"Thank you, sister"

"Sister, I owe you my life."

"Your medicine is as good as your sword!"

Eowyn had gotten comments of all sorts because of her services, some empty, others wholesome, and a few others carrying subversive interests. The sword sister had received all of these nonetheless with a smile and small sign of gratitude and had even used them to push her beyond human limits at times, especially during the Noad invasion. However, as dusk came, the smoke of appeased fires rose and blotted the red sun, and the marching of soldiers as they ventured deep into the mountain pass blunted her ears, she felt somewhat empty.

This time, no thankful remark or flirting comment would make her feel better, and she did not know why it was all tied to the pale, weak man lying dormant at the captain's tent. Sword Sisters praised strength, muscles, and heroic feats in the heat of battle. Theirs was a temporary oath, for they were dismissed of their oath when a suitor appealed their eye and heart and showed a kindred battle spirit. Sword Sisters were the birthmothers of valiant warriors and daring adventurers in Ivernia, their blood ensuring the highborn of the woodlands would remain strong.

Why was she, a proud Sword Sister who rammed soldiers who stepped out of line with her fist, blushing and getting nervous at the naive remarks of a guy who looked as scrawny as Baldur? Why was she getting all flustered and angry at the scorn of a priest whom she frankly admired for his piety? Why did she care so much? Why?

Embarrassingly for her, Mother Geowyn had noticed this too.

"Eowyn, a word please?" the Sword Mother said as she diverted from the other sisters on her horse, the young lady followed suit.

They stopped at the edge of the entire promenade of people who kept advancing into the rocky peaks. When they were away enough from the crowd, Geowyn stared at the valley again, letting their faces shine with the red sun.

"It's Baldur, isn't it?" Geowyn started.

Eowyn was the silent type of girl, but her face looked puzzled.

"I know my girls," Geowyn said, "I've raised you since your childhood, I have groomed you to become a lady of the sword. I know when my children are distraught or confused."

"Confused?" Eowyn repeated, "there is no confusion mother Geowyn... my place is with you and my sisters, let us protect the weak and take them to Saragos."

"I never said you were confused about your place here..." Geowyn remarked.

"I-I mean..."

"Your heart is as clear as the sun Eowyn," the Sword Mother giggled, "It is my duty to guide you moments like these, and all I can see from you is that you wish to return to the Ravenborn's side."

"Why would I want that?" Eowyn said, "Mother Geowyn, he stands opposed as to anything a Sword Sister should want! He is a weak lad that I barely know who can't even endure a battle without collapsing, and he wasn't even at the front, facing those monsters head-on as a true battleborn would. He is not Ivernian, our blood does not run in him! Our code dictates we keep to our own people! He's weak!"

"And yet..." Geowyn said.

"And yet..." Eowyn said, lost for words.

"Your spirit and heart resonate when you're with him?"

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A tear slid past Eowyn's cheek, "I have never felt like this before. I barely even know him."

"Be still, child." Geowyn comforted, "Sword Sisters are confirmed and comforted about these things faster than a normal woman, "Do you know why?"

Eowyn knew, but still lied and said no.

"Because our duty is to the people and to our swords, which we craft with our own blood and sweat. We swear oaths of service and battle that give us little time for pleasantries such as dating and finding a good suitor. That is why our great Spirit Sisters Nienna, Nessa, and Nestë, founded our order eons ago and gave us the sword, but also the capacity to see beyond and find our soulmates."

"But I would be betraying their... my precious code, my identity... if I were to side with someone weak."

"Clearly all you see is his vitality and physical strength, but why did your heart truly resonate, see beyond my child."

A picture, clear as day, appeared before Eowyn's eyes. She saw the scrawny man that Baldur was, reeling and stumbling, yet valiantly facing the most powerful foe the White Lion's company even feared to fight. He saw a man that was willing to let his vitality and survival go and push himself beyond the limits of his own squalid physical prowess in order to save others he cared about.

"That... is strength," she uttered.

"You saw something I presume... good." Geowyn said with a nod, "That is your heart, child, enhanced by the power of our patron goddesses, follow it."

"You'll be branded a traitor, mother, for letting me go... he is a Ravenborn!"

"Not if I say you disobeyed my orders and I kicked you out of the order."

Eowyn was paralyzed by those words.

"Mother Geowyn, no..."

"I care about you Eowyn, but I must see for your sisters as well... You threatened a holy Chantry Priest when defending a Ravenborn. Although Falax was permissive to it due to the circumstances, protecting a Ravenborn is still a sinful act worthy of beheading. I would be surprised if Aquilax is not executed by the Chantry or the Lords upon arriving at Saragos."

"No..." Eowyn said, as it dawned on her, "Mother why must it be this way?"

Mother Geowyn unsheathed her sword, surprising Eowyn as her horse stepped back at the chirring sound.

"Eowyn of the Sword Sisters, Aide to Geowyn of Nienna the Merciful..."

"Stop!"

Geowyn pointed her blade at her.

"By the power invested in me as Sword Mother of this, your company, I hereby banish you from our order and leave you to her mercy."

"Mother!"

"May you find your path elsewhere among the weak!"

Eowyn was about to rush to her mentor's side, but Geowyn slashed left and right, apparently attacking her.

"Begone from me, you are banished now!"

"I don't want this... wait!"

"Leave!"

Eowyn noticed Geowyn kicked her horse to charge at her. The next attack would wound her, so the girl urged her mount to gallop away, gapping themselves from Geowyn considerably in a matter of seconds.

"I said: LEAVE!" the Sword Mother yelled.

The girl rode against the wave of fleeing soldiers, who watched her as she passed at full speed. Tears rolled and flew away from her cheeks, as she felt the mountain's cold hitting her watery eyes. She cleared them and tried to shrug off the feeling of being torn from her people.

Geowyn saw her aide, her second in command, ride away and down to Marunath Valley once more. Visions of Eowyn's childhood and growth, her training, and the pride Geowyn had in teaching her filled her with tears... but then she opened her eyes in amazement.

She suddenly did not see memories. Her gaze and mind were filled with vivid pictures of Eowyn brandishing her sword by the side of the Ravenborn. Then, like a lucid but feverish dream, she saw a vision of Eowyn standing atop a long line of descendants, all of them bearing crowns, wielding mighty blades, and casting powerful and unimaginable powers. Eowyn held a regal crown herself, decorated with beautiful gems. A sword ornamented with powerful runes and totemic spells hanged on her wrist at all times, and her arms were wrapped around the arm of a king with a feathery cloak as dark as the night.

She smiled and sighed as the tears kept rolling. The other sisters arrived soon after, brandishing their swords. Geowyn lifted her hand for them to halt.

"Let her be!" She ordered, "Her fate is sealed."

The Sword Sisters murmured, confused, but obeyed their leader nonetheless.

Geowyn went back to that vision as Eowyn went out of her line of vision, "Oh Spirit Sisters, let this vision be true..."