Emma had never been to Fen Ruen, in fact no one she knew had ever set foot within its gates. She was amazed that the entire kingdoms’ populous lived in cities built on a single enormous mountain. The main road called the Heron path , was a long route that wound its way through each of the four great cities and ended at Fen Torr the tower of the king. Emma stared as a starry eyed child.

"Fen Ruen" Emma whispered softly as though even speaking the name would invoke ancient powers.

"Aye Fen Ruen....." Came a spiteful, yet hypnotic female voice "....and it musta’ been a frightful cold day in Hell made ye bring yer prissy little arse here."

"Holly?" Emma asked snapping her attention away from the ground and focusing on the two women approaching on horse back. Holly’s golden hair, bounced playfully about her shoulders, as her chestnut horse trotted up to Emma.

"Aye, tis me, but I’m ill pleased to see ye here Emma. None the less though, Jolecia and I have been ordered to guide you to Fen Tor, palace of the King." Holly spoke sternly.

"Thank you." Emma replied.

"Of course" Jolecia said "now get your arse movin’ an’ keep yer mouth shut"

Emma was, for a moment, shocked but conceded nodding her obedience silently, "How lovely are the women of Fen Ruen." She said under her breath sarcastically.

Emma had said it sarcastically but truly "who else amongst women were as lovely as those of Fen Ruen." She thought glancing at Holly and Jolecia. Holly had fine, golden, hair and steely blue eyes. Jolecia's hair was wavy, fiery red and her eyes of emerald green. Both had fair and lovely skin, rosen cheeks, yet without blemish despite the harsh winter air. About her head Holly wore a tiara, in likeness of two ravens wings; Which sprouted from a Star Sapphire mid brow, then swept back above her ears, the feathers then joining tip to tip behind her head. It served both to hold her hair down as not to hinder her sight in battle and as a sign of her high station. Similarly Jolecia's wore a circlet in appearance of two raven feathers forming a hoop; Both the tiara and the circlet were forged of steel and overlayed with gold and with silver. The sky-blue tunics and silver armored garb in which they were arrayed, hugged their lithe bodies, accentuating their curves. The Elves it was said were the most lovely of all peoples and yet, glancing at the two women before her, who exuded such strength, such power and were yet so undeniably feminine; Emma found it hard to imagine any women more lovely than these and she felt suddenly self-conscious.

"Valkuries." Emma mumbled to herself. Quindlen had called them Valkuries, women warriors, personal guard to the Kings of Fen Ruen, and in command of Fen Ruen's defenses when the army was away. There were no more or less than one-hundred active Valkuries at any time and all were as well trained in the arts of war as the thanes of the King themselves. If the thanes of Quindlen are dreadful in wrath, more fearsome in battle; then the Valkuries are more ruthless, sudden, swift and defend their king with fanatical loyalty.

Angels of death they seemed seemed to Emma, deadly in battle, yet beautiful to gaze upon. If possible, the swords slung about their waists seemed only to add to their beauty. Emma was married to a soldier, a captain of the guard himself, perhaps the finest ever in the kingdom of Netherwood. Yet never was he arrayed with weapons such as these and Emma imagined that the skill with which they were wielded, was no less than the skill with which they were forged.

"Was it hard becomin' a Valkurie?" Emma asked Holly meekly. There was a long, un-easy moment of silence and as Emma began to feel out of sorts, Holly finally spoke.

"Aye, tis an hard life but worth it, if ye be strong enough." Holly said keeping her gaze forward as she road. "Girls try out t'be Valkuries at fourteen years of age."

"Try-out?" Quipped Emma

"Tis a trial of combat...." Holly stated ".... and if ye pass, then ye are sent to the War Maiden's, former Valkuries who it is said travel to the Darnell and there learn the arts of war passed down from the Elves. Tis shorter in years, yet more brutal a trainin' than the Thanes of Fen Ruen endure."

"The Darnell?" Emma asked

"The hidden alcove in the mountains behind the palace of Fen Tor." Jolecia snapped

Emma thought back to the stories she had heard from Quindlen; Ancient stories that his grandfather’s grandfather had learned when he was a child. Long ago, before the first people had set foot on Ourai, Fen Ruen had been a great strong hold for the ancient Elves that once dwelt here; though, it had then been named "Owr Romach" The Bright Spear. Indeed the cities that now stood there, including the king’s own palace; were built within the walls and upon the foundations, that is to say the ruins of that hallowed kingdom.

"Are ye then Valkuries for life?" Emma inquired with child like curiosity.

"Yes....and no" Holly spoke again "....we're Valkuries fer life, but we do not serve fer life. When a Valkurie reaches thirty years of age, she may choose to leave her service. If she wishes to stay she must endure the trial of combat again. If she passes she may serve until even thirty five. At that time she again must either leave, or endure a third trial of combat. If she chooses the latter and she passes, she may serve as a War Maiden until her fortieth year. that she must leave service and if she can begin a family if she has not done so already. We are a strong people, but few compared with the other kingdoms."

"Valkuries......" Emma began "can marry whilest still in service to the King?"

"Of course...." Jolecia snapped "a Valkurie is still a woman!"

"And a Valkurie, can she be marryin' whomever she's choosin'?" Asked Emma

"Aye, anyone but the king." Said Holly

"Why not the king?" Emma asked some what confused

"Tis forbbiden, unless the king defeats her in combat." Holly said still focused on the road ahead of them

"That's madness....." Emma shouted finding such a requirement to be utterly obsurd. ".....the love of a Valkurie is so damned precious that ye must earn it? Yer not but arrogant bitches, bull headed an’ daft!"

There was a faint ring of steel, the horses drew to a halt as Jolecia's blade left it scabard, it's tip a hair breadth away from Emma's throat.

"Yer a damned fool...." Jolecia said through clenched teeth "......t'marry ALL valkuries must pass trial by combat even their Lord King. The Valkurie a king falls in love with t’would become his voice, his hand, joined in power and command with him and she must prove equal to her king! It is done to ensure the best for the people, not for the love of a man or his bride!"

"Enough Jolecia!" Holly commanded "....she is not to be harmed."

Jolecia glared at Emma for a moment before sliding her sword back into it's place and riding on ahead.

"Are all Valkuries likely to greet me thus?" Emma asked still a bit shaken

"She's bein' unique..." Holly answered impishly ".....after all, she is an elf" Holly paused for a moment "….an’ Quindlen's betrothed."

"His betrothed…." Emma said half whispering from both confusion and shock.

"Of course Emma…" Holly chuckled "…sure ye weren’t thinkin that all this time Quinn was hidin from the world sulkin now did ye?"

Emma’s bronzed with embarrassment as she lowered her head hoping to avoid Holly’s gaze. Emma had it set in her mind that when she left Quindlen, he had been so devastated by the loss of her love; that he retreated from the world and refused to face it. An idea that now seemed vain and arrogant, altogether wrong.

"pooe Emma!..." Holly exclaimed some what astounded. "Ye did, didn’t ye? Ye believed Quindlen ran and hid, that he chose to cower in Fen Ruen rather than risk facin ye again? Do ye not even know the man ye claim to have once loved?"

Emma’s face twisted into and rather puzzled and yet somewhat annoyed look. "Holly, of all people how can ye ask such a thing?"

"Because Emma….." Jolecia said pulling her horse to a halt and looking Emma directly in the eyes. "…….if ye really knew Quinn, then you would be knowin that tis not in his character to run nor hide; and if ye loved him as ye claim, even as I love him now…." Jolecia’s voice cracked as she fought keep her composure and Emma could see the deep love Jolecia held for Quinn. "…..then ye could never have betrayed him as ye did." Jolecia spurred on her horse, again taking her place at the lead.

"There many things that ye know not of Emma…." Holly spoke softly "…..and many ye need to hear, though afterwards ye may wish ye had not."

The three rode on silently and for what seemed like long moments, Emma wanted to ask what Holly meant. Yet so many questions were racing through her mind that she knew not where to begin. As they rode Emma drifted again into daydreams.

"Is yer sword of Elvin make?" Emma asked absentmindedly and immediately wondered why she had done so.

"Aye……" Holly said and Emma could hear the pride in her voice. "……tis from the treasures of Fen Ruen and was forged by that same smith whose skill is renowned in the twin blades Gram whom Freawine carries and Balmung wielded by Gareth."

"Swords" Emma said softly and her mind again wondered.

When he was but four years of age, Quinn, while playing near his father Osbearn, tried to lift his father’s sword. Osbearn and those around laughed at the toddler’s attempts to wield the weapon. Quinn became frustrated and out of sheer will power hefted the blade up cutting his left cheek and brow before dropping the elegant blade. The room fell eerily silent and all who looked on nodded in approval.

Kleng who was at that time a thane of the king checked the wound, then laughing heartily said: "Ha, to be sure he'll be a'right, though when it's scarin' he'll be an ugly king."

Then all who were there laughed loudly but Osbearn pulled his son close and spoke with him.

"Aye Quinn…" Osbearn spoke to his son softly "…ye are a mighty one and I say that ye shall not die whilst ye can lift a sword."

His doom was bound from then onward to his blade, and what a magnificent blade it was indeed. For Quindlen, like his father before him and so on back to the beginning of his line, carried at his side one of the treasures of Fen Ruen; An ancient elfish blade known as "Eishen" that is "Sharp Ice" for its’ edges freeze when they cut and no blood ever runs from a wound made by its’ blade. A pale blue-white light shines from the blade itself. Quindlen calls his blade by the name "Frost Bite." Regenald too held a most mighty blade. Though he will not say where it was made or from whence it came its’ blade ash grey, with ancient elfish runes along the blood groove that shine with a pale green light; it is said that when cut by its’ edges the wounds do not heal, but bleed ever after. Its’ name in the ancient tongue is "Ben Grefil" that is "Wound Hoe" but Regenald has named it "The Widow’s fang."

Quindlen had once told Emma that in ages past when the Elves still dwelt in Ourai that the people of men had been given land by those ancient kings and had many years of peace. Then, when the Saison first attacked, the Elven Kings called for aide against their common foe; but none of the people of men answered, save only Brand, a thane of the Great Elven King Asa, and his men. The Elves suffered great loss and the house of Brand nearly destroyed, yet still did the Saison succumb to their forces and were driven from Ourai. Though the victory had been theirs, the elves had grown tired of war. Thus the Elves chose to leave for distant lands where the Saison might not reach them. But for their loyalty, Asa, gave to Brand the kingship of Owr Romach and the treasures thereof. Thus Brand, who was of Quindlen’s line, Brego, of whose line Gareth is descended from, Hrothgar, Freawine’s ancestor and some few of the elves that remained of Owr Romach; established a new kingdom where the old had stood and named it Fen Ruen.