A fallen Faith

“I’m so confused, the goddess killed my mom? And you said my dad was there, he didn’t save her?”

“Not exactly, the goddess granted her life until her child, until you, were born, as for Orm, he was devastated, he didn’t believe your mother would betray him, but he was sterile, and she was pregnant.”

“So she died in childbirth having me, instead of being executed.” Aarni was having a real hard time with all of this. He had only known his mother died in childbirth, after praying to Kresta to have a baby.

“And your father was devastated, by the guilt of doubting her fidelity to him, and then losing her.”

“So what do I even do now? You don’t think you can help me, turn the people back and push off the influence of the church?”

“Look at our temple, so few come anymore, the capital is in the thrall of Madaza, they have miracles, they sell them to the rich, but they are still miracles, the act of a goddess. I can’t offer you anything like that.”

Reality was starting to set in for Aarni. “So I leave, leave the castle, my father, everything, everyone I know and love. . . Where do I even go?”

Mother Blomte took his hands in hers. “You will start a new life. You have always lived at the castle, now you must go off on your own. It is daunting, but you can choose what to pursue in this new start.”

Aarni swallowed his fears. “I’d like to learn more about my mother, and I’d like to serve my nation somehow. I feel the burden of my family’s legacy, and I want to live up to it.”

“If that is your wish, then may I suggest you go to Tsevest, seek the High Priestess, she can help you with your questions about your mother.”

“She knew my mother?”

“Better than anyone else.”

Arnie lifted and kissed Mother Blomte’s hand. “Thank you.” He said. “I’ll need to go back and prepare, I have a journey ahead of me.”

“Humor me a moment, if you will.” The elderly priestess’s face looked concerned, she pulled a small set of bones out of her robe and cast them sharply onto the floor.

“Tell me what you see.”

Aarni looked, but he just saw a dozen small bones scattered on the floor.

“I just see bones Mother Blomte, I don’t know what I am looking for.”

“Here, the star of your mother, that is you. Down here, the snowcat, that is your brother. You are hunted.”

“What are you saying, Mother?”

“Do not return to the castle, do not let anyone know where you are going. Give your brother time to lose interest, to be distracted by running the kingdom, do not put yourself in the path of your hunter.”

“Then what will I do? I’m not ready to leave now, I’ve made no preparations.”

“Leave that to me. We will send you to the Goddess’s Temple, you will be safe under our banner, and several of our disciples are overdo to advance their training with the High Priestess.”

Aarni sighed, leaving this way meant not being able to say goodbye to his father, Tove or Yrsa. He was trying to accept the change he was being **** into, but to do it like this. . . and would Sune really kill him, or whatever Mother Blomte was hinting at. Did he really believe his brother was capable of that?

“I can’t just leave like that, Mother Blomte, I need to say goodbye to my father, to my family.”

Mother Blomte scowled contemplatively, looking at the bones on the floor, “Yes, they matter much to you. Be careful to let no one know your plans, if you return you must not stay, nor let anyone know you will come here or where you will go afterwards.”

“Is it really that bad, Mother Blomte? Is my brother really that evil?”

“There is evil at work in this city, It has been growing for some time. I can’t say how much your brother is involved, but it has enveloped him and the entire castle.”

“Mariss,” Aarni muttered under his breath. He would definitely need to avoid her.

“I’ll be careful, Mother Blomte, and I’ll return tonight.”

“I will make preparations for your journey, you will leave before the dawn, make sure you are not followed when you return.” She grabbed his head again, this time more forcefully than before, and kissed his temples slowly. “Walk with the goddess, son of Astra.”