Regent placed the crown on my head. And at that moment, I felt a surge of power within me, like a light piercing the darkness. I forgot about the Citadel, the Winnowing, about the caverns. Warmth and light beamed down my body, filling my limbs, my bones. I knew it then, down to my marrow. Strange as it seemed, this was my destiny. I felt myself melding with the land—the lush green forests, the undulating hills and the golden sunlight. The spirits of Vanaheim were calling to me, whispering around me, filling me with joy.
When I opened my eyes again, the memory of the Night Elves rushed back into me. And I started to understand. I would lead them here. This could be our home. As Night Elves, we would live in the real light of the moon and stars, under an open night sky. I would join our two kingdoms.
“Now, rise, Empress of Vanaheim, and meet your people.”
I stood slowly, but I saw no people, just the ringstones. What people? For some reason, my heart was pounding in my chest. Not exactly fear, but something close to it. I stole a glance at the Regent. He was still as a statue.
Then, I saw it: a low fog creeping out from between the trees. It drifted over the grass of the meadow, slipping like water between the stones. I shivered as mist wound around my ankles.
The mist thickened, and the light dimmed. Cold, damp air slid over my skin.
The crown felt heavy on my head.
Around me, the colors of the forest faded; the smell of the pines vanished. The only thing I could see was the ring of stones looming above me. Under my feet, the soft grasses turned hard.
A footstep crunched on gravel.
“Empress.” It was a new voice, cracked and brittle.
From between the stones stepped an ancient crone. She was tall and bony, with white hair that fell in thin wisps to her shoulders. She wore a ragged gray dress, and a small rucksack was slung over her shoulder. Slowly, she shuffled towards me, towering over me.
“Are you a seidkona?” I asked, nerves sparking.
“My name is long forgotten.” The crone fixed me with a pair of shining blue eyes.
I stiffened. They were the exact same color Galin’s had been when he’d been a lich.
The old woman smiled. “You have nothing to fear from me, dear. I am here to help you. That’s what you want, isn’t it? You are the new leader of the Vanir, the first Empress in a thousand years. You’ll need all the help you can get, correct?”
Cautiously, I asked, “What are you offering?”
The crone’s smile widened. “I’m offering the thing you most desire. A chance to start fresh. A clean slate.”
“Why?” If there was one thing I'd learned, it was that nothing was simply free.
“Because the leader of the Vanir cannot be encumbered. The ruler of the realm must be unbound. Don’t you know who I am now?”
I frowned. “No idea.”
“Silly girl. You’ve been looking for me. And now that I’m finally here, you don’t recognize me?”
I stared at the crone, completely confused.
She grinned, revealing a row of gray teeth. “Think hard, dearie. You’re a clever girl.”
Finally, it clicked in my mind. “Ah. You’re a Norn? A weaver of Wyrd?”
The crone nodded. “You look chilled. I’ll brew some tea that will warm your bones.” She unslung the rucksack. Dropping the bag next to her, she slowly lowered herself to the gravel and pointed at the misty grass. “Sit just there. I’ll pour.”
I took my place opposite her, crossing my legs. With a skeletal finger, she traced kaun. Instantly, flames sprang up from the stones by her side.
The Norn dug into her bag, retrieving a small, cast-iron teapot and a pair of old mugs. She placed the teapot on top of the fire, then with spider-like fingers scribed a rune I hadn’t seen before. The pot hissed with steam as water filled it.
Then, she dug around in her rucksack until she found a leather pouch. From it, she dropped a handful of herbs into one of the mugs, then handed it to me.
Steam began to rise from the teapot, and she poured the boiling water into my cup. “I’m ready to sever the bond whenever you are. The link between your soul and Galin’s.”
I felt a strange twisting in my heart that I didn’t really understand. But this was what I wanted. Wasn’t it? “Really?”
She reached again into her rucksack. This time, she withdrew a ball