Chapter 3
Delirious, weak and half-conscious, Nissa finally collapsed. She struggled to maintain consciousness, striven to focus on the blurred forms approaching her. One of the forms gently touched her feverish head. Sensing a warm sensation rushing through her, her protesting mind and body gave into the beckoning blackness. Her pain twisted features softened as she passed on.
"Death is better than a suffering life," the tall, brown-eyed woman who attempted to help the fallen girl offered to her comrades beside her.
Standing in ultimate grief, Vanda nodded sadly in agreement at the woman's words, at the edge of the forest, while watching Sasha's stricken form racing towards Nissa. Head hung low, Vanda watched Sasha take the precious pouch from Nissa's tunic, acting like the other people around her weren't even there.
Stumbling over her own feet, Sasha made her way back to Vanda. Her tear-shedding aqua eyes met Vanda's for a split second as she shoved the pouched Elfstones into her hands.
Too grief stricken to care what tragedy happened in her life next, Vanda just stood and watched Sasha walk off into the forest, never to be seen again.
Raising her head, as if accepting her fate, she walked boldly into the Sinlahekin valley. Stopping at the tall, brown-eyed, black-haired woman in a tawny robe, she unearthed the news that affected her so much. "Amb.........Amberle's.......she........she's dead," Vanda stammered.
Seeing the woman in front of her start to cry silently, made tears start streaming out of her own eyes. Roughly she shoved the worn pouch into the innermost pocket of her tunic. Absently, her hand brushed against her musical locket. It was given to her by Amberle for her tenth birthday, since then she never took it off. Her hand closed about it as her ears longed to hear its song again. She wiped at her tearing eyes and studied the woman in front of her. It was obvious that she held a great deal of respect and pride. Her stance and confident attitude told her that much.
"I'm in Sinlahekin, aren't I?" Vanda asked when she was sure she could trust her voice.
"Yes, you are."
"My name is Vanda Kiolen."
"Ravan Solo."
"I'm sorry about Amberle," Vanda choked out in a whisper.
"It's alright," Ravan replied, "She will be greatly missed. You are Amberle's......."
"Cousin."
Ravan nodded.
Vanda desperately wanted to rid her mind of the tragedy she witnessed. She knew it would be hard and her dreams would be tortured. She wasn't sure she was strong enough. She felt as if everyone she ever loved was taken from her.
Dusk was approaching. Ravan excused herself, wished Vanda a good night and disappeared. The other occupants of the valley were leaving also.
Alone, fatigued and filthy, Vanda built up a strong emotional wall to keep her from doing something rash while she buried her oldest sister and cousin in the field-like area behind the cottage. She heard the horses, Sky Dancer, Devaki, Opsha and Lushius, neighing softly in the stable as she worked. Exhausted, but in a working mood, she mucked the stalls, fed and watered the horses and brushed them.
Going inside, she cleared the dinner dishes off of the table and washed them. She put away the chairs that she thought would never be used again, then, finally, she began the painstaking process of clearing out all the rooms but hers.
Upon seeing scattered pictures, diaries, places and things that will never be used or seen again by anyone but her brought her into a frenzy of rage, striking anything and everything near her or in her path. She raged on for her helplessness, raged for the abandonment, the death.....
Finally, inches away from putting a box of pictures in the living room fire, she finally realized what she was doing. Shaking hard from the sobs racking through her, she threw the box across the room with a cry, scattering pictures everywhere, and fell to her hands and knees, crying until sleep took her.
What do you think?! Reviews would be nice! Next chapter's coming soon!
-Natselane
Delirious, weak and half-conscious, Nissa finally collapsed. She struggled to maintain consciousness, striven to focus on the blurred forms approaching her. One of the forms gently touched her feverish head. Sensing a warm sensation rushing through her, her protesting mind and body gave into the beckoning blackness. Her pain twisted features softened as she passed on.
"Death is better than a suffering life," the tall, brown-eyed woman who attempted to help the fallen girl offered to her comrades beside her.
Standing in ultimate grief, Vanda nodded sadly in agreement at the woman's words, at the edge of the forest, while watching Sasha's stricken form racing towards Nissa. Head hung low, Vanda watched Sasha take the precious pouch from Nissa's tunic, acting like the other people around her weren't even there.
Stumbling over her own feet, Sasha made her way back to Vanda. Her tear-shedding aqua eyes met Vanda's for a split second as she shoved the pouched Elfstones into her hands.
Too grief stricken to care what tragedy happened in her life next, Vanda just stood and watched Sasha walk off into the forest, never to be seen again.
Raising her head, as if accepting her fate, she walked boldly into the Sinlahekin valley. Stopping at the tall, brown-eyed, black-haired woman in a tawny robe, she unearthed the news that affected her so much. "Amb.........Amberle's.......she........she's dead," Vanda stammered.
Seeing the woman in front of her start to cry silently, made tears start streaming out of her own eyes. Roughly she shoved the worn pouch into the innermost pocket of her tunic. Absently, her hand brushed against her musical locket. It was given to her by Amberle for her tenth birthday, since then she never took it off. Her hand closed about it as her ears longed to hear its song again. She wiped at her tearing eyes and studied the woman in front of her. It was obvious that she held a great deal of respect and pride. Her stance and confident attitude told her that much.
"I'm in Sinlahekin, aren't I?" Vanda asked when she was sure she could trust her voice.
"Yes, you are."
"My name is Vanda Kiolen."
"Ravan Solo."
"I'm sorry about Amberle," Vanda choked out in a whisper.
"It's alright," Ravan replied, "She will be greatly missed. You are Amberle's......."
"Cousin."
Ravan nodded.
Vanda desperately wanted to rid her mind of the tragedy she witnessed. She knew it would be hard and her dreams would be tortured. She wasn't sure she was strong enough. She felt as if everyone she ever loved was taken from her.
Dusk was approaching. Ravan excused herself, wished Vanda a good night and disappeared. The other occupants of the valley were leaving also.
Alone, fatigued and filthy, Vanda built up a strong emotional wall to keep her from doing something rash while she buried her oldest sister and cousin in the field-like area behind the cottage. She heard the horses, Sky Dancer, Devaki, Opsha and Lushius, neighing softly in the stable as she worked. Exhausted, but in a working mood, she mucked the stalls, fed and watered the horses and brushed them.
Going inside, she cleared the dinner dishes off of the table and washed them. She put away the chairs that she thought would never be used again, then, finally, she began the painstaking process of clearing out all the rooms but hers.
Upon seeing scattered pictures, diaries, places and things that will never be used or seen again by anyone but her brought her into a frenzy of rage, striking anything and everything near her or in her path. She raged on for her helplessness, raged for the abandonment, the death.....
Finally, inches away from putting a box of pictures in the living room fire, she finally realized what she was doing. Shaking hard from the sobs racking through her, she threw the box across the room with a cry, scattering pictures everywhere, and fell to her hands and knees, crying until sleep took her.
What do you think?! Reviews would be nice! Next chapter's coming soon!
-Natselane