The Tragedy Of Northpass

The Tragedy Of Northpass

             It was a cold February morning, the sky was ominously gray, snow fell from the growing clouds onto the branches of the many towering trees that surrounded the village. A small girl wearing tatters of around 14 or 15 years old came running through the woods, gasping for breath she collapsed at the crudely made statue of Alfred The Great who recently passed. There wasn't much room in Northpass  as there were already two churches and three statues erected for each of the gods worshipped in this particular part of England. One statue, by the north of town, was for the goddess of Love: Amoris. She always rules kindly to ensure that nobody is without their due match. The second, by the south west of town, was for the god of strife: Kellach. He always made sure to keep Amoris in check and make sure nothing got too “boring” in his eyes. Lastly at the southeast part of town resided the goddess of desire: Edna. She was often regarded as the most powerful of the gods and often took full advantage of that by interfering with the affairs of mortals. She was first to blame when someone tried to get something they wanted, be it person or object. The people in Northpass trusted the one true god above all else however and believed this trust would lead them to salvation.
                 A young squire by the name of Treachus cautiously approached the girl who was now laying on her back facing the grim sky. In case she was a witch Treachus dared not touch the oddly clothed stranger, instead he watched, taking a closer look at her he noticed a large, azure jewel laced around her neck. It glowed with power and Treachus’ green eyes glowed with envy. Surely that couldn't be the all powerful necklace of love that King Lovell created so long ago. He reached down to snag it off her neck when she bursted back to life again and began to convulse and twist and turn. Soon the whole village was awoken and slowly started to clamor around the statue, the girl and the squire. Luckily for the squire his treachery would not be known as the girls screaming distracted everyone enough for him to slip away.
              However, the whole village was not present for the strange event, two secret lovers remained in the woods and were deep in conversation by their usual meeting place underneath the tallest tree just south of town. A knight by the name of Trystan accompanied by the King’s daughter, Deirdre. Trystan was pure of heart, loyal and honest. Deirdre, who was cast in the shadow of her older sister, Isobel, was fair and beautiful as were all the king’s daughters. As they heard the commotion, fear sprang up in their young, hopeful hearts as they thought they were discovered, but alas the screaming and murmur of the townsfolk proved otherwise. Trystan and Deirdre needed to keep their relationship secret as King Lovell had already determined her suitor from a young age, he chose squire Treachus. She of course wanted nothing to do with him as did most people. Sir Trystan, however, was handpicked by King Lovell to come to his castle and escort Deirdre to the small village of Northpass, where squire Treachus lived. King Lovell wasn’t a normal king however, he had special gemstones that were said to make two people fall in love forever if they both clutch them at the same time. This is exactly what happened to Trystan and Deirdre, a star filled night with two star crossed lovers, they both clutched the gemstone and what happened afterwards could not be undone by neither magic nor potion, or at least that is what young minds often think is the case.

The following morning, the girl Kione, was still laying on her side at the foot of Alfred The Great. 
It seems nobody offered her a stay in their home and thusly she was left to wait.
Squire Treachus was fast at work on the mill, Deirdre walked by and he smiles while she continued steadfast. 
If he could not win her love and affection he would surely be outcast. 
You see, King Lovell foretold their love by reading the stars.
Nobody can deny the truth said in the night sky, not even the mighty Mars. 
Trystan’s affair with Deirdre caused nothing but heartache. 
One might even say that their love was all just a mistake. 
However we all know that there is not a thing more powerful than love. 
And that love will find its mark regardless of what is interpreted from above. 
However sometimes what's below has more say.
And that foul and deceiving Treachus would be sure to not be left astray.
Alone in the dark on his bed evil built up within him.
Many thoughts and ideas came to his head about Trystan, all were grim.
Sure he was about his involvement with stealing her.
Losing his foretold love to what in his eyes was a cur.
He knew he was left with only one option: kill.
And eventually, hatred corrupted his heart and he had no more free will.

            Trystan and Deirdre continued to be happy in secrecy. Or what was previously secrecy. The seeds of doubt were planted in each mind with the arrival of the strange girl who was now identified by the local smith. They could no longer reside in their own solitude, little did Trystan know that Treachus was after his life. It was the next day, the clandestine lovers met under the tree as usual. A pair of vicious eyes peered from inside the forest that surrounds them, but this was no wolf. Yet with the speed and ferocity of one Treachus dashed out and thrust his dagger in the back of fair Trystan. 
            Gasping for breath Trystan took ahold of his lovers hand, gave it a kiss and said.
“ tis no secret my death comes for me. I was a fool to cross the stars for you, I thought it was to be. Yet, were I given the chance at it again, not a thing I would do different. To the world we may be insignificant but to me you're everything. Amused I am not by the title of king. The only thing I am interested in is you, and you're all I want to be. Now here I lay thrust upon the ground, making my final plea. So if you can hear me lord, know that I beg not for my life, but rather my lover’s. I hope you will see the purity in us, something that only you can recover.” 
            And with that Trystan the fair passed from this place in the arms of his counterpart. Perfectly content with every choice that led to the bittersweet moment of his passing. A few paces away stood Treachus greedily eyeing what he viewed as his prize, equally content with the choices he has made that led him to this moment. Both Treachus and Trystan believed in themselves and their choices, yet neither was correct. Assuming Deirdre was now his, Treachus approached the grieving woman, his hands still bloodied with her lover. He kneels down with her over the corpse of Trystan, whom still had the dagger lodged in him, and moves her chin up so she is now looking at him. 
             “‘Twas you and I to be together. Not him. It had to be done, to please the gods if nothing else.” Treachus stated
              Deirdre’s blood began to boil and she stares, unblinking into the dark eyes of her lover’s murderer and soon to be husband, as declared by the stars. Deirdre closed her eyes, made a quick silent prayer and gingerly pulled the dagger out of Trystan’s cold carcass. She laid the dagger in front if her knees, almost in a ceremonious fashion. Treachus was still in front of her and on both knees as well. The blood stained dagger was in between them and almost as if planned both Treachus and Deirdre’s eyes began to glance downwards towards the dagger. Fueled by rage, devastation and the most powerful of human emotions: fear, Deirdre swiftly plucked up the weapon and thrust it through Treachus the forlorn. She stabbed him multiple times, each one with more contempt and power than the last until her once white gown was now completely red. 
               Just as he was about to leave this Earth, she whispered his own words back to him “It had to be done. To please the gods, if nothing else..”
             
Ending One: Black Ending
               She then rose from the ground with her head still looking down, a mixture of the two men’s blood was dripping down into the pool at her feet, the whole town was watching. They had never seen a woman display such ferocity as she had just done. She lifted her blood covered head to look at the people and all her anger washed away and a single tear fell down her cheek, creating a path in the blood and illuminating her pale skin, revealing a stark contrast to the blood. Soon more tears came and washed away the accumulated gore on her face. The townsfolk could just stand and stare, except for the girl, Kione, she was intrigued and began to approach Deirdre the sorrowful. Kione, now wearing a black hooded robe that she attained, crunched through the snow until she was in arm’s length away from Deirdre. They made eye contact and almost immediately Deirdre stopped sobbing and kneeled before her now realized master. Kione removed her hood to reveal nothing to the untrained eye, her face and head were obscured and blurred to the people of Northpass. After a few moments she begins chanting something from a well rehearsed ceremony, she stops, and instantly large black pillars of darkness erupt from the white snow and sweep across the town, instantly vaporizing anyone and everyone that comes in contact with them. All the while Kione and Deirdre stand laughing together as one. 
                  It had to be done, they think to themselves. To please the gods, if nothing else…
Ending Two: Red Ending
                  The blood soaked girl slowly rose back up, surrounded by her fellow villagers. They all pitched in to help clean her up and give Trystan the Fair a proper burial. They all congregated in the church to say a prayer for Trystan, who would never fade from our hearts. Another prayer for Treachus in hopes of his redemption in the afterlife. Lastly a prayer for Deirdre the Sorrowful, they prayed for her mental recovery and lauded her bravery in the face of such a foe, an inspiration to everyone. Whilst the villagers were praying, Deirdre met with the girl who appeared the day before out of the woods, Kione. Deirdre wanted to know what was outside of the town. She couldn't stay in Northpass anymore, too many good memories and one bad memory that always outweighs the good. 
                  The young girl spoke softly, “This is the first town I've gotten to since my mother was murdered. There's nothing out there but death and betrayal, but it seems even the cities are no more civilized than the beasts that live outside it.” She sniffled and continued, “My mother was a lot like you, brave, fearless. Be careful though, I don't want those same qualities to be the end of you as well.
                 “You know.” Deirdre began, “I bet if you and me teamed up we could make it out there, together. It couldn't be much worse than here”
                 Giddy with excitement and hope, Kione agreed to travel with Deirdre. First they went to her house and gathered blankets and other survival equipment. Immediately afterwards, they got on the path and began to leave the city, only after one final glance behind Deirdre’s shoulder, behind her laid every good and bad memory she's experienced. In front of her, only the gods knew.
                 After the prayers, the citizens of Northpass got concerned that Deirdre was gone, and so was the mysterious girl-she has to be a witch, they thought, hasn't she suffered enough? Everyone gathered their torches and scoured the city and began moving out into the dark wilderness. A couple hundred yards outside of Northpass they found her. Deirdre's corpse was sprawled on a mound of red snow. Various bite marks and missing flesh led the villagers to believe it was a wolf that got to her. However, wolves haven't been seen around those parts in 3 generations. The villagers gathered her body and brought it back to town to be buried. 
                A few feet away, Kione cowered behind a dying tree. Her mouth dripping with thick blood from her latest snack. She did what she had to, to please the gods, if nothing else...