Leviathan's Daughter
GoldenEagle
Author's Note: I can't get FF.net to take down my italicizing, so when I italicize a thought, it will be like 'this'. Just pay careful attention to that. This chapter has some *ahem* adult content in it. I'm not talking about wild sex or anything, just some references to some stuff. So, be aware that I warned you.
Chapter Thirteen
It was silent in Folken's room as he and Persephone ate breakfast. They were both trying to put off the subject at hand. Persephone had gone to the meeting two nights before. There would be a battle at Mirama's capital, Corinth. Dilandau and the soldiers under him were to attack in their guymelefs. Folken was to stay in the fortress and do the planning and quick decision making. And Persephone was to go out on the battle field, with no guymelef. They all had to travel by foot, or guymelef, using only the ground to move upon. Corinth could not find out about their attack until it was upon them. This meant that the fortress would stay anchored here and no one would venture into the skies.
Persephone knew Folken was edgy at the thought of her going out with only a sword when the real fight depended on the force of metal giants. He would be so for any of the men under him. 'But I'm not like the others.' Persephone thought quietly as she watched him shuffle his food around on his plate to make it look as if he had eaten. He wouldn't look up unless she spoke, and even then it was a distracted look. 'Folken,' she pushed her emotions towards him. 'Don't you feel my confidence, my strength, my courage? Folken, I'm more than what you think I am. Why else did you think Lord Dornkirk wanted me? There's a power inside of me, Folken. I'm not afraid. You shouldn't be, either.' Her soul spoke these words as she looked up through her short hair with sympathetic eyes.
She was discouraged that she couldn't help his confidence in her without worrying him more. Yet, unknown to her, he had felt her waves of strength and self-assurance. It's what finally made him look up to her on his own accord to speak. "If I tell you to back out, you back out. You hear me, Persephone? My rank is above yours, and that's an order. I have a large amount of faith in Lord Dornkirk, but I can't help but question his decision in this matter. You will be the most vulnerable, and if there is too large an amount of trouble, I want you out. You understand?" Folken's voice had fallen into calling out orders as a General would, and for some reason this made Persephone feel better.
A sad smile shone behind her hair, beyond the point that Folken could see it. 'I'm not the most vulnerable. Don't worry so much. Quit playing these games of strength and indifference. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.'
Folken sensed her mind tugging at his. He couldn't quite catch exactly what her thoughts were, but he did catch the general idea: 'Don't worry.' He sighed. "I have full faith in you, Persephone." He said and looked up at her. She looked relieved that he had said the words.
"Thank you, Folken. Thank you for trusting me." She replied, standing as a computer made everyone aware that it was time to leave. Folken did the same, but a little too quickly, a little too suddenly.
'Oh, gods.' He thought as he saw her turn to go. 'What if she gets killed? What if she's captured? What if-'
Persephone looked over her shoulder and smiled. He realized that she had somehow read him, knowing his exact thoughts. "Don't worry, Folken. I'll come back in one piece. I promise." With that, she left, leaving him clenching the edge of the table he was at and scratching gashes into the woods with the talons on his right hand.
*************
It was getting dark by the time the traveling party stopped to camp for the night. Persephone rode on Dilandau's guymelef's shoulder, relishing in the cool, Autumn crispness. As they slowed to a stop, Dilandau's guymelef knelt down and she jumped off easily. They were so close to the city that she could hear and smell the happenings. There was laughter and celebration in the air. Ignoring everyone else's hurried attempt to secure their camp, Persephone ran up a hill which blocked her view of the city. When she reached the top, she froze in awed contemplation of its beauty.
It wasn't really that large, but its building were built high and made out of a shimmering, crystal like material. Bonfires burned all over the city as people danced and enjoyed themselves. Persephone was a little taken back when she realized that there was a festival taking place. 'All these people,' she thought quietly. 'These children and men and women and families... We'll be attacking them. Ruining so many lives-' but she interupted her own thoughts. 'No, it's not my fault! If they just surrender, then everything will be okay. Not many will have to die.'
"Isn't it magnificent?" Dilandau squealed behind her. His eyes had gone wide, his smile splitting his face. She tried to hide the distaste that came to her at that look. "Imagine," he muttered out, his eyes glazing over as he fell into his own, twisted mind. "All of it. Gone. The people, the blood... the fire!" He cackled after this and Persephone could take it no longer. She stood and passed him by, still laughing in the distant city's glow.
She remembered back on past thoughts, when he was only a child. He doesn't want war. He wants massacre.
Chapter Fourteen
Persephone couldn't sleep. Instead she stared up at the dark, starry sky. She shifted her gaze to the two moons hanging overhead. Earth. It was strange, thinking back to when she had lived on that lush planet. And now...? Was Gaea her true home? Home is where the heart is. The thought made her smile. Yes, where the heart is. Gaea was her home, afterall.
A cold breeze made her shiver in the open air. The shutter continued after the breeze had left and she realized it was from emotion. She was terrified. Horrified by what would happen the next day. She felt sick, like she was doing something that put her against herself. She felt like she had drunken poison with a light mood. This battle... She could feel it, already hear the screams.
And then everything reared up at her, like a striking snake, too fast. Flames engulfed her and she saw angels falling, twisting, dead... 'My fault! It's my fault! I should have been there, to protect-' she stopped herself, her mind twisting on its own accord, speaking from a different perspective. But the words came, a ghostly whisper as she saw the flames, saw the death, saw something she didn't understand.
"Atlantis... Destroyers of Atlantis..." the words whispered out.
"No! No! I tried to stop them! I tried to protect! It was my position, my responsibility, my fault!" She screamed voicelessly. "I tried!" She sobbed. "I tried!"
"Punishment... Consequences." The words flashed through her mind and she cried out as the memories came back. Her parents' deaths, her rejected life, her pain and love and sorrow for Folken and Dilandau. "Someone from the line must pay for their ancestors' sins..." Then the things she had refused to acknowledge, the memories locked away in her, never to be looked back on, flashed before her. The experimentation, the training, the shame...
"No, please! Don't make me remember! Please!" She screamed out in a voice that was beyond sobs as the visions resurfaced. The touches, the hands over her mouth, the hatred at them for destroying all she had been, for breaking her. She remembered the way they looked as her body shut down, trying to push away their violent passion. "Someone help me." She whimpered, her memories so real that she could still feel their bodies on top of her own. "Please..." her voice was a whisper as she started to fade away. "Folken..." It was her last word, but it brought her comfort. It brought her strength.
Persephone awoke suddenly, sweat and tears coursing down her face. She was shaking so fiercely that she couldn't even move. Finally, after a few minutes, she grabbed hold of her wits. She wrapped her arms around her legs and hugged them tight to her chest as she sobbed, much as a child would. She was cursed. It was what the dream had laid upon her. Doomed to a life without joy, without love-
*Folken*
Her thoughts contradicted themselves. 'Oh, God,' she thought quietly as a small, childish wail escaped her lips, unheard by her sleeping comrades. 'What- Please- Help me, oh, God, help me!'
Author's Note: You guys have to stick around for the next part! I'm like dancing around cause I'm so excited about writing it! For some reason I think the depressing battle will be fun... Hmm... Anyways, stick around! More's coming soon.
GoldenEagle
Author's Note: I can't get FF.net to take down my italicizing, so when I italicize a thought, it will be like 'this'. Just pay careful attention to that. This chapter has some *ahem* adult content in it. I'm not talking about wild sex or anything, just some references to some stuff. So, be aware that I warned you.
Chapter Thirteen
It was silent in Folken's room as he and Persephone ate breakfast. They were both trying to put off the subject at hand. Persephone had gone to the meeting two nights before. There would be a battle at Mirama's capital, Corinth. Dilandau and the soldiers under him were to attack in their guymelefs. Folken was to stay in the fortress and do the planning and quick decision making. And Persephone was to go out on the battle field, with no guymelef. They all had to travel by foot, or guymelef, using only the ground to move upon. Corinth could not find out about their attack until it was upon them. This meant that the fortress would stay anchored here and no one would venture into the skies.
Persephone knew Folken was edgy at the thought of her going out with only a sword when the real fight depended on the force of metal giants. He would be so for any of the men under him. 'But I'm not like the others.' Persephone thought quietly as she watched him shuffle his food around on his plate to make it look as if he had eaten. He wouldn't look up unless she spoke, and even then it was a distracted look. 'Folken,' she pushed her emotions towards him. 'Don't you feel my confidence, my strength, my courage? Folken, I'm more than what you think I am. Why else did you think Lord Dornkirk wanted me? There's a power inside of me, Folken. I'm not afraid. You shouldn't be, either.' Her soul spoke these words as she looked up through her short hair with sympathetic eyes.
She was discouraged that she couldn't help his confidence in her without worrying him more. Yet, unknown to her, he had felt her waves of strength and self-assurance. It's what finally made him look up to her on his own accord to speak. "If I tell you to back out, you back out. You hear me, Persephone? My rank is above yours, and that's an order. I have a large amount of faith in Lord Dornkirk, but I can't help but question his decision in this matter. You will be the most vulnerable, and if there is too large an amount of trouble, I want you out. You understand?" Folken's voice had fallen into calling out orders as a General would, and for some reason this made Persephone feel better.
A sad smile shone behind her hair, beyond the point that Folken could see it. 'I'm not the most vulnerable. Don't worry so much. Quit playing these games of strength and indifference. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.'
Folken sensed her mind tugging at his. He couldn't quite catch exactly what her thoughts were, but he did catch the general idea: 'Don't worry.' He sighed. "I have full faith in you, Persephone." He said and looked up at her. She looked relieved that he had said the words.
"Thank you, Folken. Thank you for trusting me." She replied, standing as a computer made everyone aware that it was time to leave. Folken did the same, but a little too quickly, a little too suddenly.
'Oh, gods.' He thought as he saw her turn to go. 'What if she gets killed? What if she's captured? What if-'
Persephone looked over her shoulder and smiled. He realized that she had somehow read him, knowing his exact thoughts. "Don't worry, Folken. I'll come back in one piece. I promise." With that, she left, leaving him clenching the edge of the table he was at and scratching gashes into the woods with the talons on his right hand.
*************
It was getting dark by the time the traveling party stopped to camp for the night. Persephone rode on Dilandau's guymelef's shoulder, relishing in the cool, Autumn crispness. As they slowed to a stop, Dilandau's guymelef knelt down and she jumped off easily. They were so close to the city that she could hear and smell the happenings. There was laughter and celebration in the air. Ignoring everyone else's hurried attempt to secure their camp, Persephone ran up a hill which blocked her view of the city. When she reached the top, she froze in awed contemplation of its beauty.
It wasn't really that large, but its building were built high and made out of a shimmering, crystal like material. Bonfires burned all over the city as people danced and enjoyed themselves. Persephone was a little taken back when she realized that there was a festival taking place. 'All these people,' she thought quietly. 'These children and men and women and families... We'll be attacking them. Ruining so many lives-' but she interupted her own thoughts. 'No, it's not my fault! If they just surrender, then everything will be okay. Not many will have to die.'
"Isn't it magnificent?" Dilandau squealed behind her. His eyes had gone wide, his smile splitting his face. She tried to hide the distaste that came to her at that look. "Imagine," he muttered out, his eyes glazing over as he fell into his own, twisted mind. "All of it. Gone. The people, the blood... the fire!" He cackled after this and Persephone could take it no longer. She stood and passed him by, still laughing in the distant city's glow.
She remembered back on past thoughts, when he was only a child. He doesn't want war. He wants massacre.
Chapter Fourteen
Persephone couldn't sleep. Instead she stared up at the dark, starry sky. She shifted her gaze to the two moons hanging overhead. Earth. It was strange, thinking back to when she had lived on that lush planet. And now...? Was Gaea her true home? Home is where the heart is. The thought made her smile. Yes, where the heart is. Gaea was her home, afterall.
A cold breeze made her shiver in the open air. The shutter continued after the breeze had left and she realized it was from emotion. She was terrified. Horrified by what would happen the next day. She felt sick, like she was doing something that put her against herself. She felt like she had drunken poison with a light mood. This battle... She could feel it, already hear the screams.
And then everything reared up at her, like a striking snake, too fast. Flames engulfed her and she saw angels falling, twisting, dead... 'My fault! It's my fault! I should have been there, to protect-' she stopped herself, her mind twisting on its own accord, speaking from a different perspective. But the words came, a ghostly whisper as she saw the flames, saw the death, saw something she didn't understand.
"Atlantis... Destroyers of Atlantis..." the words whispered out.
"No! No! I tried to stop them! I tried to protect! It was my position, my responsibility, my fault!" She screamed voicelessly. "I tried!" She sobbed. "I tried!"
"Punishment... Consequences." The words flashed through her mind and she cried out as the memories came back. Her parents' deaths, her rejected life, her pain and love and sorrow for Folken and Dilandau. "Someone from the line must pay for their ancestors' sins..." Then the things she had refused to acknowledge, the memories locked away in her, never to be looked back on, flashed before her. The experimentation, the training, the shame...
"No, please! Don't make me remember! Please!" She screamed out in a voice that was beyond sobs as the visions resurfaced. The touches, the hands over her mouth, the hatred at them for destroying all she had been, for breaking her. She remembered the way they looked as her body shut down, trying to push away their violent passion. "Someone help me." She whimpered, her memories so real that she could still feel their bodies on top of her own. "Please..." her voice was a whisper as she started to fade away. "Folken..." It was her last word, but it brought her comfort. It brought her strength.
Persephone awoke suddenly, sweat and tears coursing down her face. She was shaking so fiercely that she couldn't even move. Finally, after a few minutes, she grabbed hold of her wits. She wrapped her arms around her legs and hugged them tight to her chest as she sobbed, much as a child would. She was cursed. It was what the dream had laid upon her. Doomed to a life without joy, without love-
*Folken*
Her thoughts contradicted themselves. 'Oh, God,' she thought quietly as a small, childish wail escaped her lips, unheard by her sleeping comrades. 'What- Please- Help me, oh, God, help me!'
Author's Note: You guys have to stick around for the next part! I'm like dancing around cause I'm so excited about writing it! For some reason I think the depressing battle will be fun... Hmm... Anyways, stick around! More's coming soon.