1420

Dorsetshire, England.

"Take the oath Lettice, quickly...before they find us." Lettice swallowed thickly, she was nervous and afraid. Her fear though was for the older woman who was currently clutching her hands, they both knew that only one of them would be surviving tonight and it would not be the elder woman.

Dogs barked somewhere off in the distance, Lettice and Clemence had stopped running for a moment to catch their breath. If the oath could be exchanged now it would be better for Lettice, though she could not understand why this immortal woman was giving up her life so that Lettice could escape.

It was the start of winter, not the best of times to be venturing out alone. Lettice knew that this was rushed, she had known of Clemence' desire to initiate her into the mythical realm at a slower pace but time was not on their side, it would not be allowed so now they were exchanging hushed oath's in a forest thicket not too far from their village.

"I swear it, Clemence, for as long as our world is in danger I will act as protector and mythic. I will protect those that need protection and fight for justice, truth and honour. I will show no fear in the face of my enemies and when I feel myself begin to turn I will pass this role on to another as pure-hearted as those before me." With approaching dogs and angry villagers carrying burning sticks not too far away Lettice was unsure where her courage to mutter a single word had come from let alone that entire phrase.

Lettice was unsure of the original oath, she had never heard it but spoke true words of her heart and expressed through words what she thought and felt in that moment. A protectiveness over Clemence, a wanting to keep their secret hidden but most of all of wanting to help.

At the same time that Lettice had recited her own oath, Clemence had reversed hers. Lettice had not heard any of what she had said, too focused on her own words, on the beating in her ears and of the danger at their backs.

"It is done, you must go now Lettice before they catch you too. I will go willingly, mayhap my fate will be kind and swift." They both knew that when Clemence was caught that fate would not be so kind and her end slow and drawn out. If they had light to guide their way, Lettice was certain that fear would be written across Clemence's face.

"I cannot leave you here alone to face the village Clemence! They will surely burn you or worse, come away with me. I will not return to the village now, not if you do." Lettice knew she was pleading on deaf ears, Clemence was a stubborn woman who knew when to run and when to stand her ground.

"No Lettice, you must leave now. But remember, as a protector of the mythical realm you may do as you please but your duties will always come first. Someone will come for you eventually, to show you the way and to guide you through this new journey. Please, go!" Lettice felt herself being pushed away by Clemence, in the opposite direction to the hunters and dogs. She felt dread pool in the pit of her stomach at the thought of her friend and mentor being left to defend herself against rabid dogs and angry men.

She had known, from that fateful night when she had been out alone in the woods that her life would change. The morning after when she was gravely ill and felt as though death himself had touched her, it was then that Lettice really felt the change within her.

It was soon after that Clemence had approached her, while she had been recovering from the vicious animal attack that had almost robbed her of her life...almost. Instead, it had given Lettice an extra life that she did not want.

At eight years old she had transformed for the first time, beneath a full moon and had wrecked havoc on a flock of sheep nearby. Thankfully they had not been her families flock, they had been put away in the early eve to sleep soundly near the family.

No. This flock had belonged to someone with more power, more to protect and more to gain from the beast being killed.

It was only after that attack that Clemence had taken an interest in the child, seeing her weak and pale the next morning sunning herself outside her parent's hut. Clemence had heard of the flock and had connected it to that girl, fear for the child and something else had driven Clemence to take her in as an apprentice to the art of herbal medicine.

"WITCHES! Here, I have them!" At the loud exclamation, Lettice and Clemence were pulled from their thoughts. Lettice, through fear suddenly towered over Clemence in the form of the wretched beast that had terrorized farmers and animals for the past eight years.

"Beast! It's the beast! Release the hounds!" Lettice and Clemence both knew that the hounds would do nothing but scratch a few shallow wounds into its skin. And as the hounds tried to latch on to the arm or leg of the beast that is exactly what they did before the beast grabbed hold of the hounds and flung them carelessly off into the distance.

"Letti! Run, please!" Lettice knew that one of the men was her father, she also knew that he had heard her name being called. The disbelief was rolling off of him in waves as he backed away from what Lettice now was.

After another prompting from Clemence, Lettice turned and ran. She prayed that Clemence would be spared, but having witnesses to the beast and Clemence in the same clearing she knew that it was unlikely her mentor's life would be saved.