It’s interesting how life plays out sometimes; lying here in the forest surrounded by the Mother absorbing her strength into me. I think back to the beginning to how it all started at the castle that bloody night. We were enjoying my dear sister’s birthday celebration when they came crashing in, slaughtering all in their path towards me.

How can one not blame herself for the death of her family when she was the target? We didn’t know it then. We thought…they thought the entire family was a target, but they all died to protect me, even the little ones.

Chills run through me as I think about it, my darling little Cassandra, her iced blue dead eyes staring at me from her decapitated head, onyx hair spilled into the thick pool of blood. She was a mere seven years in age and so full of life that she glowed with happiness. Her light smothered out before me as I screamed. They screamed at me to run. That was the beginning, when it started and my life, my very being would be forever changed…

I slip back into that dark moment, walls towering around us, music and laughter filling the air. We were never fancy people, warriors to the core, our dress were not the ball gowns of Southern lands, and we preferred the skins and leathers of beasts for our wear. Cassandra pulled me to dance with her and I lifted into the warm air swinging her around as she squealed with joy. Our parents smiled down upon us with pride. I looked around…