The dead rider slid to the ground outside the fence and into the tall brush. The gelding kept walking toward the shallow pool a few lengths away. Esther, one of the girls from the nearby farm, caught sight of its loose reigns and began searching for the lost rider. Seeing no one around, and being intrigued by the prospect of money for a good meal, she borrowed the tired horse and led it away. On a normal day, there would have been many people near the corral, but everyone was at the village green awaiting news from the baron's trip to the palace. Worry abounded that there would be war, all the men were dressed in ragtag armor with rusty weapons and good ropes.

Esther and her sisters lived alone in a small hut left for them by their grandfather. They efficiently gathered the useful contents of the saddle bags and hid the ornate saddle. Vivien, the only one that could pass as a trader and not get molested, saddled the old roan mare and rode to town for supplies. Esther and Sarabeth looked at the items that were left. Sarabeth tossed a wad of dirt over her shoulder, but quickly turned around when the iron pot clanged from the impact.

The dirt had split open and three set jewels stared back at her. Esther quickly snatched the brilliant red gem from her sister's hand. It was mounted on a silver chain and could be worn as a pendant. Sarabeth kept the sea green pendant that was mounted on a gold chain. This left a back hourglass pendant for Vivien that was mounted as a clasp for a cloak.

-- Vivien

In town, the gathered mass of men were now dispersing as noon had passed without the dreaded news. The tattered cart towed behind her was stuffed with refuse and discarded items from the supposedly cursed forest the sisters lived in. The townsfolk eager to buy old weapons, pots, or bits of cloth gathered around her. The cart was quickly emptied to be replaced with new goods, food, coin, and drink for her to take to the next town.

The town elders approached Vivien as she was mounting up again and pressed a worn scroll tube into her hands fearfully. "Please throw this cursed document into the forest before the legend devours us all." She was warned of grave danger if the casing was disturbed by mortal hands. Curiosity is said to have killed the cat, but a warning is the greatest cultivator of that same curiosity. As always, just outside the town's view, she turned down the dark and foreboding path home.

The path behind her seemed to vanish into the woods and soon the house became visible. Sarabeth met her at the stable and presented her with the clasp as the scroll tube began to glow. Ensnared by the light, she brought it into the main house with her. Esther quipped something about a balance of fire and water before a soundless explosion crumpled their awareness.

-- Esther

Esther was the first to awaken. It was a suffocating and dark in the remains of their home. The shroud of smoke hung a few inches above the three sisters and the flames outlined the walls that were there a few moments before. After checking on her sisters, she crawled toward the door as the flames seemed to move away from her. To her horror, the flames moved closer to her sisters and the cracked scroll case.

Quickly she crawled back and tried dragging her Vivien closer to the door. The moment she touched her sister, the flames seemed to pause with anticipation and Vivien began to cough. The two grabbed Sarabeth and the scroll and quickly pulled out of the house. When flames touched their trail, steam arose but the straw embedded on the floor failed to ignite.

Several yards away, the fire was making its way around the the little clearing to the stables. The cart was still half full and attached the mare. Vivien rushed in and tied the gelding's reins to the back of the cart as Sarabeth finally climbed onto the cart. Esther helped Vivien onto the bench and they road out of the clearing toward the uncertain forest that had sheltered them all their lives.

-- Sarabeth

Sarabeth woke to the tugging of her sisters and the heat of the flames. Everywhere around them was on fire except the path she was being pulled down. Steam rose in their trail but no flame followed them. Sitting up, she saw her sisters running around checking the horses and cart. The ground around her was turning to mud under the sweat falling off her from the heat and yet, she didn't feel as if she was standing over, or sitting in, the oven.

Weakly, she grasped the edge of the cart and pulled herself up carefully. In just moments, the cart started moving away from the fire which seemed to fade into smoke as they traveled instead of spreading. Sitting on the hard floor of the cart, she wished she had a better dress than the rags left after the inferno. The warm moisture still beading on her skin and the rocking of the cart lulled her aching body back to sleep. Dreams of soft velvet and lace, goose down pillows, and the soft sounds of the breeze on a lake were interrupted with a sharp jolt of running

over a rock.

Half asleep, she could have sworn that she was still laying on a pile of pillows in a fine blue dress that would be the envy of the court nobles. The open sky was now dark and streaked with feather-thin clouds and bright stars. Vivien was evidently tired as the cart finally pulled to a stop. She clambered out, feeling fresh but heavier than normal in her clothing. When she turned around, her sisters were staring at her in shock. She looked around and then down at herself. "I must still be dreaming," she muttered.