If fate is supposed to be unchanging and humans change with time, both their decisions and themselves, then how can fate be found within the future? Is it not more logical for fate to be a concept connected to the one period of time that is impossible for humans to change? What if fate was not within the timeframe of the future but the past, with the fact that these moments in time were definitively set in stone. 

If this was so, then her fate was exceedingly cruel. Damara reminisced as the midwife gave her some water to drink, the pain from her contractions ever present in her mind. She was scared, why wouldn't she be? She was far from home in an unfamiliar village, she was alone; no family, no friends, no husband. If anything happened to her, if she died on the birthing bed, what would happen to her child?

Her beloved child who was the last thing she had in the world of her husband, who was the only family who would not scorn her. Altan had been so excited when she had given him the news, hugging her gently and kissing her tenderly. He loved this child so fervently, as their hope for a future of their own choosing. Their sweet child that by the word of her so called fate should have never existed.

Damara sighed, she loved her people, her home and their culture, but she had always seen things differently. She believed and prayed to Urium, asked him for guidance and the security of his great seeing eyes. She believed in fate and prophecy as any other Destini, fate was present in everything and everyone; as immutable and firm as stone, yet she had never considered fate as part of the future. She had decided at a young age that if fate was unalterable then it should refer to the past where actions and events were already carved into stone. Prophecy should be taken seriously and considered carefully but not define every aspect of a person's life.

There had been some among the other Destin who shared her way of thinking or held similar beliefs, few as they were. Altan had been one of them and they had understood each other from the start.

Another contraction rippled through her body and Damara winced. She wished for someone to hold her hand and reassure her that everything would be alright, even her parents or Carmentis. 

She missed them even if their interpretations of their people's beliefs was different. She wished their differences had not torn them apart. Her parents believed in fate as in the future and that the prophecies of the priests were to be followed to the letter to have a good life. In the end when she rejected her future "fate" they had been devastated and disowned her. When the priests had come for her and Altan for their heresy they had not intervened, not even when she was sentenced to execution to "cleanse her spirit and family line". 

Damara's breathe hitched at the memories that assaulted her mind. She had lost her dearest Altan and had almost lost her and her child's lives as well. Carmentis had been the one to save her, her cousin and precious friend, and a priestess of Urium. She had never understood Damara's beliefs but she had supported her. When she was declared Fateless and doomed to the next realm Carmentis had seemed horrified and disappointed, apparently she had never expected that Damara would go against her fate and prophecies, after all she had been the one to issue the prophecy of her cousin's marriage with Zayn.

Zayn was an elitist whose beliefs were firmly against her own and who she could not stand. Apparently they were fated to marry and bring forth several prophets into the community. Damara had refused to accept it and had instead married her beloved Altan. That was the final straw and both her and her husband were branded Fateless and heretics.

Carmentis had gone against both her faith and the declarations of their community, smuggling Damara outside of their people's land and setting her up in a village where she could safely deliver her child when her condition became obvious.

And now here she was months after her greatest tragedy, having lost her family, her home and her people, about to bring a child into the world all alone except for the midwife attending to her. Damara could feel tears flowing from her eyes as she mourned her life and yet she strengthened her resolve to live. She would survive, she would wait the time to recover from birth and for her child to grow; and then she would go somewhere else to start a new life. She would find work and live as best she could with her and Altan's child.

This was not the end, it was a new beginning and she was free from the grasping claws of her people's beliefs and expectations.