Blind
AN: Eh, a series of one shots that will be posted together for severe laziness in not wanting to create a new thing for each of them. Merely to quell my current obsession with a Little Rune.
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It wasn't always like this. There were times when the white-haired child felt true happiness, often in the bright warmth of her brother's compliments or her father's touch. Those moments, although few, always brought as mile to the sullen girl's face, flushing pink into her ghostly cheeks. If she closed her eyes tight enough, she could even see them now, her brother standing like a youthful mirror behind her father, and she couldn't help but return her blood sibling's grin as her father released her from the burden of female heir. Her father smiled, too, then. He always said he'd rather have her by his side as a son than wasting her talents as a lady of her house with her stepmother and baby sister. Things like that should never be able to be forgotten, although she found it harder and harder to even recall her father's face, those features that were so masculine yet similar to hers. Now, she was afraid that if she opened her eyes, she would never be able to regain his memory again. Of course, her father would scoff at that, and tell her to stop looking to the past, but it was really the only thing she had left in this strange place. It was true that anything was better than being human sewage beneath a city she didn't know the name of and had only seen once. Just the thought of going back made her meticulous construction waver. Now, she would never go back there, but even here, she was one step farther from her homeland where she should be. The girl didn't even know where here was, except that parts were above ground, parts were below ground, and everywhere she could feel the cold tingle that meant there were others here. One, a boy only slightly older than her for what she could tell, was standing in the doorway. But if she focused and kept her eyes closed, she could think she was really at home, or even ignore if it was all a dirty lie, and she was still in those dark, horrible alleyways.
"Hey!" The boy stepped into the room when the pale girl didn't turn around, didn't even acknowledge he was there. "Didn't you hear me you dirty little urchin? I was asking why the hell you're in this wing. It's for students only."
Never show weakness, never give your opponent an opening. He thought she was a servant. She had too much pride for that.
The girl, bowed over her folded knees, lifted her head, pushing the fine white hair behind an ear. "That is why I am here," she spoke softly in slow, measured basic.
Heavy boots clacking against the polished stone floors, he took another step into the room. The light here was very dim, no brighter than candlelight. At least the man who brought her was kind enough to let her eyes adjust. When he paused again, she knew he was taking the second chance to size her up.
"You must be Rune then, from Coruscant," he said in a way that left no room for argument even if she wasn't. He added spitefully, "the new one."
The boy made it clear that he wasn't asking, so Rune didn't reply. IF she kept recalling her family, he would simply fade away. Besides, she didn't like him in the least. He kept talking as if he was afraid that if he were silent, no one would know he was there.
"Hn, not like it matters, anyways. I doubt I'll see too much of you." Even without opening her eyes, the girl could see him strike a cocky pose, his fists on his hips. "After all, I'm THE Dark Lord's personal student. Little street whores like you wouldn't know the first thing about—"
"Mykaeval?" Rune's soft voice broke into the boy's tirade. The man had said little, but he had mentioned…"Are you…Eliath? He said I would be with you…"
The boy sputtered and rocked back onto his heels with another audible click. "How dare you speak so disrespectfully!" A low chuckle escaped and he drew in a ragged breath. "Of course, a sewer rat would have those kinds of manners." Eliath began to circle the kneeling girl slowly, each word dripping contempt.
With a rustle of material near to her face, he paused. "Your eyes are closed," he observed. "Aww, are the lights too bright? Weak little fool. We never should have taken in some filthy Underworlder. Hey!" he snapped. "Look at your superiors when they speak!"
Reluctant, the girl opened her eyes, blinking as her vision adjusted. Then she wearily climbed to her feet. The man had told her that Eliath was at least a year or two her senior, but she easily stood a finger's width above the preteen, brilliant green calmly meeting boiling onyx as the boy realized the height difference. Arrogant, but obviously nobility, he had thick, black hair tied to at the base of his neck. Although his elaborate robes were in stark comparison to her simply shirt and pants, he had seen some activity. The bridge of his nose had an awkward angle to it and sported the pink flush of sunburn. A long gash, just healing, bisected his jawbone.
Not missing a beat, he began to survey her as one would livestock. "Pretty enough, I suppose. As soon as Master tires of you, though, you won't be much to look at."
Rune stood rigidly still as he made his languid way around her once more. "A shame though, I really thought you were one of those albinos that live Below. Those green eyes throw it all off. Guess you're just a freak…"
It wasn't too much of a movement, no more than a tandem pull and a push, though the feeling lingered in the air, thick, violent, and opaque, long after the boy made it to the hallway, muttering, "I HATE her, goddamn bitch." But everyone knew Eliath was luck to escape with just a dislocated shoulder and a bruised ego.