They say you don’t develop a memory until you have seen four winters, but I remember my second winter because it was then that I decided that I didn’t want to be a child, for a child was never taken seriously and they were just useless when it came to defending those you cared about.

I was born Diylne Siheta, first born of Nihan and Quaton Siheta, leader of the Cabardi tribe in the Eicit. Fearsome fighters, we believed that the weak were toys for the strong to play with. The leader of the tribe was the strongest person there and had a lot of scars. If you didn’t like the current leader, you were free to challenge him to a fight and, if you lost, you died. My father, Nihan, had been tribal leader for five years before I was born and had faced off against many ambitious men and enemies from afar.

It was during the start of my second winter when raiders came to the village. I remember the sound of screams and the smell of burning sulfur as I struggled with the person who was taking me from my mother.