Author's Note: Guys, I am in a frenzy. After the PAX explosion revealing Trespasser, I have been struggling between writing and playing Dragon Age. I deleted my old save of Solas/Lavellan in order to play along with the story. I have to grind some serious levels to get through the other DLC too! My writing will thus be a little sporadic, but I promise when I get downtime I am working on chapter 21!
Chapter 20 : A Prelude to the End
Ashila watched, exhausted but entranced by the glowing blue liquid that Ser Barris drank from the silver chalice. Ashila, though born to a Mage of considerable talent, had never expressed the magical qualities that her mother had possessed. But she had a keen sense for the hum of life that came from magic, and her skin prickled as magical energy began to hum around her, as the Templars all took their draughts of lyrium.
Ser Barris no longer wore an expression etched with pain and weariness. Instead his eyes now shone with energy, conviction - a righteous anger directed at the creature that had brought his order to the brink. Barris looked as if he was finally at one-hundred percent performance, and the difference from the haggard man she had been battling with before seemed to only be the shell of the man that was before her now.
The change in persona made Ashila think for a brief moment the effects that lyrium had on a body, but it also served to remind her of how exactly this piss of a situation came about.
Ashila growled, wiping the blood that stung her eyes. The Templar's had all but corrupted themselves for the demon! Their fear of the future had driven all suspicion and speculation from their minds, and in that error, had allowed themselves to become hosts to the Red Lyrium that this 'Elder One' seemed to be using to gain minions. It was indeed fortuitous that the Inquisition had decided to ask aid of the Templars, otherwise this corruption would not have been brought to light.
Movement from the Templar soldiers caused Ashila to come about from her thoughts. She watched from the sidelines with her companions as the remaining soldiers that had barricaded themselves in the great hall gathered around Knight - Templar Barris and the remaining Lieutenants that had not been tainted by the Lyrium.
They all faced the smog- barrier that Envy had erected, Drinking the lyrium that Ashila had managed to find that was still uncorrupted. Each humming with a unique magical force about them that could only come from the lyrium now coursing through their bodies. Swords clashed against shields, the Templar soldiers agitating themselves for the impending confrontation, They had theorized, with a concentrated Smite, they could disperse the miasma that Envy hid under, revealing the demon for the Herald to put down.
Ashila's hair raised as the hum of energy intensified as the Templars kneeled before the force field, focusing their energies together, concentrating on the creature that hid within. Gold lighting emitted from their bodies, each individual only adding their power to the collective the started to tear down the barriers around Envy.
~~~~~(())~~~~
Ashila groaned, thoroughly exhausted, kicked Envy's decapitated head to the side, letting her head roll back to bask in the rain that cooled her skin.
The fight had been long and arduous, Envy had been able to transform into many different kinds of demons, and the team was forced to its limits to tackle a variety of demons the Envy could become. But with each inflicted wound, Envy lost a mask, and the team cut their way through till only Envy remained. And all it could do was wail as they cut it down at last.
Leaning against what was left of an archway, Ashila raised her hand with great effort, barely grasping at the vile of potion that Cassandra had tossed to her. Her canines bit into the cork, ripping it from the vile and spitting it to the side in one lazy go before tossing it back with a groan. The remedy warmed her insides and was quick to mend the small cuts and bruises that spotted her body, but only worked to stop the bleeding on the wounds that curved over her shoulder to her back and the split in her scalp where Envy had grabbed her by her hair.
Ashila rolled her head to the side, eyeing where Bull and Solas were attending to themselves. Bull had a large gash spanning across his chest, it must have felt as bad as it looked, for he winced every time his fingers dabbed the poultice that Solas had handed him as he finished tending to the wound that spanned from his ribs to his muscled hip.
Rubbing the slick mess of blood, dirt, and hair from her eyes, Ashila heaved herself from the stone support, her staggered movement serving to alert the group that it was time to move. They walked wearily back to the main hall, only to stop at the sight of the remaining Templars surrounding them at the entrance.
For those few seconds, Ashila's mind taunted her with the dreadful idea that the Templars would turn against them in their crippled state. She would have laughed at the cruel irony of dying when they came to save them. But Barris pushed to the front, and only at the sight of the familiar face did Ashila relax her grip on her daggers.
"The Demon is dead. Andraste be praised: she shielded you from its touch."
Ashila, politeness long spent, struggled to not allow a sneer rise to her face at the mention of Andraste. It was not the dead woman's hand that had helped her to survive!
"We've numbers across Thedas, but we let this happen. Our officers either failed to see it or were complicit."
They all stood there, awaiting their judgement, to hear that the Inquisition wanted to ally with their order, but all Ashila could do was laugh.
"Now that you see how far your Order has fallen do you offer assistance when it should have been offered long ago!" Barris watched, shocked as the white-haired elf pointed to the faint streak of green that flickered in the distance.
"That has been the enemy - our enemy. The Breach has been the source of all our suffering and it cannot be overcome with words. Ignoring it and hoping will not make it disappear. But you instead fought and killed mages and civilians that needed you when this - " Ashila lifted her gloved hand, ripping off the leather to allow the Mark to sputter to life before the crowd,, "threatens to destroy us all. If Templars still stand against ruinous magic, this is the moment to actually do something."
Barris stepped forward reverently, accepting the biting truths of her words with a regreture air. He openly agreed that the Templar order had ignored a threat that could have destroyed everyone. But this acceptance of responsibility, and their now leaderless order did little to smother the rage that slowly spiraled through her mind, it only justified the anger at supposed men and women committed to protecting their people - did the humans feel nothing for their kin?
"Ashila?"
A rush of air was the only indication of surprise, passing through Ashila's lips. Eye's blinking back to reality, she turned in her saddle to face Cassandra, recovering with a wry smirk.
"Do my pointy ears deceive me, or did you just call me by my name?"
Cassandra's face dropped, confused for a moment, then her mouth spread into a thin line, giving her a look that was better suited for chastising children.
"That is not the subject of conversation, which is the state of your health."
Ashila frowned, tilting her head to the side. "My health? Am I suddenly terminal?"
Cassandra groaned, her skin glowing with a shade of pink.
"I mean to ask.. how you are doing - after the battle with Envy, I mean."
Ashila stilled. The mere mention of the creature - the beast, always sent her reeling to the brink of panic at the memory of the pain she had endured trapped in her own mind. The wounds she bore were not physical, but still raked her with fresh agony all the same.
Her face remained passive in her brief silence. After she was sure that her distress and panic had been barred from present thoughts, she gave Cassandra a nod of thanks.
"It is not everyday that a Demon attempts to take your very identity, but I will survive all the same." She then smiled, warmed by the comfort of knowing Cassandra had been worried about her. "Thank you for your concern, Cassandra. It is appreciated dearly."
Cassandra, appearing to grow even more uncomfortable at the elfs gratitude, grumbled awkwardly in respond before trotting off on her horse. Ashila chuckled, tightening her cloak around her as a gust of wind blew a chill through her bones. Alone to her thoughts, her face fell once more as her mind threatened to slip away into more anxiety inducing thoughts.
It was not like she had no reason to fret - it was indeed not everyday when a Demon happily introduced her to the monster that her… spirit could become. Living through the ordeal with Envy was one thing, but having that creature caged up - feral, angry, and looking for any moment to take over - Ashila had always known this Beast would only bring death, if only Draug'lin had understood…
Ashila winced, once again reigning in the torrent of panic that stung her nose and made her chest ache. There was no time presently to work through the ordeal - she still had to meet with the Advisors and discuss what her decision had left the state of the Inquisition in.
And prepare for the march to the Breach. Ashila groaned at the thought, glaring at her left palm. It had been nearly four months since she first attempted to close the Breach, and while closing all the miniature scars that had popped up in her current adventure had rejuvenated her to 'half-full'. she knew that more Rifts were tearing into the world in other places - causing the Breach to grow in size and power.
Ashila looked back to the Army of Templar Lieutenants that now marched with them, hoping the sight would give her some peace. This was why they went through all that trouble- to get assistance to finally close the damn hole! Ashila sighed, rubbing her eyes with a gloved hand. She had to trust in her Advisors plan, that the Templars would be able to bolster her strength to negate the Breach's presence in their world.
The Inquisition needed them for their power, but Ashila had gone a step further. Ashila saw an opportunity - a chance to not only further the reputation, the word of the Inquisition in the minds of leaders, but to lay the groundwork for a grandiose dream of change…
"The Inquisition has little time and I have no patience for your broken Order and its corrupt ways."
Ashila glared at Barris' shocked expression, stepping past him with a dismissive glance to stand before the presiding Templars. Her companions watched on silently, either too mesmerized at her boldness, or too horrified by her sharp words.
"In my clan, the word 'Templar' was a whisper of warning to our children - our mages, that these men of 'God' would come and steal them away. I see now that there are truth to these terrible bedtime stories! Any good intentions that the Order was first founded upon as crumbled to open war."
Ashila folded her arms, pausing a moment to allow anyone a chance to respond. But no soldier came forward, all opting to hang their heads in shame as the truth was set before them.
"But there is always hope. Serve us. Serve the Inquisition. Stop the Breach, and begin again without stain on your honor. That is our offer."
Barris watched her, waiting to see a a falter in her demand, that this was a mistake. But her steady black and white gaze did not relent, and his shoulders slumped heavy with reality, and faced his brothers and sisters.
"If it is the only way, Templars, will we serve the Inquisition to atone for our failure?"
Ashila's fingers wandered into the soft underlayer of fur on Arla's thick neck. The hart cooed at the touch, distracting his rider from her troubles. Ashila smiled, reaching forward to scratch at the base of Arla's head where his horns grew.
"Your winter coat is coming in nicely, Arla. It is so thick that I fear a bitter cold will soon be upon us." Arla snorted as if to agree with the elf, before breaking out into a steady trot when the snow gave way to a familiar dirt path that signaled that home was around the corner.
Ashila came up to ride beside Cullen, her head focused forward in an effort to ignore the Commander, who gave her a lingering frown before facing ahead, the gates opening before them. The papers she had found in the Captain's quarters unequivocally proved that the Knight-Captains had coerced their soldiers into taking the Red Lyrium. He had been disapproving of Ashila's decision to throw the original plan out the window - but it was hollow, for even he could not deny how far they had fallen.
The soldiers who were doing afternoon drills stopped their exercise to cheer as their Commander and Herald came riding through the gates. The commotion drew out the villagers, who rushed to the main gates of the town to welcome the two back. They were then stunned silent as they continued on, leading row after row of Templar soldiers, some carrying banners not of the Templar Sword, but the burning Eye of the Inquisition.
Ashila's toes had barely brushed the earth when she was overrun with the excitement and clamor of civilian and soldier alike, rushing to praise and congratulate her and the Commander on a more than successful mission.
Ashila was swept away, her senses stunned as hands flew about her in all directions - clasping her shoulder, shaking her hand, reverent touches along her arms in everyone's attempt to convey their excitement. She could barely register the many faces that passed around her sight, and the words 'thank you' were spilling out of her mouth so fast, that she desperately wondered if she was even saying the words at all. She understood their excitement, their hope to an end, and she wanted them to all know that she shared in their joy.
But there were so many voices ringing in her brain, that it made her ears wilt in the now stifling embrace of the the town.
A gloved hand pushed through the crowd, grabbing and and pulling her roughly out of the claustrophobic space. Ashila regained her bearings quickly, taking slow, deep breaths in the open space around the Commander, holding onto his armored bicep as a grounding to slow her skipping heart. While she came to grips, Cullen glared at the crowd.
"By the Maker - can you not kill the Herald the day before she travels to close the Breach? As you were - "
Cullen continued to spew orders while handing of the reigns of their steeds to two scouts, The crowd parting for them and closing as they went, the people murmuring apologies to the elf, who nodded stiflingly in response. The Commander did not wait for the rest of the Inner Circle to catch up from their horses, simply guiding Ashila through the crowed to the Chantry, allowing her a moment to attempt to not use her overloaded brain.
As soon as the thick doors of the Chantry groaned shut, Ashila let out a long, shuddering breath, rolling her shoulders and arms.
"Thank… thank you, Cullen."
His name still felt very informal on her lips for one who held such high status in the Inquisition, yet from his gift, the human had earned himself a soft spot in the elfs regard, a dear friend who had worked to provide a very personal gift to her. She tilted her head to the side, a weak chuckle coming from her.
"I am not used to such excitement, I thought for a moment I was to be skinned alive!"
Cullen, suddenly very aware of how very alone the two of them were in the vast hall, let his fingers fidget in the air a moment, before awkwardly patting her on the shoulder.
"Right! Well - it was no trouble… really! Ahem-" Cullen jerked his hand back, as though it were on fire, then quickly recovering with a terribly unimpressive cough, before walking further into the Chantry. "Let's get this meeting over with. I am sure the others will love to know that we now own the Templars."
Ashila groaned, back to normal once again as she slapped the side of her head before following the Commander.
~~~~~~(())~~~~~~
Leliana had scraped every last detail and formulated, devise, and edited future plans for the Inquisition from this 'unprecedented stroke of good fortune', discussing the implications of a 'demon army' and the possible assassination of Empress Celene, and devising a letter to King Bhelen of Orzammar to strengthen relations (and to secure a very good deal for the amount of lyrium needed to keep a whole order of Templars from getting the shakes).
Cole also took this time to formally introduce himself to the Advisors, appearing in a puff of smoke as easily as it would be for someone to use a door. Except he decided to appear atop the War Table.
The entrance almost caused Ashila to be skewered by Cassandra and Cullen, both of whom had unsheathed their swords with the instinctive attempt to kill the lad.
"Wait!" Ashila groaned, pulling her at her wild hair while eyeing the very sharp swords that were pointed at her abdomen.
Cole's eyes blinked owlishly from under the brim of his hat, looking around at the group staring back at him. He leaned forward slowly, enough so that Ashila could turn her head without pain to stare at him, brows raised, demanding and explanation.
"I came with you to help. I would have told you before… but you were busy."
After spending a good ten minutes calming the Commander and the now irate Seeker down from killing the boy, Ashila managed to get them to agree to let the boy stay with armed guard, the repeated phrase of 'Without him Envy would be playing you all for fools right now' finally wearing down on them.
Then of course the boy then disappears when she finally gets them all to see reason. The look Cullen had given her had sent her barging out the door, cursing in a string of high-pitched elvish.
The afternoon sun glowed on the snow, the sky still blue, but the faint wisps of burnt orange could be seen on the horizon, evening would come soon.
Ashila grumbled loudly as she exited the church, rubbing her eyes vigorously to rid the sting of the sunlight that burned in the dark of her lids.
A low chuckle hand her head raised in an instant, the familiarity of the deep sound forcing her to blink stupidly to rid the black spots in her vision.
"Always in a rush, Da'Mi? You will go nowhere, as blind as you are."
Vision returning, Ashila glared at Solas, but the weary smile on her lips betrayed her mood.
"There is too much to do, and little time for preparation, Solas. Tomorrow we -"
Solas shook his head, waving her reason aside. "We know what must happen tomorrow, there is no sense in worrying about the inevitable and ignoring now." Without waiting for her objection, he firmly took her hand, leading her over to his place at the side of his cabin.
Ashila sighed, folding her arms over her chest and gazing at the elf, the frustrating 'tap, tap, tap' of her feet crunching in the snow. As convincing as her attempt at playing off her mood was, Ashila knew that Solas had summarized the events that had occurred between Envy and her long before she had announced it to the group. Since this discovery, Ashila had done her best to keep busy, or at least appear so to dissuade Solas from speaking with her about the events.
Quite frankly, she was not looking forward to being talked down to like a foolish da'len that he no doubt saw her as.
Before Solas even took a breath, Ashila was already off, her rush of words easily damming up what Solas would have said.
" I know, I know, please do not tell me how trying to take down an enemy that I could not have possibly known was an Envy demon was a foolish mistake. I. Get. It. The point of the matter is that we were successful in -"
"Pardon? - Wa- wait, Ashila!" Solas stepped forward, gently grasping Ashila by the shoulders, his concerned expression quieting her flow of words.
"Hush, Da'Mi." He watched her quietly, giving her a moment to catch her breath before slowly continuing.
"While your decision was not the best of options - in fact, it was probably-" Solas stopped himself before the 'I told you so' left his lips to destroy any chance of.. help he could offer (what he was trying to do was confounding even to himself!). There was an unpleasant knot in his stomach, working out how best to even tell her that he had been worried about her ever since he saw the demon towering over her. He breathed in and out, slowly, before speaking in a significantly softer voice:
" Na taren nasouveri in Hellathen. I.. I am concerned for you."
Ashila stared, defiant and silent, before allowing herself to lean against the side of the cottage, glaring at the snow. Solas watched as her shoulders slowly relax the only sign of her resignation to his words. Solas let out the breath he had been unconsciously holding, relieved that Ashila had finally allowed him to see past 'The Herald', even if it was only a glimpse.
She continued to say nothing, so instead he leaned against the cottage with her, waiting, His eyes lit up, hopeful when she looked up, eyes seeking his company and solace.
"Solas, I…"
A commotion broke out at the training grounds, loud enough to reach the inner ring of houses in Haven and make Ashila's head jerk up, attention completely focused on the angry shouts she could hear.
Ashila's irritation returned with a vengeance. Bristling at the commotion,she gave Solas a stiff nod, ignoring the twinge of concern that tugged at his eyes, watching her march away. Ashila walked with a purpose, eyes squinting from stabbing headache that had just begun on the left side of her head, giving her face a look that made the villagers now give her a very wide berth.
Ashila's nerves were in a frenzy of hands shook, and despite the numbness from the cold, were sweating. She stalked past the bustling people, pushing herself back to the main gate, where Cassandra stood between two small groups of people.
Or at least, she could hear them. Ashila cursed in a flurry of elvish, standing desperately on her toes, trying to poke her head over the shoulders of humans that blocked her path to the cause of the disturbance. Teeth grinding, Ashila looked around, head weaving back and forth till she noticed a small hut that was still in the process of construction. Pushing through the crowd once again, Ashila reached the hut, quickly climbing up the ladder that rested at its side. On the roof, Ashila was finally able to see Cassandra, her armored self standing between to human.
The Seeker glared hard between the two sides, her stare a warning to their complaints. Those causing the rabble either paid no heed to the obvious promise of a fist in the face, or did not have the sense to see the signs.
A man in dark training leathers stood on her left, another wearing a long robe on her right. Both glaring daggers at the other and sending just as much violent spit between them.
"Something must be done about this… mess. Immediately." The man in training gear said dismissively, as if expecting Cassandra to simply take his words as if they were made of gold.
Cassandra obviously thought his prattling was worth its wait in horse shit.
"Mess?!" The robed man took a step forward, his finger jabbing fiercely in the air in the direction of his accuser. "We have been here, assisting the Herald in her work long before she decide to save your piss-excuse for an Order! If anyone should be taken care of, it's you."
"Nothing will be done. You will all instead agree that you all are stuck here and you will live with it." Cassandra's words had a note of finality to them that rang loudly across the heads of people, but the two leaders of the argument refused to let the matter die.
Ashila breathed hard, her head now pounding with a blistering pain. Her eyes felt pressure behind them, making her vision tunnel.
All of this useless fighting! Why do these humans not see…?
Her heart clenched, robbing her of breath as Envy's visions that he had weaved into her mind flashed before her mismatched eyes - the demon and beast dragging the land to ruin…
Why do they not understand it could have been so much worse?
"What is going on here?!"
The crowd's yells came to an abrupt halt. the bellowing voice ringing through the training grounds.
The crowd turned in unison to the voice, parting slightly to allowing Cassandra and the two men to peer past the crowd to see the speaker. It took them a moment to recognize the bellowing figure as an elf - more importantly, that it was the very elf who had seen to gathering all these people to the Inquisition in the first place.
Ashila had jumped off the roof, falling easily to her feet while the snow crunched softly beneath her heels. Waist length hair flowed lazily behind its heated master, who walked briskly towards the gathered crowd. Her shout had silenced the squabbling, for now, and even though all eyes were on her once again, the disappointment at their inability to see past their own bubble of qualms throttled any stage fright Ashila would have felt.
Ashila's eyes moved to each face she could make out, holding their gaze with her own so that they knew that she could see them. Hands still balled into shaking fists, she hopped onto the fence that bordered the line between Haven and the wide open landscape. Now towering above the people, she stood considerably at ease, pointing over their heads, forcing them to turn obediently.
"What is this place?"
The silence was defending. When no one made a move to voice an answer, a stop tapping began echoing off the walls. Ashila's foot slapped sharply against the wood of the fence, her impatience growing. Still no one responded, and the tapping grew more are more incessant until Ashila slapped her forehead, groaning.
"This is not the Circle of Magi. Nor will you find a Templar Order here."
Ashila swept her hand past her eyes, running her fingers through her white hair before yanking on it hard, glaring daggers at the stunned group below.
"This is the Inquisition - and I will not tolerate infighting for reasons that are now meaningless."
The Templar man's face was colored with rage, his mouth open to protest, to make the elf falter, as his regular posturing usually got to the knife ears. But this white haired woman leveled him with an apathetic stare. He blinked suddenly realizing the gleaming steel of her dagger at his neck.
Ashila waited, ensuring that the irritating shem- Creators - human would cease his complaints. The point of the blade then left his neck, swinging up to point at the glowing Breach above them.
"That is our enemy. That threatens all of our lives - elves, dwarves, Qunari, men, all of us. Let this one cause unite us all - for you will be turned away if you cannot let go of the past."
Ashila looked to the gates, watching the Inquisitions Advisors rushing through the crowd to the training yard. The scouts must have notified them of the commotion and impending scuffle. She continued to speak regardless, watching as her words caused them to slow their pace. They paused in their march, listening intently to the Herald speak before the now converted Templars and mages that had joined their cause.
"The Inquisition is meant to be the ray of hope for your people. You must be the symbol of strength for millions, you must show them that people can change - that Mages are not monsters, and that the name 'Templar' is not a name that brings unease. It could be different."
Ashila, could feel her hands shaking, adrenaline pumping in wake of the impromptu speech she had just unleashed on the crowd. All eyes, Templars, Mages, and even townspeople, were locked on the little elf that was balancing on the fencepost, frozen in shock at the realization that the Herald of Andraste had just scolded them like a parent to a mass of squabbling children.
She could not stop the wave of exhausted that had managed to overtake her. But her resolve remained intact, and she touched the earth with a graceful hope. Sheathing her blade, she lifted her hands to her face, rubbing her eyes in effort to relieve her stress. It was so hard to keep the composure, the mask she had to wear as the Herald in place... But she pressed forth with effort, the crowd parting before her.
She walked to Cullen, nodding rigidly to him before raising her voice.
"The Commander will now see to an appropriate assignment of duties to get you all better acquainted to one another. You are now warriors of the Inquisition, and you will fight together to keep the other safe. There will be no needless deaths in this Inquisition."
Cullen took the reigns immediately, suddenly very imposing before the now cowering soldiers and mages. His eyes burned like tempered steel, staring down the men and women before him.
"Right - soldiers! You have only been here all of 5 hours and you have managed to already become a blistering headache. I congratulate you on your accomplishment, and I would like to now announce the departure of teams to secure the Fallow Mire - "
Ashila, used Cullen's effective snatch for attention to duck behind him, cloaking quietly to dash back into Haven unseen. She was inside her cottage within minutes, flipping the locks in place before her invisibility dissolved.
Ashila allowed herself to back against the wall, staring blankly into nothingness and just letting herself float in a haze. Slowly, she sank to the floor, the rug bunching up against her invading toes, unsettling a small rack of weapons.
The clatter of steel brought Ashila back to the present. Heaving a weighty sigh, she dragged herself to her feet. Passing through the small living space, her feet moved on their own accord, leading her to the small bedroom in closed off in the corner.
Her hands moved about in a slow, automated pace, the various belts, knots, and zippers coming undone in a sequence long memorized. Various bits of hardened leather fell to the ground, thumping on the soft carpet, revealing more of the fragile skin beneath. Her shoulders still ached if she stretched wrong, the claw marks that Envy had left on her when its bladed fingers cut her armor still visible under the bandages.
She touched the marks briefly, only to pull away as if shocked.
Ashila continued, now slipping into the nightclothes that had been made for her. Instead of a quilt now on her bed, a mass of soft pelts now lay waiting for her. More comfortable with the thought of her home, she had made a request for pelts as her covers, for it reminded her of the days in the aravel, and the small nest of pelts she had always loved to curl up in. A day later, soft pelts of sheep and ram lay upon her bed, freshly washed and brushed from the meals that had been prepared from their previous owners.
She sighed, the fur a soft cocoon that offered protection from the utter catastrophe that was now her life.
Ashila had left the her clan - the past behind her in an effort to forget. Despite her best efforts, she had only succeeded in falling into a now apparent life commitment, that all but announced to the world the source of her despair!
Envy, despite its defeat, had won on some level. It had gotten to Ashila, opening her to the very realistic possibility that she could not only influence the path - the lives of many towards success, or drag them down a bloody future on a whim! She had always known that she carried a darkness, but never had she imagined the magnitude of destruction…
Ashla stared into the darkness, fingers biting into the soft pelt that brushed against her. If she was to get any rest, any peace before tomorrow came, she could not let herself think on what could be.
Ashila rolled over, closing her eyes with great effort and slowed her breathing. No, no she could not afford to think on a possibility that she now knew could happen. She had to feel blessed, to know that this could be averted was a gift that could not be forgotten.
Yet, even as her breathing slowed further, and her mind drifted off into the darkness, one question served to be at the heart of her nightmares that night.
How can I be sure?
~~~~~~~(())~~~~~~
night brings a peaceful glow, and the glow brought the silence that calmed their heavy hearts. They slept, hoping, dreaming, seeing a tomorrow that brought an end to the wound above.
Their thoughts were pure, in their creation. But only served to snag and drag, growing in darkness in her chest.
She slipped to sleep, but was met with sorrow and horrors that did not reveal upon the return. He gazed at the door listening, waiting. The furs were becoming too stifling for her now. She had to move, to change - they could not mistake her for what was inside.
The cats danced at his feet - they could see him and wanted to play, pawing, nipping, encouraging to take a moment to notice them.
But he was needed tonight,
He walked forward, the small entryway now in his vision. A soft cloak hung from a peg, a meal of greens and venison left untouched on the side table, and from the corner, a flicker of light could be seen.
She was there, allowing the hurt to burrow, wedging and thriving in her heart. All she could see was what Envy wanted her to see. It brought up thoughts still forgotten, but thriving to return to torment. So she cut at the thoughts, cut at the tangible reminder of their similarities. It glowed at her feet, letting her know that it was now not a part of her anymore.
Ashila paused, the razor in hand pausing at its work when it realized it could not evenly cut the back of her hair. She looked about, the glow from the candle shining on the tresses of hair she had just sheared off. The cuts were uneven, choppy from the way her hands shook, and the began to quiver even more when figured out her progress would be halted.
Suddenly, a pale hand caught her own, unperturbed by the razor she had been flailing about. Ashila made no move to strike, already keenly aware of the boys presence. What make her skin prickle, was the knowledge he had allowed her to sense him. She resisted looking at him, but only for a moment, the comforting feeling of understanding coming off him in soothing ripples.
Cole continued to stare at her. He gently took the razor from her fingers, careful not to cut her hand as it fell into her lap. She had been crying, he noted, the red puffiness of her cheeks clear in the candle light. But her eyes still held a resilience to them, as worn as it were - and that was good. It meant she would fight, survive and thrive.
He knelt behind her, using the edge of the blade to trace the path that she had made in her butchered hair, and in the silence, began to cut away the locks that had blown wildly in the breeze. The howl of wind and an eerie reminder of what moved beneath.
Have a great weekend prepping for Trespasser guys!
Na taren nasouveri in Hellathen - your mind is weary with noble struggle