Beside the lake is a woman, nestled in the midst of a herd of horses. Some stand and some kneel, sleeping, and one lays on her side, panting heavily. When the woman sees them approaching she looks up. Her eyes are like stars, totally white and they shine as if made of mercury.
As soon as Madelynn sees the eyes she drops to her knees and touches her nose to the ground.
"You must not bow to me in the same manner you worship the goddess. I am only a messenger."
It's false modesty and Madelynn can tell. But she raises from her bow only a little staying low to the floor.
"Come here." the woman with star eyes motions her to sit beside the horse.
Madelynn sits as far away as possible while still obeying.
The woman sits up and tilts her head towards the sky. Madelynn follows her gaze. The star is a live with steaks of white. Stars shoot across the sky and then dissipate, all within a second.
"Cial speaks to me even know. Her wrath is great. Madelynn is ashamed.
"I am sorry." she whispers. She dares not speak the visions pouring through her mind on what her punishment will be.
"That's the thing." the woman says. She has read her mind. "We know not how to punish you. You have already been degraded to the form you are in now." Madelynn feels the sting of the words as only a tingle.
The horse begins to pant more frantically. "What ails her?" Madelynn asked.
"Her child. She is dying with him. He is not right."
Madelynn thinks her words are strange. She feels sorry for the animal. The woman lays her hand at the heaving mare's side. The woman smiles, a dark, dangerous thing.
"Cial has told me."
The woman gathers her dress and puts both hands on the horse's haunches. She shuts her eyes and the light from the two orbs almost seeps through her eye lids.
The horse shakes violently and then, like a bird let go, Madelynn can feel the horse's spirit fly away. There is a release and a colt falls to the ground.
The woman takes the colt in her hand pulls it close to her. She wraps her blankets around it and then, in the blink of an eye, changes it into a child.
The woman uncovers the baby's face. He is still covered with birth fluids and he does not cry. The woman hands the baby to Madelynn.
"This is your punishment. His name is Colt."
Madelynn looked up. "I don't know how to be a mother." she said a little to loosely.
The woman with star eyes slapped her across the face. "You best learn soon."
The woman got up and walked away.
Madelynn sat dumb founded for a moment and then got up and walked back to her house.
"Where are you going?" the woman asked.
"Home. Where else shall I go?"
"Your house is gone." the woman said as if it would be obvious.
"Follow me."
They walk through the rain to the village.
The woman leads her to an inn where the lights are low and the rooms are full. She opens the door and ushers Madelynn in.
Madelynn stepped through the threshold. The woman follows her. The room is empty. The chairs are put on top of tables and there is a man kneeling in front of the fire, praying.
The woman walks to him and sits down. Madelynn follows and sits, trying to position herself with the baby comfortably.
When the man is finished he turns. His hair is short and his eyes are like river stones.
"Yes?" he says.
"This is my daughter." the woman says. "She must stay here with you. Have her do what ever you need. She can milk cows if you need. Anything." with that she up and leaves.
Madelynn looked panicked.
she turns to the man.
"You are a Kroove?" he asks.
She nodded.
He nods to.
My god has just spoken to me. He told me that I would be receiving an unusual gift." the man laughs slightly.
She looked for the contempt that the Kroove's felt towards Galebans. But where the feud was before now was nothing left but fear and hope that this man would not deny her and her child.