Lehni: So, unbeknownst to me, since October my wife had been working on a super sekrit fic for my birthday, and I only found out last night, after posting the previous chapter. ^_^ I was soooo psyched because she never writes fic and omg it even has just the right angst to fluff ratio for me and everything!
I persuaded her to share it with everyone else, so here we are... This is her first fic and I'd rather it not be her last, so please play nice, children :-)
Author: juri
Betas: The incomparable oneplusme and the exquisite Viaan.
Warnings: Horror, disturbing content, references to character death.
.
.
.
It was not the thunder, but the rain that woke the warden.
This was most unexpected: not only was she inside at the time, but the drop of moisture was in harsh contrast to the warmth of the fire behind her.
Sylvanna wiped the rain from her face and smiled despite herself. Somehow it was almost nostalgic that the rain had made it all the way inside, something that she had not seen since the time when they had all slept in tents. How much simpler a time that had been.
A sigh escaped her lips as she opened her eyes slowly, squinting in the flickering light of the fire. Blinking seemed to do little to shift the blurred edges in her vision. Her sleepy eyes were not quite yet willing to give up on the dream she had been having.
Glancing upward at the ceiling, she searched for the source of the drop.
Even slightly more awake, it was not immediately obvious where the leak was coming from. Another yawn took over and Sylvanna made a mental note to check again when there was less sleeping to be done.
Her eyelids suddenly felt so heavy.
"My love, I must have drifted off..." she whispered apologetically, careful to keep her voice low so as not to wake their daughter. A slight smile appeared on her lips at the recollection of their exploits a few hours prior. The pointed tips of her ears turned a slight shade of pink at the awkward realisation that perhaps she should have been more aware of her volume earlier in the evening.
After a short pause, the warden regained her previous playful mood. Stretching out her arms wide, she rolled to face her lover. The fur beneath her barely shifted at the movement of her tiny frame.
The smile vanished as her arms met nothing. Sylvanna realised that Morrigan was no longer there; the slight indent where she had once lain was now cold and empty.
Strangely, Sylvanna had not been woken by the witch's movement and a soft curse could be heard as she sat up, arms slumped dejectedly by her sides.
She was alone in the circle of firelight.
It was with the next clap of thunder that the worry began to set in. It took considerable effort for the warden to push images of high winds and small wings from her mind. Of course, it would have been foolish to assume that there was much she could do aside from pull herself together.
Sylvanna focused instead on forcing the thought of how the rain would be barely felt in a warm fur coat. How comforting the weight and breath of pack mates would be in the dark. It was this last thought that made her bitter, the contentment of the evening quickly being replaced with loneliness. Her light linen slip suddenly felt like inadequate protection from the cold, in spite of the warmth coming from the hearth.
She had to remind herself again not to be too disappointed.
The next raindrop landed on her hand, drawing her attention around the room where not one, but many smaller leaks glistened in the light. In places there were almost streams of water flowing down moss-covered stone walls. Sylvanna found herself shocked by the poor state of her surroundings.
Outside the storm grew more ferocious, battering the cottage and shaking it to its foundations. With every strong gust of wind she could hear the patter of dust and rock falling from gaps in the walls where, over time, the ivy had crawled its way in.
In the corner of the room, even her favorite rocking chair now sat neglected and rotting, its legs unable to support the base where Ishantha had sat only days before.
The fire was the only warm thing in this place.
.
.
.
"Ishantha?"
The cry could barely be heard and it surprised her how pathetic it sounded.
"Ishantha?"
Sylvanna tried to remain calm as her calls went unanswered, her quiet sobs drowned out by the crackle of the fire. In a way she was glad of the empty room; no one would expect such weakness from a warden.
This was not her house.
It couldn't be.
She felt ashamed as she tried to calm herself.
Everything would be all right in the morning when Ishantha woke up and came to have breakfast. Perhaps if the storm had died down, Morrigan might even return and tease her about how ridiculous this whole thing had been.
Comforted by this idea, Sylvanna curled up on the rug, keeping her legs curled tightly against her body to avoid the pooling water on the floor, some of which was starting to seep underneath the rug itself.
It hadn't seemed this small before...
The smell of the damp fur drying in the fire brought back memories of happier times, and despite the fear she almost smiled. Closing her eyes tightly she let out a sigh, burying her face into the familiar fur.
The coarse short bristles itched on her skin.
Slowly she reached an arm out tracing the front leg to a stuffed paw, which she took in her hand, caressing it with her fingers.
A feeling of dread settled heavily on the warden.
Clumsy paws leapt towards her, resting their weight steadily on her shoulders. An excited mabari unaware of the balancing act as he jumped up excitedly unable to contain his happiness at her return.
Sylvanna's eyes widened as she immediately drew her hand back from the offending paw, clutching it to her chest with a sharp intake of breath.
A warm tongue lathing her face as he whined at her in concern.
In one smooth motion she bolted upright, pulling her legs up towards her chest, her eyes unwilling to move, unable to look farther than her knees which were becoming wet with tears.
The constant wag of his tail as they explored the wilderness together.
Her slow and steady glances took in the scene from one end to the other.
A cold wet nose nudging her awake, a gentle reminder that the time for breakfast had long since passed.
It took all of her efforts to force the inevitable inspection that followed and she raised a hand to cover her mouth as she stared in horror at the dull, glass-filled sockets of the thing now so long dead.
Liquid eyes that used to stare, pleading for her to have an 'accident' with the meat she was holding. Eyes that would light up with happiness as the scraps hit the ground or move, dashing under sleepy lids as Thetus chased the nugs in his head.
"My boy."
Frantically, she crawled off of the skin and onto the floor, the dusty water seeping through her slip and staining the delicate fabric.
"My good boy."
The voice did not sound like her own, the words forced out through ragged breaths as the cries became more frenzied.
"I am so sorry."
Sylvanna dragged herself to his head and gently picked it off the floor, cradling it in her lap as she cried softly into the brown fur. In life, his hair had been glossy and smelled sweet, like a child's...a very playful, dirt encrusted little boy.
He had been hers.
Any control suddenly vanished as she wailed in deep, heart-wrenching sobs, her body shaking with shock and confusion.
Rain continued to spill from the leaks in the ceiling, mixing with her tears on the fur. Outside, the storm had grown more fierce. Through all the commotion Sylvanna did not hear her daughter enter the room.
Ishantha beamed as she hopped between the puddles. The warden looked up only when the girl misjudged a jump, her feet making a light splash in the water as she landed. In the glow of the fire she truly looked like a goddess: her delicate white night gown floating around her legs as she flitted happily through the room.
She was the only thing of beauty in this once beautiful place.
Silently, Ishantha approached the fireplace and reached her hand in through the flames, pulling a burning twig from the pile without even a singe to her soft skin. Turning, she held the glowing brand in front of her mother and motioned towards Thetus, her intentions clear.
Sylvanna shook her head, clinging to his body tighter than before as she feebly tried to bat Ishantha away with one hand. It was of little use, however, as her movements were slow and blurred. The girl easily took hold of her wrist, pulling Sylvanna back away from the fur as she dropped the burning branch.
It seemed to fall in slow motion. The warden could only look on in horror and grief as her beloved pet was set alight.
At least this time she had the chance to say goodbye.
Ishantha stroked her mother's hair, her small eyes intently focused on the reaction and expressions on Sylvanna's face. The warden watched mutely as the fur blackened and crumbled, the room filling with the acrid smell of burning hair.
Gently, the little girl guided the warden to lay down upon the damp floorboards. Sylvanna woodenly complied, allowing herself to be led as if she was the child instead of the other way around. Peering through her tears, she couldn't quite make out Ishantha's face. Only the tiny dancing flames reflected in the girl's eyes were clear, burning themselves onto her mind.
She succumbed to exhaustion.
Ishantha smiled contentedly to herself as she stood by the open window, looking out over the hills at the Black City in the distance.
.
.
.
It was only after several minutes of shaking that the warden awoke to Morrigan's firm grip on her shoulder.
Gasping for breath, Sylvanna sat bolt upright, her eyes darting around the room as she blinked the sleep out of her eyes.
The sound of the rain was once again gentle on the roof of the cottage; a slow, unsteady rhythm left behind by the storm. She could feel the warm, comforting presence of the witch beside her as they lay together by the fireplace.
As her surroundings came into focus she found herself relaxing slightly. Other than a slight chill, the room was as welcoming and homely as always, with not an item out of place. Even the rocking chair was just as it should have been. Sylvanna dimly considered the lack of cracks in the ceiling as she stretched her body, trying to soothe the aches left over from several hours on the floor. Conscious that she could smell burning, she quickly glanced at the hearth. However, the fire had long since died down, only a few glowing embers remaining to shed a ruddy glow across the room.
Beside her, Morrigan stirred.
"That was a most pleasing interlude. However, I fear that we may freeze if we stay here all night."
The witch rose gracefully, seemingly unconcerned with protecting her modesty. Distracted by the glow of the firelight on her lover's bare form, Sylvanna didn't notice the black soot that fell from Morrigan's skin.
The witch offered a hand to help her rise.
"Come, let us get you cleaned up, shall we?"
If she also smelled the burning, she betrayed no indication. Sylvanna gave Morrigan an unconvincing smile as she was helped to her feet. She rubbed her temple with trembling fingers, allowing herself to be led away from the fireplace toward their bedroom.
"I should have thought you would be most accustomed to nightmares by this point." Morrigan said, and although it was matter-of-fact, her tone held a certain fondness. "'Tis unusual to see you so affected by one. Perhaps this time I shall remain awake to guard you."
In the far corner of their room, Ishantha surveyed the scene from where she stood, perched on the narrow spiral staircase. One hand against the railing, she shifted her balance as she wiped ash from one foot, then the other.
Morrigan shot a stern and knowing glance at the girl as they walked past, the disapproval clear on her delicate features as she also tried to subtly wipe the soles of her feet. Her face softened in concern as she looked back at the elf. Sylvanna looked so frail and small, her eyes red-rimmed from crying and her pretty white chemise now stained a dusty dark grey.
The witch took a deep breath and pulled the warden close, one arm wrapping tightly around her shoulders.
"After all," Morrigan said as they reached the doorway, "what am I for, if not to shield you from the nightmares of this world?"
.
.
.
Lehni: With thanks to interesting2125, Misdirection, Noah Sila and Victorita9 for the reviews. :-)