Buttermilk 800 Tryout

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Reader's Note: While all of the art displayed here is depicting Erowyn as a cow, the story itself is written in a human AU.

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Snowflakes flitted plaintively from the clouds above, casting a dim light on the sleeping valley. Amid trees and bushes covered in snow, all movement and sound was muffled softly, only a faint echo of tired wolves carried out across the frozen fjord. The sun was hidden by clouds moving swiftly through the sky, only peeking through for brief moments to cast speckled light on the powdery white landscape below.

Deep within the woods, a frozen village lay silent, not even birds chirped nearby. Within the snow covered huts, held together by weathered timber looking as though it could collapse at any moment, bodies huddled close together near dying firelight to keep warm. A lone man stood watch, gazing out a window partially covered with a dried animal skin.

"We can't go on like this," Someone from across the room pierced the silence. "Our supplies are getting low. Someone has to go out there." The watchman didn't stir, keeping his gaze firmly on the tree-line just outside the cluster of huts. The man who had been speaking before stood and looked agitated. "Do you hear me? We're going to starve." He began to walk towards the window when the watchman held out a hand to stop him, then drawing it to his lips. From outside, a very faint sound came echoing through the village, getting louder as each moment passed. Suddenly what had been an empty white abyss just seconds before, erupted in an eery neigh from a long rider's horse, sending snow cascading into the air as it rode head on into the village square. The rider was draped in a heavy cloak, which looked dirty and weathered. Barreling into the village, the rider stopped in the center, tipping off of the horse and onto the snow padded ground. At every window, muddled faces peered out, curious at what had broken the cold silence. The rider began to take a step forward, but suddenly went careening forward, collapsing into the snow.

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When Erowyn woke, her head throbbed with a piercing pain. She tried to sit up, but her body felt paralyzed, exhaustion wholly consuming her. Though her vision was blurred, she looked around the room. Shadows danced on the walls from an uproar of flames of a fire nearby. Someone was in the room with her, but she couldn't tell who. "What is this place?" She whispered, surprised at how little sound came from her lips. Somewhere across the room something stirred and a large shadow stood and took a step forward. "You are in Geofric," When Erowyn heard the name her body felt numb with relief. "How did you find us here?" The voice asked. Erowyn licked her lips, flinching from the pain as her tongue glided over cracks caused by dehydration and intense cold temperatures. She took a breath, feeling a deep ache within her lungs. "I am told I can find a man here, who calls himself the Raven." The man's shoulders drew back and in the dim light Erowyn could see the firelight dancing in his eyes as if it were inside him. Within a single stride he was at her bedside, kneeling down close to her ear. "There is no longer a name such as that here," he hissed. "it has long been dead and forgotten." He stood and from deep in his throat he produced a crude chuckle. "Strangers do not find themselves in Geofric by accident. And strangers rarely find their way back out again." He turned and walked out of the door nearby, letting in a gust of icy wind that send shivers up Erowyn's spine.

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Two days had passed before Erowyn had the strength to lift herself from her cot on her own, and pander around the disgruntled hut trying to pass the time and amuse herself. She inquired after her horse, who she knew had been ridden hard and would have been just as near collapse as she was. No one would tell her what had been done with him, but Erowyn held out hope that he was snuggled in a barn nearby, regaining his strength just as she was. During the time she had been in this place, Erowyn had only seen three of its inhabitants. The man who she had seen on the first night but not again, an elder woman named Aelswich, and her young granddaughter Eidelswith, who requested to be called Eida. Erowyn pulled back the hide covering the window, and peered into the bleach white village. Snow drifts piled high against the huts, muffling any sign of life or sound that would have escaped them. The outline of trees surrounding it were nearly pure white, only bits and pieces of brown and green peeked through. If one didn't know where to look, you could be feet away from the village and never even know it existed.
Aelswich knocked on the door, before opening it just enough to slip in, and close it behind her. "Good morning," she said, not looking up as she began kindling the fire and laying out bits of food. She looked up to see Erowyn gazing out the window. "Get away from there!" she shrieked, a sound that Erowyn had never heard a human make. Startled, she leapt away from the window, stumbling backwards into an empty crate and crashing to the ground, bringing a chair with her. After a moment of lying on the ground, she sat up in a daze, her head spinning. Aelswich was standing over her, a look of mixed emotions clouding her face. "You must stay away from the window, stranger." She said, putting a hand on Erowyn's shoulder. Standing, Erowyn placed the chair she had fallen over back on its feet and sat down. "Why will you not know my name?" She asked. Aelswich remained silent, though there was an obvious change in her breathing. After a long silence, she sat down at the table and stared off into the flickering light of the fire. "I don't need to know who you are," she said softly, her hands folded neatly in her lap, never breaking her eyes away from the flames. "Long ago, when my grandmother was very young, a man came here and told of a prophecy. It was said that when the time was right a queen would arise from the snow, a powerful creature by her side to take back our freedom and help to rebuild the once great city of Geofric." Aelswich paused, her eyes filling with tears. "Our lord had him executed the next morning. They burned him as a martyr, in the middle of the square." She fell silent, lost in buried memories. After what seemed like an eternity, she stood and walked towards the door. "Ever since that night, every stranger that has come here has met the same fate. And I have learned, the little I know of the strangers who come here, the little pain I must endure when they leave."

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Just as the sun began to dip below the line of trees, a loud banging on the door tore Erowyn from her drowsiness. She leapt from her bed and stood with her hands clenched. The door swung open and three men entered the room, two stepping forward to grab each of her arms and the third covered his face with the hood of a deep black cloak. Without a word being spoken, they dragged Erowyn out of the door and into the freezing air. She had on only wool socks, a cotton shirt and leather pants and the wind pierced through them within seconds. Still weak from her collapse, Erowyn was unable to fight back as the men dragged her towards a tall post in the center of the square near where she had entered days before, with wood and hay piled high at the bottom. Once they reached the post, a few more men joined them to help hoist her up and tie her body to it, so tightly that she could hardly breathe.The man with the black cloak stood silently watching, until all of the men had stepped away back into the growing group of people. "Many times, strangers have entered our home and expected to be treated like royalty," The man's voice echoed throughout the crowd. "And many times we have shown them that we are not to be taken and conquered, to be turned into slaves." Erowyn's heart stopped as she recognized the voice of the man who had spoken to her on the first night. "Does anyone here object to her fate?" The question boomed, and was replied with silence. Her eyes darted from face to face in the crowd, looking for someone, anyone, who would speak up for her. "You're a stranger to them, why would they speak out against their people for you." She thought to herself. A man began walking towards her, a blazing torch held in his hand. Gripped by fear, Erowyn breathed heavily, holding back tears. As he neared her something inside of her began to stiffen. Her fear turned to anger. "Who do you think you are, deciding the fate of a stranger who came to you for help? Who came here sick and dying, too weak to even stand." The crowd began to mumble amongst themselves. "I am no one but a traveler, only here to regain my strength before I leave in peace." The man wielding the torch looked hesitant. He turned, an obvious question in his eyes. The man in the cloak removed his hood and began walking towards Erowyn. "Tonight," he said, a sadistic grin creeping across his face, "you will die." He turned and tore the torch out of the man's hand, and threw it onto the kindling lying below the post. The fire caught on to the branches and logs below, sending burning heat up to Erowyn's face. As the fire spread, the heat intensely growing she closed her eyes and took a deep breath ready to accept the fate. Suddenly the heat subsided. The cold air drifted across Erowyn's face. Her eyes still closed, she wondered if this was what death felt like. She opened them to see a blinding blue fire, floating in the sky above her, poised in a living orb. The blue glow cast eery shadows across the faces below, stricken with fear and bewilderment. Erowyn scanned the people, her eyes falling on a familiar face. Eidelswith stood at the front of the crowd, her hand outstretched towards the sky. Shaking, she raised her second hand and with a scream of defiance she threw both of her hands down. Just as quickly as it had appeared the blue fire lit up brightly then exploded, shattering the night's silence with a crash and a hiss. The people turned to look at the little girl, who stood looking at no one but Erowyn. She stepped forward pulling a small knife from a pocket to cut the ropes binding Erowyn to the post. She collapsed into Eida's arms. Though she was no more than 14, Eida was strong and held Erowyn steady. Ahead, the man who had thrown the torch stood, sword drawn. In his eyes there was pure hatred, seething from every pore.

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Erowyn stood with Eidelswith in front of her, eyes locked with the man ahead. His mouth cocked in a crooked smile. "You think a little girl is going to stop your fate?" His loud voice echoed across the crowd, as they began to step back and create a circle around the three. He gripped his sword tightly, and pointed it at the two standing before him. "You will not survive to see another rising sun," he sneered, he seemed to be savoring the words as if it were food crossing famished lips. Eidelswith stood calmly, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, the only sign of emotion from her. Her eyes blazed bright blue, as if the fire that had disappeared moments before had leapt inside of her. "You will no longer terrorize my people," her voice was strong, filled with the maturity and poise of an ancient being. She held out one of her hands, palm up. A burst of blue fire shot from her fingertips, billowing high above the town, shapeshifting as it rose. When Erowyn saw the form it was taking, clarity came to her. The fire spun and turned, creating what seemed like a living creature made of fire.

It was a raven.

The fire bird dipped its wings and flew in a downward spiral, turning itself upward in perfect grace to land on Eida's shoulder. It cawed, the sound was astoundingly loud, leaving everyone's ears ringing. The man gritted his teeth and snarled. Raising his sword, he gave a battle cry before rushing forward. The raven leapt from Eidelswith's shoulder, skimming low to the ground towards the man. When it reached him, he swung at the bird, every blow missing it's target. The bird swooped in circles around him, with every pass the flames grew brighter until he was completely engulfed in the blue light. The raven cawed once more, and the flames began to evaporate, float off into the moonlight. When they were gone, so was the man that had been standing before them. There was not a trace of him.

Eidelswith turned to Erowyn, and bent to one knee. "I am your humble servant," she said, bowing her head low. In that moment, the crowd around them did the same, dipping to their knees. Erowyn took Eida by the hands and raised her to her feet. "You're the Raven," she said, still astonished by the events that had so quickly occurred." Eida shook her head. "There is no one man or woman that is the Raven. We are one, born into each life to serve and protect the sovereign of Geofric until our death." Eidelswith bowed again. "You are the one we've been waiting for."

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In the years following that night, Erowyn had taken her place as leader of the people of Geofric. The town that was once in shambles had been repaired, the homes had sturdy roofs that didn't leak, holes in the walls were patched. Progress had begun on a large hall on the north side of the town, and plans were being made to build a wall around the town to provide better safety. Not long after Erowyn had stepped into her new role, a town meeting took place, where they determined a new seal for their flag. A single black raven's feather on a deep blue flag would fly proudly over the recovering city every day for the rest of it's existence.

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Erowyn as a little girl was fiercely stubborn and craved adventure. She was raised in a rich family, but her mother was born in the village so she was also taught humility, and taught that she was no better than anyone else simply because of her family's financial standing. At a young age Erowyn was taught horseback riding, and much to the dismay of her grandmother, was also taught the necessary skills of various armories.

Though Erowyn is brave and never turns her back on a worthy fight, her greatest fear is death. Being taken away from her family and her friends, forced into an unknown that no one can see past. To meet death face to face, is an adventure she will never look forward to.