The Path of Duty

This follows "The Burden of a King"

Edith stormed through the halls of her father's house. What was he thinking? Why did he do this to her? What had she done to deserve such a fate?

These thoughts blasted through her mind as a rapid tumble each one clamouring for her attention. Why!?

She moved through the halls with a certainty borne of experience, it all still felt so familiar to her, the thought bled through the turmoil of her emotions, nothing had changed in the four years she’d been gone. The library where she had curled up with her mother for many hours each day, just enjoying the rustle of pages and the feel of her hand on her head. The long hallways, lined with intricate carvings of horses, bears, wolves and other beasts into the woodwork. The long dining halls with tables and chairs all arranged just as she remembered, shields, swords, axes and other weapons adorned the walls.

These thoughts barely lasted a moment though and soon Edith slammed the door of a small room shut, her emotions a storm to rival the one she had just travelled through. She paced back and forth, her mind a whirl of confusion, anger, and betrayal. She paced up and down the room, clenching and unclenching her fists resisting the desire to rage, to break and shatter everything in the room. She had been devastated when her father had sent her to go to the Offereaid with Ebba, a strange woman she had never met before. It had been hard, but she had just begun to adjust and accept her new life with the priestesses in their secret groves and woodland homes when he had summoned her back. Now the joy and excitement of returning home had been crushed by yet another upset in her life. Once again she was to be handed over to a stranger to live a new life.

She felt a scream of frustration threatening to break free of her clenched jaws, but she held on to her self control. To help regain control she reached for her training among the priestesses and prayed to the gods, "Lord Emyr, god of leadership and rulers, and Lady Ildryth, goddess of magicians and knowledge, strengthen me now, I lay these burdens before you and ask for the clarity of mind and guidance to see my path."

She didn't feel greatly relieved at simply laying her problems before someone else to fix for her, but the act of praying focused her mind, as it was intended to. She stopped pacing and sat down on the bed beside her and tried to come to terms with her situation.

A knock sounded against her door.

Edith tensed and said nothing.

"Edith?"

It was her father, voice muffled against the door. Edith stayed silent.

"Edith open the door, we need to talk."

Silence lingered, growing heavier with each passing moment.

"Edith I am sorry. I didn't want this, but I had to. There is too much at stake for me to simply allow them rule of this kingdom without someone our people can stand behind. They would resist, thousands would die, our homes ravaged and burned."

Still Edith said nothing, she felt the walls closing in around her as the magnitude of the situation began to dawn on her.

"Edie. I'm sorry to do this. I truly am."

It was too much, Edith felt the tears break free from her eyes and streak down her cheeks. She fell to the bed and pressed her face into the pillows to hide the sobs that started to burst from her uncontrollably.

One question repeated itself over and over in her mind. Why was this happening?

To be continued in "The Weight of Woe"