Unknown Title Chapter 1

After the events of the past few days I have been forced to look at my life and made some difficult choices. For the second time in my life I much choose between a love I have always known and a amazing new kind of love. What am I to do? I know I am cursed, my kind are. I say 'my kind' because in today's world, the truth of where we came from has been lost amongst the ages. Every lead mortals find to figure out our demise leads to a dead end. I have made sure of that. But now, the one I love knows my secrets and how to kill me. I must make sure some part of me lives on. This is my story, my life that has extended much longer than it should have, if I had lead a 'normal' life. But the life of the only true Princess of the Vampires could not in any way be normal.

If I had lived a normal life I would have died long before anyone ever kept track of names and births of people. Our family history was not remembered any father than the oldest family member still alive.
That person in my family was my Padi. My grandmother had died the winter before I was born. Padi once told him I was born after she died because I am her reincarnated ,but, never dieing has, every day reminded me that could only be false. Madi did not get pregnant until after grandmother died. I didn't understand why Padi thought I was my grandmother. It didn't bother me too much though, having grandmothers sandy blond hair and bright blue eyes. I was Padi's favorite daughter even though I was his 7th child. I discovered later on in life that it wasn't Grandmother I reminded Padi of. Our family was full of dark secrets.
Because of my eyes and hair I was set apart from my siblings even at birth. Padi had to force Madi to feed me and care for me. It is said that she was the only person who hated grandmother. Grandmother wanted someone else for Padi but something happened and Padi and Madi were married quickly. I never bothered to ask why they were married the way they were and why Madi hated me and my grandmother so.
My eldest sister, Ingre told me when they placed me in Madi's arms she tried to throw me across the room. Padi forced her at sword-point to feed me. He told her if I died she would as well.
As soon as I did not have to rely on Madi for my nourishment anymore Padi took control of my life. I would rise with him before the first rays of the sun came over our land and would go with him to his workshop or up to the castle to care of our lords horses. I spent many days watching the soldiers come and go in the castle and playing with the horses. I cared more about the our lords horses than I did about the rest of my family.
When I had lived 4 winters we had a unexpected surprise. Christol had come. All of my siblings and I hid outside our hut and listened to Madi and Padi yell at each other. Padi traveled occasionally when he had to deliver something or horses to someone for our lord. He stopped at a placed called House of the Fallen every time he left.
Christol explained the House of the Fallen was a place for women to go who were not permitted to marry. They made money doing the only thing they could. Sell use of their bodies to men who would pay. Apparently Padi got someone pregnant with child. He continued to stop and get to know Christol but for the most part he was raised by his madi. Madi was very upset and spent a long time yelling at Padi in the language we didn't understand.
Over the next few days Madi bluntly ignored Christol while she ignored me. I watched him as he took Madi's cruelty in stride. Sometimes he was even smiling during her cruelty. He was either brave or stupid. Christol did not have to worry for very long though, he started going to work with Padi and I from day one. Christol was 10 summers old, thus being the eldest of all of us and Padi's firstborn son. My 9 winters old brother Jriffra was immediately switched to military training after Christol started learning the blacksmith trade.
I found Christol after 4 days sitting alone behind our hut. Madi had just fed all of the children, including me, while ignoring Christol. I sat quietly next to him. His eyes were clouded over, he looked like he had been crying.
"Do you miss your Madi?" I asked.
He nodded, his face changing from sad to angry after I asked that question.
"Madi can be really mean sometimes. She hates me. I don't know why."
He scuffed then stood. As I started to stand next to him he swung around and smacked me hard across the face. I turned away, the force sending me crashing to the ground. I started to cry and he kicked me once roughly in the stomach. I curled into a ball to protect myself. Over hearing myself cry I heard his voice, dripping with hatred.
"If you knew your history you would not think to pity me so much. Remember your place bitch." He walked away. It was then I realized, in looking for a friend in Christol I realized there was something evil there. From then on I stayed away from him.
The years wore on as we all grew and time passed. As I aged and matured Padi started forcing me to stay home more. The day Padi saw one of the soldiers try to kiss me was the last day I went to work with Padi.
It was a beautiful spring day. The ground was finally unthawed and the grass was growing greener and greener with each passing thunder storm. I looked and acted no different than I did any other day. Time had placed me at 9 winters with sandy brown hair half way down my back. As usual, my hair was braided to keep bugs and dirt off of it.
I know some who read this will probably think at 9 'years' old I was still very much a child. So I will explain something. Females in my time grew at a different rate. 9 winters old was getting close to marriage age. After we passed our 11th day of birth the female was married off and started the process of having children. My Madi was only 18 summers old when she had me, her 7th child. Padi was 25 falls when I was born. Elder men married younger women so the women would be able to give them many children before they died. The soldiers who were in the castle were slightly older than myself. They were to the between the ages of 15 winters to 20 springs. They had spent many years watching me help the stable hands taking care of the horses for something to do while Padi worked.
I stood in the stable, just down from where Christol and Padi were working on the horse shoes. Adrianna, the stable hand, had ran to fetch a bucket of water to wash the horses down. I had my favorite horse, Full Moon out of her stall brushing her. The guys came in and gathered around me. I had spoken to them many times over the years and thought nothing of it.
"Hi Seppie." Tanareious said. He had always smiled at me and I had once considered him a friend.
"Hi Tanareious, how are you?" I asked hiding the slight crush I had on him. Tanareious was very handsome and before this day I had pictured myself married to him. He was destined to be part of our lords army and would have been well set. It would have been a nice life. At least the life I pictured would have been nice, until I knew what kind of person he was.
"Good. I was wondering if you could answer me a question?"
"Sure." I set the brush down and turned toward him. As I turned, he pushed me up against the side of the stall.
"Think we can come visit you at the House of the Fallen?" He asked and kissed me forcefully on the lips. The scream that came out of my lips was enough for Padi to drop his things and come running. Full Moon stood blocking his sight of me but he must have figured I was in the midst of the group of boys. While I was pushing on Tanareious I suddenly felt him pulled away from me. I watched in horror while Padi threw him into the side of another stall.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" He yelled viscously at him. Tanareious scrambled away and ran off with the rest of the soldiers. They didn't want to mess with a angry blacksmith that was around 200 lbs. He hurried back over to me, "Are you alright Seppie dear?" He asked grabbing my shoulders.
I nodded shaken for a few moments, "Padi, he said I was going to the House of the Fallen." I said not understanding.
Padi hugged me close, "No you're not my sweet one. I assure you, you will never have to go there." Padi walked me home, explaining to me that I couldn't go with him to the castle anymore. On those days I would have to stay at the hut with my sisters and Madi doing the women's work. I feared it a great deal. Ever sense Christol came there was two of us Madi hated. Christol was safe with Padi during the day, now I was not.
Days Padi went to the castle, I would scramble threw my chores with my sisters then hurry threw the woods. I didn't care if anyone knew where I was going, I just wanted away from the hut before Madi could think of other chores for me to do. I spent the next years wondering in the out of the woods.
The stories of demons who fed on humans who were lost in the woods reminded me to keep my bearings. Our woods extended farther than we would dare walk. Very few paths went farther than I would go. A few months after I stopped going to the castle I had discovered a spring hidden just past the edge of our paths. To me it looked like no one had ever seen or used it before. A spring in our village means fresh, clean water either for bathing or drinking. This spring was more of a single person size than anything else. I don't know if the size of it just made it ignorable. Rocks lined the sides in a manner that made me wonder if it was man made. I knelt next to it and scooped up a drink and to my amazement I found it cold and clean tasting. I laughed and scooped up more and washed my face. The trees surrounding the pool were large and I felt like no one had ever stepped foot there before. I liked that place very much. It became my secrete place. I spent many days there, until it happened. I sat and thought about what kind of life I would live when I married in the next year until the day came it was stolen from me.
Padi was at the workshop next to the hut working with Christol. The rest of my siblings were with my Madi delivering Padi's good and picking up supplies for our own. I sat in my usual corner working on writing the signs Padi had been teaching me. All three of us looked up when we heard horse beats. The lords messenger sat regally on top of Full Moon while Tanareious rode next to him and another soldier on his other side.
"Paduccu?" The messenger nodded his head, "Lord Mesagarious would like to see you right away."
Padi nodded and the messenger turned and rode off with the other soldier following behind. Tanareious stayed staring at me. "What do you want Tana?" Padi asked roughly. He still remembered Tanareious was the one who tried to kiss me.
"Paduccu, I was just wondering if you were marrying Seppie off next year?"
"Not to the likes of you or any of your kind. Seppie will have someone who takes care of her, not someone who will abuse her. You think I don't see how you treat your sisters, how your Padi treats your Madi? Be gone, before I pull you off your horse and add you to my kindling pile."
"At least Padi and Madi weren't related. Tell me Paduccu, aren't you more worried about your families history repeating itself. Something like that would be a shame for Seppie. But at least then we can go and visit her at the House of the Fallen." He turned his horse and rode away in a fury of dust and rocks.
I looked at Padi unsure why everyone was so focused on our families history. What had happened to Padi for people to throw our history in his face. Most importantly out of his 4 daughters why did it have to do with me? He caught eyes with me and smiled before turning toward Christol. His smile faded and his expression was one of worry.
"Seppie, work on your signs until I get back. I won't be long. When Madi returns help her make the evening meal."
I threw my writing pad aside and stood, "Padi, let me go with you."
"You know you can't. Besides, I won't take you to the castle again." He turned back toward Christol, "You have enough work to keep you busy for days. Stay that way."
Christol nodded and glanced at me when Padi started to walk away. I looked from Christol to Padi afraid of what was going to happen. Padi never stopped to look back and I grabbed my writing pad and rushed into the hut.
Our hut was used for only sleeping. All cooking and eating was done either outside or under Padi's workshop. Inside the hut was a wooden sleeping pallet covered with thick blankets of fur. In the corner was all of our sleeping pallets that were rolled up in the corner. It was a pretty tight space to sleep all of us. Madi was still having children on a regular basis. My elder brother and sisters were all married off or serving as soldiers. Christol, my elder sister Ingre, and I were the eldest. Ingre had taken a vow with the priesthood to serve our ancient gods in their temples.
I sat on the sleeping pallet and continued to work on my writing. After a while I looked up when I saw Christol enter. "Padi said for you to keep busy. Why are you in here?" I asked as I stood. He was blocking the only door in the hut, my only exit away from him.
"Did you hear Padi and your Madi last night?" he asked moving closer to me.
I stood frozen in fear. I just prayed to the gods that Madi would return and spoil whatever plan Christol had. He stopped right in front of me. "Go away please." I whispered with the only courage I had in me at that age.
"I asked if you heard Padi and Madi last night?" He asked not listening to my plea to leave. I was silent still praying the gods would hear me. He reached up and smacked me across the face. The force made my head turn and as I fought the tears his voice filled my head again, "Answer me."
"Yes I heard them." I answered. I slowly lifted my face back up, "Go away Christol. Please."
He was looking at me. The expression on his face told me even though he was looking at me he wasn't seeing me. When I seen that spark of evil flicker I really started to fear for myself. "Do you know what they are doing when they make those noises?"
I shook my head, "Padi told me not to concern myself with it until I belong to someone else. My husband will explain it."
"Do you really think Padi will marry you off?" He inched closer to me and I tried to step back. I forgot the pallet was there and I fell backwards and landed on the animal skins. Christol climbed on top of me and pinned my arms above my head. "Padi couldn't marry you off. You remind him too much of Madecenna."
"Grandmother?" I asked. Padi always told me I reminded him of his Madi.
Christol started raising my tunic up my legs while he explained, "Madecenna is not our Grandmother. She's my Madi. Our beloved Padi's sister. The same women he is seeing at the House of the Fallen." He leaned down to kiss me on the lips. I couldn't fight him. The strength he possessed in one arm could pin me down. When he pressed his lips on mine I did the only thing I could do. I bite him, hard.
He growled and pulled his head away from me. I tasted someone else's blood for the first time. It had a copper taste and was rather salty to me. I looked at him and spit his own blood back out at him. It sprayed his face and he roared and used his free hand and hit me again hard across the face. That hit caused me to black out for the mean seconds it took him to start his damage.
I turned my head left and right trying to ignore his movements when he took from me what wasn't his to have. I refused to give him the satisfaction of screaming in pain and he was so strong I couldn't have moved even if I wanted to. I lay there shaking my head with my eyes closed tight while he was cruel to me in his thievery. After what felt like forever he finally climbed off me. I slowly curled into a ball, silent tears soaking Padi's animal skin blankets.
Before he left the hut I heard him say, "Tanareious will be happy to know he will be able to see you at the House of the Fallen."
I wrapped the top animal skin around me and hurried out the hut. I heard Christol laugh as I ran into the woods. I need refuge. I needed some place quiet. I already knew where to run.
I hurried threw the woods not looking where I was going. I was crying profusely, unable to calm down. I knew inside my soul what Christol did to me. He had taken from me what should have been saved for whatever man paid for me. He was my half-brother. Everything everyone said was correct. Our family history did repeat itself, thanks to Christol. He was right, after what he did, I would for sure be sent to the House of the Fallen. That upset me even more. The thought of Tanareious paying for the right to be vicious with me like Christol was. The thought of all of those soldiers traveling to the House of the Fall to attack me and pay for the privilege to do what they pleased.
My mind wondered too much as I ran threw the wood. It wasn't until a rock caused me to land in the dirt did I realize I had never been to this part of the woods before. I tried to calm down. I had been running for hours and dark was nearing. I wasn't close enough to the hut to hear Padi yelling for me or questioning Christol about why I ran way.
I traveled slowly threw the woods keeping a watchful ear out for demons. Not that it would do me any good. People disappeared from the woods when they got lost. They were never seen again. For a slit second I though that being destroyed by demons might be a better fate than the one at hand now.
Finally, as the last rays of sunlight shone I found my spring. I dropped the animal skin and quickly climbed into the pool wanting more than anything to wash the feeling of Christol away. As I washed I started crying again. It pained me to think of what life I was to lead now. I had no choice. If I turned Christol in I knew I would be sent to the House of the Fallen. If I didn't say anything then my husband would know. I had no idea what happened to a women who lied when she married her husband. Not to mention Christol could do it again and again before I married.
When I heard the snap of a twig I dove for my animal skin. "Who's there?" I asked spinning in the darkness.
"You're cries were of desperation my lady." I heard a gentle calm voice call out from the darkness, "What pains a beautiful young soul like yours?"
"Be-Be-Be gone demon!" I yelled as bravely as I could muster. I climbed out of the pool and sat on the rock, my bloodstained animal skin wrapped around me; as though it could protect me from the demons.
"I am many things my lady, but a demon is not one of them. I swear not to harm you." The voice promised.
"If you mean me no harm then do not hide in the shadows. Show yourself so I may identify you!" I demanded.
"You won't recognize me. You need to have met me to know me." The voice said before a cloaked figure immerged from the woods just to the left of me. The moon was out now, full and bright. When it's light steaming down from the heavens I seen he was wearing a cloak with a large hood to cover his face. "Good evening my lady." The same voice came from the shadow and dark hood.
"Remove your hood." I said.
"My apologizes my lady but I can not do that."
"Why?"
"I never remove my hood. Accept it." He said with a slight movement of his hand.
I nodded suddenly not afraid of him. I sat slowly on the rock calming myself. If I did not return home soon then Padi would worry about me. Talking to Padi meant seeing Christol and I was not ready for that. Forgetting I had a visitor at my spring I broke down and started the shake with fear as tears streamed down my face. I stared at the ground not seeing any of it. I was looking beyond trying to figure out what I was going to do.
With out making a sound the man moved closer to me. "What would make a beautiful women like you tremble with fear my lady?"
With out thinking I spoke my mind for the first time in my life. "You must be blind under that hood kind sir. If you could see you would notice that I am not lady of nobility. Do not address me as such."
A soft smooth glove brushed against my cheek, wiping my tear away. A part of me wanted to move out of his reach. I was still fearful something would happen again. The animal skin was still wrapped tightly around me. For some reason I remained still and allowed him to wipe my tears. His touch didn't make me feel afraid. I had a sense of tranquility inside of me when his glove grazed my face. "Who are you?" I whispered starting to enjoy his hand on my cheek.
"I am called many things, it's not important right now. Who are you?"
"Seppie."
"would you like me to share something with you Seppie, my lady?" I nodded ignoring the reference to nobility. "Nature has many smells. I love to travel in the midst of nature where I can smell everything. Human blood is one smell that does not belong in nature. I did not mean to startle you but the smell of your blood was too much. Then, to hear your tears I can gather what happened to you. Now, I ask you to tell me who did this to you."
"My half-brother Christol." I choked out. "He just attacked me. I didn't get to protect myself. Padi was gone, I was scare. I prayed and prayed the gods would save me from that fate, but it happened. Now my life is over." I broke down in tears again.
"Shhhh......Don't cry Seppie, my dear." He soothed.
"I do not want to go to that place. I do not want men to do that to me over and over again for scraps to a meager life. It's not fair. He did it to me, why is it held against me?" I babbled.
"Seppie, my dear, calm down." Obeying immediately I tried to look him in the eye. All I stared into was a black void that was caused from his hood. "Would you like my help?"
"How can you help?"
"Right now, please, just answer the questions. Would you like my help or would you like to go to the House of the Fallen?"
"If you could be kind enough to help in any way, I would be eternally grateful."
"Good girl. Who is your father?"
"Paduccu the blacksmith."
"Hmmm.. Interesting. If Paduccu is your father that would make you his dear dear Seppie, the only daughter he favors correct?" I nodded surprised. All you had to do what know my father to know I was his favorite daughter. "I've had the privilege of meeting him before and he spoke of you. I assume he does not know what happened tonight?"
I shook my head, "No, I'm afraid to go home."
"My dear, I will help you but you must give me a few days. You must return home and tell your father what happened to you. Keep your eyes open for me, when I come do not fear those who come with me. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Good girl." He reached down and lifted my hand up to his lips. When my hand disappeared into the black of his hood I felt lips made of silk place a single kiss on my hand, "Now return home. Tell your Padi what Christol did. I will return for you."
I nodded and simply started at him at he disappeared back into the darkness. With out thinking I stood and hurried back threw the woods to that shack. I don't know what made me move. My mind was screaming 'don't tell, don't go. Go back to the woods and stay there.' My feet continued to hurry and before I knew it I seen the glow of Padi's workshop. Before I could get to the opening of the hut I seen Padi standing in front of the fire pit.
I rushed over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. Before he could react to it I started to cry. "Seppie my dear what is wrong?" He asked dropping his tools.
"Christol did something bad." I blubbered barely understandable.
He knelt and pulled my arms from his waist. "What do you mean?"
"Christol took what wasn't his to take." I tried to explain. There was no word to describe was it was when I was that age.
"HE DID WHAT?" He asked shaking my shoulders.
"When you left he took what my husband should have taken." I broke down crying again.
"Oh Seppie, my dear." He said and hugged me close, "I am so sorry ninchile. I wondered why you disappeared and didn't do as you were told. I waited for you to find out what happened. I never thought Christol would do that to you."
"Padi, Christol said his Madi was your sister." I said pulling away to look at him.
A cloud darker than any I had ever seen crossed his face. "He said what?"
"You are brother and sister with his Madi." I repeated wanting to know the truth.
"It does not concern you. I will deal with that. Christol must pay for his crime against you first." He tried a warm smile and failed miserably, "You need rest."
I stepped away from him, "I can not sleep in there near Christol. I will not. I'll sleep in the woods. The hooded man will protect me." I don't know where that came from, all I knew was I couldn't ever sleep in the hut again.
"What hooded man?" He asked.
"The man I met in the woods. He offered to help me after I told him what happened."
"Did you see his face?" He quickly questioned, "Did he touch you? What did he say?"
"He knew you, knew my name. He said he'd help me so I wouldn't have to stay at the House of the Fallen." More tears broke at the mention of the place, "Padi, I do not want to go to that place. Please. Will he help me? I don't think he'd hurt me. Please. I'll do anything to stay away from that place."
"Be careful what you promise Seppie. I know this man you speak of. He is a good man. Kind. If he says he will help, I say he will be here to help you."
"How does he know me?"
"That does not concern you right now ninchile." I nodded. "Now, I will fetch you a blanket. You can sleep out here. I will not be going in the hut to sleep tonight. I fear my anger may rule my sleep. Stay here." I went to a different corner than the one I usually sat in. This corner was right next to Padi. Before he returned I was fast asleep, curled in a ball as though I was protecting myself from a cruel world.

That same cruel world got shoddier when I awoke. A sharp pain suddenly jarred me out of a dreamless sleep. As I gasped for breath I knew that pain was caused from a kick. I opened my eyes to see Ingre standing in place of the person who kicked me.
"YOU LIE!" She hissed kicking me with all her might again.
I gasped for breath rolling away from her. "Stop Ingre." I could barely say.
"YOU LIE ABOUT CHRISTOL!" She yelled.
"I don't!" I yell as loud as I could. It came out as a small whisper. "It's true!" I stood putting space between her and I.
"Christol hates you. He can't stand you! Why would he do that to you! He loves me! He's always loved me. Why do you think I pledged myself to the church. Christol is MINE! He did not do what you say!" She growled out. She reminded me of a bear about to attack. Her 6ft beefy frame wanted to reach out and choke the life from me. Her green eyes blazed with more hatred that I had ever seen. Had Christol drove her mad? Why do that to me if he's already doing that to her willingly? I didn't know. The only thing that mattered was staying away from Ingre's bear claws.
"Ingre, I swear to you my sister. Christol did that to me. Would you like to see the blanket dried with my blood? I still bleed from it. Look at my tunic. Christol STOLE it from me. You may have given it willingly and taken shelter with the church but he stole it from me. One way or another he will pay for what he did to me!" I turned and ran from her into my woods before she could chase me.
I only ran far enough to hide from her. She was afraid of the woods. She feared the demons in the woods more than the gods she devoted her life to. I watched her pace back and forth around the path I ran into before she turned and stormed off. I was perfectly happy to sit right in that spot until I see Padi return to the work shop. Before he called my name I ran back to him.
"Why did you hide?" He asked.
"Ingre attacked me accusing me of lying." That was one thing I was not going to do. I had no reason to lie about this. I had never lied to Padi in my entire life therefore he had no reason to think me of it. He trusted me.
I chose not to revel what exactly she said to me, it was not his business in my mind. He had enough to deal with what Christol did to me, he didn't need to know Christol had convinced Ingre he loved her.
"We need to go now."
"Why Padi? What has happened?"
"Trust me ninchile." I took his hand and he lead me down the road away from the hut. I tugged and pulled away from him. We were heading toward town and I was still dressed in the same tunic as the day before. Blood was dried on top of blood, my body still adjusting from the beating Christol had given me. He tugged me along,
"Trust me Seppie."
I hid behind him as we came into the small dwellings we called our town. People were traveling here and there and stopped when Padi neared. They all gasped when they seen my clothing. 'It's true.' I heard whispers say. 'Oh dear, it's happened.'
The one I heard loud and clear was the small voice from the village seer, 'Poor child. Down the path of darkness you shall find your love'
I turned all around avoiding everyone's eyes while searching for her voice. She stood sulking in the doorway to her hut. Padi pulled me up to a platform where Christol stood tied to a post. His expression curled into a evil smile as Padi pulled me closer.
"Did you do this to my daughter?" He demanded loudly of him. Villagers who did not see us enter now stopped and looked at the sound of Padi's voice.
"You drag her threw all this to ask me that Padi. Look into my eyes and answer it for yourself. Would your beloved daughter lie to you?"
"No, she would not. I demand you to admit your sin before the whole town."
Christol lips curled and his face reminded me of a statue our temples had of the ultimate evil. "I planted my seed deep inside of your daughter, my sister, just the same as you did your sister. The sins of the father shall pass to the son. I have given my father his justice multiplied. Not only have I planted my seed inside one sister, another carries my child!" He sneered at Padi, "Whatever happens to me enjoy facing the fact your sin has come back to haunt you. Your first grandchild shall be your curse!" With that end of that sentence the towns people began to throw all manner of things as him. I seen piles of mud thrown at him, shit from every animal in town were flung at him, rocks stuck his body and cased him to bleed, produce was thrown at him by children. I stood by in horror as the village tormented him. Padi turned and lead me to a hut, away from Christol's gasps and the village cursing him over and over.
Inside the hut, our village elders sat in a circle. "You bring before us the destroyed one?" One asked. None of them looked up at me. They sat staring at the fire, curled into balls, as though disgusted by the thought of me.
"I beg of you elders. You just herd what that thing said, have pity on her. It's not her fault. Please." In my honor Padi knelt before the elders.
"There was truth in what your son said." Another spoke, "If is all caused by you Paduccu. Your sin has come to haunt you."
"I accept that wise ones. That is why I beg of you more. This child, my daughter, Seppie, was born properly and raised justly. All of you have watched her grow. It is not her fault, she is only guilty of being my daughter. It would break me to know she is at that evil place."
"A 'evil' place you yourself go to often on your travels."
"I know that wise ones, I will not deny it. Seppie has been raised properly and was fit for a good life and a happy one. Christol, my son, has stolen that from her. But she is not guilty. Please rule that she not be sent to the House of the Fallen. I take her away from this place, take her somewhere she can live."
"She can not marry."
"I vow she will not marry in this lifetime." He swore. The way he said the words caused me to look at him strange. Wouldn't of been easier to say I would never marry?
"Where will you send her. You are the last of your line? Other than your sister at the House of the Fallen."
"A received a offer for her from the Great One. He approached me and offered to take her in. He will not marry her, simply shelter her and care for her."
"If that be true then send her there. If he refuses then you must take her to the House of the Fallen."
"Done." Padi stood and pulled me out of the hut. I looked up at Christol and he looked unconscious. A pile of shit, food, mud, and rocks lay at his feet.
He tugged me back out the road. "Padi, what happened?" I asked.
"Great One will come for you when he is ready."
"Who?" He stopped and knelt next to me, smearing mud over his clothes.
"Seppie, that man who you seen last night was a very respected and feared title. It has survived for well over a hundred years, growing ever more knowledgeable. I begged for you to have the right to go to him instead of the House of the Fallen."
I finally understood. Padi had given up his own self-respect and admitted every accuse the towns had about him to save me from that place. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him close. He had proved his love for me, he had given up it all. The town would never respect him again, but he didn't care. "Thank you Padi. I will never forget it!"
I felt his large body tremble as I hugged him close, "Great One will take care of you. I know he will. You will have a better life with him that you could have here; married or at the House of the Fallen."
When we returned home Ingre was sitting waiting for us. Her face looked cold and reminded me of Christol's expression when he looked like stone. "You know Padi." She said refusing to look at us.
"Collect your belongings and leave my home." He said and turned his back on her. It was the sign she was no longer considered a member of our family.
"Give me Christol then." She demanded, "His fate lies in your hands. Give him to me and I will leave. If you don't I'll erect a hut next door and you will get to watch your grandchild grow up."
"Christol's fate is not in my hands. Seppie will decided the punishment to fit the crime." I turned and looked at him shocked. He nodded and looked up again keeping his back to Ingre. I looked from Padi to Ingre and she looked hard at me.
"Give me my child's Padi."
"He deserve to die for what he did to me!" I said harshly grabbing Padi's hand for protection.
"Seppie, give me my child's Padi. We'll leave this place and go somewhere else and live far away."
"No." I said sternly, "He'll stay where he is until I decide what to do you him."
She screamed and charged me. Padi reached around and struck her with such force she was throw 2 feet before landing. She crawled away and Padi walked close to her. "Do not attack my children. She has spoken. Collect your belongings and leave now!" She stumbled as she stood and could barely walk down the road.
I felt sorry for her. I knew Christol didn't love her. Monsters like him weren't capable of love. "Christol used her Padi." I whispered watching her go.
"She chose it Seppie. It is not our fault. She had a right to say no. What he did to you gave you no choice."
"Padi, will he stay tied to that pole until I decided what to do with him?"
"Yes, my dear."
I thought for a minute, "Can we make him be with her?" I couldn't help what I felt.
Even though I openly defied her, I wanted to try to and help her some how.
Padi let go of my hand and walked over to his fire and began working again, "I know what your thinking Seppie. Your heart gets the better of you sometimes. There is no way to bind him to her. It's wrong on every level. Ingre is a survivor."
"What if that is his punishment? What if I choose to have him castrated and force him to stay here in the town bound to his sister to help her raise the child he never wanted?"
He stopped shifting his pieces of metal around and looked at me, "Is that what you want for his punishment?"
"There is more to it. He did all this to ruin your life. I want him castrated so he can never do this to any women ever again. If he survives, bind him to Ingre with chains if necessary. If she wants him let her control him. Have it declared if he is ever caught without Ingre or his chains he is to be killed."
"The castration may just kill him Seppie."
"Then the gods will have required he go threw more punishment." I sat curling in my new corner close to Padi.
I refused to leave Padi's side. Madi returned to the hut and even tried to convince me to lay inside, the first act of kindness out of her ever. I stayed close to Padi though. He continued to work late into the night. Again I slept in his workshop on the floor, curled into a ball.
When I awoke there was a large commotion. "Christol has escaped." Padi explained from his place in front of the fire, "Ingre helped him escape. They ran away together." I looked away. Something told me Padi knew it would happen and did nothing to stop it. I couldn't blame him. He did love Ingre like a daughter and he knew as well Christol had seduced her. "A message came for us before dawn."
"From who?"
"Great One."
I stood quickly at the mention of his name, "What did it say?"
"Says he will be here tonight to get you and take you to your new home." He forced out with much emotion. I stayed close to him, wanting to spend my last day with him and afraid Christol or Ingre might be lurking in my woods. The day wore on and soon the sun set, ending the last day with Padi.