A Song of Silence

Chapter 37: Memories in the Dark

400 years prior:
"Aeri!!!" Mother called from inside the house.

"What!" I yelled back, impatient and tired of doing chores all day.

"Don't use that tone with me, young lady!" She yells back. Reluctantly, i get up from playing with the goats that live on our farm and trudge inside. Mother stands at the stove stirring dinner.

"What!" I snap, my temper already too thin as it is.

Mother puts her hands on her hips and looks towards me, annoyance and severity on her face. "I was merely calling you to tell you that Miss Sylvia is coming to celebrate your birthday with us tomorrow ."

"But she's the High Queen. Why does she keep coming all the way over from the capital lands? I ask.

"I suspect it is because she needs something familiar after her marriage to the High King and the birth of their son only a few months prior." Mother responds.

"Is it a loveless marriage? Is that why she seems to eager to escape?" I pity her if that is the case.

"It is hard to say, Aerilynn. I cannot say when companionship becomes love in arraigned marriages such as hers, but if I know Sylvia at all, I know she will not stop until she finds that love." Mother says this with an almost melancholy look on her face, as if wishing for something that wasn't there.

"Is that all you wished to speak to me about?" I ask, now bored with our topic of conversation.

"No, just for that snark earlier, you now get to clean the pigpens tonight," mother says, warning not to cross her again in every syllable. I merely huff and trudge outside once more. Picking up the shovel and wheelbarrow, I trudge towards the pigpens and my awaiting chore. Great.

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My shirt sticks to my sweaty body as I finish up my chore. Finally dumping the last wheelbarrow of mud and manure, I slowly walk back to the house, anxious for a bath and some fresh clothes. I hear whispered conversation through the closed off door. "They are coming and you know it."

"It is impossible. I hid my tracks too well and Sylvia would never betray us!" That sounded like my mothers voice.

"They are coming. Run now and you might just survive it."

With that the intruder stomps out the front door, leaving silence in his wake. What on earth were they talking about? Pushing the door open, I look to see my mothers tired, shocked expression, "How much did you hear!" She yells. Mother never yells. Not with the anger she is expressing now. Something must truly be wrong for her to yell.

"Who is coming, mother!" Mother curses under her breath, and paces back and forth across the kitchen, her soup on the stove forgotten. "Mother, what was that man talking about! Who is coming!"

"Nobody Aerilynn." She says, trying to placate me using her soothing voice.

"Mother, please don't lie to me! WHO IS COMING!!" I scream.

Mother makes shushing noises and says, "try to keep your voice down dear, please."

"Then tell me!" I shriek, panic clouding my judgement and my mothers soothing tones.

"Aerilynn, please," mother pleads as she looks out the curtained window before closing the curtains shut. Fear swiftly covers her features as she begins to rifle through the kitchen drawers behind her.

"Just tell me," I beg, "please, your scaring me."

Losing patience mother swiftly turns around and grasps my shoulders in a tight grip, "fine Aerilynn, assassins are coming. For you and for me."