Ecowyn

I'd found a possum in the woods, she'd been killed by something. In her pouch were babies, all but one of them passed. Holding it close, I fed it what I had with me, a bit of water and some things from my lunch. Snuggling it close in my hands, I laid down and whispered to it, keeping it warm and trying to think of a way to sneak it into my house and raise it without my papa finding out. He'd forbidden me to save another animal and bring it in our home, but I seemed to be drawn to animals in need. I wanted to help them all!

Jerking slightly, I opened my eyes and the light in the forest was dim now. I'd fallen asleep keeping my little charge warm. Opening my hands, I slumped, looking at it. Carefully and sadly, I returned him to his family in his mother's pouch, then hugged my knees and tried not to cry. It always hit me too hard when I couldn't save an animal, though I knew it was far too young and too far starved and thirsty to be brought out of it. Still, it crushed me every time.

A snap, then leaves crunching and another snap made me look up.

A man, incredibly tall and slender stopped, looking down at me in confusion. He was wearing a noble's military uniform, one of an honorary title and decorative rather than utilitarian. I'd heard about them, but never seen them until now. It was a crisp white with golden trim and braids and pins. Across the front, a long splatter of blood, and another across his cheek and in his pristine white hair. He was a young man, but his hair a pure white that looked unnatural.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded in a whisper, glancing behind him into the woods.

"I... fell asleep. This is my papa's land! I was looking for onions and found her," I told him fearfully, motioning towards the mother possum. "She had babies in her pouch and one was still alive..."

"Quiet," he whispered, turning again. Turning back, he started to walk again, then after several steps, he looked back at me. "You cannot stay here," he told me almost angrily. "Stay close or I will leave you behind."

"I can just go home?"

"No, it's too late for that. Hurry," he half whispered, then ducked under a branch and hurried away.

Torn, I looked back towards my home, then turned back and ran to catch up with the strange man. He was easy to spot in his bright white uniform.

It was dark and I was tired before we broke free of the woods and onto the path that led into the town from my village.

The man let out a shrill whistle back the way we had come, then turned and started up the road.

"Can I go back to my village now? My home?"

"Do you know what this day is?"

"Saintsday?"

"That too, but other than that, it is the striggae sabbath. Samhain. Do you know what that is?"

"No!"

"Did you not wonder why that animal's entrails had been pulled out, yet it was not eaten or chewed open by an animal? A clean cut with a knife and entrails pulled out. It is how striggae read omens and obscura. If any are left in your village, hope they are not found this night."

I looked back again, fearful now as we walked. Soon, a white shape seemed to form and move closer rapidly. "What is that?" I asked in a whisper, running up to the man's side.

"Niveus. Do not fear him, he comes for me."

I looked back and realized now that it was a horse. Pure white and pristine like the man. He came to a halt when he came abreast of the man and pranced slightly. The man vaulted onto him, then reigned in slightly.

"Find a place to hide, you might live this night."

"You aren't taking me with you?" I asked, terrified.

"Why should I? You are nothing to me, child. Go and hide."

"What if they find me?!?"

"Then you will die, so I would hurry if I were you."

"Why can you not take me with you?"

"I have no way to care for a child and you would hinder me if a striggae were to find me. Go hide, then go home tomorrow. See if anything can be salvaged."

"Please! I'll not be a hindrance! I'm afraid!"

He growled, his horse making a restless circle around me as the man looked down at me in irritation. He looked back down the road suddenly, then growled and reached down to yank me up by my dress. Tossing me over the horse in front of him, he took off at a run and I tried to hold on as best I could, watching the ground speed by beneath me. My hair was brushing dirt as I hung there, gripping the stirrup. It was an eternity before he slowed enough to pull me up to sit on the saddle in front of him properly. He moved up to a quick trot, looking behind us constantly. I didn't ask questions, I didn't want to distract him or make myself a nuisance. I was worried about my papa though, and hoped that he'd made it into the cellar to hide somehow. What was a striggae? Why was this man covered in blood?

Finally, the man slowed to a normal trot as he veered off the road and to a huge, dark, manorhouse made with stone so dark it blended with the night. He rode in as if he could see in the dark, though I could see nothing at all.

Reigning in suddenly, he vaulted off, then yanked me off as well. Dragging me along behind him by the arm, he opened a huge door and closed it, then called out.

"Usiah! Usiah, call to arms, now! There is an entire coven in the village south!"

A tall man in a servants uniform had stepped out, then ran as soon as the man had stopped speaking. Turning the other direction, the man turned and hurried to another room with a huge round table on it. On the table was what looked like a map, but there were actually little tiny trees and hills and tiny houses like it was an exact replica of the city and the outlying villages. It was a huge map and there were long sticks around the map that looked to be used to reach across the map.

The man in white looked over it a moment as he waited, then seemed to remember me. Turning to look down, he let me go and motioned to a chair. "Sit there and be quiet! I do not have time for you right now," he told me with a scowl as I regained my footing and turned back to him. His expression turned confused as he looked me over, then over again more carefully. "What age do I put to you, child?"

"20?"

"Not a child then, just small. I should have left you to fend for yourself," he scowled, then turned back to the map. He moved around it until he could glance up over it and see me, his look unsure.

Soon, a man all in black came in with the same sort of military uniform, but in black instead of white. His hair was also black, and longer and very curly. The man who followed him was in red, with short red hair. Moments later it was a man in yellow, his hair very blonde and yellow looking. What sort of men were these? A man in brown came next, with curly brown hair and smiling eyes. The only one so far that didn't have a serious expression. The last to come in was an older man with long, silver hair so straight and smooth it looked unreal. His uniform was also silver, though it was hard to see as his hair came down past his bottom.

"You are certain, Rhys?" the man in silver asked, looking at the man in white.

"Absolutely certain. I saw at least eleven with my own eyes and I am sure the other two were close. I dispatched four before they gathered to hunt me."

"What is this little imp, then?" the man in brown asked, looking over at me.

"A girl I came across in the forest, a halfling and she is blind to it. Her affinity is animals," Rhys answered.

What? I was what? "What's a striggae?" I demanded, standing up.

"Creatures, usually, women who take on the dark arts and transform into evil creatures that feed on humans and strife. This is their sabbath," the man in brown answered. "Yours too, I suppose, though yours would be very different. The enchantresses are the light to the darkness of the striggae. Your gift is light, not dark."

"I told you to sit and not interrupt!" Rhys admonished. He turned back to the silver man. "Alastor, we must signal! We can go after them while they are together! Take out the entire coven!"

"Are you certain they are still there?"

"They thought me alone and the spell keeps our fortress hidden. They cannot know how close we are! They assume they ran me off and they are feeding on an entire village!"

"Then we have little time!" the man in red spoke up. "Sound the call!"

Alastor nodded to the man in yellow and he hurried to the wall and an archway that was covered by odd, white stones. Tracing runes on the archway, chimes sounded with each one he traced, then the white stones began to glow, then a bright flash and they were gone. In their place was a dark hallway.

In moments, more men were pouring into the room from the hallway, all of them like the ones already here. Men in white, yellow, black, brown, silver and red. So many I began to feel claustrophobic, even in my chair.

There was shouting and I could Alastor speak over everyone. "We have mounts at the ready, Rhys will lead the way! We go now!"

The room slowly emptied into the main hall until I was left alone. I sat there in stunned silence, wondering what I should do.

The tall servant stepped in and gestured for me to follow him. I stood and hurried to catch up to him and he led me to a cheerful kitchen and women talking happily.

"What's this wee little blossom then?" a larger woman asked, looking me over with a pleasant smile.

"Foundling," the man told her.

"Well you sit her right down and we'll feed her!" the woman grinned, clasping her hands together joyfully.

The man took her literally and picked me up by my waist to put me up on a tall stool. I squeaked in shock and embarrassment, but the man said nothing as he left.

"I'm Jenny," the large woman told me, setting a cup of milk in front of me. How'd you come to find the fortress, then? Were ya led by your gift?"

"Ahh... no. No, I live in the village just south of here."

"That close then?!? And you never felt the pull?"

"I... don't know. I was always drawn to the woods this side of my village, but it was the animals that called to me."

"Oh, that's a lovely gift, that is! So how'd you end here then?"

"My village is being attacked by... a coven?"

"Striggae is it?" she asked sadly. "Well and good then that they didn't get hands on you to drain your gift. What's your name then, girl?"

"Ecowyn?"

"Lovely name isn't it? Tell me then, who found ya?"

"Rhys I think his name is? All in white?"

"Ahh, it would be him, wouldn't it?" she chuckled. "Lucky for you then, he wouldn't normally take the time to take in a stray, he is all duty, that one."

"What's going to happen to me?" I asked, hugging myself.

"Here now, eat up," she told me, setting a plate with bread and butter and jam on it. "It will be up to Venator Rhys, and that means you'd likely be sent on to a coven of light. Likely the one in Miovia. The one in Mareshomese is full and Lucana too far away."

"Likely but not certainly?" I asked, confused.

"You'd be a halfling, yes? Else you'd be in a coven already. That means you'd have ta stay here if he chose it. It'd be here or a coven for ya. Some mighta chose for you to stay, but not Rhys. He has no want for a companion."

"Companion?"

"Female companion? Forgive me, but you are of age, yes? Small, not young?"

"Yes, I'm 20."

"Surprised some village boy hasn't snatched you up!" she laughed. "Lovely little morsel you are!"

"One or two have come round, but papa didn't like them so well. He'd not just hand me over to anyone he says. You think they're alright? Most the villagers? They'd fight, wouldn't they? And the men, the men with all the colors, they'll get there quick to help, right?"

"The men are Venator. Striggae hunters. Stationed all around in fortresses hidden with light magic."

"Rhys said he killed four of them?"

"Not surprising. He's dedicated, he is. He'll have ya sent on to a good coven soon enough! You'll like it there and you'll learn to use your gift as well! Unless Gwideon asks after you... he might allow you to stay with Venator Gwideon."

"Who is that?"

"He's the brown Venator. A hunter of food and tracker of men. Each color has a meaning. Silver is the leader. White is dedication to eradication of Striggae and vamphyr. Black are assassins, yellow are diplomats. Red are spies and infiltrators."

"What's vamphyr?"

"Killers, creatures who kill both animal and man to feed on blood. They live in the darkness and ride the shadows on wings of death. Not a great many here, they stay mostly near the Barathrum and in Mjennic. Here now, try'n eat something, little morsel. You're half starved! You ain't eaten since breakfast!"

"How do you know that?" I asked uncertainly.

"My own gift is food, of course! Gerard kept me not as a companion, but as a cook. I don't mind it, in fact I love it! Always had a gift for it and drive to do it."

"Which is he?"

"Yellow," she answered, gesturing to her yellow dress. "He found me in the capital baking bread for my fathers shop. Snapped me up quick and I been here since! They can feel the halflings ya know, when they're close. Just like we can feel each other. You'll get a feel for it soon enough. Eat now!" she laughed, then went back to cooking.

I ate, but all I could do was worry. Was papa alright? Were the men going to be alright? What were the things they were fighting and what could they do? Was there really magic in the world? And evil creatures? Why had no one heard of this and spoke of it? I remember stories when I was a child about Chosen from a long time ago, people who could use magic and were trained, but that was just a story, wasn't it? And if it wasn't, what had happened?

"Jenny?" I asked after eating half a piece of bread slathered in jam. "How long has magic been real?"

"Always I guess?" she answered with a shrug.

"What about men like Rhys?"

"Venator?"

"Yes."

"A long time, I think. They're made though, from men dedicated to the cause. Venator are immortal as far as getting sick or even grave wounds, but they can die if beheaded or burned to death. They never age, never get sick. They're just... men dedicated to saving the world. Their gift in return is immortality until they no longer wish to serve. Some few retire and some few even take their own lives. That is when a new one is made. Men who train for it their entire life and choose a path. When a new one is needed for that path, the next in line is chosen. They are transformed when they are made as well."

"To their color?"

"Yes," Jenny chuckled. "It's easy to see it that way, isn't it? If you don't know their true titles? For now we'll leave that since it's not likely it will matter for you."

"Because I'm going to a coven?"

"Exactly."

"What's that like?"

"I don't know, actually, I never went. The covens hold their secrets well, but I've never known a light enchantress to be grumpy or mean, they are all happy. Some say it's a lights nature to be happy. Here now, you're going to eat more'n that, aren't you?"

"I'm worried about my papa," I told her softly. "How long till the men will be back?"

"Whenever they are done. Don't worry over them, they've had a lot of training and there are a great many of them going. Do not fear for them, it's very rare that any are even wounded, let alone killed. And if they are wounded, they heal quickly. Like as naught they'll be healed before they even get back! All that'll need doin is Cera, the halfling who works with fabrics, will have to mend and clean a few uniforms."

"Are all striggae and enchantresses women?"

"Yes, just like only men can be Venator. It takes an inborn spark for both. Magic if you will."

"Does the dark have it's own Venator?"

"That's what the Vamphyr are. They hunt enchantresses for their mistresses to drain their power and Venator as well."

"It all seems a bit terrifying. What role do halflings play in all of this?"

"Oh, usually like what me and Cera do. They find places for us, or they stay at the covens to work there. Your gift'll be very useful when it comes to the horses they ride into battle, won't it? Once you learn to use it proper. Come now, try'n eat a bit more. Anyone who wasn't gone when the Venator arrived is saved now. Likely it's all over now and they're on their way back."

"Will they come in the front door? Like Rhys did with me?"

"Yes."

"Can I wait there for them?"

"If you wish it," Jenny smiled. "He is a handsome one, our Rhys," she chuckled.

I was confused for a moment, then realized what she meant. "I want news of my father straight away! And to go back and see him if I can."

"Yes, of course," Jenny smiled. "Do you know the way you came here or should I have Angela walk you back?"

"I know the way!" I told her breathlessly, hopping down from the stool and running back to the main hall to wait. I climbed up several stairs and sat down, holding on to the bannister as I watched the door. I wanted to be able to see when they came in and pick out Rhys. Ask him about my papa.

When they did come in, it seemed like mayhem, so loud and raucous. I had to stand to try and see, looking over all of them in white.

Rhys was one of the last in and his eyes went to me on the stairs, his look confused. Turning away, he followed the others into the room with the map. As they all filed in, I followed. I could see many of them going back into the hallway in the arch, still talking and yelling. When the noise died down and the hallway flashed and closed, it was suddenly very quiet.

"Did you see my papa?" I asked Rhys quickly before anyone else could speak.

"You should be in bed or something!" Rhys snapped.

"Did you?!?"

"I'd have no way to know if I did, I don't know what your father looks like. Go sit down until I have time for you."

"A short man, slender, gray hair and whiskers this long?" I told him, holding my hand to my collarbone. "He'd be wearing a leather apron?"

"I said go sit down!" Rhys yelled angrily.

I flinched back, then went and sat down.

"Easy on her, she's just afraid for her father," Gwideon admonished Rhys softly. "She's a tender hearted little thing, it comes with her gift."

"Shut up, we must speak of the one who managed to flee. If she reaches another coven, the will know we have a fortress close to that village. There's no other way we could have arrived so quickly."

"She took an arrow, brother," the man in red spoke up. "It looked to've nicked her heart. She may be dead if the poison took."

"We cannot count on that! We need to hunt her down come daylight! Gwideon, Eliphas, we ride out first thing come daylight. Be ready!"

"If that's all, then I intend to sleep," the man in black spoke up.

"Me too," Gwideon sighed. "Though there isn't much sleep left to be had before first light."

Alastor turned to Rhys. "Either you will find her or you will not, do not focus on her so hard that you do not see a trap, yes? She will know you hunt and if she is well enough, she will have a coven back to take you."

"Do not worry over me, I know how to be careful. I need to prepare," he snapped, then turned to leave.

"Brother," Gerard called. "Are you forgetting something?"

Rhys stopped, then looked at me with barely disguised irritation. "Come!" he snapped.

I followed quickly, trying to catch up to him. "Is any of that blood yours?" I asked breathlessly as he led me up a second flight of stairs.

"No."

"Are you hurt at all?"

"No."

"And you didn't see my father?"

"I saw next to no one, any who were alive were hiding. We didn't wait around to tell them it was clear, they will find out come morning. Our duty is not to coddle villagers, it is to eradicate monsters," he growled, then turned to go down a hall.

Pushing a door open, he went in and waited for me before slamming it shut. Lights came on all around the room, orbs of light that had to be magic. The room was large, but there was hardly anything in it. A wardrobe of white uniforms with no doors on it, a bed, a small table and chair and a washbasin. That was all. There was also no fire in the fireplace, though the room was absolutely frigid.