Fate Rebellion

"Eilin?" he whispered at the back of a bend over young girl dressed in the standard furs and leathers most nobles wore. 

"Hmm?" the girl hummed in surprise as she turned around with a raised eyebrow, her long ginger hair fluttering around her. "Are you Lord Rurik?" she asked curiously, when she noticed the young boy of about her own age. 

But Rurik didn't listen. He was stunned into inaction when he recognized the young girl's features. She possessed a pretty, heart-shaped face, with a cute nose and freckles. Bright, emerald coloured irises shone in her almond eyes and beautifully contrasted with her naturally red hair. 

She couldn't be older than twelve now, but Rurik still recognized her. The first time he'd met her she was eighteen and just entered his and Luna's retirement mansion… 

* * * 

Back in his previous life, Eilin had rapidly become Rurik and Luna's favourite maid. Not because she was particularly beautiful or obedient. No, Eilin was their favourite, exactly because it took quite a bit of effort to subdue her. 

Eilin was a firebrand. When she first entered their service, her attitude was that of someone who'd ride out Rurik and Luna's lives and earn the significant reward she'd been promised at the end of it. She had no problem with sex, and believed her will was strong enough to resist any attempt at making her truly submit. 

Yet, that attitude was exactly what focused the attention of Rurik and Luna on her. To try and make her feel indebted to them, they even helped her take revenge on the corrupt politician who'd caused the death of her family. Rurik gave her the opportunity, and Eilin killed the man with her own hands. 

It took more than a year, but eventually, she fell… 

She could no longer resist the pleasure, safety, and security that came with submission to her Master and Mistress. At some point, it was like a switch had flipped, and she began to throw herself into her servile role with surprising enthusiasm. 

From that moment, it was like Rurik had imprinted himself upon her and her attachment and devotion to him grew daily, and exponentially. 

Yet, despite the fact they'd already succeeded in breaking her, EIlin remained their favourite. She had proven herself highly capable and intelligent, and the fact she remained a wilful firebrand towards anyone but Rurik and Luna only endeared her more to them. 

All of that cumulated into the actions she took on the day of their death… after all, she was the maid who screeched no weaker than Luna, and threw herself again Mark in a rage, thus allowing Luna and her controlled soldier to kill him… and her. 

* * * 

Rurik blinked shortly as his memories of Eilin came to the forefront. 

Without thinking about it, Rurik stepped forward, his gaze confused and unfocused. It wasn't that he cared so much about Eilin—although he did like her—but rather, his thoughts centred around the fact that, if Eilin was here, then perhaps Luna was as well? 

 Behind him, his bewildered parents stepped into the cottage as well, just in time to see Rurik grab Eilin's shoulder. "Eilin? Is tha—" 

But as soon as he touched her, they both fainted. 

* * * 

Suddenly, Rurik found himself in an empty, white void. 

Shocked, he turned on his axis, head on a swivel. He also looked down, and noticed he was back in his adult body. "What— What the hell is happening?" 

As if in answer to his question, something else appeared in the void… or rather, someone else. Someone he'd been wanting to see again for almost a year now. 

"Luna…" he whispered when he noticed her blond hair, distinct purple eyes, and angelic features. She wore a strange, elegant, thin robe that left little to the imagination, and certainly inspired Rurik's desires. 

His supposedly dead wife smiled at him as she approached, "My love... I know this must all be terribly confusing to you, especially if you haven't gotten all your memories back yet, but I need to be quick." 

When she reached him, she softly kissed his lips in greeting, and Rurik could only stand there in total shock at suddenly seeing her again. 

"We'll meet each other again, Rurik," she promised after separating from him. "I know you've been sent a thousand years into the past, but… we're both still alive! I'm not in the same world as you, but I know you'll come here soon enough. All you need to do is find me!" 

Before Rurik could say anything, she continued with a frown, her hands gently pressed against his chest as she looked deep into his eyes. "But I only have a few seconds, so for now, just know this: when you sail to England with Harald Hardrada, you need to take Eilin with you! In the same boat! No matter what!" 

Rurik opened his mouth, but Luna and the void already began to fade away. "Wait! Luna…!" He immediately realized she didn't have much time. His mind raced to think of the most important things he needed to know. "Eilin! Will she remember?!" 

Luna's face and voice were fading rapidly as she answered, "Yes! Meeting you should have… restored her memories… Right now… she should be hearing a recorded message… to explain her situation… so she shouldn't be too shocked!" 

Rurik opened his mouth again, but the barely-visible Luna shook her head with a sad smile, "No more time… remember… take Eilin… with you…! lo…ve y…ou…!" 

As soon as her last word fell, the void shattered, and blackness engulfed him. 

* * * 

Rurik's eyes flew open in the real world, and his body jolted upwards. "Luna…!" he exclaimed, panting slightly. 

Immediately after, two pairs of arms encircled him. 

"Milyi!" 

"Big Brother!" 

Rurik blinked, and quickly recognized the people clinging to his body as Maria and Elisiv. Looking around, he realized he was lying on the bed inside his own, recently acquired cottage. 

He ignored the two women for now, as his mind was trying to process what just happened. 'Was that… really Luna? But how…?' he muttered to himself. Then he rolled his eyes, 'Although, I guess I've already been reborn a thousand years into the past, so a little more mysticism isn't too surprising.' 

He frowned, concern written across his face, 'But… how is Luna involved in all this? How do I find her? What does Eilin have to do with it all, and… what's going to happen during the journey to England? She said to make sure Eilin is in the same boat, so whatever's going to happen probably won't wait until we arrive.' 

But before his thoughts could spiral too far out of control, he slammed down the discipline hammer. 'Whatever, none of that really matters, at least not right now,' he finally growled as a grin slowly began to spread on his lips. 'Luna is still alive!' Relief, adrenaline, and endorphins, all surged through his body in such amounts that he felt dizzy. 

He almost started laughing right there and then, but he barely managed to contain himself. He couldn't stop the wide grin on his face, but his mother and sister couldn't see—they were both hugging his body. 

"Mom? Maria?" he asked, trying to contain his happiness, and sound a little groggy. "What happened? Where's Eilin?" 

The most important thing to him now was to follow whatever plan Luna had—and for that, he needed Eilin. There was no cell in his body that doubted Luna, even if there were still many things he didn't understand. 

"Never mind her, Rurik! Are you alright?!" Elisiv exclaimed, after pulling back and carefully examining his body. "You fainted out of nowhere! First the wolf, and now this…! You have to stop worrying me like this!" 

Meanwhile, Maria simply continued clinging to him, whining softly about not leaving her. 

"I'm fine, Mom, really…" he sighed as he grabbed her shoulder with a stern expression. In fact, he was more than fine, but he couldn't talk about that now. "Please tell me what happened to Eilin? It's important." 

"Why do you care so much about her…?" Elisiv asked with surprising suspicion. "Did she really bewitch you, like your father suggested?!" 

"Bewitched?!" Rurik blinked in disbelief. 'Fucking hell, I almost forgot what kind of time I'm living in,' he groaned inwardly. 'This could actually get dicey.' 

The fact that the existence of witches would just be a mild surprise to him at this point completely escaped him. 

"No, I'm not bewitched, Mom!" he exclaimed as he struggled out of bed and his sister's grip. "Quickly, take me to Father. Eilin is not a witch; she's something far more than that!" 

'She's my ticket to reuniting with Luna!' he cried out in his mind. 'And I'll be dammed if I let her come to harm now!'