"Kyrja?" I was frozen in shock until the masculine voice of Willhulm broke through my haze, snapping me back to the spinning earth. I limped to my lover's side and began to hurriedly untie the straps the held him down, rushing as if the world would implode upon me at any moment. Once I removed the last tie, I nearly collapsed upon the bed, weeping for my sister's life that I had just taken. Willhulm gathered me into his arms, wrapping them tightly around my body to console me, but I was inconsolable.
"I k-k-killed her." I cried, burying my head in his shoulder as I did. He rocked me gently, rubbing my back to try and comfort me as best as he could. After I had recovered somewhat, I stared at his naked form, full of relief that my sister had not touched him except with her mouth. It was selfish, and she was dead, but I wanted him to myself.
"I have to get you away from here." I snapped back to the problem at hand, mind working furiously for answers and solutions. I could claim I had killed Hildy, but I doubted my mother would believe me and that meant Willhulm's life was in danger. I chewed on my lip, tugging at his arm, but he stopped me.
"I must dress first, Kyrja." I saw the logic in his words but was distressed that I would have to have him leave without me. He slid on his loincloth and boots, slinging a vest over his chest that was resting on the edge of the bed, and turned to me. "All right, let us flee this place."
I shook my head at his urgent words. "Nay, I cannot leave." I saw the look of pain in his face, feeling it within my heart.
"You are staying?"
"I must. The wolven mounts could find you. I shall distract as long as it takes to let you get free." He wrapped me within his arms and sighed heavily hearted, which I echoed in my own sigh.
"I will never forget you, beauty." I fought the tears as he spoke the soft words to me as I led him to the door, staring out into the sun's rays. It was noon, so that meant most of the village should have been in the square preparing for the noon meal. It was as good as any of a time during the day to have to flee. I ran with him, dashing into the forest's edge, running until I led him to a brook that ran for a long way. I pointed to the water.
"Take this brook and run within it as much as you can. It will mask any scent so the wolves cannot track you." I let him pull me into his arms and once again found tears flooding my face as we said our final words.
"I will never forget you." He repeated and I could only nod, feeling as if a part of my heart was leaving with him as he dashed downstream.
I hurried back to the hut, making it inside without being seen and tucked myself away in a corner of the room after gagging and tying Sheba to the bed to buy Willhulm some time. I curled my body into a ball and wept for how poorly the way things had become. I could not believe that he was gone! I felt so alone and found myself falling into a troubled sleep as I waited to be discovered. It was during the time when the guard would have been replaced that the newly appointed guard had entered, curious about the lack of the current guard she was there to relieve. I barely heard her horrified screams of discovery and was in a daze when two of the stronger women lifted me up and carried me to my own room, depositing me gently upon my bed. I could hear my mother weeping in the distance, and although she was in the same cabin as me, it sounded as if she was so far away.
"Kyrja?" I heard a soft voice calling and felt a warm hand upon my forehead, which made me open my eyes and stare up into the concerned face of my mother. "Kyrja, daughter, only daughter I have now, please tell me everything. How did your man prize kill your sister and escape? Did you attempt to capture him? Did he harm you?" Her questions were asked so rapidly I could not answer them all, so I focused on the one that was important to me.
"He has fled. He is far, far from here by now, mother." My voice was resigned and I closed my eyes, willing away the world and the memories. I must have drifted away to sleep, attempting to avoid what had happened, because it was nightfall when I opened my eyes and staggered out of the cabin. The village was in a flurry of activity and I knew why -- we were making an exodus to our winter village. I stumbled back to my cabin, lacking any heart or strength to help pack and gather items to take.
"Kyrja!" I stopped and turned to face Sheba. She looked upset and angry, so I braced myself, uncertain if I had the strength to fight her if it came to it. She did nothing but stare hard at me. "What happened when you knocked me to darkness?" I kept my mouth closed, not caring to answer. She reached out and touched my cheek, which caused me to yank back as if she had burned me. "Your sister, I cared very deeply for her." She stepped closer, but stopped when I sent her a warning glare. "I could come to feel the same about you..." Her words nearly sent me into a furious frenzy, but I managed to control myself.
"Get out of my way." I snarled with a clenched jaw, shoving past her angrily. I threw myself down upon my bed, knowing that by nightfall the next day we would be leaving and I might never see the cabin again. I decided a move was a good change and drifted into sleep, preparing to spend my last day in mourning for my sister.
But my sleep was interrupted by feminine screams and the smell of burning pine. They came just at dawn, a surprise as we were expecting it during the nights to come, not so soon. As I dashed out of the burning cabin, I froze when I saw men in armor and swords, slashing and hacking their way through my fellow Valkyries. The women were putting up a valiant fight and I dodged my way through the mass of twisted flesh and metal to grasp a fallen soldier's sword and join in the fray. I fought fiercely, downing quite a handful of solo men before I saw my mother in the distance surrounded by three swordmen. She was holding them off with the ceremonial spear and I knew she would not have the stamina to last with three fighting her, so I dashed her way as swiftly as my leg would let me go.
