A Different Destiny 2

Dea awoke with a start, the image of ember-like eyes burning into her consciousness. She peered into the darkness, trying to determine her surroundings. Her heart lifted as she realized that maybe…just maybe…she was at home.

“Bed…” she said, running her hand along the soft sheets, “Night stand…”

Her fingers grazed the familiar surface of varnished wood.

“Window…”

Her heart sank, as she knew deep down it would. There was no window to be found anywhere in the room, and as she reached further across the night stand that she had hoped was her own, she touched the cool metal of a candle stick holder—something she knew she didn’t own.

“So…it really wasn’t a dream…”

“No, not a dream,” came a voice from the darkness. The voice was familiar…

“Osmond, right?” Dea asked.

“Yes.”

“How long have I been out?”

“I have kept you ‘out’ for three days. The travel was a two and a half day’s journey, and I did not want to listen to your questions.”

Dea opened her mouth to speak, but as she did her stomach let out a loud, gurgling growl.

“Obviously you didn’t want to feed me, either,” she mumbled.

“This is true…I had barely enough to feed myself.”

Dea tried her best to look outraged, “First of all, I was talking to myself, so it was very rude of you to eavesdrop. Secondly…”

Her face contorted into an exaggerated look of pain, “if you won’t feed me, who will?”

The man laughed, much to her relief.

“You are definitely an odd one…are you sure you are not a rouge? You don’t act like a goddess should.”

She looked at him with wide, quizzical eyes.

“How is a goddess supposed to act? And how do you know I am even a goddess?”

She had many more questions, but held her tongue for fear of being knocked out again.

“A goddess, I have always imagined, would be a bit more…”

“Ethereal?”

“Yes…like the water and wind to which she is supposed to be connected.”

“I wouldn’t say water and wind are always serene and other-worldly…both elements can be very violent…other times they seem to have a mischievous quality to them. Have you ever watched the wind play with a paper bag?”

Osmond thought about this for a moment.

“I suppose you have a point…we were just prepared for something…different.”

“Thus my second question: How do you know that I am even a goddess? I certainly don’t feel like one.”

“Well…I don’t, actually.”

Dea’s heart sank for a moment…it would have been so cool to be a goddess!

“Well…maybe I’m not, then,” she said half-heartedly.

“Perhaps…we will find out soon, though. That is why I am here with you now.”

“Aw…I thought it was because you liked me…”

Osmond merely blinked at this statement.

“The moon is hidden by a thick cloud cover, but it is, nevertheless, full. When the clouds clear, I am to try to kill you. If you are truly a goddess, you will be able to protect yourself, if not, well, you can never be allowed to know where you are…so it would simply be easier to kill you now.”

Dea’s jaw dropped.

“You-you’re going to try to kill me?”

“Yes.”

“And this prospect doesn’t bother you at all?”

“No, not really. Why, should it?”

“I guess not…I just thought maybe my first impression of you was wrong.”

Osmond simply nodded. He knew what impression he left on people.

They sat in tense silence for a moment, both waiting for a sign to spring into action. Finally, it came. A small beam of pale light illuminated the floor between them. Dea looked up and realized that the entire ceiling was actually made of glass. As she gazed up at the ceiling, she heard a light tinkling sound—it was raining. The sky continued to open up, revealing the biggest moon Dea had ever seen. It seemed to fill the entire ceiling! Dea crawled out of her bed and tentatively reached into the light. She felt nothing. She took a breath and stepped into the moonlight.

“If you must try to kill me, then do so now,” she said, sounding braver than she felt. She had taken karate as a child, but Dea had a feeling that her limited martial arts experience would help her very little.

Osmond looked upon the figure of this woman admiringly. She did not try to cower, to run away, or to bargain. She stood as he had imagined a goddess would, proudly accepting whatever fate she had. He hoped she was a goddess…she would make a great one.

“You are in luck,” he said, slowly rising to his feet, “Not only is it a full moon, but it is raining. If you were even half a goddess, you would be protected tonight.”

“Well, if that be the case, let’s find out, shall we?”

Dea assumed the fighting stance that she was taught as a child and stared intently at her opponent. If there was ever a time to retrieve something I learned, now would be that time.

Osmond smiled at her sadly, and raised his sword.

“You won’t need to fight me…one swing is all I need to know whether or not you are a goddess.”

Dea dropped her arms, flabbergasted.

“I can’t even try to defend myself?”

“There is no need,” he said quietly, and brought the sword down upon her head.