Bella by Cat

The old woman stood with her back to the warm fire, and to Bella. Bella was used to the silence of the old woman, it was comforting somehow, a break from the chatter of her friends. It almost seemed wrong when the old woman spoke.
"It has nearly come, child. Your time draws close." she said. Bella was startled. She began to think, for the first time, that there was reason behind her parents dire warnings to stay away from the Wise Woman.
"Pardon, Lady?" she asked, cautiously giving the old lady the respect earned by her years.
"Your time to ride the Crimson Wave is coming soon." she said and Bella felt a terrible chill come over her despite the heat the open fire gave. It was tradition that once a girl first rode the Crimson Wave she would then be married.
"I canna." she said, tears welling in her grey and stormy eyes. The old woman faced her, taking in Bella's distress. The Wise Woman stroked Bella's black matted hair.
"Dinna fret, child. To be partnered is no' so bad, and that is no' the only option." The Wise Woman reminded her. Bella's face paled a little. She looked around frantically.
"Begging forgiveness Lady, but dare ye speak o' such things aloud?" she asked. Gone were the days in which a woman had a choice in her life. Few traveled the path of the ancient wisdom, it was considered evil now. The Wise Woman leaned in to her.
"Child, ye are our only hope. Ye must choose the other path. Dinna let yerself be partnered. The Gift sings in yer blood, louder than in generations. I ken these things." The Wise Woman sounded desperate. Bella knew what the Wise Woman meant, the strange things that happened around Bella sometimes were no accident. The Wise Woman nodded, seeing the understanding in Bella's eyes.
"Ye will do it, will ye no'?" she asked. Bella sighed.
"Aye, I shall." It was better than being married, this way she could roam, perhaps with the old woman, and make a difference to the world.
"Ye have 3 days. Then ye shall have to leave here or be partnered." It was the woman's way of saying that the Crimson Wave would come in three days. Bella nodded.
"Ye shall come with me? Help?" she asked. The Wise Woman nodded.
"Aye, I must. Ye ken no' our ways yet. Ye shall, but I shall help ye." she said and turned away, making it clear to Bella that she must go.

Three days passed and the Wise Woman's prediction came true. Bella rushed to the Wise Woman's hut, holding a small bag of belongings and some money.
"Come come, we must leave!" she said when the Wise Woman let her in.
"Aye, and we shall. Be calm." the Wise Woman said and collected the belongings she wished to take. They walked to where the horses were kept, though Bella kept adding in a frantic running step. Bella quickly saddled the horses and helped the Wise Woman onto one of them before nimbly leaping onto the other. The last she saw of her home village was over her shoulder when they were a fair distance off.