The Empress and the Arctic Tern by Angie Chasser

Author:Angie Chasser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Minor Works
Published: 2020-07-13T00:00:00+00:00

ILLA REMEMBERED AS a young child watching Arnel slaughter a chicken for dinner. He would slit its throat with his knife, and hold it against the ground as it struggled and bled profusely. She would know that it was dead once it went completely still for longer than a minute, and her father would begin to remove its feathers and clean out its innards so that only the meat and bones remained.

She would look at the chicken on their dining table, and eat it without another thought. Food was important for survival, and that was what the chickens lived to be.

Many years later, she would watch her father and Emiel kill Klevins as they rode for shelter. She tried to make herself think of them as chickens, only for it to be in vain. The Klevins were once humans who walked and talked like she did, and now they would die speedily and become one with the earth.

She felt sick whenever she thought of it.

After leaving Emiel and Mikkel to their devices, Illa had passed by some practice targets on her way back to the inn. The locals were too busy with the search to pay her courtesy, and since she was within sight of the stable, she had taken a bow and some arrows, and positioned herself a good distance away. A moment of checking the tautness of the string, and then she had lifted the bow and an arrow, and aimed for the centre of the target.

The arrow was released, and it struck the dead centre.

Illa had then shot a number more. Each stabbed various points of the target, eventually drawing a cross on it.

As she drew in a shaky breath and willed her heart to be at ease, Arnel chanced upon her. “Where is Emiel?” he demanded, taking large strides towards her. He had in his hand a new sword, having picked it up from the blacksmith on the way.

Illa jumped, lowering her bow. She thought quickly. “Er, he is helping you to look for Mikkel.”

“Is that so? He’d better not be running off with Mikkel.” Illa felt her heart leap to the allegation, but Arnel did not question further, instead turned his attention to the target with a raised brow. “Did you do that?”

“I—yes, I-I did.”

Both his eyebrows were raised as he went forward for a closer look. He tugged one arrow out, examining the depth that it was etched into the wooden board. “You had not much opportunity to practice.” He would know, having kept watch of her the past few times.

“So, I decided to practise now.” She shrugged.

Arnel frowned, dropped the arrow, and trod up to her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. “Is something the matter, Illa?” Illa shook her head, and he pressed, “We have still a long journey ahead, and I’m responsible for your well-being, Illa. Please tell me.”

“You do not need to be responsible for my well-being, Pappa,” she said flatly.

“I am your father. I am more responsible for your upbringing as your mother is.

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