”

And so we all parted and started the play. At first I was nervous but when my part came I wasn’t Andromache anymore…I was my character and I felt and saw everything as she did…I was consumed into her world, oblivious to the crowd and to the stage on which I danced my dance…

***

“She was in a play!” someone said happily, clapping their hands.

“Yes, yes, a great play!”

“She still didn’t conquer anything…” one boy looked disappointed.

“But lad!” The bard laughed, “She conquered hearts! Hearts of the audience and the heart of that one monk…

And so she became well known

In the land of Suomi. The Actress,

They called her, as she danced

Time and time again on the stage,

The Goddess of Acting, they said.

And then the Lady Callisto raised her,

Raised her position to a Priestess

Of Deoch. She became respected

And loved by all, for she was

The beautiful Andromache,

Conquering hearts…”

***

It was after mass one day that I met him again, the same monk who had caught my attention during that first play. Now I had been in three more play and at each one I had looked for him again but I couldn’t find him. It was raining terribly again and it was reminding me of that one terrible yet amazing night…

The worshippers were saying good bye to me.

“Goodbye Andromache that was a great mass!”

“Thank you, may Deoch light your way…”

“Andromache, beautiful sermon, you get better every time!”

“Thanks,” I smiled, “May Deoch’s light stay with you always.”

When the last of the worshippers left, I looked at Vivianne, who smiled at me her congratulations. Then I looked at the flames dancing merrily on the walls. Lady Callisto had told me to start living in an Inn. She said I was much too good to be living in the temple now. As I was pondering her words the door to the temple creaked open and that man walked in.

“Did I miss the mass?!” He asked, breathing hard.

“Aye,” I laughed at him. His fair hair was so wet, his dugon at an angle. He was drenched!

“Ugh!” he said and I walked toward him.

“What’s your name?” I asked, “I am Andromache.”

“Everyone knows your name priestess. My name is Okami.” He smiled as he took his dugon off to shake the water off of it. His fair fell into his face as he did so and without thinking I reached out and brushed it back. He looked up at me, his dark eyes connecting with my green ones.

“I…I’m sorry…” I blushed at my audacity but he only smiled. I felt a thousand faeries fluttering in my stomach and my heart beat against my chest so hard as if wanting to burst out.

That was when I first encountered the bewitching love….

***

One of my friends and fellow priest helped me and Okami get love bonded. I am never going to break it. It’s so great to have someone so close to me, someone whom I could share secrets with and tell everything to. The last friend I had was Alexis…

But I do not look back on my mundane life anymore. I will not let it make me become bitter. Okami, when he found out about it last double moon, told me it was part of who I was.

“If you hadn’t run away that night then you would have never have become an Aisling,” he had said as he sat in the Tagor inn with me near the cozy fire place.

Maybe he is right. But I do not want to dwell on it. Okami has shown me many different places in Temuair. It’s a fascinating land. He also promised me that once I achieve my forty-first insight he will take me on the boat to Medenia. I can’t wait now…

***

“Wow, Okami sounds so cool!” someone said from the back.

“She’s lucky to be an Aisling even if it means she had a bad past,” someone else added wistfully.

“Well at least Okami’s a monk. He can probably kill everything! Like Dark Clerics and Baby Dracos and Fire Hydracos…!” said a little boy counting down on his fingers.

“He cannot! Warriors are much better!” Another one said smirking.

“Shhhhh, we wanna hear the rest of the story!” a little girl scolded. They got quiet once again.

“She was happy, the little Andromache,

She was happy with the life she had.

She had a life full of love and happiness

And she wished for no more than that,

Nor did she hunger for more power.

She was happy to be who she was,

She was happy to be good and kind,

And she was content. But then one day

Sgrios sent for her. Sgrios reached out

Reached his dark hand for her heart…”

***

It was just after a play. I was in Undine Tavern with my friends. We were laughing and they were all congratulating me. But I was looking for someone. I was looking…

“Andromache!” Menelaus called my name.

“Menelaus,” I smiled warmly, “What did you think?”

“Wonderful, absolutely wonderful,” he smiled kindly.

“Really?” I asked hesitantly.

“Andromache you should be proud of yourself,” he boomed. His voice was loud and full of authority. No wonder he made such a fabulous director, but I couldn’t be proud. Pride was wrong for the heart and the mind. I sighed once again and looked up to see a cloaked man, a priest. He was right in front of me. I opened my mouth to greet him but then…

“Andromache!!” Okami voice called out and I turned away.

“Okami, you didn’t come to the play! Oh…I was so worried,” I buried myself in his arms.

“What’s to worry bout? I was just in Chthonic Remains. The priest with us wouldn’t let me go. He said it would be unfair, cutting his hunt short for a play. I had to stay,” he said soothingly.

“Who was this priest?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Some cloaked fellow. I didn’t see his face,” A shudder ran through me. Why would a priest keep his face hidden? I buried myself deeper in Okami’s arms, feeling safer than I had felt for a long time.

***

It didn’t take long for me meet the cloaked fellow again. He came to my Deoch mass. When I asked one of my Acolytes who he was, he told me his name was Akumu and he was a Sgrios priest.

Even though I was a Deochian, allied with Sgrians, I still felt uneasy around them. They had an aura around them, an aura I couldn’t describe. It was easier to get along with Gliocans, like Okami, maybe because Glioca was the goddess of love and Sgrios was the god of decay, an essential evil of life.

He stayed after my mass.

“That was a wonderful mass.” He said as he walked up. The last of the worshippers had left. I was alone in my temple, as I so often was, yet with his presence even the flames seemed to bring me no warmth and comfort.

“Thank you,” I tried to smile.

“You have much talent…my lady,” he said and I felt a chill. No one had ever called me “my lady,” not since…I shook my head clear of the memories.

“Why did you just call me that?” I asked.

“It is who you are, dear Andromache,” the familiarity disturbed me. I still couldn’t see his face clearly. He reached out to tug on a wisp of red hair that had escaped my braid. My heart hammered…this was a feeling I only had around Okami. What was happening to me?

***

“Is something wrong?” Okami looked concerned.

“No, nothing,” I was looking at the ground. We were in Pravat. Okami was taking me to see the Baby Draco. I felt uneasy. It had been a few double moons since I had seen Akumu but…I couldn’t get him out of my mind.

I hated to think it was infatuation. I loved Okami, but…there was always a but! I felt like strangling something…frustration bubbled up inside of me. What was happening?

***

“Will she not like Okami anymore?” the little girl in the front asked in a small voice.

“Well we’ll see, won’t we?”

“Awww come one, tell!” voices erupted up around the old bard.

“If you just listen, you’ll see…” the bard said and went on,

“Andromache then met him again

Met him, whom she couldn’t

Stop thinking about, and then

He used her weaknesses against

Her, against the beautiful, kind

Andromache…”

***

“You won’t do that!” I yelled at him. I had just achieved my sixtieth insight and as I was coming out of the Chthonic Remains I had been cornered by Akumu.

“But I will,” he smiled.

“You can’t scare me, I am an Aisling now, my father cannot hurt me, and neither can you!” I hated him. I hated him so much. He knew what I feared most…but how?

“You do know it’s reversible?” he asked. I could hear the smirk in his voice.

“What is?” I whispered.

“Becoming an Aisling, I can force you back into the life you had before. Your father…he has turned into a bitter man. He will quench all life in you just for spite.” He came closer and closer to me.

“He won’t, you can’t!” I screamed. I tried to run away but he grabbed me. In my struggle I knocked off his cloak and at that moment I knew I’d regret forever doing so. His right side of his face was covered with his hair but his left side…his eye was blood red…with hints of orange. And there was a long deep scar that ran from his forehead to his cheek, going over his eyelid. I was frozen, staring at that horrible face, so full of spite.

“I can,” he whispered, “And if you don’t do as I say, I promise you, I will.” And then he let me go and vanished.

***

“You are leaving the Deoch faith?” Lady Callisto sounded worried.

“Yes, My lady.” I said, my head bowed, for I dare not meet her eyes.

“Are you sure about this?” She asked. I didn’t look up in fear of breaking down.

“Yes, My lady,” I said in the same voice.

“Alright,” she said and I looked to Vivianne to help me leave the faith. With a solemn face she did so.

As I was walking out the temple I heard my name being called.

“Andromache!” It was Okami.

“Yes?”

“You’re leaving Deoch!?” He asked.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“But why?!” he asked, taking hold of my shoulders.

“Please leave me alone,” I said pulling away, my heart breaking at the hurt in his eyes, but I had no other choice. I couldn’t go back to my old life. I just couldn’t.

***

“You’ve done well,” Akumu said to me in the Sgrios temple. I merely nodded.

“Now I shall make you a worshipper here,” he said and I nodded once again and he did so.

***

And so she became a mere puppet

A puppet, only with no strings

Because there was no need of

Strings when one knew how to

Control the heart with fear.

Andromache let herself be

Controlled by fear, she became

A mere lifeless puppet.”

“She went to Sgrios!”

“Why?!”

“But she hates Sgrios!”

“Doesn’t she know Akumu lied?!” someone asked knowingly.

“Hush, let us hear the rest!” someone said loudly and all others quieted down.

“Aye, she hates Sgrios, but she is afraid, and she’s letting her fear control her. Sometimes we are all afraid. Her fear is getting in the way of her reason, and she forgot to see if Akumu spoke the truth or not,” The bard nodded solemnly.

“I am scared of Goblins!” someone offered.

“Yes, we are all scared of something,” the bard nodded and started once again, his voice low and deep, full of remorse,

“So it happened, what she had

Always been so afraid of. All life

Slowly, seeped from her very being,

And she was so alone once more,

Alone in the unfamiliar land of

Death and decay. She was

Only a body without a soul,

A mere girl without dreams,

A priest without a purpose.”

***

Soon I learned the difference between fear and infatuation. It is true both make your heart beat faster and both take over your mind, but fear can consume your very being, all your hopes, all your dreams. What I felt for Akumu wasn’t infatuation, had never been infatuation. It was fear, fear that ate me up inside like a worm.

As he instructed I rose degrees to the degree of a priest after performing many geases and as he instructed I increased my faith day by day.

In the meantime Akumu was banned from the Sgrios fellowship since he had been breaking rules, but this did not matter to him anymore, he had anticipated this. He had me, his pawn, to do his bidding. This was why he had sought me to begin with.

“Now, my lady, you will learn the joy of giving death,” he said and instructed me to inflict scars upon Aislings, and so I did. I barely saw the light of day again. I never realized that what he had threatened me with was false, for I barely talked to anyone anymore. Akumu made sure he was my only companion.

One time I created havoc and committed mass murder in the Mileth Crypt by summoning dark and foul creatures. My heart ached for the poor souls, but fear was greater than my humanity and so each day I did as I was told without questioning and hoping that someday I would be free.

***

“Akumu?”

“Yes?”

“I wanted to ask…you see…Okami, I just wanted to ask if you know how he is…” I said softly.

“Oh that monk?” Akumu shook his head, his gray hair flying. I turned my face away. I knew the right side of his face was where Sgath had touched him and it was horrible to look at. I didn’t want to see it, “That monk has moved on. He broke his love bond to you. He moved on long ago Andromache, and you should too.”

From that day on the bond I had with Okami held no meaning for me.

***

One day Akumu told me I was free to go. I was free to leave. I was shocked. After living in Sgrios temple for six long and treacherous Deochs I was dying to be free. I was a caged bird whose wings were crying to feel the freedom of air beneath them. I yearned to fly again, and now it was as if he was opening my cage door.

I walked out of the temple to find cold rain falling. Dark clouds covered the sky. Yet I was happy to be free. The first place I wanted to go to was the Deoch temple. Oh, how I had missed that lovely place!

I ran through the towns to Suomi. My land, my town, my temple, my theatre! I was home! I was finally home. Up the temple stairs and I banged on the door. Yet no one came.

“Is any one there?!” I called. But no one replied. It finally dawned on me how long six Deochs were. No one would remember me. Slowly I walked to the Deoch board to see the posts. And there was one from Okami! And…and…Lady Callisto! I read the one from Okami. It was an invitation to his wedding. My heart lurched. He had moved on after all. I looked at all the posts…none of them had my name. No one remembered me, no one at all.

I sat down on the temple steps and cried into my hands. What had I done to myself? I had ended up with nothing. I was back where I started. I had no one anymore. I was all alone.

My name is Andromache. It means “the girl for whom men go to war.” I don’t like war. I thought I’d lose my man in war yet I lost him to my own fear. I lost everything to my own fear. I was too afraid to stand up for what I felt was right, and because of that I was all alone. I fell asleep on the temple steps.

***

“And at the crack of dawn

A priestess came to the

Temple of Deoch to find

A lifeless, sparkless girl

On the steps. No one knew

Who this girl was, no one

Realized it was the great

Andromache. Deoch had

Taken his spark from her

And given her some peace

Like he had given her life

When she had needed it

All those Deochs ago.”

The bard finished with a catch in his voice. Some of the little kids were sniffling.

“Why did she die?” a little girl asked, tear stained face questioningly looking at the bard.

“Because she did bad things,” someone replied. The bard got up to leave the town, his story finished, his work done.

“Wait!” a voice called, “Is the story true?!”

“No one knows for sure if Andromache was real or fictional,” the bard replied as he walked on, “But remember, fiction is the truth inside a lie.”