On a road in a strange world a young woman was traveling. She had thick, golden hair, emerald cat-like eyes, her smile revealed pointed canines, and she appeared to be in her late teens or early twenties. Lynne lengthened her stride. She could see the family house, just as it had been when she had left two years ago. Now she came home for her one of her sister’s weddings. She reached the house and all eleven of her siblings filed out, followed by her parents. Her oldest brother was the first to hug her. When Lynne reached her mother, she was told, “Alana Lynne Ruth Elizabeth, you forgot to write us.” So she told her family about her adventure in New Nexus. Her brothers and sisters had all received very traditional names until the last two, who were named Lightsong and Thistle. Their names described them perfectly. Lightsong had brilliant red hair and light green eyes. Where Lynne looked like her mother, Lightsong looked like her paternal grandmother. As Lynne looked at her family she thought, Oh my. Is Lightsong already fourteen? That means Thistle is twelve. I can’t believe Mary is seventeen. Wait a second; I’m nineteen!

The reason Lynne had come home from her adventuring was because Mary was betrothed. Ten days from now her sister was to get married. Lightsong found the whole thing incredibly romantic, but whenever husband-to-be came over Thistle and Lynne made faces at each other. Lynne wasn’t able to help much with anything but the cooking. She did incredibly simple things like stirring the pot, or roasting venison. All of the other girls were finishing the embroidery on Mary’s dress and practicing the marriage braid on their mother’s hair. On the day of the wedding everyone dressed in his or her best, in Lynne’s case her only dress. It was short red leather and had a blue beaded trim. The girls were helping Mary with her hair when they heard shouting in the other room. They came out just in time to see a soldier behead their father. Lynne grabbed Thistle and herded the rest of her sisters out the back door. She was turning back to get her sword and cloak when there was a crash and everything went dark.

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Lightsong woke to the cry of a carrion-bird, and sat up slowly. She had been dragged back into the house and piled among debris. Her beautiful, pale blue dress had been ripped to shreds. The attic had fallen through, but the roof still held. Lightsong carefully made her way to the top of the pile of debris and sat up. She found Lynne three feet away. As her father had taught her, Light went to feel the pulse, and then began searching for the rest of her family.

Lynne woke from the noise and saw Lightsong pulling away boards, hoarsely crying. It appeared that she had stopped yelling after the second cycle through everyone’s names. She immediately saw what her sister hadn’t. Corpses were under the rubble. She saw everyone’s but Mary’s and Thistle’s. Mary’s corpse was next to the wall, savagely cut and bruised. Lynne thought she would find more if she looked, but she choked up and couldn’t bear to look at it any more. Lynne seized Lightsong’s arm and told her that the effort was futile.

“James? John? Anne? Thistle! Where’s Thistle?” Lightsong looked everywhere, something out the window catching her eye. Her eyes widened and she yelled, “No!” She and Lynne hurried outside. The twelve year old was in a noose, covered in even more cuts, bruises, burns than Mary. Lightsong went very pale.

Only then did they notice the condition of the rest of the village. The buildings were either like their house, or even more ruined. Lynne knew that everyone else was either dead, or captured. Lynne, having some experience with this kind of thing, walked straight to the village square. There was a large notice in the middle of a post.

Let this be a warning to all who oppose the Empire:

We are reclaiming our rightful land.

All who stand in our way shall perish. All who accept us shall be welcomed.

The Great Army of the Empress

Lynne’s hands were beginning to tremble. The western estates had been expecting something like this, but centuries ago, not now. They had rebelled ever so long ago. How could anyone hold a grudge that long? She looked at the road and determined that the army had come from the north and swept south. She even brought up a mental map of the country and recalled her lessons with a military minded elven adventurer.

“This was a small war band. The empire sent them north to avoid suspicion at that time. Now they are going swiftly and openly south.” His voice said in her mind. She thought about it and understood what was going on. They’re either to scare the capital into thinking the Empire sent an army, then occupy it while they wait for the true army, or they are to wipe out the capital completely. Good thing the capital is far south.

The two safe ways out of the village would be west and east. Lynne went to the well to get water to wash the dirt off her face, and the taste off her tongue. Lightsong was huddled next to the well, tears streaking her dirty face. There were palm prints where she had made a lousy attempt at washing. In her lap was a very neat, clean, ginger tabby. It was blond with dark orange stripes. The cat looked up at Lynne and appeared to make a face. It looked like a ‘don’t just stand there’ glare. Lynne swallowed hard, but knew the cat was right. They needed to move where it was safe, and they wouldn’t pick up sicknesses from the dead. “Light, we can’t stay here. We need to grab as many travel clothes and provisions as we can carry.” She picked up the cat, heard a slight rumbling, and pulled Lightsong to her feet. “You check our rooms. I’ll check the rest of the houses. I think we are the only survivors.”

Lynne was correct. By some strange phenomenon, they were the only ones left alive. Lynne made a cursory check, and found that she didn’t even have a concussion. She got all the things that she and Lightsong would need to keep alive, sheathed her scimitar, and walked out of the town to the West, nearly dragging her sister.

Nearly a day later, they arrived at the next village. One of their friends came rushing towards them. “Why are you here? Wasn’t your sister’s wedding two days ago? Lightsong, why is your fine light blue embroidered dress covered in soot?” To everyone’s amazement, Lynne growled.

“Silly girl. It was supposed to be two days ago. We were attacked, and now we are the only surviving members of the village. Now take us to the Elders so we can get the funeral arranged.” Lynne heard an amused laugh behind her, but when she turned she saw only the same ginger tabby and a new cat.

They presented their case to the Elders and were given the three days hence for the funeral service. At the service Light sang the farewell song. Lynne had never noticed that her sister sang so beautifully. When Lynne joined in the duet, her furry alto felt out of place. Lynne and Lightsong were given another day to get all that they needed and journey on, or be adopted into the village. They decided to leave.

After the business, Lynne found Light at the edge of the village. Lightsong had been uncharacteristically grave the last week. “Light, you need to let it go. They have gone to the Great Lord, and we will join them in our own time, but that time is not yet. We were spared for a purpose, and that purpose will be best served if we act normally. If you don’t go back to normal, the gods will probably put you back on that path.” Light looked up at her sister and nodded. She was on the verge of tears. “Cry now, Light. We will not have time later.”

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They left south, in hopes that they could warn the capital. They woke early, traveled past sunset, and slept uneasily. An uneventful week passed, and still Light didn’t manage to perk up. They were in the middle of a dense forest when a vagabond jumped onto the road in front of them and said, “Give me your purses now, mi’ladies.” Lynne moved forward, but he twirled and grabbed Lightsong. He was extremely fast. “Now!” Lynne’s hand was touching her hilt, but she didn’t dare draw her scimitar, lest he kill her only remaining family. They were like this for a couple of minutes, when there was a roar behind Lynne. Light bit the man’s hand and sang something that she remembered from long ago.

“La ne Pie-iero!” It was part of an ancient song, from when people had burned their dead. It meant ‘Oh, the fire’. The man shrieked and let go of Lightsong. She whirled around and stared at him. He was on fire. They both gaped at him until that ginger tabby leapt into Lightsong’s arms and told Lynne, “Well, don’t you just stand there. Don’t look at me like that either. You’ve heard me twice before. Now, what you girls need is discipline. We cats can relay to the capital. In fact, we already have. In the midst of these woods lives an elven druid. She can help you with your – affinity – for felines. She can also help your sister, to some extent.” Lynne opened her mouth to ask the cat her name, but the question was anticipated. “For now you may call me Marmalade, or any contraction thereof. Follow me.” With that, Marmalade brought her tail up like a flag and ran off into the forest.