The Skabelse

Nightmares

After the Daughters of the Glade had breakfast in the dining hall, they gathered in the large arena that was used for special announcements and entertainment. Before the War and the cities fell to ruin, Rowan was told that it used to be a great stadium for sports and that tens of thousands would fills its seats as they cheered for their favorite teams, with the contestants being beyond wealthy for their skills. As she looked around though she could hardly see how that was true. Much of it had crumbled away due to erosion and her tribeswomen could hardly fit into it now. Grass and trees had sprouted between the massive crevasses concealing most of its remains.

As her mother took her place in the center, Rowan followed suit, standing a few yards to her mother's left with her aunt and cousins to her right.

The Gladeswomen chattered, their voices echoing and bouncing off of the arena. But when Queen Lana raised her hand they fell silent almost immediately.

As the queen greeted them and broke the news the raven carried, Rowan took this time to study her fellow tribeswomen. They were one of the smallest kingdoms that was left in North America with only having a little more than five hundred women. But what they lacked in numbers they made up for with skill. Every woman before her was either a seasoned warrior or one in training, even the young girls who had yet to reach maturity. 

Hundreds of heads filled with light hair were looking down at Rowan and her family, each listening intently to her mother's words. More than half of the Daughter's faces were filled with disdain as they learned that the Skabelse would soon take place and that the Glade was chosen along with the men of Rorik. Hundreds of women whispered amongst themselves but none dared to speak out against their queen.

Rowan had managed to block out the majority of her mother's announcement and only tuned back in when she heard her own name uttered.

 "I know that it is not fair to us being that we were chosen not even a decade ago to send contenders but as your queen I ask for any Daughters that are of the age of seventeen or greater who receives their cycles to come forth. I have decided to send my daughter Rowan to be one of the tributes as well. That being said, I want to thank each and every one of you in advance for your sacrifice and I want you to know you will bring the Glade and your fellow Sisters honor even after you return," Queen Lana said. 

With a few more kind words, she soon dismissed them and all of the Daughters that were able to volunteer as a contender stayed behind at the arena.

Looking around, Rowan was shocked at the amount of women left. There were a little over two hundred whose ages ranged between seventeen to late forties. Rowan recognized many of their faces when she spotted her cousin Darsa, and trotted over to her.

"Hello cousin," Darsa said with a great smile. She was slightly shorter then Rowan but they shared the same blue eyes than ran in the family. Her hair was much longer than Rowan's though and would reach almost to her knees if she did not wrap it up with golden twine whereas Rowan's reached her mid back when let loose. All of the women of the Glade kept their hair long and intricately styled. Cutting it was seen as weakness as the Daughters believe that much of their strength came from their hair that was kissed by the moon. Aside from their swords, their hair was their most prized possession.

"I can't believe that the time of the Skabelse is here once again. And now it is our turn to be tributes," Darsa said exasperatedly. Rowan's cousin hated men with a passion probably more than herself as Darsa was conceived forcefully. Rowan's aunt Nesa never spoke about it but most of the women knew. It was not uncommon for men to become familiar with a women without their consent during the Skabelse, though most parties would wait until both were willing.