Chapter (18):the trial of bow part 2
After a brief discussion with the guards, the leader of the archers returned and signaled for them to enter the village. They went in and saw the sights of the village.
The village buildings were strangely organized and similar, like something repetitive. Every house had the same exterior, and almost all the inhabitants of that village wore the same clothes.
The people of this village looked at Ashe as if she were a stranger or possessed something sacred that belonged to them.
"So, what do you think of our village? Beautiful, isn't it?" asked the archer leader as he entered.
"Yes, and organized like snow, but your people seem a bit...?"
"Cautious?"
"I was going to say curious," replied Ashe.
"That's natural, for you hold our ancestors' tale," he responded.
"The Tale of Avarosa?" asked Ashe.
"Yes...." the archer leader spoke indifferently.
"Is there something you want to say?" Ashe spoke up.
"You will know soon."
After they advanced, they stopped at a specific house.
This house was built in the old Viking style of wood, and there were guards standing in front carrying large bows and small axes. They were covered in cloaks; their faces weren't clearly visible, and they were staring silently.
"Who are these?" one of the guards asked the archer leader.
"They are with me. There's something I need to discuss with the Mother, something extremely important."
"What is it? You know the rules. No one is allowed to enter without permission."
"Yes, but just look at what she carries," he said as the guards looked at Ashe.
"This...."
"The Throne of Avarosa!"
"If you know what I mean, allow us to enter," said the leader.
The guards looked at each other and gave a nod.
"Alright, you may enter, but it's your responsibility."
"Remember that," replied another guard.
"Thank you," replied the archer leader.
"You, come with me. You will meet her," said the archer leader.
Ashe and her men followed him and went inside. When they entered, the interior was slightly different from what they expected.
Everything was clean and tidy, with white animal skin rugs on the floor. In the center of the room, there were tables and chairs arranged with extreme precision. On the wall hung the head of a dead animal, like a glorious victory trophy.
There was a woman in her fifties, with white hair and some wrinkles on her face. She had a large scar on her face and wore clothes very similar to the archers' outfit, but with some engravings and decorations, as if to signify a kind of luxury or to strengthen her presence among her people.
"Lore Mother? Does she mean War Mother?" thought Ashe.
"Lore Mother?" thought Ashe as her eyes narrowed.
"Raise your head, Kalen," said the Lore Mother.
"Yes, ma'am!" replied Kalen.
"So his name is Kalen?" thought Ashe.
"It seems you've brought unexpected guests here."
"Forgive me, Mother! But—"
"I'm joking with you," the Lore Mother interrupted him, smiling and raising her hand to stop him from speaking. "I already know why you brought them here because one of these visitors carries the legacy of our ancestors, isn't that right, my dear?" the Lore Mother spoke in a tone mixing jest and seriousness.
"Yes, that woman is the reason I came here," replied Kalen.
The Lore Mother shook her head and gestured for him to go to the warriors beside him. He did so without wasting any time.
"And you must be the leader of this group, since the Throne of Avarosa is in your hands."
"Yes," said Ashe.
"Sit here. Consider this place your home, young lady. And you all as well. Your journey must have been arduous to get here," said the Lore Mother.
"Thank you, Lore Mother," said Ashe.
When Ashe sat down first, her men also sat on the chairs. They spoke to the mysterious woman.
"I am the leader of Vaduso Village, Reika."
"And I am the leader of the Avarosan tribe, War Mother Ashe."
"To become a War Mother at such a young age... either you have good luck or bad luck."
"Both of them" replied Ashe.
"Really? Well, that's new, young one," replied Reika.
"And your title is Lore Mother? It's a title I've never heard before. Even when I traveled, I never heard of such a thing..."
"Ah, it's a title the children call me because of the history of tales I used to tell in the past, and they started calling me that. Ah, children grow up fast, don't they?" she said, perhaps casting her eyes for a second toward one of the warriors behind her before continuing to stare at Ashe.
"Yes, children grow up fast and become the cornerstone of the village's future."
"That's absolutely right. They are the future," Reika spoke with some ambiguity in her tone.
"And I've never seen a village so organized and tidy before. It looks as if it's all the same or crafted by hand."
"Hahaha, and you certainly didn't come all this way just to chat, did you?" said Reika.
"Actually, I had another purpose for visiting your wonderful village."
"Oh? What is it?" asked Reika.
"I want to form an alliance with you,"ashe.
"So, what do we gain in return?" Reika asked
"We will provide you with food in exchange for weapons. Your entire livelihood depends on hunting, but you suffer from some problems due to lack of game," Ashe said
"If we supply you with food, you won't have to worry about it. You can focus entirely on the beast that threatens your village's safety."
"Are you trying to take over our village?"reika asked
"No, I'm proposing an alliance of interests, a simple exchange,"Ashe replied
"I barely know you, young lady. How can I trust you? This would be a great risk for my people if you don't keep your word," Reika said
"Consider it my promise as War Mother, proof of my words. And if that's not enough, we can help you eliminate the beast."
"Well, that's really interesting, but there's one small thing I want," said Reika.
"What is it?" Ashe asked
"The bow,"reika said
"Yes?"Ashe asked
"Hand over the Throne of Avarosa."
With those words, all of Reika's warriors aimed their bows at Ashe. The sudden change in behavior was very shocking to Ashe.
"Wha___, watch out!" Dago stepped forward, shielding Ashe. He moved in front of her as the archers aimed their arrows at him, especially Kalen.
All her warriors stood up, ready to fight, but they were outnumbered by the archers surrounding them.
"What are you doing?" Ashe asked tensely.
"Taking back what belongs to us," Reika said calmly.
"This violates the laws of War Mother sovereignty," Ashe replied
"And I am not a War Mother... girl, have you forgotten?"Reika replied
"I don't understand," said Ashe.
"Of course you don't. Unlike you, who has the freedom and choices she wants, we have no choice or freedom. We survive and do whatever is necessary."
"I don't understand why you insist on taking such a risk?" Ashe Said
"Risk? What are you talking about, girl?" Reika asked
"Our numbers are equal, except we are at a disadvantage. But that doesn't mean some of your men won't die. If you had planned to meet us outside and demand it, we would have lost immediately due to the numerical advantage. Why would you take such a risk when you could have easily defeated us?" Ashe spoke with confidence and tension.
"This is none of your business, daughter of Greeda," Reika said angrily.
"Wait, do you know my mother?!" asked Ashe.
"I know her well because she came to us in the past, searching for relics of the Throne of Avarosa."
"Why would she come to you? You are far from the Frostclaw tribe."
"Because the Throne of Avarosa belongs to us," replied Reika.
"What? You're talking nonsense. The Throne of Avarosa has only one rightful owner, and that is Avarosa herself!" Ashe exclaimed.
"That's because Greeda didn't tell you the other part of the story."
"What are you talking about?" asked Ashe.
"I don't know where you found it, but it was under the ruins, wasn't it?" Reika said confidently.
"How could you...?" Ashe asked in shock.
"As I told you, because of the legend," replied Reika.
"But there is only one legend about Avarosa," said Ashe.
"Yes, but it is divided into two parts. The other part is a prophecy, the true story," said Reika.
"The legend, as told by one of the survivors of the Dark Day, says that two sisters died, and the other was imprisoned. The bow was lost in the pit of oblivion, and it won't be found by the bearer; the bow will find the bearer," said Reika.
"And the tale says that whoever finds the bow may not be the ideal person because the Iceborn lineage is extinct. If the new bearer is not worthy enough, we, the descendants of the survivors of the Dark Day, are to take it by force and wait for the new bearer."
"And I don't see you as entirely worthy," Reika said coldly.
"We literally just met!" Ashe exclaimed.
"Exactly. How do I know you're not power-hungry? Especially people your age are impulsive and do anything to prove their strength to those around them," asked Reika.
The moment Reika said this, Ashe was shocked and remembered something from her past, in her dialogue.
"What? Have you decided—"
"You said if I were worthy, I could wield it?" asked Ashe.
"Yes," Reika replied coldly.
"Then test me," answered Ashe.
"What?" asked Reika suspiciously.
"Test whether I am worthy to possess the Throne of Avarosa or not," Ashe said confidently.
"You said it yourself: only the worthy can wield the bow. And I barely know you, so how can I trust you to possess it?" asked Ashe.
"Heh... Hahaha!... Young lady, do you realize you are now inside enemy territory, in my stronghold?" Reika spoke with a mix of anger and joy as Ashe echoed her words.
"Yes, I know that. But that doesn't mean we don't have the right to fight as well. In Freljord, this is a land of warriors. I haven't forgotten that I am also a warrior in this land."
"That's strange. Just a moment ago, you were the type who preferred to resolve things with words rather than violence?" Reika asked sarcastically.
"I prefer to resolve matters peacefully, but I know well that wars and battles cannot be won with words alone. I only wish to live with people in peace, and I will do whatever it takes. Even if I am seen as a traitor or a coward in their eyes, all I want is to build a place where the people of Freljord don't have to kill each other just to survive."
"You realize what you're saying is completely wrong, don't you? The people living in this land are not as lucky as you, or of your lineage. They have no choice but to survive, not to see the future, but to see tomorrow," said Reika.
"Yes, wrong. What I'm saying now is completely wrong."
"What?" Reika was shocked.
"I know this. People don't decide where they are born or why they exist. They might die tomorrow from the cold, or from hunger, or because they killed someone else. We don't have the ability to control our written destiny."
"But if we have no path other than an endless cycle of violence, then I will change it. I will change the destiny of all Freljord and chart a new path."
"What a foolish dream, girl," Reika replied quietly.
"The dream is not foolish; it's the people who cannot live without it. If we live without a purpose to achieve in life, what is the point of our existence?"
"That's why I will fight, no matter what I become. I will try to achieve my dream, even if it means I die. I will try. I will try to make a change."
The moment Ashe said those sentences, the scene in Reika's eyes changed, and she saw Greeda with the same glint in her eyes as Ashe.
My God..... Greeda.... I see your eyes in her," thought Reika, seeing Ashe's determination.
"Very well then..."
With a gesture from Reika, all the archers lowered their bows. Ashe and her men lowered their weapons and breathed a sigh of relief. They had survived.
"So, are you—"
"In three days," Reika interrupted her. "If you can kill the beast in three days, I will consider that you might be worthy of possessing it. Consider it a test, girl."
"I accept this," said Ashe.
"Kalen," said Reika.
"Yes, my lady," answered Kalen.
"Give them shelter and a place to rest. Tomorrow is a busy day awaiting them."
With those words, Ashe was about to prepare for her trial.
The Trial of the Bow.