Svart thought back and remembered his dream and the events afterward.
The White Rabbit and others had come to him with knowledge of the thing he would need to win against the witch and her minions. As she tried to tell Svart where it was, the woods grew dark and the witch approached and which caused her to flee. The White Rabbit who always spoke the truth was very skittish. The birds of the forest, led by the Great Owl, told Svart they would leave clues to where the thing Svart sought would be. It would be hidden in the wilderness inside their eggs and he should search their eggs. That was all they could say before the darkness ended his dream and Svart woke up.
That morning was as close as Svart can remember to being his birthday. Not sure which one. Somewhere over fifty perhaps by a year or two. Svart was born in that shack. The shack mother had me in and we lived afterwards. The shack Svart still lives in. It is much better now than it was. Svart has repaired it. Svart has nice bedding now. Nice soft smallclothes. Fine boots. A rug. A foldling fan. All that Svart has made.
Svart is better than when lived with mother. Svart is a man now and good at being hardworking and dependable. Just as mother told him to be. Svart still gets up early to clean the tavern and see if people had thrown away any items on the ground just as mother made me do. Till I do that, and head to the fields or woods to gleen what I can there, the day just doesn’t feel right. His mother would be proud to have all the items he had now.
Even then, the past never lets things feel right. His Love is gone. Killed by the Witch and her bandits obviously. Svart sometimes wishes she was just taken prisoner, but it has been so long. When Svart becomes King, it will never be as it should. His marriage and queen will have to be for strategy and politics.
Then something had happened before market. A sickness had come over Svart and all the people of Runeheim. A mark had also appeared on everybody including Svart’s head. The mages certainly had something to do with this. Fire mages particularly since it was their symbol. It was an ill omen.
Still, Svart had a treasure to find. Svart went into the woods. Searching all the places I know where to find bird eggs. There was nothing unusual with most of them. Most looked normal. Others were had a strange shininess to them. I broke them open but found only yolk. Still, Sart felt he was getting closer. Finally, a strange egg I did find. Shiny like gold. I broke it open and searched the insides. The yolk poured through my hand and left teeth. Wolves teeth. I knew where the treasure was, but to far to go today. Svart returned to the forum.
However magic spirits attacked that night. They attacked and walked invisible among us infecting people’s minds with magic. The spirits attacked and the sickening magic built up in Svart until it couldn’t be restrained any more. Svart began to vomit out the magic. Svart was forcing it out when I heard somebody say “Don’t ask the magic monsters any questions. They know the answer to any question but it just makes them stronger.” Svart tried to get up to tell them to be quiet, but the urge to get the magic out of my body was too strong. Svart could not do anything but vomit and think of how they had just told the traitors and spies in Runeheim how to find out all our secrets.
The vomiting was stopping but it was too late. Svart laid there thinking about how everything he might keep secret from the Witch was now known. His love was gone. Svart’s allies would be killed or worse. She knew everything and it drove Svart into Despair. There was nothing I could do. All hope was lost. To save himself, I’d have to go into hiding. Give up my birthtright as king and my duty to his allies and friends. Others would die without Svart there. Runeheim might not even survive. Svart felt that this is what he would have to do to to survive for his own benefit. His friends in the wilderness. His subjects and allies in Runeheim. All have to be sacrificed for him to survive.
NO! No, Svart told myself. Svart would not be afraid! I was a man now. Nobody could make me do what I didn’t want to do. Svart was not a child now and could kill any who would try to make Svart do what he didn’t want to do. He could run and then extract vengeance as he did in the past. Svart could not abandon his friends and allies. The Witch could only feed off Svart giving up. Without him, there was no hope for the world against the Witch and her masters, the Witch Kings. Svart would not give up! Svart would fight. Svart would win or die! If Svart dies, my blood will go back to the land and give it power.
Svart finished vomiting and stood back up. The monsters had stopped their attack and were no longer to be seen. Our enemies had made use of them and lured them away asking questions of all our secrets. The bandits, the witch, the other countless enemies of the people of Runeheim were using them against us. The speed which the traitors in Rune Hime had worked was astounding. It was obvious that they must be ferreted out and killed as until they are, the Witch will always know everything.
The next morning, Svart left Runeheim. Svart went to where I needed to go, far away. The hilltop was wooded but empty. Svart looked all over. Going round and round the area to see if there was anything I had missed. But there was nothing there. It was gone. The thing the White Rabbit had sent him after was gone. Had they managed to move it before the witch got here, or did the witch get it? That is the question.
