She'd sold her soul... And for what? Regardless of the reason, she'd taken a life that hadn't been hers to take. If you wanted to get technical, she'd taken two lives. Andruil's soft whispers were like a buzz in the back of her mind, reassuring her that she'd done the right thing. Unfortunately, she wasn't so sure. Now, she was running from that which she didn't think she could protect herself from. The most she could do on her own was stall the inevitable.
Even if Tevinter had robbed her of her identity and her entire sense of self, the fact remained that she wasn't going to be able to make amends for what she'd done without possibly sacrificing her very life. Her throat tightened as she emerged from the trees and shielded her eyes from the sun. There was an ocean nearby. The smell of salt water hung heavily in the air and it sent a pang of icy needles stabbing straight through her heart. Home... She closed her eyes to ward off the sudden onslaught of emotions that were threatening to bubble up to the surface and take over her composure. She uttered an expletive under her breath and angrily wiped her eyes with the heels of her palms. Home was long gone, and her tears certainly wouldn't bring it or her loved ones back.
She trudged towards the water as weariness sank into her bones. All around her, there were dull whispers that buzzed around in her mind, and she couldn't quite bring herself to silence them. She could've easily done so, certainly, but she almost felt that this was her penance. At long last, her slow pace came to a standstill and she fell to her knees, curling her fingertips into the sand that hugged the edge of the greenery. Try as she might to hide it, she was overcome. Tears slid down her cheeks, making damp impressions in the sand. Vulnerability had meant a beating when she'd been in the care of her master.
For so long, she'd had up every wall and defense she could muster that even this simple act felt foreign to her. She started whispering apologies that were lost upon the wind. That same wind caressed her face and went a ways towards drying her tears. She'd seen so many good people get cut down in their prime. Age had mattered little to the raiders. A lucky few could be slaves and help to turn a profit. She'd been fortunate enough to be among those lucky few.
The bitterness in her mouth tasted far more acidic than any medicine or poison. She finally drew her knees beneath her and sat upon them, not wanting to intrude upon the nearby clan. She wasn't their problem. She wouldn't bring them misfortune if she could help it. Instead of approaching, she stared out longingly over the water with tear-filled eyes. Her life wasn't going to get any easier, least of all when she had a shard of Andruil calling her a vessel. Between the huntress and the fact that Shaerana was a spirit mage, she couldn't recall the last time she'd felt at ease.
Even if Tevinter had robbed her of her identity and her entire sense of self, the fact remained that she wasn't going to be able to make amends for what she'd done without possibly sacrificing her very life. Her throat tightened as she emerged from the trees and shielded her eyes from the sun. There was an ocean nearby. The smell of salt water hung heavily in the air and it sent a pang of icy needles stabbing straight through her heart. Home... She closed her eyes to ward off the sudden onslaught of emotions that were threatening to bubble up to the surface and take over her composure. She uttered an expletive under her breath and angrily wiped her eyes with the heels of her palms. Home was long gone, and her tears certainly wouldn't bring it or her loved ones back.
She trudged towards the water as weariness sank into her bones. All around her, there were dull whispers that buzzed around in her mind, and she couldn't quite bring herself to silence them. She could've easily done so, certainly, but she almost felt that this was her penance. At long last, her slow pace came to a standstill and she fell to her knees, curling her fingertips into the sand that hugged the edge of the greenery. Try as she might to hide it, she was overcome. Tears slid down her cheeks, making damp impressions in the sand. Vulnerability had meant a beating when she'd been in the care of her master.
For so long, she'd had up every wall and defense she could muster that even this simple act felt foreign to her. She started whispering apologies that were lost upon the wind. That same wind caressed her face and went a ways towards drying her tears. She'd seen so many good people get cut down in their prime. Age had mattered little to the raiders. A lucky few could be slaves and help to turn a profit. She'd been fortunate enough to be among those lucky few.
The bitterness in her mouth tasted far more acidic than any medicine or poison. She finally drew her knees beneath her and sat upon them, not wanting to intrude upon the nearby clan. She wasn't their problem. She wouldn't bring them misfortune if she could help it. Instead of approaching, she stared out longingly over the water with tear-filled eyes. Her life wasn't going to get any easier, least of all when she had a shard of Andruil calling her a vessel. Between the huntress and the fact that Shaerana was a spirit mage, she couldn't recall the last time she'd felt at ease.
08-26-2023, 08:36 PM
