NOTE: Due to reasons that will soon become very obvious I have very little recollection of the following events. For this reason I have included another entry from my mother’s journal to help give the reader a greater grasp of the events.

Freydag 8-7

Goddesses, they have my child. I feel so helpless lying here doing nothing. I need to be doing something. It’s painful to even think about it.

It all started at the Naming Ceremony which took place earlier today in a large public meeting hall that was a short way from Athilda’s estates. Aryanna was wearing the most beautiful white gown that made her look like a Princess out of some Fairy Tale. Athilda and Aryanna greeted guests while Penelope and I were relegated to sit at a table and wait.

Finally, after sitting around for nearly an hour, Athilda walked into the center of the room followed closely by Aryanna. “Thurston Olaf Steenburg,” my ancestor said with a faint smile. There were hushed murmurs throughout the room. Athilda placed her hand upon my son’s cheek and smiled warmly, “Descendant, four generations removed, great-grandchild of my beloved daughter Lilith,” There were more murmurs throughout the crowd. I think Aryanna’s jaw must have fallen to the floor. Of course, mine couldn’t be far off. I had no idea Athilda was my great-grandmother. I had always believed my relation to her was much more distant.

“Child, you have sought admittance into the Council and have been found worthy of the Seidkona. You show great promise. Thus have I chosen to take you on as my apprentice.” she said taking hold of a large strand of my daughter’s hair and holding it in front of her face. Athilda smiled, then a bright flash seemed to encompass Aryanna’s face. I couldn’t really tell from this far away, but I knew that the strand would have turned a metallic gray.

“By this mark the world shall know you as my apprentice.” she said. “On this occasion I believe it fitting to also bestow upon you a new name. After careful deliberation, I have chosen to so name you Aryanna Morgana Le Fey. Aryanna a name of your own choosing and Morgana after the founder of our House.” More muttering rippled throughout the crowd.

Athilda was silent for only a moment before she turned to the crowd and spoke, “I would like to thank you all for coming. As thanks, House Le Fey would like to invite you to stay for refreshments and live entertainment.” Aryanna followed Athilda out from the center of the room to be seated at the table with Penelope and me.

“Well played, Athilda,” a woman’s voice said nearby. “With just a few short words you’ve managed to legitimize Aryanna’s claims about being born a woman and named her a potential heir.”

Athilda smiled, but I could tell she was irritated, “Olivia,” she said, “For only having been recently accepted into the Seidskati, you seem to understand the game better than most.”

Olivia smiled, “My mother was a great tutor.”

“Most unfortunate, the death of your mother,” Athilda replied, “You stood to gain much from her passing.”

Olivia smile briefly transformed into an angry scowl, “It seems others benefited more from my mother’s passing than I,” she said, then stalked off.

“Norns,” Aryanna said suddenly, “Why didn’t I see it before?”

“Aryanna,” I said, “Who is that woman?”

“She’s a member of the Seidskati. She was one of three women who voted against me.” She shook her head then turned to our ancestor, “Athilda,” she said, “Would you say Olivia bears a strong resemblance to her mother?”

“Yes, child,” Athilda said, “Why do you ask?”

Aryanna grimaced, “The woman that attacked me at the office building bears a striking resemblance to Olivia over there.”

“Brigit,” Athilda said suddenly turning to face me, “Get Aryanna and Penelope out of here now! I doubt Olivia would have risked revealing herself if she didn’t have something planned.”

“What about you?” I said feeling a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Athilda shook her head, “I will provide a distraction should it prove necessary.”

The whole thing made me feel uneasy, but I did as Athilda said and led Penelope and Aryanna out of the assembly hall. Had I listened to that sense of unease I think things would have turned out much better. At the very least a life could have been saved. When we stood to leave, I felt as if everyone’s eyes were on us. I tried to act casual as I led Thor and Penelope towards the doors, but I couldn’t escape the feeling that everyone knew what we intended, which was absolutely ridiculous. Olivia and perhaps a few cohorts were the only ones we needed to worry about.

Once we were outside the Hall I called upon my magic and started laying the weave for a travel spell, but the spell quickly unraveled and I realized that a spell-net had been laid to prevent anyone from escaping by magical means. I cursed under my breath and stopped for a moment to think. “We’ll have to find another means to escape.” I said, “I can’t cast a travel spell.”

I looked about and noted a service door. I used a powerful gust of wind magic to blow it open then I led them through several more sets of service doors and an access corridor before finding an emergency exit. I knew that opening the door would trigger the alarm, but at that point I really didn’t care. The safety of Aryanna was paramount. I could not let that scheming bitch get a hold of my child. As the door swung open, I knew we had fallen right into a trap. I tried to close the door but a hand grasped it on the other side and prevented it from closing. I reached into myself ready to summon my magic, but a hand waved a gun in my face destroying any hopes of escape. The door swung wide open and four rather large men appeared in the doorway each of them holding a gun.

The leader, a tall dark-haired man who under normal circumstances I would have found to be quite handsome, motioned for us to file out the door. Not seeing any other choice I complied, and Aryanna and Penelope soon followed. “We have the freak and two stragglers,” the leader said into a handheld radio.

“Take the freak. Kill the others.” a woman’s voice said over the radio.

The leader brought his gun to bear and pointed it right at my heart. Before he could pull the trigger, I summoned my magic and hurled my fist at his jaw. I supplemented the blow with earth magic. It did its job, and the leader fell to the ground unconscious. I turned on the nearest attacker, but before I could call forth another spell I felt something slam into my shoulder and chest and I crumpled to the ground.

I heard Aryanna scream Penelope’s name before I fell into unconsciousness.

“Brigit,” a voice said through the haze.

I opened my eyes and noted the woman standing above me. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her. “Brigit,” the woman said again and suddenly reality reasserted itself and my memories came back to me in a rapid succession of violent flashes, “Holy Hel,” I said to the woman who I now knew to be Athilda, “They have Aryanna.”

“I know, child,” Athilda said angrily.

“I have to get up, I have to…” I started to say but was cut short.

Athilda shook her head, “You have been badly injured. I have healed much of the damage, but you have lost much blood. You must rest. Help will arrive soon.”

I tried to sit up, but realized how weak I really was, “What about Penelope?”

Athilda sighed, “I do not know.”

“Norns,” I said angrily, “Make those bastards pay.”

“I intend to, child.” Athilda said then stood and disappeared with a surge of magic and a gust of wind.

Laurdag 8. Skerpla

Where do I even start? I find myself for a loss of words and yet I feel that I need to write something, anything, if only to help myself understand yesterday’s events. I feel so angry and why the Hel shouldn’t I? My life has been permanently and irrevocably changed. I can’t even be sure if my thoughts are even mine anymore. Maybe putting these thoughts to paper will help me put my anger and despair aside. It has helped in the past.

Apparently, it all started at my Naming Ceremony, but I don’t really remember what happened. The doctor said there’s a good chance I never will. Blunt trauma to the head can do that to a person. It’s just as well; I don’t really think I want to remember.

I don’t care to go over the details, but according to mother, Athilda managed to both confirm my identity and name me as a potential heir. Apparently Athilda is my great-great-grandmother. Oh, and I guess my name is now officially Aryanna Morgana Le Fey. After, some sort of confrontation with Olivia de Clisson, (more about her in a while), Athilda became suspicious enough to have Mother, Penelope and me make a break for it.

That’s when we were confronted by four goons. Mom didn’t fare to well, she was shot repeatedly, but Athilda managed to get to her in time. After Mom was shot I was abducted by the four goons and Penelope came along for the ride. The first thing I do remember was the pain in my head. It felt as if a pair of dwarves had taken to using it as an anvil. I opened my eyes and found myself in near as I could tell a dimly lit basement. I could hear dripping water and I felt a cumbersome weight on my wrists and ankles.

Slowly, I sat up and was reminded again of the weight on my wrists and ankles. I examined them and noted that both my legs and arms had been shackled to the floor. I looked around and noted a circle had been drawn around me with all sorts of archaic Norse runes that glowed with a soft blue light.

“Freya preserve me,” I muttered. I didn’t have any recollection of how I had gotten in this predicament, but I did know what the circle was for. It was a circle of imprisonment, usually used to prevent a rogue magic-user from using her powers. They had recently been featured in one of those big Kings- burgh Blockbusters.

“Ah,” a woman’s voice said from behind. “Finally.”

I heard footsteps and a woman that looked vaguely familiar stepped into sight, “I apologize if my friends were too rough. They don’t follow orders very well.”

I looked up at the woman suspiciously, “Who the Hel are you?”

The woman smiled, “Poor dear,” she sighed, “Did the bump on your head leave you a bit confused?”

“Look lady,” I said, “I don’t know what you want from me, but if you think chaining me up in a circle of imprisonment is going to get my cooperation you’ve got another thing coming.”

The woman’s smile turned malicious, “You are nothing more than a pawn, freak. At first I was content to see you dead, but when I found out Athilda intended to name you her apprentice I couldn’t resist fitting you into my plans. Any apprentice would have sufficed, but your part in the death of my mother has guaranteed your place here.” she raged.

I grimaced, “I knew you looked familiar. Goddesses; you look just like her. You were there at the Seidskati meeting too. You voted against my induction.”

My captor smiled, “Very good,” she said with mock praise, “Do you remember our little introduction earlier today?”

I shook my head, “Lady, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The woman almost sounded motherly as she spoke, “Pity, I’m Olivia de Clisson.” she said then her expression turned dark, “The woman you murdered was my mother, Jeanne de Clisson. Do you remember now?”

I shook my head, “Fuck off,” I said and spat in her face.

Olivia grimaced and wiped my spit from her face, “Disgusting freak, didn’t your whore mother ever teach you any manners?”

I glared up at my captor, but didn’t say a word.

“Reginald,” Olivia said suddenly, “Prepare our guest. I have some things to take care of.”

I heard footsteps from behind and then there was darkness as the pain in my head exploded.