After Arge dies, poisoned as she stands at the altar on her wedding day, she returns as a spirit to ask Martis for help in identifying the killer.

Willies, spirits of young girls who were murdered before they married or had children, were a common feature of ancient myth. Sometimes they were good, sometimes not, but almost every myth includes the haunting of the family by these willies, usually for many years. Seven or nine seem to be the usual numbers. It was necessary for the families to perform the proper rituals to prevent disaster.

Fertility – both of people and livestock, was important for the health of the community. One reason for this is the danger associated with childbirth. One estimate I read of maternal death in childbirth was put at between 40 and 50%. Infant mortality was as high, and of course of those who survived birth, a large percentage did not make it to their fifth birthday. But I digress.

In Martis’ case, the spirit of her sister Arge is helpful. The question is this, is the spirit Martis sees truly a ghost of is it the voice of Martis’s subconscious? The reader has to decide.

I chose Arge because, in this way, Martis can have help figuring out what she’s seen and heard without involving someone who might be a suspect.