What She Was
What Autumn was or is, depending on how you look at it, was something that was passed down from woman to woman, through the centuries. It started in a time, that even her Grandmother had only heard the stories. Told them as she could remember. Stories, being at that time, the most important thing a person could remember. It was all of the family's past and present rolled into one.
It is in her blood. Centuries of magic, of singing, dancing, and the spinning of images, weaving them to song. These are powerful, and can invoke in everyone who wishes to see, these powerful emotions. It can come out in such ways as; peace, love, joy, sadness, dispair, battle lust, or it can effect them each differently. The latter is only possible, if she is not focused, only if she is not sending the images and song clearly.
Her mother began teachings her before she could barely talk or walk. It began with learning through play. Toys that would symbolify what she would be learning more intensely later on. The older she got the more intensive teachings she went through. Both her Mother and her Grandmother were her guides.
She learned quickly, by the age of 8, she had learned everything that could be taught to her from her Mother and Grandmother. For the next two years, she helped her Mother with daily chores, and with the needs of the townspeople. She learned other aspects of her life that had been somewhat neglected during her times of training.
Knowing the talent she had was rare, she was sent to another village, to another woman who would teach her even more. For the next four years, her training was extremely intense and long. Daily she was taught, and was was made to do it over and over again until she got it right.
At the end of those four years, she had learned everything her teacher could pass along. She was, until Autumn, the most talented woman in Norway. She was sent back home. She was now 14, taller than most, and with pale, flawless skin, despite her tomboyish ways. She turned many heads in her village, but she preferred to go back to those who needed her.
Not long after her return, she began receiving summons to courts. Many Kings and Queens had heard of her talents and wished to meet her. Despite the fact that Christianity had taken over most of the world, her small village remained fairly untouched. No one really wanted to give up the old ways.
Off and on in four years, she did a lot of travelling, a lot more learning. How to be a lady, how to dress, wear her hair, how to walk and talk. She learned reluctantly, not wanting to disgrace herself in front of some very important person. She hated corsets with a passion, though she loved some of the dresses, she'd rather be climbing a tree.
She in between times of Travel, and meeting such important people, stayed home. Looking for a suitor wasn't important. She had a five year old little sister who was very ill, and had been since birth. Her Mother, gave up just about everthing to spend all of her time with her yougest daughter.
In her mothers place, she did the doctoring, the mid-wifing, helping plant crops, and taking care of her household. Her father and her brothers, Grandparents. She hated leaving them on these trips, but it was insisted, that she get to see some of the world. It was apparent that her family was more important than anything. Those who tried to change her, or her religion, found it impossible. She would not let down her family like that. Everything that was ever known to them.
No one knew quite how, not even Autumn herself with her fair skin, never got anything more than rough hands, still apparent today. Her skin still flawless, despite all of her hard work and dedication to her family and village.
Her 18th birthday came and went. it was late fall, winter was coming soon, and there was already a deep chill in the air. Though it was later in the year then when she normally went, she decided on her yearly treck into the deep forest. She needed to gather certain roots and plants that grew in the fall, to store for winter. She didn't think of anything happening, nothing ever had before. This trip though, her whole life would change, and her world would crumble down around her.
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Autumn's Life
