Athrana (Wandering Shadow)
Chapter 37- One step forward, two steps back
TA3019, February
Athriel opened her eyes and groaned. The light was too bright and her head pounded. She tried again prying her eyelids open. The first thing she saw was an empty bottle of wine on the floor. As she scanned the floor she saw another and another. Well that explained the headache. She sat up slowly. She had a horrible taste in her mouth and a crick in her back. She looked around again. There was a pipe on the bedside table and she was curled up across the end of the bed. Well mystery solved. She snorted seeing the two bodies tangled around each other at the top of the bed, they were still asleep.
Standing up Athriel stretched and straightened her dress. Last night had been wonderful, just like old times. They had talked and laughed, drank and smoked until they had passed out in a heap. It had been exactly what she had needed. They had reminded her of who she was, they hadn't treated her differently, and now she felt as if there was a ray of light at the end of the tunnel.
From the crumpled mess at the other end of the bed one eye opened and Elrohir watched Athriel moving through the room. He tried to stop himself from grinning. Last night had gone much better than they had expected. After her original stiffness Athriel had relaxed back into herself. It was surprising how easily the three of them had fallen back into their old ways. It was such a relief. At some point they would have to tell her what they knew, but not yet. They didn't want to spoil a perfect evening. Later they could talk, maybe even come up with a plan to help her.
Athriel stopped when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. On the dressing table hidden behind a pile of clutter was a small box, a box she had never seen before. Curiosity getting the better of her she moved towards it.
"Dan?" Elladan moved slightly. He didn't want to get up yet, it was too early. "Dan?" He nudged his brother as he moved into a more comfortable position. "What is it Roh? It's too early" Elrohir sat up slowly so as not to alert Athriel to their presence. "She's found the box Elladan" Elladan's eyes snapped open.
Athriel reached out and moved the box forward so she could get a proper look at it. It was a trinket box, something you would use to keep important mementos in. She opened the lid and gasped. Inside were some of her things. The hair slide they had gotten her for her 100th birthday, an arrow tip from the first time she had beaten them at an archery contest, the flower Elladan had picked for her, and some other oddments. "What?..." This was her life, her life as they had seen it, a collection of things that meant something only to the three of them. It was a box of their grief after her death.
"Athriel?" She jumped, noticing that they were suddenly standing either side of her. She didn't know what to say, she didn't know what to do. "We thought we would fade over you Athriel." Elrohir had told her that, but the reality of it hadn't hit her until just now. What if they had done? What if she had been the reason for their deaths? What if she never fully recovered? Or if she became one of those vile creatures, what would happen to them then?
"I... I should go" Before they could stop her she was gone.