Winter’s bride
King Ulfric Godslayer, had done many mighty deeds in his time on the throne. But always wanted to prove his name and slay a god, he knew most gods were too powerful for man to kill, otherwise many more people would have done it. Finally though, his sorcerer discovered, the avatar of Autumn was in a forest of the kingdom, Ulfric rode immediately to find her, taking only a small group of men with him.
When he found her, he was suprised to find she seemed elderly and frail, of course he knew Autumn had come and gone since the beginning of time. But he had been told by the sorcerer that she was beautiful, and powerful but not unstoppable.
“Greeting your highness, to what do I owe this visit?” She asked looking across the clearing at him.
“I wished to prove my name, and may have been hasty in my choice of opponents.” He wasn’t expecting time to effect the seasons so, especially as Autumn was hardly begun.
“Been hasty have you? Simply because I look frail you think me so? I chose to learn how I effect the vulnerable, though I cannot change my nature I can lessen my toll sometimes, to help them.” King Ulfric felt she may have been commenting on how he ruled his people. “But there must always be an autumn, the same as Summer, Winter and Spring, all much exist or chaos would reign.” Suddenly the wind rose and leaves began to spiral around Autumn, when they fell she was young, tall and beautiful as he had expected her.
“You wish to dual me to prove your name? Then we shall dual.” She began to command the trees and their roots to attack Ulfric and his men, most were slaughtered before Ulfric could even reach Autumn, who formed a sword seemingly from the very leaves to parry Ulfric’s powerful blows. This was it, this was the battle Ulfric wanted, to slay a god of nature in combat. Autumn may have been powerful, but Ulfric had skill on his side, and soon wounded Autumn, she collapsed to the ground her side deeply slashed.
“You have bested me your highness.” Autumn said breathlessly looking up Ulfric’s blade to his panting face. “Show mercy, show that you could kill a god, but you are not so barbaric…” Before she could finish her sentence, he stabbed her. She melted into nothing but leaves and moss her last words. “There must be an Autumn” Ulfric’s remaining men looked on in horror, until they fled as the magic that governed the world, found the new host for the soul of Autumn, a new avatar. First Ulfric felt the power flow through him, felt he could command the trees and winds, but then his body was frozen lifted into the air on invisible strings of magic. His body began to change as his armour, ornate and polished fell from it, replaced with leaves of gold, copper and crimson, then his bald head began to grow long flowing copper hair. His proud features softened and the horror he felt turned to acceptance, as he knew at the centre of his being that, there must be an Autumn. The new avatar of Autumn smiled at the approach of another, this proud noble figure was her new husband winter, as he had and would forever be. He kissed her softly, caressing her form before whisking his new wife away, to where they could make love together. It would not be the tenderness you might expect, from as noble a couple, but winter had spite deep in his soul, and this wife had slain his former one, that needed punishing. So now, if you wish to make a name for yourself by slaying a god, remember this, some gods are never killed, not truely simply bested before returning stronger and wiser then before.