Owned by: Catherine Fisher

Warning: Gudrun-centric; everyone-who-isn't-Gudrun bashing; post-Soul Thieves

Dauntless Pluck

8: A Brief History

Summary: Gudrun reflects on her life.

The Snow-Walker lounged casually in her icy throne, resting her chin upon her hand as she gazed into empty space. Her perfect plan ruined yet again by her mirror … he had a knack for destroying her dreams, even at a young age. Gudrun sighed, twisting her pallid hair between her fingers as she scrutinized it; he was her reflection, but he was her child as well, and children were known for acting against their parents. He was meant to be a vessel for her power, a storage device that ensured her magic even when that which ran through her was depleted, but she could not conjure him into existence – for even Rune-speakers were not so powerful as to create people, albeit empty ones.

So instead she had taken an imbecile for a mate, used him to usurp the Wulfing whose line had too often aggravated her people … and yet they had shunned her. Gudrun knew the price she would pay to preserve her power and her people, and tainting herself was not as difficult as she had once believed it would be. There was no love, nor would there ever be, especially for a Snow-walker.

Not from her people.

Not from her mate.

Not from her son.

And yet, she knew there had been a time when she felt love for all of them before allowing the cold to creep in and numb everything that was not power or ice. Perhaps it was her fate to die in the cold, alone and uncared for as her kingdom crumbled beneath her feet.