A Few Days Ago

IN THE CAVE OF THE FATES

T he beautiful woman with long black hair made the final steps up the side of the mountain, glad that her treacherous hike was finally over. She glanced at her companion, laying a gloved hand on his arm before he could walk further.

“Thank you, Asmodeus. But I need you to wait for me here.”

Before he could protest, she gave him a gentle smile and a small squeeze of her hand to let him know she was aware of his misgivings.

“I must do this myself. You know this.”

With a tight clench of his jaw, he nodded once and stepped back, allowing her to pass through the dark cave entrance alone. She hurried inside, knowing that her absence could be discovered at any time. She had already spent far too much time away from the palace and had no good excuses for doing so. She only hoped that Lucifer would not call on her.

She heard her light footsteps echo through the cavern, following the glow ahead. Many tales had been told of the Fates. Where to find them. What was required to ask a favor of them. Though few had ever boasted of the accomplishment of the arduous task of actually approaching them. She only hoped the tales were not wrong.

She stepped into the lit cavern ahead and caught her breath at the sight.

Three extraordinarily beautiful women sat near each other, each diligently working on individual tasks, each task a part of a whole. They were making a tapestry.

The colors were brilliant, more so than any the woman had ever seen before. The colorful threads glimmered like gemstones in the candlelight, the artistry unlike any she’d seen from the most accomplished weavers at the palace.

“Mother of Four…”

“... you have finally come…”

“... to see us about your sons.”

She jerked her eyes away from the brilliance of the mesmerizing threads and focused on the three women. They sat on plush pillows on the stone floor, their skirts flowing around them, overlapping in such a way it was impossible to tell which fabric belonged to which woman. Their long golden hair trailed down their backs, looking as if it had been brushed by an army of servants until it shined so glossy and straight it would have made any woman envious. The Fates were older than time, one of the first to come into existence, along with the Deities that ruled all the realms. Looking at them, the woman could easily mistake them for being in their early twenties, though. She straightened her shoulders and focused on the reason for her visit. “I have. Memories have started to surface?—”

“Yes. The Four…”

“... are finding…”

“... their mates.”

“Is that why this curse, or spell, or whatever we are under is beginning to break?”

“You seek…”

“... to find…”

“... answers.”

“Yes. My memories are very foggy, as if I’m waking from a dream and trying to remember what it was about. I know that I have sons. I need to know what I can do to help them.”

She watched as the Fates pulled at shimmering golden threads from a basket in front of them where they sat, somehow not tangling them or mixing them with the others they were using on their current tapestry.

“A spell was cast…”

“A spell is breaking…”

“Two mates found…”

“Two mates waiting…”

“One will face pain…”

“One will face fear…”

“Both must succeed…”

“To bring together what is near…”

Listening to their melodic voices made her head swim, the dizzy feeling growing with each passing minute. She feared that she would pass out if she didn’t leave soon. She swallowed thickly and blinked twice to clear her vision.

“What can I do to help?”

“There is one trapped…”

“... in the prison…”

“... War must be freed.”

She gasped and took a step forward. “Which prison? How can I save him?”

“The mate of red…”

“... the captor’s daughter…”

“... must return.”

“Where can I find her?”

“Send your guard…

“... to the Earthly realm…”

“... with a missive.”

“She must choose…”

“... she must guide…”

“... she must let loose…”

“... the pain he hides.”

She swayed on her feet as her head swam. Their voices came from all sides, seeming to resonate inside her skull. She knew she was out of time.

“Payment?” she croaked out through her closing throat, knowing that one didn’t see the Fates without paying a fee.

“The price…”

“... has already…”

“... been paid.”

She stepped back, edging toward the entrance to the cave, hoping for some clarity to enter her mind as their words penetrated. She looked down, finding herself holding the small pouch filled with precious gems that she had pilfered from the palace. In confusion, she looked back at the three women who she could no longer clearly see. They no longer looked like beautiful young maidens, and neither did they look old. The only impression she could garner was of three very ancient beings as they sifted their hands through bundles of thread. “Who paid the price?”

As one, their response rang out, making her head ache and throb. With a distressed cry, she lifted a hand and pressed it over her forehead. She stumbled and turned, heading back to the entrance. The encounter began fading quickly from her memory until only the words they had spoken remained. Their last word repeated over and over in her mind as she collapsed into her waiting guard’s arms.

“Everyone.”