The Prophecy

The Prophecy

After a brief instant of hesitation, I stepped inside a circular stone house that smelled of cedar, pine, and herbs I didn’t recognize.

The woman who welcomed me was sitting in front of a window, scribbling on parchment. When she turned toward me, her face was soft, almost free of wrinkles. I had expected someone dark, menacing, like the witches that populate Thornland’s children books, but this woman’s smile appeased me. Until she started talking.

“You should be dead,” she greeted me.

“So I’ve been told,” I answered bluntly.

“Is that why you’re here? I don’t receive many visits anymore...people are too scared to know that their future is written,” she said.

I shook my head. “No. I’m here regarding something you’ve foretold long ago, about our king.”

“Ah,” Elentia said, leaning back in her chair. “Come, sit,” she gestured to a crimson armchair next to her carved wooden desk.

I did as told, looking at her expectantly.

“I suspected his lover would come find me at some point. Even in my remote forest, I’ve heard the news,” she pressed her lips into a tight smile.

“Luther doesn’t know the exact wording of the prophecy,” I said. “I want to know if…”

“There is a way around it?” Elentia asked.

I nodded.

She dismissed my hope in one wave of the hand. “That is unlikely. Oracle’s prophecies come true. It’s the very reason our kind has been casted out of society. Sometimes, our prophecies can be difficult to understand until they happen. But Luther’s is clear as day.”

“What is the exact wording?” I asked eagerly.

Elentia took a slow breath, then recited. “In the midst of a great conflict, your silver haired wife will die, I predict. May this prophecy be your guide, to which you have been tied.”

I looked at her, stunned. This was quite clear indeed. It even had my hair color right.

“And…” I fumbled for questions. “Maybe another conflict…”

Elentia gave out a little snort. “And another silver-haired wife? Tatiana, prophecies can sometimes have different interpretations,” Elentia conceded. “Most people aren’t willing to take risks to see which one is correct. But this one, I’m afraid, only has one,” she leaned closer. “You’ve already defied death once, Tatiana, I can sense it. I doubt you will be able to defy it a second time.”

I looked at Elentia, draped in light as she delivered warnings of my death. I suddenly wanted to leave, far from Nemetes, far from Voke and Thornland.

Was this all for nothing?

I stood up. “Thank you,” I said, tense.

I stumbled to her threshold.

“I’m sorry, Tatiana,” she said gently as I was exiting. “I have no influence on fate. I am just its messenger.”

I nodded, clenching my fists, holding back tears. I was starting to understand why, through the years, demons stopped visiting oracles. How was I supposed to go on, knowing that the situation was hopeless?

Once outside, I ran through the forest until I could no longer breathe.

I broke down in tears as soon as I reached Cleta and Gaia in our guest bedroom, telling them of my encounter with Elentia, of how death infused my life.

“Do you want me to go in there and push her around until she admits that this is just a charade?” Cleta asked, dead serious.

I smiled sadly. “Even you are starting to believe that this is all true.”

“Yes, I’m sorry,” she admitted. “I knew Luther’s mother, and she was no fool. You shouldn’t take the risk.”

I shifted my gaze to Gaia, hoping that she would disagree. She squeezed my hand. “While I hate to agree with Cleta, she’s right. The risk is too great if you marry Luther.”

“But at least you’ll have peace! Sorka won’t have to grow up in a kingdom devastated by war, the way we did.”

“It is up to Luther to make a decision,” Cleta said, loyal to our king as ever.

“Let’s head back then,” I answered, getting up. “I’ll talk to Luther.”

Although I knew full well what he was going to say. From the moment the Dryns floated around the idea of our marriage, he had opposed it, unwilling to let me sacrifice myself for Voke. And now, I had made a promise, not to do anything without talking to him first.

The situation remained an impasse paved with sorrow. If I married Luther, I would likely die, but thousands would live. If I ran away from my destiny, however, I might live, but Thornland would declare war on Voke. And giving myself up would potentially provide Thornland with the strategic insights they needed to attack Voke.

On the way back to the capital, Cleta, Gaia and I dissected every word of the prophecy, hoping to find a magical solution that would erase all of our problems.

To no avail. Under the harsh sun of Voke, I came to the same conclusion as weeks ago. Marrying Luther was still the best option. But I would never convince him to go along with that plan.

We were headed towards another war.