"Words that bind" by Sabrina E G Withers

It was an important naming, for why else would the seer have been called to read the twins’ future? Against tradition however the seer had insisted that he speak before the gifts were given. His eyes had been grave when he approached the children facing each other on the deerskin. Laying a hand on either brow he closed his eyes and sent a blessing to the gods. Standing up he had spread his arms solemnly.

"Know this, She will die by her brother’s sword, and He will die by the sword of the one who loves her. As it was before, so shall it be again."

A deathly silence filled the room. The parents looked stricken unsure what to do. The heavy steps of the man’s brother nearing the children caught everyone’s attention and all eyes turned to watch his progress. In his hand was the sword he had made the day he had found out about his nephew. Now however the sword seemed menacing for what it would bring. He knelt before the seer.

"Accept this gift of the sword for the niece of my blood for none other is worthy to wield it."

Relief filled the father as he realised that there was a way to avoid the prophecy. After the uncle others came, adjusting their gifts around the choice of the daughter as warrior, until all the gifts had been given. It was only then that they realised that the seer was gone.

"Sister you are the talk of the village with your exploits to the north. Father speaks of nothing else."

"Nonsense, he is as proud of your work." His sister smiled down at him from the back of her horse. Her brother ruffled the horse’s mane as she dismounted.

"He says that now that we have both proven our worth it is time he talked to us about our naming. The reason you bear the sword."

"It will be good to find out after so long. It has been a burden for me to try and fill the role that is yours by right."

They stepped into the house arm around each other as the friends they had always been. Their father watched them come in with a sigh.

"Seat yourselves. The story I wish to tell is of a curse that was told as prophecy."

When they had heard his tale the twins had left the house together closer now than they had ever been. At once they knew the legacy they bore and swore to try and hinder it at all costs.

The memory was fresh in her mind, despite the year that separated that moment and now, as she rode down the path with the other warriors. Their destination was a town where an old adversary of the warlord had taken residence. Though they were many all the warriors knew that it was only her skill that had kept the warlord on the victorious side for so long with so little bloodshed. The traditional duel was now rarely fought for no one could find a warrior willing. As they neared the gates of the town the horn blower blew a long blast in challenge to the warriors within. The gate opened after a while and all the warriors looked on confused when a man stepped out clearly unused to the sword in his hand. All but her, for she knew his face, it had been with her all her childhood. It was in grim silence that she rode forth to meet her brother. His eyes were desolate as he watched her approach.

"Why brother do you take up a sword?" Her sorrow was clear, but the warriors who could not hear her words believed it to be sorrow for the need of the death of an unskilled man. She saw now that her brother’s eyes held tears.

"Sister, I did not know what they planned when they asked me to answer the challenge. I could not refuse them for they have mother and father."

She dismounted so that she could face him on equal terms. Setting her sword in the ground she approached her brother.

"Then we must fight and fulfil prophecy brother. For our family’s sake." She embraced him fiercely and he returned the embrace in kind, for both knew the outcome of the challenge. Stepping back she picked up her sword and readied herself. The fight took longer than the warriors expected, for neither wished to harm the other. When it ended the warriors looked on in shock for she had fallen to the ground, her side pierced by the sword in her brother’s hand. His cry of despair filled the air. He walked up to the warriors with halting steps. When none of them moved he looked at them tears streaming down his face.

"Will none of you avenge her?" His voice was filled with anger. "Can none of you rid me of my sorrow?"

The warriors stood silent unsure what to do. He turned from them in disgust and walked back to his sister. Kneeling he took the sword in his hands and thrust it into his chest with as much force as he could muster. As he felt his life slip away he spoke.

"It is fulfilled."

* * *

He had always wondered why he and his sister had been separated when they were young but no one had ever told him. Now, as he practised the forms that were taught him by his father, he hoped to find out.

"Father, where is my sister?"

"Dead," came the gruff answer. The sadness in his eyes whenever she was mentioned was clear even now. "If you ever meet her."

It was the same cryptic answer as always. The one that hinted that somehow he would cause her death. But that would be the last thing he would want to do. It was inconceivable to him that sibling should fight sibling.

He walked through the trees hesitating now and again unsure of where he was heading. He had become lost in the darkness and had somehow stumbled into the haunted wood. His sword beside him he stepped into a clearing where, to his surprise, a young maiden sat. Behind her hung the shield of some young knight.

"Welcome young sir," the maiden spoke. "You should not have come here." She looked up at him eyes closed.

"Why? What possible reason could there be for me not to."

"I see my death at your hand and yours by the hand of my lover," She opened her eyes then and he stepped back as he saw that they were white. She reached into her sleeves and with a movement quicker than his eye cast something towards him. Instinct overrode his mind as he lashed out with his sword. Horror pierced his heart when he saw the line of blood appear along the lady’s chest. The rune stones that lay at his feet were innocent of the danger he had feared. As she fell backwards to the ground he moved forwards.

"Forgive me lady."

The lady looked at him with eyes just like his own.

"Always brother," she whispered faintly before her eyes closed a final time. Tears stained his face as realisation hit him. This was the sister he had so fervently sought.

"What have you done?" The cry came from behind him and he saw how a young knight stepped into the clearing sword raised. As the knight charged him he got to his feet sword at the ready. His defence was only half-hearted due to his sorrow. Stepping back he braced his sword to take up the heavy blow the knight levelled towards him. As his sword broke under the force of the blow and the weapon swung on to deal the fatal wound, his ears opened to the anguished cry of the knight.

"It is fulfilled!"

* * *

It had been necessary for her to disguise her true self, for only men could enter the ranks of the knighthood. Leaving at an early age she had not seen her family for many years. Now, as she rode through the forest with the maiden she was sworn to protect, she thought of her family and the prophecy the court magician had told her on the night of her entrance into the knighthood.

"Your brother’s sword will kill you. He will die on the sword of one who loves you."

She could not join in her mind the boy she had known and the image of the man who would kill her. Nor could she work out how he would die in turn. Were it not for the fact that the magician’s powers were famous across the land she would have dismissed his words as the ramblings of an old man. Ignoring the trail of thoughts she stopped by the river hoping that they could spend a peaceful night.

"Get away from me!" The cry brought her to her feet. Making her way towards the place that it had come from, she brought down the visor of her helmet. The scene that presented itself was made starker by the limited view she had. The maiden stood, her back against a tree, where a man had cornered her. He swayed in a way that made it clear to her that he was drunk.

"Why do you accost my lady?" She bellowed across to him to catch his attention.

"Away serr knight," the man slurred. "Or stay an’ join in da fun."

She grit her teeth at his words and stepped closer taking care on the slippery ground. He fumbled with his belt until he saw the sword in her hand. Sobering slightly he drew his own swaying as he did so.

"My lady move back into the trees let me handle this scum."

"You may be a knight but you are no match for me," he shouted waving his sword about. Setting herself in perfect balance she waited for his attack. They moved around each other as she hit away each of his strokes. As he grew angrier at her slowness his attacks became wilder and she was forced to take greater care in hitting the sword away. He lunged, putting his weight behind his sword. As she moved to step aside her foot slipped on a wet root and his sword grazed hers so that the tip of his sword pierced the weaker metal by her shoulder. As he drew back her arm hung uselessly by her side. Warm blood flooded the inside of her armour. Even though the wound seemed minor all her training told her she would die. She searched the man’s face for the features she was convinced she would find. And sure enough by his brow she saw the distinctive scar of her brother. She staggered as her mind swam due to blood loss and leaned back against the tree. The man watched her confused. Through her visor she saw how the maiden came round the tree and picked up her sword.

"You can not face him with that," she whispered and the maiden looked at her surprised. "It is not yours."

"Then make it mine." The request was simple and she saw no harm in it for the man did not seem ready to try anything else and she had no use for it.

"By the blood of my heart let this sword serve you well as its owner and servant."

She caught the feral smile on the maiden’s lips before she turned to face the man. The clang of sword against sword did not last long for the man was too tired and drunk to defend himself. When all was silent again she felt the maiden lift the visor from her face. Tears filled the maiden’s eyes and she mentally bemoaned herself a fool for not seeing earlier what was now plain to see. The maiden reached out and touched her face carefully.

"Sir knight, he is slain."

She looked at the maiden with eyes that were growing dim and spoke the only words that she could think of.

"It is fulfilled."

* * *

The man watched the fencers as they fought sparing amongst themselves. His favourite pupils trained at opposite ends of the room. Had he been asked which of the brother and sister was the better he would have had a hard time choosing between them, for ever since they had come to his school they had never drawn blades together. And never would for such was their father’s decree, a decree whose reasoning only their father and he understood. But choose between them he would have to do for the lord of the town had asked to see the best of the school match his son. Standing still but a moment longer he made up his mind hoping he had made the right choice.

He eyed his sister as she warmed up wishing he were taking her place. Not that there was any love lost between them. He shrugged, she could only ever truly love herself. The prestige however of fighting the lord’s son was a coveted honour for he was the greatest fencer this school had produced. It would have been interesting to find out which of them was better but he would not go against his father’s decree. She stepped onto the raised area of the floor ready to face the challenge set. The swords had been covered so that no harm would come to the fighters. After saluting each other they started to spar. The sound of metal against metal echoed around the hall. A cheer went up when the lord scored a point marking his sister’s shoulder. It grew louder when she returned the gesture. Determination covered their faces as they realised they were closer matched than they had thought.

"Hold!" The master cried when the tip of a sword went flying. When they saluted again it was clear that the lord’s son would need a new sword before continuing.

"Give me yours."

It took him a moment to realise that the request was aimed at him. Bowing slightly he presented the sword to the lord’s son. Quickly the match continued. His sister left an opening for her opponent and aiming for her chest the lord’s son sent the sword into her heart. The shock on her face was echoed on all those around the hall as everyone realised that the cover for the sword had fallen off. Calmly her brother walked up to her and picked up her sword. He faced the lord’s son. He did not do so out of love, for he realised he could not mourn her, but for the sense of honour that her life deserved. The lord’s son looked at him uncertainly until a nod from his father told him to accept the challenge.

"Let me take your sister’s sword. I would that you face me with your own."

Accepting his own familiar blade back he covered it. Then he saluted the lord’s son who returned his gesture. They moved back and forth, faster than the previous match, no longer concerned with points, only with surviving. The audience looked on with baited breath as the two young men lunged at each other. Their swords both hit their targets bending as they did so. The crowd waited for them to back off from each other the match finished. He looked at the lord’s son not moving his sword. A snap sent his gaze to his sister’s sword that had broken under the strain leaving the lord’s son nothing to brace himself against. An internal sigh went through him as the lord’s son fell forward and he felt the broken blade pierce him.

"Hold," the master cried hoping to save the situation but as they separated he saw that all was lost. The clatter of the swords on the ground was the only sound until the master voiced the words he knew would be the only ones that their father would hear in his message.

"It is fulfilled."

* * *

She sat looking at the glass case that held the last two swords in the country. Those were the swords that would seal their fate, hers and her brother’s. She shook her head with a sigh. Brother, I have no brother? This was the cry of the youth she had been reading of the prophecy for the first time. She looked up at the man who approached her. Her features were echoed in the face of her twin.

"Isn’t it strange that our fate should lead us here to a world with no swords but these," he said eyeing them as he spoke.

"No stranger than the knowledge we both bear of the lives before our own."

He nodded agreement at her statement well aware of the images in his mind.

"They say curses only hold power over you if you believe them."

"Yet we only lived longer when we did. They are placed behind every conceivable protection so that they can not be used and yet we both know they will be," she stated, gesturing at the swords. He placed a hand along the glass until the lid popped open.

"The watcher of the Way does not lie."

He pulled forth the swords handing one to his sister and taking one for himself. Hefting them with the knowledge of many lifetimes’ study they looked at each other.

"Keeping me from the sword did not help for it was always given me."

"Giving me the sword could not protect me."

"Never wielding it did not stop my victory."

"No amount of skill ever stopped my death."

"They split us up so that we would never know each other."

"And yet we always met. Even when love was not clear," she hesitated.

"It was always there."

"We bear the futility of many lifetimes and yet we are no closer to finding the end."

"Then let it begin," he said saluting her. Standing up she returned his salute. Dressed in the same black clothes they faded into the background with only the swords’ flash of metal showing up against the darkness. For the first time in centuries they were evenly matched sword to sword, skill equalling skill. Not once did the blades touch living flesh. On they fought, neither giving way to the other, each movement countered, each attack defended. Droplets of sweat could be seen on their faces as tiredness swept over them both. Gathering their strength for one last assault they brought the swords together so powerfully that they both snapped at the point of contact. Dropping the now useless swords they faced each other then, one no better than the other. A voice echoed in their minds and with complete understanding they spoke the words they knew they both heard.

"As it was before, so shall it be again."