About Firinn
”I’m going to catch you, little birds!” The voice echoed across the hills like a peel of thunder. ”You can’t hide from me, not on my mountain!” The sky rumbled and vivid purple lightning flashed across the clouds illuminating the vast and desolate plains below. The peels of childish laughter that replied were a sound rarely heard in the ruins of Sarkoris, almost as strange as the two children crouched behind a straggly bush high on the mountainside.
”Quiet Fir! You’ll give the game away.” Whispered the boy, although his grin showed that he was just as excited as his companion, if not more so. ”Will not!” Retorted the girl next to him, her white hair billowing as she shook her head in vehement denial. Crouching in silence for a minute or more the two children stole glances through the branches, peering down the steep slopes below them. Catching sight of a tall dark skinned man striding towards them up the slope both children huddled further behind the bush, although Io could not suppress her giggles as the tall figure approached the bush, making exaggerated searching gestures. ”Now where could they be I wonder?” He asked rhetorically before leaping, gracefully over the bush onto the two children and tickling them both mercilessly.
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Fifth Sword-Knight Eridar scratched her short hair beneath her helmet. It was new and sat awkwardly on her head, even with the leather arming cap beneath it. Behind her the thirty men-at-arms rode in near silence, only the creak of wet leather relieving the gloom. Sixteen days on patrol was a long time to ride in the Worldwound, even with the Inheritor’s protective blessing and Eridar knew that even her own faith was waning under the ever-present pall of the Wound. Only in the past hour or two had they been able to escape the incessant rain, by riding into a dark forest of close knit trees and the darkness was almost more depressing than the rain had been.
Suddenly through the trees in front of them Eridar saw her scout jerk his hand up in the signal to halt. Pulling up sharply Eridar passed the signal down the line and watched with pride as her troop came to a stop. Weary or not her men were still a superb fighting unit and she’d bank on them against demons twice their number. Dismounting quietly she approached the scout and, following his pointing finger, saw one of the strangest sights of her life.
In a small clearing in front of them she saw a tall, unearthly woman with her arms wrapped around two children, one dark haired and one light. As she embraced them the tall woman looked up and caught Eridar’s eye, despite the thickness of the trees between them. Gently she disentangled the children and gave them a gentle push towards the bewildered Sword-Knight before stepping back through a doorway of light that appeared behind her. When the light faded only the two children were left, clasping each other’s hands and looking around in bewilderment. Eridar pushed her way gently through the undergrowth, keeping her hands spread wide as she approached. Seeing her coming the taller child, a boy with raven black hair gently tugged the girl forward to meet her. ”My name is Lon-Dubh and this is my sister Firinn. Zana said you would take us home…”
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”Lon, Lon – please don’t do this. They’re bad people Lon! You know that. Why do you have to go to them? You have such a gift. Please, please don’t go. Don’t leave me!” Firinn recoiled as her brother turned to glare at her, his face dark with anger.
”It’s not me Io! It’s this city, this cursed world! It’s so colourless, so grey! We’re practically dead here in this dreary place. Patrol, pray, eat, sleep. That’s all we ever do! This isn’t life, no-one lives in Kenabres anymore, they just exist! Poised between annihilation and blind, idiotic faith! Not me, not anymore! They make me feel alive Fir! Can you possibly understand that?” In his furious passion Lon-Dubh seized his sisters arm, squeezing so hard that tears formed at the corners of her eyes. At that sight his grin became wolfish and hungry.
”That’s it Fir, that’s it. Embrace the pain, that’s how we know we are alive! It’s the only truth in this benighted place – pain is the truth!” Suddenly animated he let her arm go and seemed surprised when his sister pulled a blade from the wall and levelled it at him.
”Don’t go Lon. I won’t let you!”
Snarling her brother pushed up towards her, heedless of the sword cutting into his chest.
”Go on then! Strike me! Strike your brother! You can, I know. Zana trained us both well but you won’t. You’re too soft, too weak! You and that useless goddess of yours, always so concerned with art and beauty. You’ll learn. One day.” Batting the sword aside he strode out, careless of the blood painting a crimson streak down his chest. Behind him Firinn dropped her weapon and watched her brother leave with tears spilling from her eyes.
”Lady Shelyn, watch over my brother I pray. Protect him this night and always from the demons within and without, because I no longer can.”
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"Anabelle, let your brother go please."
The sound of Firinn's soft voice made the little girl blush and she let go of her brother's shirt as the boy scampered away, stuffing the cookie he'd stolen into his mouth as he fled.
"Sister Fir? Why are brothers so annoying?"
Firinn laughed, beckoning Anabelle onto a chair so that she could straighten the girl's wrinkled dress.
"He's just young Anabelle. He'll grow up soon and then you won't find him so annoying. He just wants your attention, that's how children act."
"I'm not a child!" Anabelle declared with the absolute certainty of eight years old. "I'm very res- resp- responsible! Mother Gloris said so."
"Then you'll have to look after your brother." Firinn replied gently. "That's what older siblings do." She sniffed a little and batted the tear from the corner of her eye before Anabelle turned around and innocently cut her to the core.
"Sister Fir, do you have any siblings?"
"I did once little one." Firinn replied, "I had a brother, just like you."
"Is he dead?" Anabelle asked, "My parents are dead. That's why we live here now."
"No, he's not dead." I hope. "He... went away and I haven't seen him for a long time. I still miss him." Firinn admitted, pulling the girl into a hug, as much for herself as for Anabelle. "I hope I'll see him again one day."
"Maybe he'll be at Armasse tomorrow!" Anabelle suggested with a smile. "Everyone is going to be there! No-one wants to miss it."
"Quite right Anabelle." Firinn said, fighting a smile at the girl's certainty. "You're quite right."
