*A note appears in your hands in a flash of light*
Do not approach the beggar with a proposition. I encountered him lurking about Gilean's cottage and have it set in motion. With his mind clouded, he will do my bidding nicely. As for our deal, provided you do not fuck it up - I will still grant you that which you seek. There is nothing worse than a miserable mortal playing at an immortal game.
Pay attention to the pawn. If he renigs on his deal with me, swoop in and coax him along. You will be then doubly rewarded, you have my word.
Velentham
Rememberance
After spending several hours searching the remains of the burnt home, finding nothing, he turns to the wood remnants and begins to build a better shelter. Now hungry he begins searching the surrounding area for edible plants. Finding nothing of substance just a few meager berries eating them, hoping they arent poisonous, and drinks some water from the pump before sitting in his ramshackle made lean to.
Luckily the berries were not poisonous and many days passed, barely eating anything except the berries which were few and far between, they had another side effect however. During the nights he had very vivid dreams, more colorful than he had ever remembered having, of a place very similar to where he finds himself. During the day he mindlessly props rocks and wood within the remains of the home, not knowing why, only that he must.
Rain starts again and he hurries to his shelter, climbing under the makeshift lean to, he sits facing the partially covered opening. Staring out into the rain, he feels he is no longer in control of his body, he collapses into a trance the world fading away into darkness. Images flash through his mind and he finds himself in a waking dream.
Getting up from his bed he looks around, finding himself indoors, he hurries to the exit of the room. A hallway and stairs leading down, he now runs trying to get out of the place that he finds himself, he jumps the last few stairs and rushes out the open door. He takes no more than three steps before freezing in place, the water pump catches his eye, he turns toward it. This is the water pump that has kept him alive for the past few days, he wonders how this can be the same one, he turns to face where he came from. The home that had been burnt is now standing fully built and unharmed. Watching helplessly the home starts to melt away, first the walls, then various furnishings disappear. Pictures start to fade away, he runs trying to catch a glimpse, his mind absorbing all that he can see.
Grasping at the air, he wakes, holding onto a bit of tattered clothing that he hung up as a flap to the lean to. Minutes had passed by the look of the ground, still having the occasional dry patch, he closes his eyes recalling the last image he saw before waking. A painting hung on the wall, a family, he recalls thinking harder. Not being able to remember all of the faces of the family, but one, he remembers seeing himself.
Snapping open his eyes, he lowers his head thinking, "This was my home, I had a family here." he looks up and stares at the rain as it falls.
Luckily the berries were not poisonous and many days passed, barely eating anything except the berries which were few and far between, they had another side effect however. During the nights he had very vivid dreams, more colorful than he had ever remembered having, of a place very similar to where he finds himself. During the day he mindlessly props rocks and wood within the remains of the home, not knowing why, only that he must.
Rain starts again and he hurries to his shelter, climbing under the makeshift lean to, he sits facing the partially covered opening. Staring out into the rain, he feels he is no longer in control of his body, he collapses into a trance the world fading away into darkness. Images flash through his mind and he finds himself in a waking dream.
Getting up from his bed he looks around, finding himself indoors, he hurries to the exit of the room. A hallway and stairs leading down, he now runs trying to get out of the place that he finds himself, he jumps the last few stairs and rushes out the open door. He takes no more than three steps before freezing in place, the water pump catches his eye, he turns toward it. This is the water pump that has kept him alive for the past few days, he wonders how this can be the same one, he turns to face where he came from. The home that had been burnt is now standing fully built and unharmed. Watching helplessly the home starts to melt away, first the walls, then various furnishings disappear. Pictures start to fade away, he runs trying to catch a glimpse, his mind absorbing all that he can see.
Grasping at the air, he wakes, holding onto a bit of tattered clothing that he hung up as a flap to the lean to. Minutes had passed by the look of the ground, still having the occasional dry patch, he closes his eyes recalling the last image he saw before waking. A painting hung on the wall, a family, he recalls thinking harder. Not being able to remember all of the faces of the family, but one, he remembers seeing himself.
Snapping open his eyes, he lowers his head thinking, "This was my home, I had a family here." he looks up and stares at the rain as it falls.
Half-Naked Savage
Velentham heard the light steps before seeing anything. The boy had run off completely through the Druid's Grove, his dog none the wiser that eyes were upon him, but something was still amiss. He moved between the trees, uttering a word that lifted him from the ground and kept his invisibility absolute. He hovered there beside a low bush and looked down on a woman half naked and pierced full of silver and laden with so much ink it may have well been three pots worth.
Velentham smirked. The people of this place drove him mad - all of them. They smelled of bitterness, sadness, frustration, madness, and confusion. They made him smell of it deep in his pores. He knew from looking in a mirror he was gaunt - he looked nothing like he had before. But once he had Sanria, once he figured out how to get out of this place, he would return to his former glory.
He followed the half-naked woman's gaze in silence and grinned. She stared at the cottage as well. What she wanted from it, he did not know. He did not care. But perhaps he might make himself known and they might work for a similar goal. Perhaps she might work for him and do his bidding - perhaps she might take his cousin out of the way, and he take Sanria. He might have to work his magic a bit, force the savage before him as he'd forced so many before.
First, he would watch her. He would see her demeanor and keep even his breath silent until he was ready. He drifted upward into the branches of the trees and seated himself on the bough in perfect silence. He stared down at the woman as she stared at the cottage and left his smirk on his face. He'd never felt closer to his goal than right now.
Velentham smirked. The people of this place drove him mad - all of them. They smelled of bitterness, sadness, frustration, madness, and confusion. They made him smell of it deep in his pores. He knew from looking in a mirror he was gaunt - he looked nothing like he had before. But once he had Sanria, once he figured out how to get out of this place, he would return to his former glory.
He followed the half-naked woman's gaze in silence and grinned. She stared at the cottage as well. What she wanted from it, he did not know. He did not care. But perhaps he might make himself known and they might work for a similar goal. Perhaps she might work for him and do his bidding - perhaps she might take his cousin out of the way, and he take Sanria. He might have to work his magic a bit, force the savage before him as he'd forced so many before.
First, he would watch her. He would see her demeanor and keep even his breath silent until he was ready. He drifted upward into the branches of the trees and seated himself on the bough in perfect silence. He stared down at the woman as she stared at the cottage and left his smirk on his face. He'd never felt closer to his goal than right now.
Deluded Fantasies
Maya entered into the base of the woods nearby the waterfall and cocked her head a moment, sniffing the tendrils of smoke on the air before looking around her, crouched down and waiting for trouble. The birds sang their song and the bubbling water cascading over the rocks at the base of the fall were the only sounds she could hear, however someone had been here, that was cigarette smoke.
Not wanting to draw attention to herself now that she feared she wasn't alone, nestled back into the shrubbery, her glaring eyes rested on the small home before her, Sanria's home. She had come to see if Thasmudyan had kept his word, to ensure his brat hadn't stepped an inch near this glade. The quaint little picture of the happy little family before her set her teeth on edge.
There was so much blood, the children looking on in horror, as Sanria began to bleed upon her clothes, but Maya Wanted her to suffer more yet, She allowed Sanria's garments to slide, slippery and wet from her clenched fingers and hit the floor with a thud, in moments however Maya was atop her. "How long I've wanted this".
Sanria's laughter echoed across the glade from the home before Maya and ended her short lived fantasies. Snarling under her breath, she drowned out all her deep sort mental facade, and went back to watching the harlotte's home.
Not wanting to draw attention to herself now that she feared she wasn't alone, nestled back into the shrubbery, her glaring eyes rested on the small home before her, Sanria's home. She had come to see if Thasmudyan had kept his word, to ensure his brat hadn't stepped an inch near this glade. The quaint little picture of the happy little family before her set her teeth on edge.
There was so much blood, the children looking on in horror, as Sanria began to bleed upon her clothes, but Maya Wanted her to suffer more yet, She allowed Sanria's garments to slide, slippery and wet from her clenched fingers and hit the floor with a thud, in moments however Maya was atop her. "How long I've wanted this".
Sanria's laughter echoed across the glade from the home before Maya and ended her short lived fantasies. Snarling under her breath, she drowned out all her deep sort mental facade, and went back to watching the harlotte's home.
Betrayal
Velentham leaned against a tree and pulled a cigarette from the pack in his pocket. He lifted a match, and using only his thumbnail, set it ablaze. It was a trick he had learned from his time in Heifong, the stinking cesspool of filth and degenerates. It was useful when dealing with the drunken fools that waddled up to him wanting to fight since he was gold and seven feet tall. He lifted the flame to his cigarette and brought into his lungs the soothing heat of gray smoke and let it out again. He didn't notice it billowing up into the canopy of the trees around him. His eyes were trained on the cottage.
He saw the boy and his dog leap from the porch and head into the woods. He saw Sanria lean down and stop the little girl from leaving the porch as he held the second drag inside, the pressure soothing in his chest with his arms crossed over it. Thasmudyan, the man who looked like some beggar, was right. She was here, with his cousin, Gilean.
Velentham let the breath out, the smoke thin and dissipated from being held so long and forced out so fast. Gilean, after all his bullshit, had married his girl. There wasn't any descriptor for the feeling that curled within Velentham's heart. Gilean was the reason his father died. Gilean was the reason he couldn't get home. Now, Gilean was the reason he couldn't get Sanria. Anger held his beating muscle in its taloned grip, and squeezed. Perhaps cold rage could be said of him now. After all, Gilean had obviously used the Celestial charm to get Sanria. She was enchanted, it was the only way. And given everything Gilean had told Velentham about not using it on her...
He took in another long drag, the smoke caressing his nerves and helping him to see clearly. Velentham uttered a spell and vanished into nothingness, the only indication he was there, the smoke that appeared like magic from a non-existent cigarette. There would be more than hell to pay, but first, as Velentham finished his smoke, he would think of how best to drag Gilean away and crush the life out of him. One had to plan carefully when dealing with a Celestial, even if that Celestial was a bastardization of what his people truly were.
He saw the boy and his dog leap from the porch and head into the woods. He saw Sanria lean down and stop the little girl from leaving the porch as he held the second drag inside, the pressure soothing in his chest with his arms crossed over it. Thasmudyan, the man who looked like some beggar, was right. She was here, with his cousin, Gilean.
Velentham let the breath out, the smoke thin and dissipated from being held so long and forced out so fast. Gilean, after all his bullshit, had married his girl. There wasn't any descriptor for the feeling that curled within Velentham's heart. Gilean was the reason his father died. Gilean was the reason he couldn't get home. Now, Gilean was the reason he couldn't get Sanria. Anger held his beating muscle in its taloned grip, and squeezed. Perhaps cold rage could be said of him now. After all, Gilean had obviously used the Celestial charm to get Sanria. She was enchanted, it was the only way. And given everything Gilean had told Velentham about not using it on her...
He took in another long drag, the smoke caressing his nerves and helping him to see clearly. Velentham uttered a spell and vanished into nothingness, the only indication he was there, the smoke that appeared like magic from a non-existent cigarette. There would be more than hell to pay, but first, as Velentham finished his smoke, he would think of how best to drag Gilean away and crush the life out of him. One had to plan carefully when dealing with a Celestial, even if that Celestial was a bastardization of what his people truly were.
In Time
Sanria sat in the chair before the fire, Nioma sleeping in the crook of her arm as Matinus read aloud. They had invited Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, Nioma's new pets, into the house, as well as Scout, Matinus' new dog. Embued with a sense of peace, the animals were all getting along, content to sit by the fire grooming themselves. They had had a full day, Gilean taking Nioma to the temple, Sanria taking Matinus to the castle. Though he was incredibly shy, Matinus' face lit up at every new introduction and every passing dragon, and Sanria felt her heart warmed. Matinus reminded her so much of Orn in so many ways - it made it easy for her to love him almost immediately.
Sanria was content to know that Mrs. Bunny had been given a birth control spell not unlike her own - there wouldn't be a multiplication of rabbits in the cottage - though it wouldn't necessarily stop Mr. Bunny from possibly forcing Sanria to explain the birds and bees much sooner than she'd like. She leaned back into the couch as Matinus read and thought back over the day.
Enmach had discovered her marriage given Sanria's young guest, and when she took Sanria into the library, her fingers steepled beneath her narrow nose, the only way Sanria had escaped the withering lecture was when she had been alerted to a visitor outside the castle. Matinus stayed behind with Mirin, who had been a fixture in the castle with Orn, and Sanria found herself in discussions with a drow whose name Sanria never did receive. Concerned with the balance of Westbridge and the treatment he found at the hands of Radiant Heart, the drow insisted his viewpoint may well aid in the balance of the clan. With the promise of an application, the meeting had ended, and Sanria went back inside to collect Matinus.
The walk back to the cottage had the boy chatting amiably and excitedly. "I will be a Keeper of Balance when I get big, then I'll work with a dragon and go on adventures with a dragon and a silver lady and scout." Sanria could only chuckle. Now sitting there, a sleeping child on her lap, another child who needed a mother at her side reading "The Adventures of Roland," Sanria felt a warmth spread through her and she reached over, ruffling Matinus' hair.
The day had been filled with speculative glances from the Rilmani, a fresh dose of irritation from Enmach, an uncanny meeting with an unknown drow, and a glut of brand new pets, owing partially to Gilean not wanting to let Nioma down in her request to not have the live Mr. Bunny be lonely. She looked up as Gilean came in the room and sat in the chair. He smiled warmly at the assembled group... family... and Sanria felt within herself the beginnings of belonging.
Sanria was content to know that Mrs. Bunny had been given a birth control spell not unlike her own - there wouldn't be a multiplication of rabbits in the cottage - though it wouldn't necessarily stop Mr. Bunny from possibly forcing Sanria to explain the birds and bees much sooner than she'd like. She leaned back into the couch as Matinus read and thought back over the day.
Enmach had discovered her marriage given Sanria's young guest, and when she took Sanria into the library, her fingers steepled beneath her narrow nose, the only way Sanria had escaped the withering lecture was when she had been alerted to a visitor outside the castle. Matinus stayed behind with Mirin, who had been a fixture in the castle with Orn, and Sanria found herself in discussions with a drow whose name Sanria never did receive. Concerned with the balance of Westbridge and the treatment he found at the hands of Radiant Heart, the drow insisted his viewpoint may well aid in the balance of the clan. With the promise of an application, the meeting had ended, and Sanria went back inside to collect Matinus.
The walk back to the cottage had the boy chatting amiably and excitedly. "I will be a Keeper of Balance when I get big, then I'll work with a dragon and go on adventures with a dragon and a silver lady and scout." Sanria could only chuckle. Now sitting there, a sleeping child on her lap, another child who needed a mother at her side reading "The Adventures of Roland," Sanria felt a warmth spread through her and she reached over, ruffling Matinus' hair.
The day had been filled with speculative glances from the Rilmani, a fresh dose of irritation from Enmach, an uncanny meeting with an unknown drow, and a glut of brand new pets, owing partially to Gilean not wanting to let Nioma down in her request to not have the live Mr. Bunny be lonely. She looked up as Gilean came in the room and sat in the chair. He smiled warmly at the assembled group... family... and Sanria felt within herself the beginnings of belonging.
Personal Hell, Public Chaos
She had been married for less than twenty-four hours and already it seemed everyone that she didn't want to know, knew. She sat with Matinus on the edge of his bed, tucking him in. She had ensured the boy had a bath and his hair was combed, and he looked at her with his lilac-colored eyes and gave a drawn out yawn. "I'm glad you're here," he said simply. It was a small act of gratitude in her day that made her feel emotional. Chaos was too easy a word to describe what Sanria had walked into.
She'd gotten into a shouting match with Thasmudyan, though she'd anticipated his anger in a way. Left without his powers, fresh from saving Lyvinnia from Maya, he had admitted he felt betrayed and angry. She could only say she felt fear. Thasmudyan had left her before, disappeared on her before, even slept with Maya while he was supposed to be with her. Yes, she loved Gilean, but the speed with which she'd acted on their marriage was predicated by the fear of being with Thasmudyan. After all those years of wanting nothing more, she couldn't handle the idea of being back together with the one who had held her heart for so long.
She gave him some of Nioma's clothes to take back for Lyvinnia and confronted the second irate person - Leandra. Her daughter was utterly furious, and accused Sanria of not only ruining her life, but Colin's as well. The rancor that poured from Leandra's mouth shocked Sanria and made her feel small. The ultimate insult was when Leandra insisted that, no matter what Sanria felt, she had an obligation to be with Colin. It was so final, so snappish, Sanria was stunned into silence. "You don't need to worry, I'm leaving this place. The farther away I can get so I'm not reminded that I'm *your* daughter, the better."
Matinus had salvaged the night. She had made at least one person outside of Gilean happy. She stood up and blew him a kiss goodnight. When he sleepily returned it, Sanria could barely keep herself from crying.
She'd gotten into a shouting match with Thasmudyan, though she'd anticipated his anger in a way. Left without his powers, fresh from saving Lyvinnia from Maya, he had admitted he felt betrayed and angry. She could only say she felt fear. Thasmudyan had left her before, disappeared on her before, even slept with Maya while he was supposed to be with her. Yes, she loved Gilean, but the speed with which she'd acted on their marriage was predicated by the fear of being with Thasmudyan. After all those years of wanting nothing more, she couldn't handle the idea of being back together with the one who had held her heart for so long.
She gave him some of Nioma's clothes to take back for Lyvinnia and confronted the second irate person - Leandra. Her daughter was utterly furious, and accused Sanria of not only ruining her life, but Colin's as well. The rancor that poured from Leandra's mouth shocked Sanria and made her feel small. The ultimate insult was when Leandra insisted that, no matter what Sanria felt, she had an obligation to be with Colin. It was so final, so snappish, Sanria was stunned into silence. "You don't need to worry, I'm leaving this place. The farther away I can get so I'm not reminded that I'm *your* daughter, the better."
Matinus had salvaged the night. She had made at least one person outside of Gilean happy. She stood up and blew him a kiss goodnight. When he sleepily returned it, Sanria could barely keep herself from crying.
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