“Hazel lets test the translator.”

Hazel reached into her faux leather backpack and pulled out a pink slip of metal and put it against her skin behind her ear where it fused with the skin and pulled out a couple of her braids to cover it. She looked at her mother expectantly.

“Hazel, you’re a brat who shouldn’t punch your mother.”

Hazel made a face at mother. And spoke.

“Go to hell mom.”

“Good. We’re close only my native tongue from here on out. My name is not Enid.”

Darkness had descended on the Highlands so the fires in the Enid’s village lit up the near horizon. They were confronted by two men with spears.

“Halt.”

Enid and Hazel appeared to be unarmed. Enid’s pack was concealed by a holo-web as was Lucius. They appeared to be two young women with a baby. The dresses were faded roman dresses, not exactly proper but faded enough to be mistaken for the clothes of the Pictish tribes. Enid spoke.

“We are just poor women fleeing from the plague, please we need shelter.”

One of the men called out behind him.

“Cullen! We have someone here asking for shelter.”

Enid recognized the name immediately. He was one of her father’s most trusted men, though the Cullen she saw looked much younger than she remembered. Life in iron age Scotland was not exactly easy. He kept his distance, his fingers hooked in the belt of his armor.

“Check them for signs.”

Hazel showed her arm pits, Enid showed the babies and passed him to Hazel and showed hers. Cullen stroked his blond beard.

“I’ll consult the chief.”

Enid called out as he turned.

“I will… make it worth your while.”

Cullen nodded and vanished into the settlement. A few minutes later he came out and motioned for Enid and Hazel to follow him. Enid looked up to Hazel who nodded to her currently platinum blonde-haired mother. They followed Cullen to a round house Enid knew well. Her father sat in the same chair she remembered from her youth. She grabbed Hazel’s forearm and clutched onto it tightly. This wasn’t the broken man she’d dragged from the bottom of the ocean, it was him in his prime she could smell the alcohol on his breath. A leather curtain was open and she could see a red-haired woman with a swollen belly. She couldn’t see her eyes they were closed but she could see her face in the woman’s. It was her mother. Hazel nudged Enid as her father had been talking to the pair and Enid had missed all of it. By the time she was paying attention he was sliding the shoulder of Hazel’s dress down and looking at her.

“You can stay but she will lay with me.”

Enid shook her head violently and tugged Hazel back stepping between her father and her daughter.

“No, she is still pure. I will not have her marrying value reduced. I will do whatever you wish of me.”

Her father stroked his red beard.

“Fine point. Come.”

He grabbed Enid’s wrist and Enid passed the baby to Hazel and shook her head very slightly. Her daughter looked like she was about to shift and likely tear every man in the roundhouse apart. She could see her daughter’s arms starting to bulge. Hazel calmed as the baby was put into her arms.

“Put her in the empty round house. Make sure they have fuel for the fire.”

Cullen nodded and motioned for Hazel to follow him. The leather curtain was slid across. Enid was so paralyzed with fear she couldn’t make her feet work.

“Oh, you’re putting up a fight now?”

He backhanded Enid across the face and in her current mortal state she almost fell to the ground saved only by the fact her father was holding her arm firmly. She wasn’t resisting him but the paralysis the fear was causing her made it seem like she was still struggling against him so the next hit caused her to black out.

When she woke next she knew what he had done to her, and she wanted to throw up but she hadn’t eaten anything to throw up so she dry heaved. She heard him walking towards her and opened her eyes which saw the white hot brand he preferred to use on his property.

“So everyone knows whose you are.”

The pain was intense, but it was brief as white-hot metal burned her nerve endings her scream caused her mother to stir in her sleep, but her eyes never opened. She thought her ordeal for the evening was over but then he pulled her by her hair and flipped her over putting his barefoot on her back rubbing her fresh burns into the dirt on his floor. He then pressed the brand into her back.

“Can’t have them mistaking you for someone else from behind.”

Enid let out another scream of agony then he had his way with her limp form again before throwing her dress at her.

“I’m done sow.”

Enid pulled her dress over her head and walked stiffly out towards the round house’s exit after briefly glancing back at her mother’s sleeping form. Part of her at wished she would wake and save her…

Cullen saw her leaving his chief’s home and tried to help her, she shoved him away feebly

“You are too late Cullen, always too late.”

Enid shuffled across the village. She knew of only one round house that would be empty and it was the old one that she shared with Lilith when she was growing up. Hazel saw her mother and immediately put her arm under her legs and scooped her up. Her forearm pressing against the severe burns on her mothers back. Enid cried out Hazel put her down quickly on what passed for a bed in this time. Enid was on her side and Hazel lifted her dress up. The angry burn on her back with dirt ground into it sent her into a rage. In her blind anger she shifted into her half-wolf form and swiped her claws along the stone of the round house walls sharping them. She let out a roar that made the ground shake. The baby started to cry. Enid reached her hand out weakly.

“Hazel deep breaths calm yourself…you can’t.”

Hazel started taking deep breathes and by the time Cullen had reached the house Hazel was back in her human shape. His eyes caught the brand on Enid’s back he started walking towards her. Hazel was having none of that and Cullen who was not a small man found himself lifted up by his neck slammed into the stone wall. Hazel snarled at him.

“You’ve done enough.”

“Hazel… put him down.”

“I should snap his neck!”

“Hazel!”

Hazel released Cullen who fell down and started rubbing his neck looking at the very angry and very large teenage girl glaring down at him. He scrambled out of the thick leather curtain that kept the chill night air out. Hazel quickly turned and rushed to her mother’s side.

“Mom, it looks bad.”

Enid nodded and felt herself fading in and out of consciousness, when she woke the boy was nursing from her. Her wounds were open to the air but had been cleaned. She blinked slowly looking around she was having trouble focusing but she could hear a familiar comforting voice. She knew who it belonged to, Cela, the closest her village had to a holy person. She was the keeper of stories and wisdom. She was giving instructions to Hazel on tending to Enid’s wounds. Enid mumbled a few words.

“Hazel, please…I need to talk to you alone.”

Hazel stood and motioned for Cela to leave. It looked like her daughter had been trying to herd the woman out long before Enid had awakened. Hazel gently, but firmly shoved Cela out of the round house and she moved to her mother’s side.

“I’m sorry mother, I couldn’t get her to leave. She had these smelly herb paste…”

“Its fine, that was Cela… she knows how to tend to the sick.”

“I need my pack.”

Hazel took concealed pack off of her shoulders and passed it to her mother who opened the flap and started pulling out padded boxes. She pulled a tube of liquid and placed it in an injector and pressed it to her arm. It hissed and then she repeated it twice more with different vials. The last two she did an injection on the baby who cried for a few minutes but then went back to nursing. Enid put everything back in her pack slowly.

“Mom we should use the healing spray, replace the skin.”

Enid shook her head.

“No, it will look like it healed too fast. I must be sick or something, the pain should already be fading but its not. Are they healing?”

Hazel shook her head.

“They look worse, they’re all red and swollen.”

Enid nodded slowly.

“They’re infected.”

“What can I do?”

Enid shook her head.

“I already did it. I’ll need more injections. Set a timer on your holo-tablet, 8 hours I need another injection from a vial in the blue box. Just put the vial in like it shows on the box. Press it against my skin and press the trigger. I have a fever. I might not be coherent soon. I’ll need an injection of the black box vials at the same time. The white box, baby will need in two weeks if something happens to me.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Enid’s eyelids were starting to get heavy.

“Mom what is that stuff?”

Enid barely heard her daughter’s words she sounded so far away.

“Blue… super dose of antibiotics, black… pain killer. White T-cell enhancement. If my fever goes above 39.4 I need an injection from the box that says antipyretic. Much higher and its high enough to do damage.”

Enid fell into a dreamless sleep.

*****

When next Enid woke, she heard Hazel telling someone to leave in a tone that sounded like she was about to throw them out violently. Enid blinked slowly the crust of sleep hurting her eyes. Cela was standing in the doorway pleading with Hazel.

“He’s drunk, and Bridget is with child, if he… gets violent… the children. Your mother… could distract him.”

“My mother is half dead old woman. Do you want me to send her so that bastard can finish the job?”

Enid coughed as she tried to speak, her mouth was so dry.

“I’ll go.”

Hazel switched to English.

“Mom letting him beat and rape will not bring Miko back or make you feel any less guilty.”

Enid struggled to sit up.

“I told you no English.”

“Funny you just spent the last sixteen hours babbling in English about how Miko’s death was your fault and how you deserve this punishment.”

Enid pushed herself up and wobbled on her feet.

“When’s the last black injection?”

“Just before this crazy old bat started begging me to wake you up so he could finish the job.”

Enid pulled her dress over her head and reached for Cela’s arm.

“Cela please help me, I will distract him.”

Hazel shook her head at her mother Enid looked to her daughter and spoke in English again.

“You know what happens if that baby dies.”

Hazel frowned but she nodded. Enid could see her father trying to force his drunken self on her mother. She motioned Cela away and leaned on the doorway.

“How about someone who is more willing?”

Her father’s green eyes, which matched her own looked at her and he laughed. The painkillers had taken effect and she did not feel most of it before she blacked out. She woke a few times to find other men on top of her. When she woke again, she found herself on the floor and naked. She was in pain now; The painkillers had worn off. She tugged on her dress and gingerly walked into the chief’s meeting area. Strangers were there though Enid recognized some of them. She kept her head down and shuffled to the round house where Hazel awaited her. She gave herself another round of antibiotics and painkillers. She collapsed on the straw on her side and fell into a deep sleep.

**** Enid woke with a start when she heard the thud on her desk. It was Sister Willow. The nun who was teaching her religion course. The rest of the class was giggling. Mariana was shaking her head in her direction.

“Enid, Genesis 2:22, who did god create?”

Enid recited the passage she meant it to be in English but it came out in Hebrew.

“You are wrong. This is what happens when you sleep in class. He did not create Eve first, he created Lilith.”

Enid was confused. Sister Willow wouldn’t know that unless she was some weird occult-non-nun.

“I suppose you can’t tell me who the first man God created was?”

“Adam.”

“Wrong again! Chronos, The Black Son, the Betrayer, the Devourer, the Destroyer. Do you bother to do your homework and read your scriptures?”

“But…that’s not in your bible.”

Sister Willow slammed her wooden pointer on Enid’s desk. Then addressed the rest of the class.

“I wonder what heathen bible she is reading then!”

The class laughed and pointed at Enid.

“No wonder you cannot figure out how to get into Eden. You aren’t worthy.”

Enid reached out her hand to grab Sister Willow’s habit.

“How do I get into Eden?”

“Read the true bible. Like you were supposed to for the homework assignment. You have always been a terrible student but even for you this is a new low. Truant from class for years at a time.”

“I don’t understand.”

Sister Willow rapped her hand with the pointer.

“If that is your attitude then you never will.”

Enid spent the rest of her day at school and then Mariana dragged her to mass that night. It took place in a giant cathedral of glass. Enid apparently had been selected to do the readings. She put on her required alter girl outfit and went through the motions of going up to the podium and finding the bible open to the page of her reading. The words made no sense, they were in Atlantean, and she was naked. She looked over the church and tried to cover herself. Sextus was next to her dressed as a bishop and was speaking strangely.

“Why dost thou cover thou self? We hath no need toith cover ourselves in this hollowed place.”

Enid looked out and everyone was naked now and looking at her like she’d just committed a vulgar sin.

“Doist thou reading.”

Enid looked at the page. It was laid out like a bible but the text was in Atlantean and had a whole new book title. Altantis 1:13. Enid started to read it out loud.

“And God came onto his twin sons Chronos and Romulus and command build me a foundation on which to create. Make it glorious in my honor. Craft it of the strongest flesh. We must melt it down, cleans it of impurities, then we must form it. It must be hammered into shape by first breaking it down. Then we must temper it with gentleness. Then it must be cast into the void where the flesh must learn its own weakness. Then it must be balanced. Only then will it be ready to be my vessel. Then it’s flesh shall know my touch.”

The marker indicated that was where she was supposed to stop. She tried to read further the words turned into a jumble. The rest of those assembled shifted in their seats and whispered to each other. There was another marker further in. It was the gospel reading. She looked at Bishop Sextus in confusion as he stood there and watched her his look becoming more and more disappointed.

“But priests read the gospels.”

“Why would the congregation want to hear from a mere Bishop when God’s Daughter incarnate, the Dark Mother stands here to tell her story through the words of her disciples?”

Marina was looking up at her and nodded encouragingly.

“The Gospel According to Lucius Aurelias, 30:28, And with her sisters the mother and crone the maiden crafted a new world with which to complete the great mission put before them. The messiah lifted her up fed her the blood of her father from her veins so that she may live once more in his grace. She then took up the world stone and turned to betrayer Lucius. To him she said: “Let us embrace as brother and sister, and husband and wife. Let love win this day and not hate.” Her sisters the mother and the maiden looked upon her with great confusion and spoke. “Why do you embrace the enemy as sister and wife he is the enemy.” To which the messiah responded, “His flesh is my flesh, his curse is curse. His duty is my duty. Should I not treat as that which he is?” The betrayer smiled for he had longed for the day where the sister of flesh and wife of spirt would acknowledge him in his glory and serve him as wife. He embraced her. Then the Messiah brought him to the new world she had crafted. The betrayer did not understand. “Why have you brought me here sister-wife?” To which the messiah responded: “I do not hate you but you have become sick from the duty God asked of you and I must heal you of it. Give up this mortal flesh. Accept the peaceful end God has offered you.” Because the betrayer was sick of mind and spirit he lashed out. The messiah used the blade he had crafted in his sickness to end his suffering and onto her took his burden. The messiah accepted this sacrifice and kneeled before God mourning her lost love. She crushed the stone so that the suffering of her lost love would be ended. She looked up to God, her father and creator and asked that her sisters the mother and the crone be at peace. Into this white place the father sent the Queen of Doors, firstborn of his mortal children, and to her bid rescue my messiah for her work is not done. Cast her into the void so she may come out cleansed of her mortal failings. Then your work is done, and you may rest. And so, the

Queen of Doors cast the messiah into the void and passed from creation with the fallen one.”

Enid looked up from the bible before her and saw the congregation was crossing themselves and wiping up tears. Sextus looked to her.

“And the 3rd reading child.”

Enid still didn’t understand why she was doing the readings but she continued with the next marked passage which to her surprise was another gospel. There was usually only one of those but maybe she was just having an off day.

“The Gospel According to Hazel, 20:23, For 40 days the messiah wandered the void. She spent much time meditating on family. Onto her a fallen angel came. “Where is your mother so she may sit with her husband the Morningstar.” To which she responded: “She is passed from creation, begone or be smote.” The demon would not leave so it was Smote. Once her meditations were done she left the new apostles she had appointed saying she must once more cast herself into the far void so that she may learn more of herself. One apostle the youngest followed her after she was bid not to. To this follower the messiah spoke: “Why did you follow me? I wished you to be safe, where I go is not to be travelled by mortal feet.” The follower replied: “For love I follow you messiah.” The messiah nodded and they travelled further into the void. While in the void she came upon three of her apostles who did not know who she was. The waged war against her. And she called upon power of her brother to smite them. Once they knew who she was they begged her forgiveness and she granted them mercy. And then into the void she cast herself further. Then she sacrificed herself on the altar of suffering so that she may born again with new understanding. Upon that alter her mortal father came and onto her he inflicted such suffering as she had never known. And in the suffering, she understood that her flesh was weak, but her spirit was strong. She thanked her father for his lesson then because he was an evil man, she cast him into hell after giving him a new body. Onto him she said: “I will end your suffering in this mortal world. It has gone on for too long. I shall cast you into a new form and then you shall be free of this world. I will send you to a world where your coming will be greeted with as a great triumph. Your arrival will be honored with a great feast. Her disciple looked to her and asked, “Why would you give him such a boon?” To which she replied, “He shall take the Queen of Doors place in Hell with her face. The Morningstar will help him learn the weakness of flesh. We will see if his spirit is strong.”

Enid looked up from the book and she seemed to be done with the readings so took her seat again. After church, Hazel, Eyre, Mariana and Lucius went to the lake and were basking in the sun. Each turned to her and spoke in turn saying the same thing: “You are not alone. We will share your burden.” Then they each dove into the lake and she followed and when she surfaced, she was laying once again in the Round House her body was covered in sweat. Her hair was damp. She still felt weak. She heard voices and she looked to see the source. It was Hazel sitting cross legged sewing together linen under Cela’s instruction. They were speaking in hushed tones.

“Your mother is a strong woman. I’ve seen many strong men burning up like that and they died shortly afterwards.”

“My mother is the strongest woman I know.”

“She looks young to have had you.”

“She… is special.”

“I have never seen hair as fair as yours or hers. And your eyes, they could be a summer sky.”

Hazel swore as she pricked her finger Cela reached over and gently guided the teenagers fingers again.

“Did she not teach you the ways of a woman?”

Hazel shook her head.

“She taught me how to fight.”

“Foolish woman, how can she hope for you to find husband if she was so lax in your upbringing?”

“She thought it best I knew how to fight.”

Cela frowned.

“I suppose she was lax in her teaching of the Gods and stories then?”

“No, she told me the story you told me of the Tuatha de Danann. Though if I’m being honest, you told it better.”

“At least she wasn’t completely negligent in her motherly duties.”

“My mother would say not teaching a woman to defend herself was negligent.”

“Perhaps that is why you two travel alone with no men, not many men want a woman with calloused hands from learning the blade.”

Hazel’s feathers were a bit ruffled by that comment.

“My father was a great chief and king of our people. She gave him twenty-six children. She sat at his side as an equal. They called her the Red Goddess she was loved by our tribe and others we called friend, and to our enemies she was feared for her skill with the blade. She’s stood before Gods and they did her will because she demanded it, the Winter Wolf rolled on its back when she grabbed his ear and told him to behave. My mother is a great woman, a good wife, and an amazing mother. She would lay her life down for any of us without a second thought. Even the spirits call her mother.”

Cela blinked up at the large teenager.

“How could she do such things, she looks barely older then you?”

Enid stayed quiet, but inwardly winced at her daughter’s tirade.

“She is a Sidhe. She gave up her powers to feed the boy from her breast because she promised her mother it would be so, in her true form she could wipe this village off the cliff with a thought. The chief would cower before her majesty. That is why she still lives even trapped in this mortal form her power leaks out. We travel the roads of the Gods where mortals were not meant to tread so the babe is the only thing keeping her here.”

“Is that how she knew my name child?”

Hazel nodded.

“She knows all of your names, she told me of the chief and what he would do to her before we arrived her. She told me of Cullen and how weak he was. Her enemies look on her true form and weep for they have no chance against her. She is an untiring foe of evil. She knows the woman with the chief carries a child that will one day save everything you see and more, so she refuses to fight him lest his daughter not reach her full potential. She knows that the girl will be named Enid.”

Cela blinked at Hazel.

“Truly she told you that.”

“Yes. That she will have fiery red curly hair and eyes as green as the greenest grass in spring. That she will suffer great hardships, but she will perform even greater deeds. You see a broken girl, but I see my mother biding her time until the woman she seeks arrives. The moment the boy is off her teat she will take her true form and all who have wronged her here will know true fear.”

“Perhaps she is all of that, but she is shit at raising a proper daughter. You just messed up three stitches in a row.”

Hazel cursed under her breath. Enid lost the rest of the conversation as she drifted off into another deep sleep.