Voices from the deep

"Alana... Alana... Alana? Alana!" Startled, Alana jumps up. She rubs her eyes hastily. "Katinka" she asks affirmatively. No response comes from the sleeping teen. "Alana" resounds again. She looks at the window hesitantly. "Alana... be careful." "For what? Where are you? Who are you?" Alana asks suspiciously and peers into the darkness. "Alana.. He's coming" whispers the unfamiliar female voice. "He comes." "I don't understand? Who's coming then?" Alana asks, panicking. "Wyrda" "Wyrda" Alana repeats incomprehensibly. "Wyrda" she mumbles again. "What do you mean?" The unknown female voice has disappeared as mysterious as it came. Worrying, Alana puts her head down again. "Wyrda" she whispers a third time still uncomprehending. Startled, she stares at the warrior in her bed. The man of her dream! Screaming, she jumps back as he dives towards her, growling. "Alana" Katinka shouts hastily and grabs Alana her fine shoulder. Bathed in dread sweat, Alana sits up. Panting, Alana stares at Katinka. "Alana" whispers Katinka and rubs the honey blonde hair behind Alana's shoulder. Alana sighs and stares through the tower window. Soft winter sun shines over the village. Shaking her head, Katinka sits down on the bed. "Alana everything okay?" Alana bites her lip. This was the second time she dreamed about that man... Maybe she should talk to Mother after all. Or Katinka? "I had such a strange dream..." "What was it?" Katinka asks.

"Katinka remember the stories Jaspar used to tell us?" Katinka's thoughts race back in time. "You mean the professor? At the campfire?" Alana nods. "Alana" sighs Katinka. "They were stories, nothing more. What's going on?" She gently rubs Alana's head. Katinka looks carefully at Alana. Her bright eyes seem absent. "Alana?" "Alana" she repeats. Alana looks up at Katinka and takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry Katinka" Alana whispers. Katinka shakes her head. "Oh, sister," whispers Katinka. "Did you have such a terrible dream?" Alana nods. "What was it?" Alana doesn't answer. Patiently Katinka folds her hands in her lap. "You know how Professor Jaspar tell us about the ancient Elvish language. And its magic?" "And fairies" mocks Katinka. Alana smiles. I had a dream that there was a burglar in our house. And a voice spoke in old elvish." Katinka bites her lip. "A burglar?" Alana swallows. "It felt so weird... So..."Screaming they both jump to the sound of a knock. "Ladies" curses mother. Laughing Katinka and Alana look at each other and gasp, "Sorry mother" they say in unison and then they laugh again. "Believe me, no burglar will pass her," Katinka mocks. Alana smiles and dresses in a wine-red long dress, matching Katinka's ruby-red dress.

"Ladies" greets mother when they walk down. Katinka and Alana nod politely. "You go get a pound of pork and get four eggs at the market, after it, feed the chickens. If you need me, I will be with the Neighbour's. They wanted to exchange our ducklings for a goat" mother orders, and walks back down the dim hallway, head held high.

"Yes mother" they answer in unison. The girls look at each other again and try to hold their laughter. Hastily walk outside. They know that when mother asks them something it is best to do it as soon as possible.

Laughing, they talk about the party and the hours they danced. "I really think Vania and I are forever," Katinka mocks. Alana laughs. "I'm only happy when you're happy," she replies sincerely. Katinka kisses Alana's head. "And you?" "huh" Alana replies. Katinka laughs. "Now don't pretend your thoughts are elders." Alana laughs. "They were," she mocks. Katinka laughs. "Where were your thoughts, huh? Or better asked... With whom?" Katinka chuckles teasingly. "Shh" Alana orders. "Oh no, now you really can't hide it anymore" Katinka laughs. "No Katinka seriously, even be quiet. Can't you hear that?" "Sure Alana" Katinka replies sarcastically. "It sounds like a fight" Alana replies absently and hurries to the village square. "Alana" yells Katinka and runs after her sister.

Alana stops abruptly. "Alana" Katinka yells. Alana's gaze is petrified on the town square. Seven boys are lined up among some soldiers. Two soldiers drag an eighth between them. Vania..." "Vania" roars Katinka. "Shh" Alana whispers hastily and drags her sister in her arms. She hides them behind the slippery wall of a house. "Vania" protests Katinka. Tears roll down her cheeks. "No! not him." "Shh" Alana soothes and rubs Katinka's head. "It's okay, everything will be fine. everything will be fine" she whispers hearing Vania his mother and father loudly protesting. "Every village has to do its part" the soldiers say. The sun reflects brightly on his black armor. "Vania" cries Katinka and drops to her knees. "I'm so sorry Katinka" whispers Alana and sinks down with her sister. "But you must be quiet." "No, please let me go" Katara begs. Her salty tears roll down Alana's hand. Alana peaks over the corner to see the soldiers disappear with their new recruits. "Alana" Katinka cries. Alana swallows and gently embraces her sister. "Alana, why?" Katinka cries. Alana bites her lip. "I'm so sorry Katinka. But this isn't the end." "You know this isn't true, the guys they take with them never come back" Katinka cries. "I couldn't even say goodbye" Katinka sniffs. Some villagers look at her comfortingly. Alana closes her eyes for a second and bites back her tears. It is unfair. Boys are recruited when they are sixteen by the soldiers... They just come and take everything and everyone they can. Without warning And Vania... He was old enough to be recruited, but so was Rodehanthe. Alana knows it's not fair but she was so glad Rodehanthe wasn't among them "Alana. how the hell am I supposed to you know... Ignore this? Move on without him? I was going to marry him? It's not worth it." Katinka sniffles. Alana shudders and rubs Katinka's back. "Katinka, I'm so sorry. I swear... But don't give up hope just yet okay. Who knows, you might see him again. I hope so" she sniffs. Katinka nods and wipes the tears from her eyes. "I'm so sorry." Alana shakes her head. I'm sorry" she whispers again and looks at the professor who is sitting a little further. As before, he stares at them in silence. Only this time with a pensive look in his eyes. Alana swallows. "Come one, we will shop for mother and just go home. What do you think huh? Just you and me, we crawl in bed early?" "I would like that" Katinka sniffs. Alana swallows. "Katinka, I am really so sorry, I swear. I just... I can't lose you so I had to hold you. Please forgive me." Katinka sniffs one more time and then wipes her tears away. "Let's do the shopping" she sighs and takes a deep breath. Alana smiles comforting. "Katinka, I am so proud on you. You are such a strong woman. And I promise you, you will come through this. You will be happy again." Katinka fakes a smile and bites her lip. She looks one more time towards the direction Vania went and then closes her eyes a second. "Goodbye Vania, I will never forget you" she whispers. She knew this would happen. Boys can't hide forever. But she just wished... she had more time. Sad, she follows Alana towards the right stall.

Angry Alana pays the 42 shillings for a pound of pork meat and four eggs. It was their last money, and the price was absurd in her eyes... But mother asked and she knew coming back without just wouldn't do it. "You know, I should have married Vania when I had the chance." Alana sighs. "You couldn't know Katinka. But if he still wants, I heard that they allow people to get married at Foraime." Katinka looks at her. "Marry, at Foraime? I mean, get married at a military castle. A fortress where they train boys kidnapped from their families to become soldiers?" Alana bites her lip. "Sorry" she says. Katinka shakes her head. "I'll put the grocery's away, you feed the chickens, okay?" Alana nods.

Lost in thought she takes the wicker basket and fills it with chicken feed. What she would do if Rodehanthe gets recruited? He cannot hide forever. Maybe she can run away with him... But her parents, her family, her village. Okay, she doesn't really have the feeling that she is in the place she should be but this is her home... Her birthplace... She cannot just leave it like this. But what if they find him? Can she live without him? At the end, she cannot force him to run.. To leave everything behind.. To...

A puddle under her feet stops her disturbed thoughts. She surprised looks to her black flats and swallows. Feeding the chickens without paying attention on anything made her step in a pearl red puddle of... Blood? Distrusting she walks further and peeks behind the haybale. On the dirty barn floor, covered with hay and grass lays the corpse of her grandmother. Two gasping marks adorn her neck, her dress is torn and covered in blood. She lets out a loud scream while she drops the basket. She hastily runs inside the house, ignoring the whispers in her ear... "Wyrda.. Wyrda..."