Chapter 68 - Revelations

Leaning over Groyven, Sian slid the black amulet out from his top and looked at it in the dim light. Her sharp eyes picked out the etchings on its surface. She smiled slightly, sliding her hand over it, the etchings flaring to life before settling to a glow of faint blue on the black. She immediately recognised the script, it was a form of ancient Eladar from before her time, even in her past life.

Piecing together the words she recognised, her eyes widened. She looked down to the children as she slid the amulet back into Groyven’s shirt. Standing, she stared at them. The amulet told her all she needed to know.

“By the gods.” she exclaimed under her breath as Aisling’s words came back to her.

Sian bowed her head deeply before leaving the tent. Quickly walking through the camp, Silias fell into step beside her.

“Silias, what would you say if I said that those two children were important.” said Sian.

Silias glanced at her as they walked, “After everything that has happened tonight? I would say that I am not surprised.”

Sian chuckled, meeting her eyes, “It has been far from normal, has it not?”

Silias nodded, “It has. Sian, I do have a question though, a personal one.”

Sian guided her to the edge of the camp, “You want to know if I agree with the developments.” she said knowingly.

Silias nodded, “Winter is now Consort to Antrandis, alongside yourself?” she looked at Sian with a concerned expression, “Do you agree with this? It was so sudden.”

Sian smiled, moved by Silias’s genuine concern, “Winter has always been Antrandis’s. He is not her tether. If he were to sever their bond, she would cease to exist.”

“Cease to exist?” Silias said, staring at her.

“I am sure you know that Winter has been by his side from the start, before he even met Silvast.” Sian said.

Silias nodded, “She told me that she was friends with the first of my line, Cressidia Haarlstarn. I have read the histories. That was when Antrandis led… oh, since before the… Then, that would mean they have been. She was the...” Silias looked at Sian in sudden understanding, “By the will of Lumos!”

Sian looked at her, “No, by the will of Antrandis, they both were unaware, but it was so.” she smiled, watching the realisation dawning on Silias’s face, “I understand that even you questioned her belief. She is grateful, deeply so, else she would not have gifted you and Pele those wings.”

“Wings?” Silias asked, her expression shifting.

Sian nodded, “I was surprised. She has granted you both positions of authority that her Spears recognise. Just as the Host used her to grant mine in my past life.”

“The wings of the Valkyrie? She granted us wings of the…” Silias grew quiet as she watched Sian nod slowly.

“It is an honour that only she can bestow. And as you and Pele are champions and attendants to the house of Darkfall, in addition to being my own, you now represent her as well, she has marked you as such.”

Silias met her eyes, “But, Sian, this was so sudden, she is now a consort to… and you?” she watched Sian nod.

Sian smiled slightly, leaning against a tree, “I know it is hard to understand. But, it was at my request, Silias. Knowing the truth of what they are to each other and how we feel for each other.” Sian looked at Silias, “The moment Antrandis and I became as one, Winter became a part of me to a degree. And now that Winter has been truly freed from the Host’s prison and been restored, everything is much stronger.”

“Then that would mean.”

Sian nodded, “Yes. After everything, do you not think it would be unjust to relegate her to being just a possession, a servant or an instrument of Antrandis’s will? She is much more than that, she has evolved into what she is now. She is too important to us in every way. She is too important to me.”

Silias looked at her, a smile on her face, “Important to you?”

Sian smiled at her, raising her eyebrows slightly, “There is no need to hide the truth from you, or shy away from it.” she sighed, “After the Host assigned her to be my liaison, I was her first meaningful bond with the living. She was my first, everything.” she said quietly.

Silias’s eyes widened, “Sian, I…She was?”

Sian laughed gently, her eyes on Silias’s, “Yes. And in this life, she has always been my closest friend and confidant, since before I regained this body. Since my memories were returned to me, she has refused to see me, out of misplaced fear and shame.” she met Silias’s eyes, “I think that you of all people could relate to my feelings on this. We both are a little unusual in our own ways.”

Silias nodded in understanding, a genuine smile on her face. Sian smiled at Silias in appreciation of her unspoken words.

“And what should I say if I am asked of this?” asked Silias.

Sian laughed quietly, “Nothing. Not yet.” she said, leading Silias back into the camp.

They passed Xiana’s unconscious form, her hands and feet bound and a dark bag over her head. Sian stopped for a moment.

“Silias, here, help me loosen her bindings.” said Sian.

Silias looked at her, “But Sian, it is Xiana. If she gets free?”

“I am not releasing her, just loosening them. She can not afford to make a bad impression at this moment and she knows it.” Sian said as she removed Antrandis’s belt from Xiana’s wrists.

Silias handed her a rope and she quickly bound her wrists together securely, but allowing movement.

“Sian, her wrists are bruised, but she is of the Hithren, should she not be healing?”

Sian met her eyes, “At this moment she is nothing more than a mortal.”

Silias’s eyes narrowed as she fingered the hilt of her dagger.

“No Silias. As much as I would like to strangle the life out of her right here and now, there are other things to consider.” Sian stood, holding Antrandis’s belt, “Believe me, Silias. Aisling is vouching for her with good reason.”

“Sian, she…” protested Silias.

“I know what she has done in the past, I know better than most, I have had her knives in my side more than once. But, I know that despite her subterfuge and duplicity, she is a necessary element in the food chain, remove her and something worse could fill her place.” Sian smiled, “Why kill her, when you can control her.”

Silias looked at Sian in alarm, “You don’t mean?”

Sian glanced at her as she walked toward the larger tent nearby the wagons, “Yes, I do. As much as I would like to do as you suggest, I will still choose the lesser of two evils. Tomorrow, Antrandis can hear her out and I will remain as Snowshadow. I am sure that word has not travelled that far yet, that Snowshadow and Sian are one and the same.”

Sian squeezed Silias’s shoulder gently, “Promise me that you will get some sleep. Xiana will be in the exact same position in the morning. She will not wake until Winter allows her to.”

Silias nodded, watching as Sian entered the tent where Silvast was sleeping. She slowly walked back toward the children’s tent, resisting the urge to kick Xiana’s inert form as she passed. She nodded to one of the guards who was sitting propped against a wheel of the wagon.

More than half a dozen valkyries had remained after the gathering. They were now standing guard as everyone rested. She chuckled to herself, reaching up and rubbing her shoulder. The look on Peletrinala’s face when Aisling had whisked her back to Meliandra again was priceless. When she had queried Antrandis about Aisling’s sudden involvement, he had simply told her that the goddess was correcting the path of destiny and the fates. She had decided to directly intervene, bringing her sister before Winter assured the resolution, and had corrected the disruption caused by the arrival of the twins.

Silias pulled back the flap of the tent where the twins slept and entered. Unsurprisingly, they had not moved. She stood and watched them for a moment, these children would be a part of everyday life from now on, or at least until a way to send them back to their world was discovered. She shook her head slowly, their arrival had prompted the most reclusive of the three sisters to venture out and act directly to maintain the correct path of history. Silias arranged her cloak on the floor of the tent and laid down on it, drawing it around her, within moments her breathing settled, sleep taking her quickly.

Shadow of the Eclipse: Chapter Timeline

(Click to enlarge in new tab)