Fated Volition (#Wattys2015)

Chapter One

In the Beginning

Five pregnant women lay before him, screaming in pain. They were all going to give birth at any moment. Panicking, he knelt in front of the nearest one. Unsure of what he was doing, he watched Ava and Samhelia tended to the women and followed their lead. As he was telling the mother before him to stay calm and breathe, a thunderous crash erupted above them and a woman shrieked.

Just to his right a raven-haired beauty cried out in pain, but not from childbirth. Next to her was a large stone of some kind. It was so hot that he could see steam radiating off it. The scent of burnt flesh tinged the air and Farwen gasped as he saw her leg. Through the singed fabric of her dress, red blisters were appearing on her skin.

He reassured the woman he had been helping and went the other quickly. Hesitant to touch the strange rock, which looked like burnt crystal, he concentrated very hard on it. With a loud pop, the crystalline object shifted over about three feet. It wasn't far, but at least it was far enough to keep the heat off Genevieve.

"Please help. Oh God...he doesn't even know." She was crying out, delirious from the pain.

She screamed again as blood soaked through her clothing.

Frightened Farwen called out for Ava, "Something is wrong, I don't know how to help her!"

Ava knelt beside him and in that moment he looked at the others briefly and realized that, they were all cradling their babies in their arms. Should it have happened that fast? It seemed unnatural to him. That whole night had taken a strange turn and he wasn't sure what to make of it. Recalling what had happened just barely an hour before, he lost himself in the memory of that evening.

He had been waiting almost an hour outside the ornate door and the small kelpie was starting to get anxious. The council had been in session for over two hours, and he was beginning to think they would never come to a decision. Tired of staring at the burgundy wood panels he leaned his large ear close to the door. Careful not to smudge the polished gold center that, thanks to him, shown like a mirror.

For a brief moment, he did not recognize himself. It was the first time in as long as he could remember that the entire magical council was meeting. All of the secrecy and extra guests were taking a toll on him. His once vibrant tanned skin was now pale and yellowish. The skin around his eyes was tight, which made his already large eyes seem to pop out a bit more.

Barely reaching three feet tall, he was small even for a kelpie. Farwen was always able to keep up with the daily chores that accompanied serving the council. However, he had started to notice a decline in his efficiency. Partly due to the large number of people that had been staying at the castle. None of the elders had any complaints and Farwen doubted that they had even noticed a difference.

Nevertheless, he took pride in his work and it bothered him terribly. Straining to make out the conversation behind the door was giving him a headache. The thought of using magic to eavesdrop occurred to him, but he shook his head and dismissed the idea just as quickly. The council went to great lengths to keep their meeting private, and he was sure that there would be harsh repercussions for attempting to thwart their precautions.

Kelpies did not have much magical power, but what they did have was useful. Most could project themselves just about anywhere, within a reasonable distance, and they could manifest things. They were very convenient powers to have, both of which made it very easy to serve the council. There was that annoying horse transfiguration, of course, not something that Farwen enjoyed at all.

An unreliable talent often only worked when he was very angry, and even then, it was mostly uncontrollable. It was because of the horse nonsense that many places in Watreon considered kelpies dangerous or bad spirits. There were several stories of a kelpie losing control and letting the horse instinct take over their will.