Fated to the cursed

Chapter3

Armonie knew that the siege was a success from the look of victory on the faces of the men as they returned the next day. Her father had the biggest smile on his face, and that itself was a strange thing as Armonie had never seen her father smile. Not even a hint of a smile. The clan bustled with excitement on the return of the men.

“This is just the beginning of our victory. Tonight, we celebrate,” her father said. There was noise as everywhere erupted with cheers, women laughing, men patting themselves on the back. Everyone was happy unaware of the repercussions their actions were to bring to them.

There was darkness, so black it felt like a curtain was draped over the world. She could feel it on her body like cobwebs settling on her skin. She could feel tingling on her skin, the hairs on the back of her neck standing, aware of the danger that lurked in such darkness.

Where was she? She took a step forward and heard the splashing of her feet on water, the sound echoing.

“Hello,” she called out. “Who’s there?” Then, she saw a glimpse of light, so small yet it brought a blossom of hope spreading through her chest. She hurried towards the light, the splashing sound of her feet against water getting louder. A silhouette took shape the closer she got to the light and she heard voices whispering.

There was an old woman who sat crossed legs, her eyes closed, and her mouth moved whispering chants which echoed. As she got closer, she saw that the woman's face was half covered by an angry scar giving her a grotesque look. Suddenly, her eyes opened revealing milky white pupils. She stopped chanting and stared straight at Armonie, but her gaze was vacant.

Armonie stopped walking towards her, she felt a shiver of unease as the woman continued to gaze in her direction, yet seemingly not at her.

“I see you,” she said. Her voice sounded disembodied. “Pain you have given me, pain I will cause you. That which you seek, you shall not find. Your other half destined to you shall be so close to the tip of your fingers and yet so far away from your grasp.”

Armonie could not understand what the old woman was saying. Her voice got louder, sounding like a thousand voices were speaking at once, making Armonie cover her ears as they began to ring. She heard a roar and turned to see a Lycan. Her eyes widened in shock. The beast was doubled over in pain.

“You will not get away with this, you witch,” He growled out, his voice filled with pain. With a twist, he jumped towards Armonie with his claws stretched out. Her screams rented the air.

She jerked awake, her body sweaty and her hair in a stringy mess. Her heart was beating erratically, she was sure it could be heard far across the world. The dream was so vivid, the words said by the old woman still echoing in her mind. She stood up, opened her tent and went outside. It was still night and stars littered the sky. She closed her eyes as a cool breeze touched her skin. Whatever that dream was, it was scary and it gave her the feeling that something was about to go wrong and that her life was about to change drastically.

It was morning and the dream she had was but a blurry memory. The fear she felt at night when she woke up was absent. She was at the stream with some other women, washing some clothes. She pounded the clothes on a rock smoothed time by countless washing it has endured.

“Armonie,” a voice called out. She turned and saw a girl about her age. She was tall and lanky, unlike Armonie who was shorter and had more curves. It was her friend, Cate. On seeing her, Armonie's face brightened with a smile and she stopped what she was doing and stood up.

“Cate!” She called out too.

Cate hurried towards her, holding her basket filled with unwashed clothes. Her blonde hair blew in the wind, her milky skin sheen with sweat.

“Fine day.” She greeted when she reached Armonie.

“Fine day it is,” Armonie who was glad to see her, replied. Cate was the only one who brought a smile to Armonie’s face every day.

“I thought I’d find you here and I was right,” Cate said.

“I decided to do some washing.” Armonie bent down and continued with her washing while Cate removed the clothes in her basket as she prepared to wash.

“Be glad you won’t be doing this when you get married to Borus’,” she said. “I hear the wives of chiefs do not soil their hands with domestic chores.”

“Hmm mm,” Armonie scoffed. “I do not believe that to be true.”

“But it is true.”

“There is no human clan where women are free from their domestic chores, not to talk of Borus’ clan.”

“Armonie, why can’t you see the good in this union? ” Cate asked after noticing the bitterness with which Armonie said those words.

“See good? Cate, I have accepted what I am to my father, nothing but a possession to be sold off to the highest bidder, and in this case it is Borus,” Armonie said. She scrubbed the clothes furiously, angry and frustrated that there was nothing to be done about her life.

“But you do realize you are better off than most of us who might never get a chance to make a good match as Borus,” Cate said. “He is warrior, a fine man and next in line to be chief after his father. What better match can be made?” Cate’s voice rose a notch as she couldn’t keep her jealousy from showing in her voice.

“In truth, I envy you, Cate. You are free in a way to become what you want to be. Not saddled by the responsibility of being a chief’s daughter.”

There was silence and the both of them washed their clothes. Each thought about what fate has designed for their life. Armonie wished she was free, and Cate wished she could make such a good match as Borus.

“Anyway, it does not matter. I would be married soon. We do not need to talk about it,” Armonie said to lighten the mood. They continued talking, steering off the sensitive topic of her marriage. Laughing as they washed their clothes.