On Death's Honor

Chapter 6: Tongues of Snakes

Dead grass crunched beneath Erlan's soft boots as she walked across the clearing, strands of light blond hair tugging free from a single braid. She stood in her village's square, with the only light to guide her being the dimly reflected torches that lined the street. Dark, rolling clouds covered the moon and stars above, so that the light from the torches only seemed to create more dancing shadows rather than keeping them at bay.

An old, blooded post made of wood stood in front of her. Only one person had ever had the misfortune of hanging off of there. Durn was a small fishing village - or so, it had been. It was growing, to the native's dismay. Three families left over the past four years.

Four families and several travellers have come by, since.

The talk of leaving was no longer as constant as it once was, either. Erlan didn't quite understand; she just knew her fellow neighbors were scared of something. Scared to talk about leaving, anymore.

She stared up at the daunting post, grateful that she hadn't had to witness anymore Circle executions. Her sister never acknowledged the post anymore; she rarely came by this way, either - even if she needed to get to the docks, Hida would go the long way around instead of simply crossing the square.

First, the war had taken their father and several other men. Durn was on its last legs . . . And then the runkist showed up. Promised them safety, closure. Said they didn't have to be the prey of monsters and beasts any longer - that there were people specially equipped to deal with them.

Erlan was young when the war began, and barely older when it ended. But according to the adults, they'd never been hunted so severely by the things that danced in the dark before the war as they were now.

One thing she was certain of, however, was that it was by the will of the gods alone that mankind was still walking the lands. If they hadn't intervened, Erlan knew the dark forces would have overtaken them long ago.

"So why did you have to die?" she whispered, peering up at the old, crusted ropes hanging down from the top of the post.

She thought it was cruel how they left it up there, still marked by the young man's blood. Hida said it kept others from making the same mistakes he did.

Erlan still didn't know what he'd done, other than the man had denounced the gods. Which was weird, considering he had participated in the fasting ceremonies every year of his own accord just before he'd died.

"It's a little cold to be out here by yourself."

Erlan nearly jumped out of her skin, her heart catching in her throat when she turned to see the familiar white-clad woman that had changed her home four years ago.

She usually wore her hood up and over head, but tonight the woman had it down, so her long, thick, chestnut brown hair easily caught in the wind. Her eyes were a simple hazel green, her skin a gentle tan. If she'd just change into the normal commoner ware, the woman would look just as plain and simple as anyone else.

But she wasn't. Somehow, she had the will of the gods on her side.

Erlan opened her mouth to speak, choked on whatever words managed to come through, then opted to shake her head, instead.

The woman frowned, as if disappointed by the girl's reaction.

"I don't bite, child. I promise."

Erlan couldn't help but look up at the post behind her. The woman sighed.

"You have nothing to worry about from me."

"I don't?"

Erlan silently kicked herself. She wished she could only keep her mouth shut.