Still here? Cool.
In case I wasn't clear enough, this chapter is just a little extra… thing. It is not directly connected to RWBY, nor to the rest of the story, I simply wanted to share the original work that inspired Heart of Ice. It will be rough (I wrote it in 2012 and am presenting it as-is), but I think a few of you might enjoy seeing how this tale looked as a first draft.
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… _ (bonus chapter: Heart of Stone) _ …
…
- Chapter 1
It was the 20th year of the reign of King Strathmore the Wise, ruler of the Ronas Kingdom. Thirteen years had passed since the ratification of the Western Alliance, which opened trade and commerce with the soverign nation of Seathalin, to the west of Ronas' borders. No wars had been fought by any nation or kingdom in many years, and the citizens were enjoying a life of peace and prosperity. Every trade and market in both regions saw an increase the likes of which they had never seen before. Having no true need for soldiers, the military might of these regions saw a decline—and the men who returned home were most often able to begin their lives anew, taking up farming, carpentry, or even manual labor. The people could rest easy in the knowledge of a continued peace.
But alas, such times still see their share of tragedy.
Ten years prior to our story, an incident took place that shook the very foundation of Ronas. A small, northern village called Kanson was attacked and burned to the ground by a group of rouge elves. Though the reason for the raid was never determined, Strathmore formed a massive army to wipe them out. The elves, who lived in the forests of the northern area of the continent, gave no resistance and were massacred. To this day, all memory of the elves and their culture has largely been lost.
The sun sat high on it's throne of clouds, watching the goings-on of the world below with the patience of Chronos. A light breeze passed through the canopy of the trees with a gentle whisper. The faint aroma of lillies drifted along with it, complimented by various other flowers. Beneath those smells lay a trace of dampness, a sign of rougher weather that was soon to come. It was a typical day of early summer.
Celera lay flat on her back against the hillside, silent and still. She was taking in all that the vast world had to offer at that moment. Other than the occasional birds, there was no noise. After several minutes of enjoying nature, she decided to return to the road before her traveling companions left her behind.
She rose with a grunt, her raven black hair falling into her face as she stood. She was fairly tall for her age, with a slender build and strong features. Celera was at the age where she was just starting to come into womanhood, and so was not yet concious of how she might look to those around her. She wore standard travelers garb consisting of plain garments of cotton and leather. A small, unused dagger was strapped to her side. As she climbed back up the hill to the road, she spotted her sister and brother-in-law getting ready to head out.
"I was wondering whether or not to leave you to the wolves." Arif, her older sister, smiled. "Come on, then, we're leaving."
As Celera mounted her horse, Matthew, her brother-in-law, rode up next to Arif and said, "Oh, come now. If you did that, she'd follow us all the way to Ovari on foot." He chuckled a bit as he said it.
I'd just as soon walk back home, Celera mumbled under her breath.
Arif was Celera's elder by only three years, but she was no less than a mother to the younger girl. She had the same raven black hair, but hers fell to her waist—Celera's barely went past her neck. Arif and Matthew both wore garments similar to Celera's, and each had a few weeks worth of provisions packed into a few bags and strapped onto their own ponies. As they strode down the dirt road, Celera considered her brother-in-law.
Matthew was the son of a shipbuilder from the east, and had learned the trade quite well. He was big, taller than any other man from their home town, and was ...less than presentable. He always had stubble on his chin and never seemed to like wearing clean clothes, despite Arif's protests. Celera could never understand what it was about the man that had so captured her sister's heart, and she felt ...well, she just never thought he was good enough for her.
If she had not been so lost in thought, Celera might have noticed that they were being watched from the nearby trees. She might have seen that they were coming to a clearing of trees that would have made a good site for an ambush, and would have been more cautious. She might have even heard the men coming. But she didn't.
When she awoke, Celera found herself bound by a set of rough ropes. Her hands were tied behind her back and her feet the same. Her face was uncovered, so she quickly assessed her companion's conditions. She found Matthew lying next to her, unconcious and bound in the same fashion but in much worse condition. It was safe to assume that he had given their captors a serious fight. Arif was nowhere to be found, which gave Celera some cause for concern. She could only hope her sister was in better shape than Matthew.
A gruff chuckle drew her attention and she turned to face six bandits, each larger than the last, and all of them filthy. It was clear that these men were not well aquainted with soap. The largest bandit, a man with a great scar across his face, came forward and began talking to her, but he used the language of the northern country. She had no knowledge of it, nor could she make out any of it. The emotions that came with the words, however, were clear. They were in trouble.
The man walked over to the travellers and reached down to something on the other side of Matthew. What he picked up was Arif, bound and unconcious, with one big, beefy hand. Celera was relieved to see her sister untouched, but that relief soon turned to anger. The bandit leader, seeing that he had the younger girl's full attention, began to systematically tear apart Arif's clothes.
Slowly, Celera's vision faded to red. The laughter of the other bandits became drowned out by the pounding of blood in her ears. A sharp pain from her wrists wore down to nothing as she strained against the ropes. It was happening again, but this time Celera welcomed the feeling. She knew the fight would likely be long, but she would still win. Gradually, like falling into a dream, her personality shifted, stretched, faded.
The man held Arif, still unconcious, and slowly licked her cheek with his big, mottled red tongue. Celera snapped.
Several years ago, Celera had found an old hermit who lived a few miles outside of the town where she lived with her sister. This man was a former Rune Knight of high rank, and a master of a lost martial art that turned a human being into an unstoppable berserker. More out of curiosity than need, Celera learned this technique from him—and it became a curse that she regretted for most of the rest of her life.
Except for this day. Now she thanked the hermit from the bottom of her heart. These men must die.
Her bonds snapped like old twine. The first bandits to reach her fell quickly, overpowered by a girl less than half their size. Her dagger shone in the afternoon sun as she went for their vital spots. More bandits charged, and they fell just as quickly. To Celera, everything was moving in slow motion, so she had plenty of time to aim her blade and strike. The blood flowed like water after a spring rain.
It was over as quickly as it began. Still tense, she looked around with the intensity of a feral dog—but found no prey. No more men dared to bare their fangs at her this day. The rage began to subside, her muscles relaxing and falling limp. Her head grew light and her vision went from red to black. She was unconcious before she even hit the ground.
It was dark. The daylight had run away and the night had taken over the watch while she wasn't looking. Celera found herself lying next to a campfire, her head pounding, while Matthew was organizing some fresh cut wood nearby. She sat up slowly, her body protesting every inch of the way. She unintentionally groaned, causing the older man to notice her. She looked around and said, "Where's Arif?"
Matthew pointed to a stand of trees to the south of where they sat. Arif was standing there, looking into the forest as though she had lost something. Matthew sat near the fire and added a few logs, then said, "You've been asleep for a day and a half."
"That long?" Celera sighed slowly, then said, "You're unharmed?"
"I'm healing. Arif is in much better shape, thank the gods." The man sat silently for several minutes, then he began to explain: "I came to around the time you were finishing the fight. Since I was still bound, I couldn't do anything to help you. After you passed out, I saw the big man come out from the forest—apparently he had been hiding until he saw that you were down. That's when he came out to finish you off, but then ...something happened. I couldn't tell what it was at first, but from what I could see, he was being attacked by a ...blur. Whatever it was, it was moving so fast that I couldn't even make it out. Once the man was disoriented, it stopped, grabbed your dagger and ...well, he's over there, if you want to see it."
Matthew gestured to the side and Celera found her knife. It was planted in the man's face all the way to the hilt. The gleaming pommel was sticking straight into the air.
Taking a ragged breath, Matthew continued, "I could finally see what it was. Celera, it was a young elf, no bigger than a 10-year-old."
Celera's breath stuck in her throat. Her muscles, though exhausted, began to tense. Her pupils contracted, nostrils flaring, and an angry voice came out of her mouth, "And you let it get away!?"
"I was still bound, hand and foot. I could do nothing!" Matthew held his hands up, claiming, "Besides, my point of concern was your sister." This seemed to calm the younger girl, if only a little. "Before she ran back into the woods, the elf untied me and Arif. It's thanks to her that we're still alive."
Your thanks are wasted on that creature, Celera mumbled.
Arif returned then, sighing. "I had hoped to at least see her. I've never seen an elf, and I'd heard they were extinct." She ignored Celera's angry grunt and began talking with Matthew about the mystery girl.
Celera lay by the fire for several hours, easily hearing her extended family fall asleep around her. Her thoughts had been pushed into the place she didn't want them to be, and she knew that it would trigger her dream again. Every time she heard someone talk about or even mention elves, the dream would come. She hated the dream. It was the sort of dream that made her never want to go to sleep again for the rest of her life, but that was not for her to decide. Inevitably, Celera drifted away into the night. The dream began instantly.
_/_/_/
She couldn't see any stars tonight. The smoke from the fires seemed to drown out every other light besides their mother flames. The roar and crackle of the fires was all she could hear, even though she was screaming for her mother. No one was there, no one came in to save her. She was alone. Almost.
Her mother had told her once to go to the town square if she ever got lost, and someone would find her. Well, someone did find her tonight. A tall man in fine leather armor approached, the sword in his hand still red with fresh blood. Scared and alone, she clung to the man, putting all of her hope and trust in this battered stranger. The man picked her up and began carrying her out of the town, through smoldering alleyways and past burned and broken buildings. Bodies lay strewn all along the roads, some burned beyond recognition, others not yet succumbed. All had been cut down by the sword.
It was elves. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew it had been the elves. The men of the town had warned them of the attack, but everyone ignored them, saying they were being paranoid. These men were now lying in pools of their own blood, waiting in silence for the flames to take them into the afterlife. She could smell the burning wood and the stench of smoldering corpses. She could feel the heat of the raging fires all around her. She still remembered how it felt to be carried away in a pair of strong arms, carried into the darkness of the night, ...carried into safety.
_/_/_/
Less than an hour after Celera fell asleep, the trio had a visitor to their quiet little campsite. The fire had died down, leaving only the glow of embers. A small girl crept quietly into the clearing, leaving no tracks and making no noise. Her pale blonde hair shimmered in the moonlight and her large, pale blue eyes seemed to glow, seeing through the darkness as though it were broad daylight. She crept over to each traveller, examining them as they slept. She gazed at the stubble on Matthew's face, fighting an urge to touch it, and lightly caressed Arif's long, silky hair. When she came to Celera, she stopped and leaned down close. Celera's face was not that of a peaceful sleeper, but was twisted with fear, anxiety, and concern. The girl reached out with one hand and lightly touched Celera's forehead. She concentrated for a moment, then pulled back - a small spot glowed with a pale white light where she touched before fading away. Celera's face slowly relaxed, an expression of peace taking over.
In an almost motherly fashion, the girl lightly brushed Celera's cheek with her hand. The girl stayed that way for several minutes; she just stared at this strange woman, gently caressing her cheek a few more times. As she stared, she became aware of a strange feeling in her chest, as though her heart was pounding harder than before. Realizing that she was risking herself by staying, the girl rose and quickly disappeared back into the woods.
Arif rose early the next morning and prepared a small plate of food. She took some bread, cheese, and jerky from her own rations and set them near the trees. She made sure they were out of sight, since she knew full well how Celera might react. If she didn't get to see the elf girl, then at least she knew she'd have some food to eat.
With Celera recovered and everyone at full strength again, the travellers set about packing up and getting ready to move out. Their little stop cost them a few extra days, and the town of Ovari was only a few miles away. Matthew informed them that he intended to reach town before midday.
Then Arif saw her. Just out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the young girl. She was kneeling next to where the plate was set, eating the food with a controlled haste; not slamming it down her throat like a starving animal, yet not taking too much time, either. She wore only a few tattered pieces of fabric that might have been clothes at some point in time, but no longer. Her bare feet and hands were scraped and dirty, and her light blonde hair hung in messy strands all over the place. As the girl ate, her hair parted enough that Arif could make out the final detail; the girl's ears, though small, were clearly pointed at the tips. She was definitely an elf.
Matthew noticed as well. He quietly confirmed to Arif that this was the same elf from earlier. They whispered to each other for a few moments, but they were interrupted by a fist-sized stone being hurled at the girl. She ran back into the woods like a rabbit that had just dodged a hunter's arrow.
Celera stooped down and picked up another rock, but it got no higher than her waist before Arif came over and slapped her sister across the cheek. The sharp sound echoed into the forest.
"Why did you do that? Is that any way to treat the girl that saved your life?"
"It's just an elf. It deserves no better!"
"How could you say that?! Why, if it wasn't for her, you'd be dead!"
"I would have rather died! Anything but being helped by that… creature!"
Arif was dumbstruck. "So you would have preferred that we were the ones strewn out across this valley? You would rather that than be grateful to be alive?" She started stuttering, "Y-y-you would p-p-prefer to s-s-s-see me ...v-v-violated?!"
Celera said nothing for a moment, then angrily shouted, "I will not owe anything to some filthy elf!"
Arif reached out to slap her sister again, but Matthew caught her arm. The older woman broke down, crying into her husbands chest. They stood still for several minutes, waiting for Arif to calm down. Matthew looked over at the younger girl and said, very quietly, "Celera, you will say nothing for the remainder of the journey. When we reach town, you will stay in our room at the inn." He looked back down to his wife, silently patting her head. "You will not go to sleep tonight until you have apologized. Understood?"
No response. "Understood?" He only recieved a nod.
The trio rode in tense silence the rest of the way to town. Celera rode several feet behind the others, feeling alone for the first time in many years. Many emotions were running through her; anger, sadness, fear, lonliness, but mostly the sting of betrayal—her own. Celera had never yelled at her sister before, and now she was feeling like the biggest ass in the kingdom. She knew it would take a lot of understanding for her to be forgiven after a blowout like that. Tears began to find their way out of her eyes, now. She also knew there would be a lot more of those before this day was done.
Several yards behind them, staying in the trees, the elf girl followed. These were the first people she had ever seen that didn't try to kill her on the spot, and her natural curiosity would not let her ignore them. Besides, she still had to figure out why she felt so strange when she was near the short-haired woman...
Arif's childhood friend was a young man called Anaci, whose family lived in Ovari. Less than a month ago, Anaci's father passed away, and Arif decided to pay him a visit. Having been the most successful trader in the city, Anaci's father had a lot of wealth to pass down. His home sat on a hill overlooking the whole of the city, and faced the setting sun every evening. Anaci was around Celera's age, so he thought of Arif like an older sister. Celera, on the other hand, was the recipient of an entirely different sort of affection—Anaci had proposed to the younger girl during their last visit. The young man seemed nice enough, but there was something about him that made Celera feel queasy...
The trio had been in town for three days by this point, and Celera had made up with Arif. They came to terms on the condition that the younger woman promise to never lash out again, both to Arif and the elf girl, if they were to ever see her again. Celera had reluctantly agreed. She now sat on the wharf, watching the sun set behind the mountains while bouncing off the rippled surface of the river. Sunsets were one of the few things Celera truly loved in this world; they were simple, pure, and beautiful. Mankind could do nothing to change or distort them.
She sighed as she heard the inevitable footsteps behind her. Anaci stood in his finest blue robes, looking every bit the aristocrat his father was. "A spectacular view. It always melts my heart to watch this dance of nature every night."
Celera said nothing, but rolled her eyes. How pathetic could he be?
"But I would trade all of that, and half of everything else I own, if you would but accept my proposal. You know my doors are always open to you, as are my arms..."
"My answer is still no," Celera replied bluntly.
Still facing the sunset, she heard him sigh, then walk closer to where she sat. He knelt down so his face was next to hers, and said, "Would you still refuse if I said you and your sister could live under my protection?" Celera turned to face the young man. "I can assign professional bodyguards to you both so that unfortunate attack would never be repeated."
Celera quickly stood up and started walking back, afraid of what Anaci would say next, but knowing he would say it anyway. "Or would you prefer to rely on an elf child for the rest of your life?"
Quicker than a darting fish, Celera was right in front of Anaci, her dagger drawn and pressed to his throat. "One more word about that, and it will be your last," she said, keeping her voice quiet. The two stood in a deadlock for what seemed like hours, then Celera pulled back, sheathed her dagger, and started walking away.
Anaci, sensing he had one shot left, said, "Please consider my offer, for your sister's sake." Celera stopped. "I will only ask once more, then I shall cease."
The girl was now torn. In one hand, she saw a future tied to a man who would rather hide behind his father's money than try to do any work, but she and Arif would be able to live in comfort and safety; in the other, freedom to do what she wished with her life, but at considerable risk. Fear and disgust mixed in her heart, until finally she said, "Give me some time to think about it."
"Take as long as you need, my dear Celera. I shall be waiting." He came up behind her and hugged her, draping his arms around her shoulders. His taller frame dwarfed hers by nearly a foot. "I love you," he whispered.
A chill swept up Celera's spine at those words.
The ride back was just as quiet as before, only this time there was much less tension. Arif and Matthew had been able to really relax and enjoy themselves during this trip. It was clear by their faces that they had rested well. Celera noticed this and decided to wait before telling them of Anaci's offer. She had tried not to think about it, since she knew that it would be obvious when she did.
As the trio came to the clearing where they had seen the elf girl, Celera tensed up again. The pure rage from before wasn't there, but she still didn't want to be here. Arif noticed her sister's agitation and quietly reminded her of their promise. The younger girl gave a reserved sigh, trying to relax a little.
Matthew saw her first. The young elf girl was sitting in the lower branches of a nearby tree, watching the travellers with the intensity of a hawk staring down a field mouse. No one moved for a few minutes, each waiting to see if the other would make the first move. Arif moved first, getting down from her horse and reaching into her bags for a small package she had prepared for just such an occasion. She slowly walked towards the tree, keeping her gaze on the girl in the branches. The young elf stared right back, unblinking and unmoving. Arif knelt down and opened the package, revealing some cooked veal, a few slices of cheese, and a dried cake she had saved during their stay in town. She layed the open package on the ground and slowly backed away, as though she was making an offering to some pagan god of the trees.
The elf dropped to the ground in an instant, making less noise than a prancing deer. She crept forward, slowly, eyeing the food, then Arif, then the food again, as though she was waiting for one or the other to jump forward and attack. Arif moved backwards, matching the girl's pace so as to keep a steady distance between them. Once the girl was satisfied with the setup, she began to eat with the same hurried delicacy as before. Arif simply stood there, watching the young elf feast on what would otherwise be meager rations. Matthew and Celera watched from their horses, both unwilling to move.
What happened then would not soon be forgotten by any of the three travelers. The elf stopped, looked up at the taller woman, and held out some of the meat to Arif. Suprised, she pointed to herself and arched her eyebrows, giving a 'for me?' expression. The elf nodded. Smiling, Arif reached out and took the girl's offering. The elf watched as Arif ate the meat, then smiled and nodded once again.
The other two travellers could only watch in silence. Neither of them were certain of what they were watching, but they would not soon forget it. Matthew distantly wondered if he was watching a conversation between a wild child and her future mother. Celera wondered how long it would be before the creature lept forth and tried to eat Arif's face.
The elf child finished the food and sat in place, watching the taller woman for her next move. Slowly and carefully, Arif stood and stretched, suprised by how stiff she had become in so short a time. The girl darted back into the trees, peeking around a nearby trunk like a shy squirrel. Arif could only sigh.
She started walking back to her pony when she stopped, looked back, and found the elf girl following her. "Are you coming with us?" she asked lightly. The elf gave no answer, but looked over the horse, Arif's bags, then back at Arif. The older woman climbed up onto the horse and patted the seat in front of her, giving a signal for 'climb on.' The elf smiled again, lightly hopping all the way up and into the seat. Arif chuckled lightly and gave the girl a hug. The elf looked over at Matthew, still smiling, and the big man grinned right back.
When she looked over at Celera, her smile faltered. Celera wouldn't even look at her, and she didn't look happy anyway. Arif offered to the girl, "Don't mind her, she's just grumpy." The elf looked at Arif, a question written on her face. Arif just patted her head. She seemed to really like that. The trio rode on, now with one more in tow.
-Chapter 2
Arif and Matthew lived in a small house near the edge of the town of Nasun. They had no children of their own (yet), but had graciously allowed Arif's young sister, Celera, to live with them. The three of them were one big extended family for many years... but now they had one more.
The elf girl didn't seem to know how to speak, as though she had grown up in the wild. Over time, she learned to say the name Arif gave her, and not much else. She was now called Mia. In the months that followed Mia's adoption, she learned to say 'hungry,' 'please' and 'thank you,' 'mama,' and 'papa,' as well as all of their names. The couple was amazed at nearly everything Mia did and how fast she learned. Celera was just doing her best to keep out of it all.
Sunlight broke through the small gaps left by the window shades, piercing the darkness of Celera's small bedroom like spears. Outside, a horse-drawn carriage could be heard rumbling and rattling down the road. Celera cracked open her eyes, still weak from sleep, to behold a sight that did nothing to raise her spirits, despite the thought behind it. A single flower, little more than a weed, had been laid on the shelf right by her head. She sighed, pushing the blanket off and onto the floor. Once she was upright, Celera took the flower and added it to her collection – which was nothing more than a dozen other flowers, all the same kind, piled into a corner of the room. This had been going on now for over a week, and she was getting tired of it.
"She's only trying to be nice, you know," Arif said between bites. "You keep to yourself so much, Mia thinks you don't like her."
"I don't," Celera answered quickly. The sisters were eating a meager breakfast of dry rolls and oats mixed with a little honey. Matthew had already eaten earlier and gone for the morning to work in town—Mia had gone with him. None of them had been doing too well in their respective jobs, so they scraped together what they could for day-to-day meals.
Arif sighed quietly, then said, "Well, she seems to like you. She's up early every morning to find you a pretty flower."
Celera stood to collect some more oats. "There are nicer flowers than those weeds. I'm going to have to throw them out soon, before they start rotting." She sat back down and resumed eating.
Arif sighed again. Lately, Celera had been rather hard to deal with. Arif knew that it was mostly Mia, since Celera had a distinct hatred for elves. But even when it was just the two of them, they seemed to be ...less open with each other than before.
Before she left for her own job, Celera was stopped at the door. Arif had a look of concern that had been all too frequent of late. "Please try to get along with Mia. I know she's a good girl, and she only wants to be friends with you. Give her a chance, alright?" Celera said nothing, nor did she nod—she simply walked out the door, leaving a very annoyed sister behind.
Celera was currently employed by a local eatery as a waitress. The place had a very expansive menu and offered just about anything you wanted—which meant they had to offer everything. When not serving unruly diners, Celera was also involved in gathering many of the ingredients for the dishes, such as fish from the river, deer and rabbits from the nearby forest, duck, geese and other foul. She also gathered many varieties of herbs and spices from hidden gardens around town.
Before the dinner hour began today, Celera set about gathering fresh herbs. At one garden, within walking distance of the shipyards, she realized she was being watched—and found little Mia eyeing her from several yards away. Celera suddenly decided she was finished and set out, hoping that the little imp wasn't going to follow her. Looking back, she was relieved to find herself alone. With that relief came a strange pain, like a pinprick in her chest. Blaming it on nothing more than the heat of the day, Celera forgot it as quickly as it came.
Her shift seemed to go by in a daze. Celera had gotten used to the routine of taking orders and bringing dishes so much that she was on automatic for the entire night. Much of her thoughts were on Anaci and his proposal. It wasn't certain just how long she could risk making him wait, and it had already been nearly three months. There was still too much to figure out before she could make a decision like this—it was still marriage, after all! Love wasn't even a question, since she didn't love him, nor anyone else in this world ...other than Arif, of course. Matthew was alright, but he was no prize. Besides, he was with Arif—and despite how she felt before, Celera eventually resigned herself with the fact that they were happy together. And now that Mia was here...
Wait, ...Mia? Since when did she start referring to that little imp by her name? She was just an elf, a vile little creature that was only living with them until she found a chance to kill them in their sleep. Sleep...? Hadn't she been getting into Celera's room every night to drop off the flowers? Damn, she was getting careless. She'd have to start locking the door if she wanted...
"Hey, Celera! Go home would ya, we're done for the night!" Renold Drahs was a large man with a big red-orange beard who ran the eatery. He was a good taskmaster who kept his workers in line, but still had a soft spot for women and children, of which Celera seemed to shift between for him right now. He had already sent his cooks home for the night, and Celera was the last one—he tried to leave her alone when she was in her little 'daydream' state. As she quietly stepped out into the night, Renold said behind her, "Oh, hey, the family's taking a trip out east tomorrow, so we'll be closed for a week or two. Get some rest, alright?" Celera didn't respond, since she knew she would sound annoyed. A week or two stuck at home with that little imp. Great.
Of course, she certainly didn't expect that Arif and Matthew also had some pressing business for a week or two. The note on the table informed Celera that they had been called away on a trip out west and had to leave Mia with her during that time. It had something to do with Matthew's shipbuilding skills possibly being put to use for a "Royal Navy", or something like that. Celera didn't really pay attention beyond the 'leaving Mia with you' part.
She felt as though she stood in that kitchen for hours before she moved again. Everything seemed to wash out—her vision, her hearing, everything. A small noise pulled her back into reality, and she turned to find the elf child staring at her from around the corner. It was then that her situation truly became real—she was home alone with this elf for God knew how long! In a huff, she quickly walked to her bedroom, shut -and locked- the door, and tried to go to sleep. Unknown to her, Mia meekly stood outside her door, staring at the unyielding wood that seperated them. She clutched her chest with her small hand, wincing at the strange pain within. Lately, whenever she thought about Celera, her chest would hurt like this, and it was only getting worse.
For the first two days, nothing was very different. Since Celera had started locking her door, the flowers had stopped appearing next to her head. Each morning there was none, however, that same stinging sensation came up again. Assuming it was merely her lowered food intake, she ignored it. With no one to go out and buy food from the markets, she had little choice but to hunt and forage for herself, just as though she were camping in the woods.
On the third night, she conciously left the door unlocked. When she awoke, she was met with a suprise—a sprig of peppermint, sweet and pungent, as though it had been picked less than an hour before. She picked it up and smelled it, letting the aromas fill her head and wake her up. A feeling of satisfaction and contentment surrounded her ...briefly. All at once she remembered who had left this gift here and set it back down on the counter. Realizing that the imp had seen her at the herb garden, Celera suspected that was where the peppermint had been plucked from, which only made her mood worse. She set about her day, but left the gift on the counter, rather than tossing it onto the floor with the other flowers. It wouldn't even occur to her that she had done this until nearly a week later.
Over the next several days, her encounters with the elf were seldom. At times, Celera would sense the imp reading over her shoulder as she studied a book. Other times she would find it following her as she went through town. She did what she could to evade or escape it each time, hoping that it would soon give up and leave her alone for good. It never crossed her mind that the townspeople paid Mia little heed, elf or no elf.
One day, about a week into their isolation, she eluded it in the middle of town and hid in an alley. As she peeked back out onto the main road, she saw it looking around with a worried expression on it's face. Realizing that it had been left behind, she grew sad and slowly plodded back to the house. At that instant, the pain returned in Celera's chest, but it wasn't the usual brief sting—this time it was deep, long and hard; like a great spike was being driven into her chest. It slowly dawned on her that seeing the elf in such a state was no longer amusing. It hurt. She casually wondered when the elf had begun to affect her like this.
Each morning after the peppermint was left for her, Celera had continued leaving her door unlocked. Each morning, a new herb or spice awaited her. Sage, parsley, bayleef, thyme and oregano each had a turn to greet her and help her wake up. To Celera's wonder, not only did the spices lift her spirits, but she found herself using them in each day's dish. On top of that, she realized she was making enough for two... without meaning to. A small voice in the back of her mind began wondering what sort of evil spell that imp had cast that made her so tolerant all of a sudden.
It was the final night of their isolation. Celera fully expected her sister and brother-in-law to return the next day, ridding her of this annoying sense of responsibility that had somehow crawled in and become a nagging parrot on her shoulder. The night sky was clear. No clouds obscured her view of the stars. Celera sat outside of the house on a small barrel, gazing up at the stars and wondering which one her mother lived on. The crickets gave a concert from the riverbed and the nearby trees, singing their alien song into the night for all to hear. Many frogs joined in, along with the occasional barking dog, forming a true orchestra of the night. Celera loved it all.
The moon was out as well. The full face of the lunar body shone brightly over the grassy fields past the edge of town. It was said that the ancient monk Loo Nartine prayed to the moon every night; the moon heard his prayers and took him up to it—which is why we see his face in the moon's surface. It was an amusing story that Celera still thought of every time she saw the full moon.
As she walked into the house for the night, she saw Mia ...but not like before. The elf was standing near the window that faced where the moon was now, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. The ruffled blonde hair and dirty skin seemed to have been replaced with an etherial ellegance that surpassed any human. For just a moment, the dirty elf girl looked like a supernatural princess.
The girl noticed Celera's entrance and turned, backing away from the window slowly, unsure of what the larger girl may do. Celera stood there, wondering if what she had just seen was even real. Her normal looks having returned, Mia simply stood and stared; Celera stared right back. Neither one of them moved for what seemed like hours. Neither of them said a word.
Finally, Celera sighed and walked to her room. Something seemed wrong with her recently. That girl was finally getting to her, she guessed. Girl...? Yes, she had to finally admit that Mia wasn't some vile creature that was out to eat her brains. She was just Mia. Celera sat on the edge of her bed, still trying to understand what she had just seen, when she saw that her door was still open. Upon looking, she found Mia standing in her doorway, still unsure. With a tiny, still shaky voice, the elf said, "Ce...le...ra, ...mad?"
"No, I'm not mad," she found herself answering. She was just too tired to care about her old grudges tonight. In her next thought, she realized that this was the first conversation the two of them had ever had.
"Good," the girl replied. "Mia..." She stopped, not knowing the right words to express whatever it was she wanted to say. "Mia... like... Arif mama... like... Matthew papa. Mia... love... Ce...le...ra."
The feeling that arose in Celera's chest was like water boiling over the edge of the pot after it had been left alone too long. What is this? Arif had told her she loved her many times during her life, and she had said the same in reply—even Anaci's confession, though repeated over numerous visits, often seemed to wash over her and then be gone... why is this time so different?
Maybe it was because Celera had done everything in her power to push Mia away, yet was still loved. Maybe it was because, unlike all other times those words were said, it was nothing more than a phrase—and now the emotions behind them were true, even palpable in the still night air. The idea that Mia simply used the wrong word was quickly crushed by the overpowering feeling of simple, honest love. That such a creature, though scorned, insulted, avoided and ignored, could still love the one who hated her, was something Celera simply couldn't grasp.
Without warning or good reason, the tears began to flow. Celera tried in vain to wipe them away, but only served to make a mess as more came to replace them. She was just able to make out Mia's blurry shape standing in front of her, saying, "Ce...le...ra, ...sad?" The taller girl couldn't answer, because now she was starting to sob. She was getting annoyed at herself, feeling as though her lungs were betraying her. A small hand gently brushed away a few tears from her cheek as Mia tired to comfort her.
As Celera finally cleared enough tears from her eyes to see again, she was met by Mia's face—and the young elf was also crying, tears streaming down her cheeks. That was all she could bear. Slowly, unsure of what she herself was doing, Celera reached out and wrapped her arms around the small elf in a gentle embrace, sighing a little as the girl wrapped her own arms around Celera's neck.
No vile creature could be this warm. No sinister spawn of the night could shed such tears. No evil demon could give so much love without any thought of profit or reward. That very hour, Celera's cold heart melted completely. No longer would she treat this girl, this precious child, like a diseased corpse that was better left in a landfill. With tears still flowing like a newly dug spring, Celera choked out in a whisper, "I'm sorry. I'm so… sorry. For ...everything." Mia said nothing, but hugged the taller girl tighter still, her own tears flowing just as steady. The two girls sat in their embrace for many minutes, neither wanting to break it off.
Long after the midnight hour, they finally fell asleep. They lay together on Celera's bed, sharing their warmth while they slept. For the first time in more years than she knew, Celera dreamed not of the tragic past, but of happier times shared with her sister and other family. Mia even appeared in these dreams, which actually pleased Celera.
-Chapter 3
Celera's extended family returned the next day, looking somewhat disappointed. It seemed that Matthew's skills were not needed afterall, but at least he was able to stay home where he felt he belonged. Both weary travellers were quite pleased to be reunited with their small charge, and Mia was more than happy to see them. Celera watched their happy reunion from her bedroom door, her mind stewing over the events of the previous night.
Maybe she was getting sick. Maybe she was as tired as old Renold had thought she was. It seemed like a dream, now—yet she knew full well that it had happened. She had let go of her hate. Little Mia was no longer the object of her scorn and anger, but more than that. What was frustrating the girl was the thought of what she probably would have done given one more night alone with the elf.
The two had said very little to each other that morning, and Celera wondered if maybe the elf hadn't remembered what had happened, but every time their eyes met, Mia gave Celera a big smile, like a child that had won an award and was eager to show it off to all of her friends. Celera's face got warm every time this happened, leading her to wonder just what was going through her head.
And now Arif and Matthew were finally back. Now things would go back to normal… right?
The night was hot and humid. Insects buzzed around her head as she tried, in vain, to get to sleep. Even with the window open, no breeze would run through. Celera turned for what had to be the twentieth time, hoping to cool down enough to relax and finding no relief. In addition to the heat, a cacaphony of crickets and other musical creatures was in full blast right outside her window. Everything seemed to want to serenade her at once tonight.
The heat and the noise were normally not enough to keep her from falling asleep; there was something else, something that had been eating away at her for the past month. Lonliness. Ever since her two-week exile with Mia ended, it had come into her life and stayed, like some sort of vile raven that stood guard in the corners of her heart, cawing it's sentence of doom.
No one had died and no one had left home, but they might as well have. Mia seemed to demand all of her foster parent's time lately, and they obliged. Her vocabulary was growing at a phenominal rate and her speech was nearly flawless. Arif had found a job for Mia in the marketplace helping various salesman from time to time, which left Celera alone even more often. Her own job had continued as before, the difference being that Renold let her work longer hours. This seemed to help the girl stay distracted from the pain that never seemed to go away.
Unknown to Celera, Mia stood in the hallway a safe distance from the room, watching the girl toss and turn. The elf desperately wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but was herself in turmoil. She sensed that getting too involved might be dangerous, yet was sure that it was too late for that, especially after that night...
Some nights later, Celera's world would forever change.
It was a normal night at the eatery, one in which Celera was once again on automatic. The bulk of the evening patrons had left, allowing the cleanup crew to pick up the pieces. Celera was busy passing the time when a sharp crash grabbed her attention. Several men had entered the dining room, and none of them were here for the food.
As the girl peeked out from the kitchen, her breath caught. These men were… similar to the ones that attacked them in the forest. Too similar. The largest man spoke to Renold in that strange northern dialect again, and wasn't too pleased with the older man's answer. With a few gruff words to his cohorts, the gang began to systematically destroy the resteraunt. This was Celera's last concious memory before the blackness that was her berserker.
In a swift movement, she leapt. The closest man barely registered her before he found a steak knife lodged in his throat. Cutlery became her armory as Celera fought the men one by one, using knives and forks to bring down men who were no less than twice her size. The fight was over in mere minutes, and Renold found himself with 9 dead bodies strewn across his dining room, and one unconcious waitress who had saved his life and possibly his business.
She woke the next morning laying in a makeshift bed of napkins and tablecloths. Renold was still cleaning up as she came to. "Hey, there. How ya feelin'?"
"Like I was run over by a horse." She quietly looked around. "Did I...?"
"Yep."
Neither spoke of the matter again as Celera quietly stood and helped him. She noticed that they were the only ones there and mentioned it to the larger man.
"Oh don't you worry about that. Those guys won't run out on me that quick."
"Didn't I scare them away?" Arif had told her of a few other times in the past when her berserker mode had taken over. Few people enjoyed the memory.
"Hell, no! If anything, they all seem to like you more, now!" The big man's beard curled as he grinned. "You're their hero!"
The young girl blushed at the praise. A hero? Her?
Renold huffed as he set the last table in place. "You better run along home, now. I'm sure that sister of yours is worried sick!" He grinned again, waving her out the door. "Go on, go home. I'll take care of the rest here."
Wordlessly, Celera bowed a thank-you and nearly ran out the door. She was worried about how her sister was doing, and knew she should've come back earlier, ...and deep down, she wanted to make sure Mia knew she was okay.
When she approached the house, her heart sank like so many stones when thrown into a lake. The front door was busted in, and the house was in shambles. Beds were upturned and chairs were smashed through windows, walls were bashed and the table was a pile of splinters in the kitchen.
She found Matthew in the room he shared with Arif, although the latter was nowhere to be found. The large man was lying on his back, bandaged in many places. He looked like he'd had the hell beaten out of him. Celera leaned close, horrified at the sight. Even though she had never like the man, this was just too much. Tears began to leak out of her eyes as the full measure of what had happened began to sink in.
A small shuffling sound drew her attention to the doorway. Mia stood there with a tired look on her face, no doubt from tending to her adopted father all night. The elf's eyes lit up upon seeing the taller girl and she ran forth and embraced Celera. Small sobs began to emerge from her tiny frame as joy and relief overpowered fatigue.
Celera was happy for this—it was a sort of contact she had been lacking for longer than she knew—but she had far greater concerns. "Mia, ...where is Arif?"
The elf had to choke back her sobs in order to answer. "She was... taken. Last night. A bunch of men... broke in and... took her away. I hid... in a room... I didn't know what ... was happening, I didn't ...know where you were... I was scared." The tears returned, stronger than before. Celera leaned down and embraced the small elf, her own fears and worries growing faint under the warmth of Mia's touch.
"It's okay, Mia." Celera tried to keep her own voice from shaking. "We'll find her."
…
(Once again, that's all there is. I never finished the thing.)
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^u^