MorningStar's Kitten

150 A.D. (approximately)

Keira didn't move as she stared out at the raging sea, the violent waves crashing into the rocks at the base of the cliffs where she sat. The ruins of an ancient temple loomed behind her, bathed in the red and orange glow of the sun as it set over the water. An overgrown pathway led down to a small village below. She often came here to think or simply be alone, away from the looks and whispers and the ever-present feeling she was unwelcome.
Here, in a remote village of the Northern Wastelands, where all the people were fair-skinned and hair of blond, auburn or red, she was born with golden brown skin and ebony hair. Her father accused her mother of being unfaithful with one of the various traders from the south who wandered through every few months. Her mother swore that she had never even looked at another man but him. In the end, the village wise-woman, who was believed to be a ‘witch’, had settled the matter. She did her ‘magic’, went into a trance and finally announced that Keira was indeed the Chieftain’s daughter. That she was no ordinary child, but a gift from the Gods, with unique gifts. She also decided that the girl would one day take her place as wise-woman of the village, although she kept that part to herself at the time.
Aside from her mother, the wise-woman was the only one who did not treat Keira like some kind of freak or unwanted bother. Her father’s hatred was obvious even to a small child, and Keira had learned very early to avoid him, especially if he had been drinking. Her mother loved her dearly and tried her best to protect Keira from her father’s drunken rages. Keira found her ‘escape’ on the cliffs. Since the villagers believed the ruined temple to be haunted and cursed, they all avoided the place. She’d come more frequently in the past months. Ever since the Warlord and his soldiers came to rid the Wastelands of the raiders that had been attacking all the villages along the coast for several years.
After watching the sun drop below the horizon, Keira rose and slowly walked back to the village. The darkness not seeming to bother her as she made her way thru the ruins and down the overgrown pathway.
She kept her head down, her long dark hair blowing in the evening breeze. Had she looked up she might have noticed the lone horseman watching her from further along the cliffs. Keira walked slowly thru the village to her home, pausing at the door to listen, trying to hear anything that would give her a clue how drunk her father was and his mood. All was quiet so she mumbled a quick prayer and opened the door. Her father did not even look up as she quietly closed the door and turned towards the room. Her mother smiled at her, filled a bowl with stew and placed it on a low stool next to the fire. Keira smiled at her as she picked up and sat to eat.
She ate quickly, hoping to escape to her ‘room’ in the loft before her father’s mood changed. Most nights if she stayed out of sight he remained calm or at least not violent. She rose, gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek and started across the room to the ladder leading to the loft. As she passed her father, he reached out and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her towards him, a drunken scowl on his face.

“Where were you, girl?” he demanded, “Whoring yourself out to those solders, I wager.”
“No, Father.” Keira answered softly, “I was up on the cliffs, as always.”
“You expect me to believe that? You think I’m a stupid old man who doesn’t see how they look at you?”
“I hadn’t noticed,” Keira, replied, “I don’t pay them any mind.”

Her father stood suddenly, tottered on drunken legs and glared down at her. After a long moment, Keira turned and once again headed for the loft, but he grabbed her arm and turned her back towards him. He looked at her as if she was some alien creature he was seeing for the first time. Over the years, he would come to accept that her coloring notwithstanding the girl looked far too much like him to not be his. Keira’s hair was the color of ebony, long and thick it hung past her waist, her eyes were a brilliant green with a golden inner ring and her skin a golden brown. Keira was a beauty and her father knew that with her sixteenth summer just passed he should have found her a husband.

“Perhaps it’s time I finally found some fool who’ll take you for his wife,” He mused, “One of those soldiers perhaps. One of them might pay a handsome bride price for you. You’re pretty enough in a way.”
“Father, you know the wise-woman is training me to take her place.” Keira reminded him softly.

The blow across her face came fast and hard, knocking Keira backwards into the wall. Her father advanced towards her striking her repeatedly, while shouting that she would do as he said and not some old witch. She raised her arms to protect her face as she dropped to the floor trying to escape the blows. Keira could hear her mother begging him to stop and leave Keira alone. Drunk and angry he turned and struck her mother who fell back against the table and down to the floor. Keira leapt up and shoved her father back, then knelt at her mother’s side.

“Leave her alone, Father.”
“Insolent bitch.” He roared charging forward.

He grabbed Keira by the hair, dragging her away from the mother and threw her towards the far corner where he proceeded to punch and kick her, the small cottage echoed with both hers and her mother’s screams and pleading with him to stop. Suddenly the door flew open with such force it slammed into the wall behind it and bounced nearly closed again. Her father was so focused on Keira he didn't notice the newcomer until he was yanked backwards and tossed across the room.
Keira’s mother rushed to her and pulled the sobbing girl into her lap, stroking her hair and speaking softly to her. The man looked furious, but in complete control. He had an air about him that said he was used to getting his way, and by force if necessary. He was huge, having had to duck thru the low doorway and well muscled. He had long dark auburn hair pulled back at the nape of his neck and golden brown eyes. His black leather armor was obviously custom made to fit, with silver buckles and trim work. A huge two-handed sword with an ornate hilt hung in a black leather sheath, trimmed with more silver, on his back. He looked down at Keira and her mother and smiled gently, then turned towards her father who was staggering to his feet.

“How dare you interfere with a family matter!” He bellowed, slurring his words.
“And just how is you beating the girl half to death a ‘family’ matter?” the man asked calmly.
“Little whore has been selling herself to your solders and keeping the coin for herself.” Her father snarled.
“I’ve not!” Keira protested.
The man raised his hand to silence her, and then turned back towards her father a dark look on his face.
“I’ve seen several of the girls from your village with my solders, but never your daughter.” He stated softly, “In fact, she seems to make it a point to avoid me and my men.”

Keira’s father looked furious at being made out to be a liar, and gave Keira a look that told her she’d being paying for it later when the man was gone. Her mother also saw the look and hugged Keira tight, then summoned what little courage she had left she moved over to the man and gently touched his arm. He turned to look down at her his face softening to a gentle smile, which reassured her that his anger was only at her husband.

“M’lord,” she said softly, “My husband was wondering just a few moments earlier if one of your men might want our daughter for his wife.”
“Mother!” Keira exclaimed both startled and frightened.
“Hush, girl!” Her father snapped, and then looked at the man, “If she’s innocent as you say, surely one of your men would want a pretty bride. She’s a good cook, healthy, and knows the healing arts.”
“I suppose you’ll be asking a bride-price for her.”
“Would only be right,” her father said, trying to sound reasonable, not greedy. “taking our only daughter far away. She’ll be greatly missed.”

The man frowned at Keira’s father then looked at her mother who was obviously distraught at the thought of losing her daughter. He also realized it was she who had brought it up. She valued her daughter’s safety more than keeping her here, and hoped it was for the best. He then turned to Keira and walked over to her. She sat in the corner bruised and battered, her ribs aching where her father’s kicks had connected with her ribs. Keira stood painfully and looked up at the man. The fear on her face apparent and she kept her eyes lowered as if afraid to look at him. Her simple dark grey chemise was torn at one shoulder ad she held the ragged ends together with one hand. He smiled gently at her and spoke so only she could hear.

“My name is Cadeyrn, lass. Do you wish to remain here or will you come with me?”
Keira glance up into the man’s eyes thru her hair that fell across her face, and saw something she only saw in her mother’s, she did not understand it but she knew she could trust him.
“My name is Keira, M’lord,”she answered softly, pushing her hair out of her face and looking down “my father may hate me but he’ll not let me leave with a man who is not my husband.”
“Would you have me for your husband, Keira?”

Keira looked up at her parents then back at Cade, before nodding slowly and giving him a shy smile. Cade gently placed his hand on her cheek and smiled back. He turned towards Keira's father, removed a small leather pouch from his belt and tossed it onto the table. He walked over to the man and looks down at him, straight into the man’s eyes.

“That should be more than sufficient for your bride-price. We leave at dawn the day after tomorrow. I will come for Keira just before dusk tomorrow. I assume as Chieftain of the village you’ll perform the marriage yourself?”
“Well… um… Of course, M’lord,” her father stuttered confused, “You mean you wish to marry her yourself?”
“I do.” Cade said as he looked over at Keira and smiled, “That was what I’d come to speak with you about when I interrupted your ‘family matter’. I’d seen her up on the cliffs many times and decided that I’d have her.”
“As you wish, M’lord. All will be ready for your return tomorrow evening.”
“Good. And sir… “Cade hesitated a moment before continuing softly so only Keira’s father could hear, “If you lay another hand on her before I return I shall kill you.”

Cade smiled once again at Keira and her mother, and then strode out the door. He mounted his large black stallion and rode out into the night at Keira’s father closed the door. He went over to the table, picked up the pouch and peered inside his eyes growing wide. He closed it then turned to Keira and her mother.

“You’ve done well for me, girl.” He said grinning, “And for you too I’d say. Lord MorningStar is said to be the richest and most powerful Warlord in all of the Territories.”

Keira looked up at her mother suddenly afraid. Keira knew about men and woman, but she had been all but shunned by the young men of the village. The only males she had ever been in contact with were the small ones, who did not know they shouldn't talk to her, and her brothers, who ignored her as much as possible. Her mother must have sensed her fear, and brushed the hair from Keira’s face, smiling reassuringly.

“Get some sleep, little one,” her mother said, “tomorrow we’ll talk and make everything ready.”

Keira nodded, gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, and climbed up to the loft slowly, her body aching from the beating she had taken. She quickly changed into a nightdress and braided her long hair before lying down on her sleeping furs. She tried to sleep but her mind was a jumble of thoughts. She was both excited and terrified by the sudden turn of events. Cade was the largest, but certainly most handsome man she had ever seen. He had protected her from her father and been caring and gentle when he spoke to her. At the same time, he was Warlord and she had seen a very small measure of the violence he was capable of when he went after her father. Keira could not help but wonder if he drank, and if he did… Was he violent like her father? Keira tossed and turned for what seemed like half the night before falling into a fitful sleep.