Post by Aura on Dec 1, 2007 15:16:49 GMT -5
Prologue -- Look to the Stars
Sadness... is it something to be feared? Is it something to flee from when one feels that tear pricking in their eye? Is it right to blink that tear away and put on a brave face, or to let it fall to the ground to be reborn and returned to the water it was once part of, to let the sadness flow...?
Who knew? Could there ever be an answer to that question? Oh, how Lilytha wished that there was.
The cold metal of a well worn sword was cool upon her hand in the warm evening air. The stars were beginning to loose the sheen that often coated them when the sun dared to blaze in the sky. They were becoming the great, shining speckles that tainted the night sky, with no other light to rival them. It was a new moon, so not even the silver orb of the night dared to cast its light upon them all. It was just nonexistent, not even a sliver from the side could be seen. There were few nights when this was complete, and every one of these nights Lilytha hated. The nights when all lights from the village would be put out so that the stars could shine their brightest. The night when the darkness would be avenged. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, future to present, present to past... life to memory.
For these few nights were when one of the villagers would be sacrificed in order to appease the will of the creature that lurked in the depths of Vawyer's Cave. Prince Asbidan, the new ruler of the Kingdom since his father had been dragged away to mark his presence on the very borders of their lands had decided that rather than fighting the creature, they would just serve deaths to it. Sacrifices. Lilytha's fist clenched but tighter as she thought of it on the hilt of her sword. It was no problem for the Prince, of course, no pain for him, he would just be able to sit back and relax while innocent people were subjected to a terrible death and moons of grieving. He did not care, of course. And yet who had tried to stop him? None. All the rich ones were loyal to the crown, and all the poor ones were too weak. And the ones in the middle? There were not enough to raise a rebellion. If they could come together, then maybe, just maybe... maybe Lilytha wouldn't be facing this heart ache at this time, on this night. Maybe things would be different.
Like that could ever happen... She thought to herself in despair. First, she had seen the Prince's reasoning. But now? Now, it was personal. She knew that it was selfish of her, and yet she did not try to deny it to herself. She was honest with her own mind and maybe that had saved her from insanity over the past few years. She would never try to disguise her feelings to herself, to mask it, to make up stories to make what she had done a little better. She was just given the hard, raw truth, and did not give a care. So what if she was selfish? At least she now realized why she must stop this. Stop the ways of the Royals of Asbidant, or die. That was simply her cause. Now, at least.
Lilytha looked down the hill that she was sitting on, looking down to try and see if she could seak out Kirri. He had not arrived here, as he said he would, when all plans had been made. He said he was bringing a warrior, going by the name of... the name escaped her. No matter, a warrior at least, another one would do. So where was he with this other warrior that he had spoken of? He must be somewhere between here and the Cave, so what was taking him so long?
She placed the tip of her sword on the ground, the blade upright, and supported herself upon it as she stood up, trying not to think of the deed she must do. It was not the situation when she would be thinking - I could just turn back. It wasn't like that. When something was set in Lilytha's mind, it would stay there, never to change. This, certainly, she would not try to change. This was what she knew she had to do, and do it she would, this night, tonight.
The endless tendrils of thought that spiraled in her mind were broken by the appearance of a figure in the corner of her eye. She looked down to see a figure making their way up the hill that she had chosen to stand on. She turned to it, the moon and her figure a silhouette to the one who stood below her. He ran up the hill, panting with the steepness but not struggling as practice allowed him to climb it with relative ease. He ran up the last steep stretch of hill, then stood before Lilytha, with a short nod.
This was Kirri, the one she had been waiting for. His hair was refrained from overshadowing his eyes by a white band across his forehead, tied at the back and hanging down, veiling the vivid white scimitar that was sheathed across his back. The golden hilt glinted in the faint light of the stars. His green eyes reflected the sight he saw before him, below, in the village of Jirapa, the place where the Kingdom of Asbidant was centered around. It was so serene, so perfect in the light of the stars, the blue black darkness so secret, so dark, unbroken and unwavering by the worries of the world. But from the place where he had just come from, things were a little less calm. A monster was stirring in the bowels of the earth, dragging itself up from its hiding place to see what disturbed it on the outside world. And Kirri almost wished that he could just run straight to the other side of the hill, to the calm serenity of Jirapa.
Lilytha, without a word, started walking down the hill. Kirri took a last moment looking over the hill to the village below, before turning and joining her on their descent down the place. Not liking the uncomfortable silence between them, he decided to speak.
So... are we still doing this?
He asked, even though he knew the answer. His words had shattered the silence that had settled over them, which Lilytha obviously didn't like. Kirri himself didn't like silence. He found it too... quiet? Noise was more his thing. He half expected Lilytha to not reply though, seeing as things like that could irritate her so. She send him an annoyed gaze, as if to prove his thoughts, but answered all the same, if in a sarcastic tone.
Take a guess.
She stated firmly, setting her gaze ahead of her once again, supposedly ending the short conversation firmly. But Kirri didn't like endings like that either, and despite the situation was always up for a joke, so there was humor in his tones when he dared to speak again, a little way down the hill.
Hm... no? We're just going to go home with Rose and forget the whole thing?
He asked hopefully, slowing his pace as if implying that they could just turn back now.
We can't forget the whole thing. This is the perfect opportunity and you know it.
Lilytha said, not even bothering to look at him this time, keeping her defiant gaze straight ahead.
And does Rose even know that she has a choice?
Do we?
No, but we have a choice to decide weather we have a choice.
Lilytha sent him a withering gaze this time. It was no use in trying to change her mind now, as she was set on doing what she wanted to do. Not even the persuasions of Rose could send her away from this chance. Her heart had hardened since past times, when she would surely flee from the situation. They were in the past... far back in the past. Nothing could ever turn her back to them now.
I am concerned for the death of my sister.
She said simply, putting it in the plain way that she liked to do. Kirri was a little surprised by this blunt outburst, but there would be more to come.
She knows that I would never put her in danger. She trusts me, and I trust you lot, Sha'deai help me.
Lilytha didn't believe herself at how she could believe in her childhood friend, Kirri, and this random warrior that apparently he trusted... what if they were some kind of traitor? She gritted her teeth and refused herself to make those kind of conclusions, to just put her faith in them for this one time. She only hoped that Rose could find it in her heart to do the same.
They were silent for a moment, then their surroundings changed, and there was no longer even a chance to decide to talk.
[/center]Who knew? Could there ever be an answer to that question? Oh, how Lilytha wished that there was.
The cold metal of a well worn sword was cool upon her hand in the warm evening air. The stars were beginning to loose the sheen that often coated them when the sun dared to blaze in the sky. They were becoming the great, shining speckles that tainted the night sky, with no other light to rival them. It was a new moon, so not even the silver orb of the night dared to cast its light upon them all. It was just nonexistent, not even a sliver from the side could be seen. There were few nights when this was complete, and every one of these nights Lilytha hated. The nights when all lights from the village would be put out so that the stars could shine their brightest. The night when the darkness would be avenged. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, future to present, present to past... life to memory.
For these few nights were when one of the villagers would be sacrificed in order to appease the will of the creature that lurked in the depths of Vawyer's Cave. Prince Asbidan, the new ruler of the Kingdom since his father had been dragged away to mark his presence on the very borders of their lands had decided that rather than fighting the creature, they would just serve deaths to it. Sacrifices. Lilytha's fist clenched but tighter as she thought of it on the hilt of her sword. It was no problem for the Prince, of course, no pain for him, he would just be able to sit back and relax while innocent people were subjected to a terrible death and moons of grieving. He did not care, of course. And yet who had tried to stop him? None. All the rich ones were loyal to the crown, and all the poor ones were too weak. And the ones in the middle? There were not enough to raise a rebellion. If they could come together, then maybe, just maybe... maybe Lilytha wouldn't be facing this heart ache at this time, on this night. Maybe things would be different.
Like that could ever happen... She thought to herself in despair. First, she had seen the Prince's reasoning. But now? Now, it was personal. She knew that it was selfish of her, and yet she did not try to deny it to herself. She was honest with her own mind and maybe that had saved her from insanity over the past few years. She would never try to disguise her feelings to herself, to mask it, to make up stories to make what she had done a little better. She was just given the hard, raw truth, and did not give a care. So what if she was selfish? At least she now realized why she must stop this. Stop the ways of the Royals of Asbidant, or die. That was simply her cause. Now, at least.
Lilytha looked down the hill that she was sitting on, looking down to try and see if she could seak out Kirri. He had not arrived here, as he said he would, when all plans had been made. He said he was bringing a warrior, going by the name of... the name escaped her. No matter, a warrior at least, another one would do. So where was he with this other warrior that he had spoken of? He must be somewhere between here and the Cave, so what was taking him so long?
She placed the tip of her sword on the ground, the blade upright, and supported herself upon it as she stood up, trying not to think of the deed she must do. It was not the situation when she would be thinking - I could just turn back. It wasn't like that. When something was set in Lilytha's mind, it would stay there, never to change. This, certainly, she would not try to change. This was what she knew she had to do, and do it she would, this night, tonight.
The endless tendrils of thought that spiraled in her mind were broken by the appearance of a figure in the corner of her eye. She looked down to see a figure making their way up the hill that she had chosen to stand on. She turned to it, the moon and her figure a silhouette to the one who stood below her. He ran up the hill, panting with the steepness but not struggling as practice allowed him to climb it with relative ease. He ran up the last steep stretch of hill, then stood before Lilytha, with a short nod.
This was Kirri, the one she had been waiting for. His hair was refrained from overshadowing his eyes by a white band across his forehead, tied at the back and hanging down, veiling the vivid white scimitar that was sheathed across his back. The golden hilt glinted in the faint light of the stars. His green eyes reflected the sight he saw before him, below, in the village of Jirapa, the place where the Kingdom of Asbidant was centered around. It was so serene, so perfect in the light of the stars, the blue black darkness so secret, so dark, unbroken and unwavering by the worries of the world. But from the place where he had just come from, things were a little less calm. A monster was stirring in the bowels of the earth, dragging itself up from its hiding place to see what disturbed it on the outside world. And Kirri almost wished that he could just run straight to the other side of the hill, to the calm serenity of Jirapa.
Lilytha, without a word, started walking down the hill. Kirri took a last moment looking over the hill to the village below, before turning and joining her on their descent down the place. Not liking the uncomfortable silence between them, he decided to speak.
So... are we still doing this?
He asked, even though he knew the answer. His words had shattered the silence that had settled over them, which Lilytha obviously didn't like. Kirri himself didn't like silence. He found it too... quiet? Noise was more his thing. He half expected Lilytha to not reply though, seeing as things like that could irritate her so. She send him an annoyed gaze, as if to prove his thoughts, but answered all the same, if in a sarcastic tone.
Take a guess.
She stated firmly, setting her gaze ahead of her once again, supposedly ending the short conversation firmly. But Kirri didn't like endings like that either, and despite the situation was always up for a joke, so there was humor in his tones when he dared to speak again, a little way down the hill.
Hm... no? We're just going to go home with Rose and forget the whole thing?
He asked hopefully, slowing his pace as if implying that they could just turn back now.
We can't forget the whole thing. This is the perfect opportunity and you know it.
Lilytha said, not even bothering to look at him this time, keeping her defiant gaze straight ahead.
And does Rose even know that she has a choice?
Do we?
No, but we have a choice to decide weather we have a choice.
Lilytha sent him a withering gaze this time. It was no use in trying to change her mind now, as she was set on doing what she wanted to do. Not even the persuasions of Rose could send her away from this chance. Her heart had hardened since past times, when she would surely flee from the situation. They were in the past... far back in the past. Nothing could ever turn her back to them now.
I am concerned for the death of my sister.
She said simply, putting it in the plain way that she liked to do. Kirri was a little surprised by this blunt outburst, but there would be more to come.
She knows that I would never put her in danger. She trusts me, and I trust you lot, Sha'deai help me.
Lilytha didn't believe herself at how she could believe in her childhood friend, Kirri, and this random warrior that apparently he trusted... what if they were some kind of traitor? She gritted her teeth and refused herself to make those kind of conclusions, to just put her faith in them for this one time. She only hoped that Rose could find it in her heart to do the same.
They were silent for a moment, then their surroundings changed, and there was no longer even a chance to decide to talk.