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rita-rae-siller · 4 months ago

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From my WIP, The Lies They Tell

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Tw: blood, implicit violence, physical trauma

Mara landed in the open window of Alura’s bedroom at the embassy and gave herself a shake to rid her feathers of sand. She hopped down to the floor and dusted herself off more as she took her human form. The storm had been an unexpected delay on her way back from Lumosse, but thankfully only kept her grounded for a day. Tucked into her shirt, she had a promising letter for the two of them to go over. As she looked around the empty room, she frowned. The door leading out into the hall was open. Peculiar—Alura always kept it shut when she wasn’t present.

With quick stride, Mara left the room and headed to her office down the hall. Perhaps she was working. Again, though, the room was empty, door ajar. Not a single guard in sight, either. As she inspected the room, nothing seemed out of place. Odd, and wrong. Alura was supposed to be here, waiting for her.

She was about to call out when someone spoke to her from the doorway. “She’s not here, Changeling.”

Mara spun around, pulling the dagger from her belt as she did so. She lowered the weapon as she came face to face with a very somber Captain Aalvor. After taking an arrow to the leg just a week prior during the city siege, he wasn’t supposed to be out of bed, let alone in full armor.

“Where is she?” She asked.

“They came and took her not quite an hour ago.” There was despair in his voice, hopelessness in his eyes. Mara didn’t care for him—he was a distraction and a setback for Alura’s mission—but it was clear he loved her like his own. “There was nothing I could do.”

“Speak sense, Captain. Where is she? Who took her?”

“A bishop came from the temple claiming he had a letter from my brother. Her Eminence is being questioned for defying the Most Holy’s orders for the city’s recapture.”

“His plan would have failed! Your brother is a mad man that doesn’t even know who he is, much less what century he’s in. Alura—“

“—Her Eminence to the likes of you—“

“—is the only reason Garmora holds Minos once again. Her plan was brilliant, and it worked. Why is she being questioned?” Mara had to sheath her blade before she dropped it. Her whole body was shaking. If her gut feeling was right, she wasn’t simply being questioned. Someone was going to die for this. More than one if necessary. “Where did they take her?”

“She was taken to Gora’s temple. I was forbidden from following. This whole affair gives me a bad feeling.”

“Some guardian you are.” Mara stalked toward the window and threw it open. She did not know where exactly Alura was, but that wouldn’t be much of an issue. Eyre would guide her.

“And where are you going?” Aalvor scowled.

“To stop this madness.”

“Wait!”

“I do not take orders from you,” Mara scorned, halfway out the window already.

“Let me go with you. I need to know she’s alright. Please.”

Mara sighed heavily. He would only slow her down. But there was no denying he would have his uses. “Fine. But we do this my way, understand?”

“Just don’t kill anyone important,” Aalvor warned her. He turned toward the door, but Mara caught him by the wrist to pull him back.

“I said we’re doing this my way. Hold still. This will only take us a moment.” Mara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she exhaled, she reached out to her mother. The goddess greeted her, a cold and not entirely welcoming presence in the back of her mind. The room around them faded into nothingness in a sudden puff of black smoke.

“Sparrow.” A woman’s voice said, echoing in the empty dark. Was that a tone of displeasure in her voice? Mara had just barged in unannounced, with one of Gora’s Tahlisaya in tow as well

“Mother,” Mara replied. When her mother did not reply, she had to fight back an impatient groan. Nothing had changed, despite all her hard work. “The Golden One is in danger. I must get to her at once. It is my duty to protect her, is it not? My purpose in life?”

“Do you truly understand what that entails?” There was another long pause. “I will take you to her, but it can only be a one way trip. Getting out will be up to you. Do not let your anger cloud your judgement once you are there. Her life depends on it.

With that said, her mother withdrew. The darkness around them faded. Aalvor coughed and wheezed as the smoke cleared. Most mortals did when passing through the Gloom for the first time. She pushed him against the nearest wall and helped him sit.

“What in the hells was that? Who was that voice?” He covered his mouth with both hands to stifle his cough as the fit persisted.

“Consider yourself blessed. My mother rarely lets unaffiliated mortals pass through the Gloom. Especially someone like you.” Mara patted his shoulder as he continued to wheeze. “It will pass. Until then, stay here. I will look for her.”

They stood at the base of a stone staircase that spiraled up out of view. The air smelled of mold, decay, and stagnant water. A single torch lit the small antechamber where they’d been dropped off. Chains of all sorts hung from the ceiling, and a wide array of barbaric torture devices adorned the entire east wall. They were in a dungeon of some kind, but it seemed it didn’t get much use. None of the torches were lit, and all the visible cage doors were open. Except for the door of the main holding cell at the very far back. Through the small opening at the top, she could just make out a faint golden light glinting off the bars.

Alura.

Mara could smell the blood before she even reached the door. She ran and jumped, changing briefly into a sparrow so she could make it through the bars. The sight that greeted her on the other side made her stomach do backflips.

Alura was on her knees against the back wall, shackled to the wall by her wrists. Her back was covered in gashes and long red welts. A whip hung on the wall to their right, still dripping blood.

Mara rushed to her side and checked for a heartbeat. Her skin was deathly pale, and blood pooled around them on the floor. As Mara made a mental note to use the whip on whoever had done this, she reached into one of the small bags at her hip. One by one, she tested out her collection of special keys on the door’s lock first, growing more desperate with each failed attempt. She had hoped this gift from one of her siblings would have been a tad more useful. What good were skeleton keys that only worked with certain locks?

“Did you find her?” Aalvor’s voice called from the other side of the door. She could hear the clank of his armor approaching, heard the heavy limp as he favored his bad leg.

“In here. I will worry about getting her out. I need you to be a distraction.”

“Can’t you get us out the way you came in?”

“No. My mother…” Mara paused her lockpicking and sighed. Now was not the time for this. “We are on our own from here. Just getting us this far was very generous. You have been granted two blessings this day, Tahlisaya. Be grateful.

“Now are you going to stand there and interrogate me? Or are you going to be useful as something other than a dithering suit of White Cloak armor?”

She could hear the outraged look on his face, his puffed up chest and deep furrows in his brow. Wounded pride. Typical. “I will not leave her in your hands, Changeling. You can’t even move her on your own.”

“Must you make me spell this out for you in your guttural tongue? I can be everything. Anything. And anyone. Whenever I want. For as long as I want. That’s what a changeling is.

“I can get her up and moving just fine, but I cannot move her past the guards very stealthily. She’s a giant. You need to figure out how to get us to the infirmary as quickly and quietly as possible. Can you do that or not?”

There was no answer. Just silence as he turned and limped away towards the stairs. Mara blew out a sigh as she returned to her work. She switched to her usual lockpick and quickly got the door to open. Now it was Alura’s turn. Thankfully, only one lock held her to the wall. She patted Alura’s cheek before she began fiddling with the lock.

“Goldie, wake up,” she said. “We’re not done yet, remember? There’s still work for us to do.”

Alura didn’t respond. She didn’t even make a sound once Mara undid the locks and lowered her gently to the floor. Her skin felt clammy and cold to the touch. As far as she could tell, Alura was already dead.

“Shit,” Mara’s hand trembled as she ran a hand through her hair. “Shit! Come on, Goldie. Don’t do this to me.”

Before the panic fully set in, she got to work. It took all her effort to haul Alura up onto her back. Despite knowing it would only annoy her mother further, Mara again stepped into the Gloom.

As expected, a very displeased presence forced its way into Mara’s mind as the room faded to black. “I told you it was a one way trip, Sparrow. Have you messed things up so severely already?”

“She is dying, Mother. I need to get her to safety,” Mara pleaded. “Take us to Lumosse. I can get us help there.”

There was silence as her mother considered her. “What happened to the Tahlisaya?”

“We waste time talking. If she dies, what good is she to you and your plan?” Mara had no time for games. Their personal problems with one another could wait until Alura was safe.

“Your insolence never ceases to amaze me. I will take you to Hellske. Don’t think I am oblivious to your sneaking around in the shadows. The Morvaarans are not the allies you think they are.”

“Just get us out of here.”

“Remember, Sparrow,” Her mother said as she began to send them on their way, “do not get attached.”

*********************************************************

Mara hopped back and forth across the headboard of Alura’s bed, watching the healers work furiously as they washed and dressed her wounds. They paid little mind to her little sparrow wings flapping and occasional chirps of protest whenever Alura whimpered in pain. So much of her back was flayed, it seemed like an impossible task to cover it all. The healers were visibly distraught, and mumbled amongst each other in worried tones.

“Has anyone sent word back to Minos to inform the captain?”

“Master Serbyris sent a letter as soon as they arrived. We can expect him by sundown. The poor man must be distraught. They’re never separated.”

“Do you think the city has fallen again?”

“Let us hope not.”

The conversation drifted off, and they worked in silence. It took all six of them to get the bandages wrapped around Alura. By the time they were done, she looked like a half-prepared Garmoran mummy, with only its torso and one arm bound tight. One by one, the healers filed out of the room, except for one. The old woman gave Mara a look somewhere between disdain and reluctant approval.

“I take it you didn’t do this?” She asked

“I would never harm the Golden One,” Mara replied. “I was tasked by Eyre to protect her at all costs.”

“Will you watch over her while we prepare the next round of bandages?”

“I will never leave her side.”

“Thank you.”

Once the old woman was out of sight, Mara hopped to the floor and took her human form once more. She sat at the edge of the bed and brushed a few stray hairs from Alura’s face. She looked oddly peaceful under sedation. The deep, pondering frown that usually creased her brow and tugged downward at her lips was gone. Mara almost missed her grumpy face. This deathly calm serenity made her uneasy.

“I’m never leaving you alone again,” Mara promised. Perhaps her mother had been right. If she had taken her duties more seriously, stayed at Alura side rather than running off to make deals on her behalf, then this whole thing wouldn’t have happened. The guilt was crushing, suffocating.

But she wasn’t about to break down and cry where someone might see. Tears would do neither of them any good. Instead, she took the form of a fluffy tabby cat and settled down on the pillow by Alura’s head and began to purr as she kept watch over the doorway.

I also realized I forgot about the taglist! Ask to be added or remove. @gabeorelse

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rita-rae-siller · 3 months ago

Text

Drinks

From my WIP, The Lies They Tell Genre: Dark Fantasy

Hellske was a strange city. From above, it seemed like any other, but few civilians actually inhabited the place. The harbor was mostly full of military vessels. Barracks dominated the waterfront more than warehouses and fisheries. There was only one tavern, and while it was an impressive size, Mara could smell the soldiers and their sour beer and bodies a mile away. One attempt to subtly have a drink had been enough for her to know it was no place for her. Too many bodies in too tight a space for her liking.

She paused as she reached the gates to the Lone Keep to admire the massive destroyer docked in the bay. The Aegeanna, Alura's pride and joy. It was a mechanical and magical abomination, capable of leveling an entire village with its cannons without even being close to shore. Earlier that day, Mara took a tour of the entire vessel to prepare for their deployment in a week's time. With twelve decks, it was a confusing maze of steep stairs, narrow hallways, and countless perils. But she couldn't deny the view from Alura's cabin at the very top was worth every bit of risk. Serving the emperor's Right Hand afforded her some luxuries she'd never imagined. Unfortunately, serving her also came with work. A lot of work.

The entire day had been one task after another. Tour the ship, deliver orders across the entire city, collect complaints and reports from the city guard. It was painstakingly tedious work, and not at all what she thought she was signing up for when her mother gave her the assignment. It all felt a little beneath her. She was a child of the Goddess of the Abyss--the Nothingness to which all life eventually returned. Now, she was reduced to a simple errand girl, forced to wear normal human skin to parade around mortals like she was one of them.

But the day was through. Once her never-ending list of chores was done, she'd met up with an old friend to exchange news and gifts. With a few bottles of firewine from Lumosse to tide her over, and a few letters from friends in the coven to read later tucked into her bag, it was time to retire and enjoy a bit of home.

As she prepared to change and fly over the gate to reach her room, she noticed lights in the window of Alura's tower. Considering it was late spring, and the sun had gone down hours ago, Mara was surprised Alura was still awake. To make sure she hadn't fallen asleep at her desk again, Mara took to the air.

Chaos greeted her as she landed on the open windowsill. Books and trinkets were strewn everywhere, thrown from the shelves. The neat stacks of parchment on her desk littered the floor. Alura sat at the desk amidst the chaos with her head buried in her arms. Her shoulders trembled, but Mara couldn't tell if she was crying or seething with fury. Either way, this was highly unlike Alura. She was bloodthirsty, sure, but wasn’t prone to fits of rage. Her anger was reserved solely for the battlefield.

It was iritating, really, how likable Alura was. She was an imposing giant of a woman, and her golden tahli made her glitter obnoxiously in the dark and the daylight. Stubborn was the first word that popped into Mara’s mind when Alura was mentioned, followed quickly by dismissive, and egotistical. Everything was her way or no way at all. Mara had fully expected to hate her—to loathe her in her entirety. But underneath her gruff exterior was a phenomenally kind and caring woman. Alura saw to the needs of her soldiers well, considered her options in ways Mara had not at all anticipated a Garmoran to behave.

"Goldie, what happened?" Mara asked as she changed to her usual form. "It looks like a twister came through here."

Alura didn't look up, just pointed to a crumpled piece of parchment on the corner of the desk, the only thing left on the desk. Mara scowled when she picked it up. The swirling dots, dashes, and spirals of Garmora's Sand Script made her head spin. Alura knew full well she couldn't read a word of it. Just as Mara was about to put it down and complain, she caught a whiff of something sweet. Perfume, like lotus flowers and hone. Mara knew exactly who the letter was from even if the contents were a mystery.

She kicked the desk to get Alura to look up at her. It worked well, and she sat up with a nasty glare. Her eyes were puffy and red, but no less venomous. “You better have a good reason for that."

Mara grabbed the nearest candle from the desk and lit the letter on fire. "First opportunity I get, she's dead."

Alura smiled weakly as she wiped her face. "Thank you. I should know better than to let her get to me like this."

"Thirsty? I know I am." Mara reached into her bag and set a bottle of firewine on the desk.

"Please," Alura said.

"Come on then. Let's get out of here. This mess gives me a headache.”

It was a rare night to be able to see so many stars. Usually, a thick cloud layer hung over the bay, making the nights dark and dim. From the roof of the keep’s library, they could see the entire sky for miles in any direction. Mara took a long swig from the bottle before she passed it to Alura. Maybe someday she'd get to see the night skies above Novalis again, watch the Lights dance in the sky. For now, though, these cold desert skies would have to suffice.

"What is this stuff?" Alura asked as she took a sip.

"Firewine from Lumosse," Mara replied. "They fortify wine with hard liquor and spices. Doesn't help the taste, but it sure takes the edge off."

"I can see that," Alura grimaced, but took another sip anyway before passing the bottle. "Thank you for sharing. I needed a drink after that."

"May I ask a potentially out of line question?"

"Go ahead."

"You are the chosen of a God; by all rights you are the empress of all Garmora, no? So why do you let this woman—a gnat that buzzes about with no purpose other than to cause misery—disrespect you?"

“I have never known anything or anyone else,” Alura shrugged, looking so helpless. Frail even. “She’s just always… been there. For better or for worse.”

"You deserve better," Mara said, passing the bottle back after taking a long swig.

"I’m not sure I agree, but thank you,."

“No one deserves abuse.”

There was silence between them for a while. “Where are you from? Your cadence is unlike any I’ve ever heard before.”

“It’s a bit of a blend, honestly. I speak seven different languages, but Lumossi and Novali are the two I speak the most. My guardian would be horrified to hear how I speak now." Mara pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. Home. Twenty years away from Novalis still hadn't been long enough. The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth that all the drink in the world couldn't wash out.

"Do you have no parents?"

"Duuriik are not born like mortals. We walk from Eyre's darkness fully formed. Instead we have guardians--fellow Duuriik assigned by our mother to educate and train us to survive in this unwelcoming world. I have not seen my clan in... a long, long time."

"Do you hope to go back, once we are done?"

"No. I do not think I will ever be welcome there again."

Alura hummed thoughtfully. "I feel the same way about Eredahl."

"That is surprising. You are the emperor's Right Hand, beloved by the people. Hells, even your own god adores you." Mara had to look away as a deep ache began to claw at her chest. She had friends in the Collective, sure, but she was still a changeling in an otherwise human world. She didn't belong anywhere.

"I am hated by nearly every member of the emperor's court and have been since he first brought me to the capital. I am Zhariik, for one, and a woman. To have me bear the tahilvora is seen by many of the Garmoran elite as an insult to their culture. A woman has no business leading their nation, especially one not of royal blood."

"Then why did the emperor choose you?" Mara still hadn't figured that part out. She'd only been at Alura's side for a few months, but not a single person had ever once seemed phased by Alura not being Garmoran, especially the knights of the White Cloak. "Why you specifically?"

"Because he is a mad man? Because he saw benefit in having someone like me at his side on a leash as a scary guard dog? There are dozens of answers I have considered." Alura sat back on her hands, looking up at the stars. "Your Mother says she may tell me in time, if I cooperate. Though I'm not sure I care to know. What good does it do me to know where I'm from if I can never go back? There is no life for me anywhere once I destroy Eredahl."

"You could come with me to Lumosse, if you wanted. You could live with the sisterhood there. Your affiliation with my mother could buy you refuge."

"I figured you would be glad to be rid of me once everything is said and done."

"You are a pretentious, self-righteous ass," Mara said, "but us misfits should stick together in this world that hates us so."

Alura scowled at her, but it quickly faded into a smile. "I appreciate the sentiment. I will... consider it."

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