It  hurts...

It hurts so much...

Ah... Where and how did I get here...

I feel like I am drowning deeper as my bones, my spirit, my pulse slowly turn into fragments...

Every little piece shines in this dark ocean, I smile as soon as I see my dear husband in his studio, surrounded by papers yet keeping the lovely and gentle smile he always has...

"Fen..." his calm tone calling my name as I was laying on Aranvar, our snow lion; a soft, warm and maybe too big cat. As he pronounced my name I opened my eyes and met his glance; a golden sea where you could get lost and hope not to find anymore a way out "... what are you thinking about?" he asked while leaning the quill on the desk and bend his head on a side, moving a bit his long brown hair.. He talked but his words couldn't reach me, his figure started to shatter slowly in front of my shocked eyes...

Why do I hear him like he's so far away... why is everything disappearing in front of my sight...

Am I... dying?

I don't remember...

How... How did I end up like this?

My heart skipped a beat, as soon as a fragment of my soul started to shine showing me another frame of my happy memories...

"Mother!"

I can't see...

"Mother look!"

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Lin"

"L-Lin..." I whisper as from my mouth blood comes out.

I smile, the pain is unbearable but I can't do anything about it

Yes... I am dying...

I just wish I had more time...

"My dear wife"

"My beloved husband"

"I am sorry you lost me" 

I could hear his echo in mine...

Why can't I remember...

Everything finally shuts and goes black... I smile in pain. I knew I couldn't do anything to come back to my son, and I couldn't beg the Gods to give me more time....

If this was my destiny, then I am willing to drop my last tear and let my family go for a better future knowing  I have given my life to protect...

"Fen..."

"Fen..."

Let  me die in peace please...

"Fen"

"Fen"

"CHECK ON HER, NOW!" 

A strong grip on my left arm pulled me out of... a river?

I started coughing to throw all the water I felt flowing inside me for more than enough to kill a human. Yet  why was I alive? It doesn't make any sense... 

My hands automatically did lay on my stomach where I felt the last hit... the one that put my life to end, there was nothing...

What the hell did just happen?

Why can't I remember what happened the day I died, but instead I remember everything else? 

"Are you okay? What were you doing underwater?"

My monologue got interrupted by a manly voice. I looked up and there was an embarassed man who clearly didn't know either what was happening.

"Where are your clothes?" he asked without even looking at me.

I almost laughed, I heard outsiders were scared of the Generals of the Alliance wives, but me? Fen Yuan? The one people used to call the Lion's Muse?

"Fast, bring that new slave back in the cage? We're gonna be late!"

My face almost froze.

How dare they.

Me? A slave? 

Slaves in Yinyué?

I started laughing even more. They stared at me and I decided to stand up to give a little speech. I was confused about many things but I, Fen Yuan, was never a slave, because as a soldier for the peace of my country, we never had commerce of slaves.

I should really punish them for calling me a slave out of nowhere?

It's not like I wasn't known?

My blue eyes looked fierce as I went to reach for my swo...

Wait

a 

minute.

I am

...

NAKED?

"Do not look!  I dare you to keep looking at me and you will end up in jail for the rest of your lives!" I shouted as I jumped into the water again under their confused stare.

I almost shouted when I noticed my... hair wasn't silver, I hadn't silver hair? Why? Why?

Probably one of the two men grabbed me again. I started to move and ask to be let go while he was making me wear a simple brown tunic.

"Who are you? I am asking for the last time to leave me alone or I will execute you without any further judgement" I said as that treatment was unacceptable even for an animal.

I was probably all over the place with my thoughts, but I was confused and those two men trying to pull me inside a carriage with people who were wearing the exact thing I had on weren't helping me to make some order of my thoughts.

Am I reincarnated?

As I asked that question to myself, I looked at my reflection in the water of the river. I looked... younger? My hair was brown, long and a little curly, but my eyes were the usual blue ones.

Maybe I got back in time?

But I didn't look like this when I was younger even..

I have to come back to my husband...

Wait a minute, I was never dressed like this in any moment of my past...

If this is the present, why am I here if the last memory I have is... me dying in my house?

"Listen" the man who was probably the head of that commerce row, jumped off the horse, making it probably exhale a big relaxed sigh as he looked a little bit heavy and annoying in general "I am already furious we have to deal with those fools of the Yinyué Lands, you're not gonna make us dealing with our Lord because of your moods"

"I am not one of your slave." I said without even looking at him.

I am not a slave.

but I can't say I am Fen Yuan either, they wouldn't believe... 

Who am I then..?

"You wanted to end your life anyway, at least you will be good for us and bring a surprise to those bastards" he laughed as he noticed my hands lock into fists.

I was the Mother of Yinyué

I would have protect my city forever till the last drop of energy.

"You seriously wanted to make me mad" I whispered as I pointed at him with both of my hands. I smiled gently, swallowing all the bad they did to me "I can't stand anymore people who disrespect the land I live for" my hands reached my chest and slowly I felt my energy flowing out creating a breeze

"W-what? She's a Soulmaster! DOGS! Take her now! What a lucky day!" the man shouted, while I was concentrating my energies.

"Winds of the North
Forest of the Eternity 
Sing the Athem of the ancestor" I pronounced as the grass around me started to freeze as soon as strings of my energy was flowing down the ground "Come back to my side, Eternal Breeze" the frozen grass shattered around me. Few of the shattered fragments formed an ice sword.

I am still me after all.

I smiled as I picked my companion of all my adventure. As soon as I touched it, it was supposed to shatter again in five swords but I saw only four around me.

"My lady" I heard the voice of my companion and I almost cried.

It's still me, this is sure then.

"Greetings my old friend, did I make you wait too much?" I asked as I did lock my eyes to the enemies around me.

"You've slept a lot, my lady, as you usually do"

Heh?

I stopped for a second.

"Really?" for a moment I had a grumpy stare while looking at my swords around me "You will never think I am something else other than lazy won't you?" I asked as I did sob little bit.

While I was kind of fighting with my own swords, the men around me were looking at each others, questioning if they had to come closer or leave me alone as I looked more dangerous against my swords than them.

"What are you waiting for? Take her!" the man shouted making me a little bit annoyed.

As I moved my hands elegantly, my swords positioned themselves in the attack position around me. 

*Bad dum...*

My heart.

It looked like my body was getting pierced by little thorns that were slowly choking and stopping my heartbeat. My swords disappeared, I fell on the ground in a trance, Eternal was calling out my name but he did shut himself as well as I was again to the point of collapsing. 

When was I that weak?

I started coughing blood and in less than some seconds everything went black again...

***

"Well, it was easier than expected, enough with this non-sense, the Alliance will be happy of this treasure, this time they will accept our Lords contract!" the chief in charge of the commerce looked happy as he jumped back on his horse.

"Sir, it's has been five years since our Lord made that mistake" said one of the dogs of the chief while he was carrying the woman inside the wagon where the other slaves were.

"It wasn't a mistake, we did weak them but not enough" he whispered "Next time... For now, the show must go on.." he smiled as he made the convey move again.

"Even tho... A Soulmaster in Arthus lands?" one of the soldiers looked concerned "Weren't Soulmasters only of the Yinyué region?"

"Some have moved before the war... Probably her family moved to our lands before the Unforgivable Fire era?"

"ENOUGH, Shut your mouth or you will get no money from our Lord!"

"YES SIR."