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Chapter Four

By keeping the forge fed, Jous had saved Fern an entire night. If it had been allowed to cool, even for a day, let alone five, it would have taken hours to get hot enough to heat the steel for the swords. It wasn’t going to be easy making two royal swords in six days, thankfully as the princes were still young, they didn’t need to be full sized. “Will you have enough time?” Yet again, Kissik had snuck up behind her. “Just. Thankfully I have a two short sword moulds which I can use and then grind back the blades. It will save a lot of time. Plus, Jous kept the forge going for me, so she’s nice and hot,” Fern replied. Kissik smiled. “The forge is a she?” For as long as Fern had worked as a swordsmith, the forge had always been a ‘she’. Her father had said that men could never be that perfect mix of hostile and warming. She knew, judging from his actions before, she should have kept quiet, but she had her own fire growing inside of her. “My father always referred to his forge as ...
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Chapter Three

Fern opened her eyes to the intense glare of the sun shining through a nearby window.  “Ah ha! There, see! I told you she’d be fine!”  She winced at Jous’ booming voice. “Would you mind being a bit quieter?” she noted her voice was cracked and dry.  “Fern! Fern!” Avanne ran to Fern’s cot and took her hand. “Move back, give the poor girl some room!” More shouting.  “Could someone please draw the curtains? I can’t see.” Fern croaked once more. There was a rustling and the room dimmed. “That will just be your eyes re-adjusting to the light. Not to worry.”  Fern’s head was pounding, and she reached up to what she assumed was a bandage.  “Oh no you don’t. I have just changed your dressing, and I won’t have you getting it all dirty. You are not to touch it.”  In the dimmer light Fern was surprised to see the voice belonged to a young girl, not the old, craggy woman she had imagined. She tried to sit up and Avanne helped h...
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Chapter Two

Fern took a deep breath as she walked into the ice-cold lake. She knew people were watching her as though she were a mad woman, and perhaps she was. The freezing water always took her breath away and she wondered if that is how drowning felt. Despite every one of her senses telling her to retreat, she kept a steady pace until the water reached her neck, and then dove under the surface. Fern had always loved the water. She had grown up in the village of Royan, Karranya ’s southern-most village and the largest of its islands. For two seasons it was completely ice-locked - the distance too risky to travel even with strong wolves and plentiful supplies. The other two seasons the water was crystal clear, but so cold most would never brave it, but not Fern and her father. “The cold makes you strong.” Her father used to say as he tossed her into the water, before jumping in himself.   She had lived her whole life in Royan and was devastated when her father moved them to Jashe to b...
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