Waiting on her to say something, he heard the disappointment in her voice as she asked him if he was leaving. His eyes looked into hers for a moment trying to read her, he felt guilty now "As I said in my letter, this place is too small for me" he paused a moment, he reached a hand over to hers "I would have asked you to come with me, but your inauguration into the Preisthood.." his eyes lowering to his hand "I know you Wandress, you wouldnt leave that commitment for me" he wasnt sure she could understand his need to move, what he was meant he couldnt stay in one place too long, he had no family, no commitment to help people like she did. He wanted to gather her in his arms, to try to regain the connection they had once shared.
They sat up and talked for a few more hours, he tried to explain his need to move around to have people forget who he was, but he made it clear he wouldnt be far from her and would be there if she ever needed him, he did agreed to escort her back to Bravia and spend a few days with her since they hadnt seen much of each other in so long. He never noticed her fall asleep in the chair as he spoke on for a while longer, lifting her easily, he lays her gently in the pallet.
RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
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Wandress
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
Woodsmoke filtered through the understory of the trees, obscuring the mossy earth in a haze that swirled around her feet as she ran. Red light filtered through the trees above her, basking the forest in a terrifying bloody glow. There was no movement in the forest except for her, the birds were silent, the deer had fled, the mice were still in the bushes.
She emerged with a gasp into the clearing where the Clan resided. It had been widened several hundred feet; tree trunks sat in sullen ruins, some smouldering still, but most simply shattered into splinters that littered the torn ground. Thin tendrils of smoke rose from small mounds across the field, cracked and broken domes that used to be the Clan's modest dwellings. Her scarf flailed in the air behind her as she sprinted across the field towards the smoke. Wrong. It was all wrong. A log caught her foot and sent her sprawling against the churned up dirt. The Clan always kept the village clean and clear of debris; she turned her head as she pushed herself up on her elbows and cried out in anguish. Hephastion laid sprawled out on the ground, his eyes staring sightlessly at her.
"Hephastion, no!" she cried out as she wrenched herself into wakefulness, her fist clutched to her chest where her heart beat rapidly with panic. Her eyes took several moments to adjust to the darkness of the room, and recognize where she was. This wasn't her cottage, this wasn't even Bravia. Swallowing hard she calmed herself and reminded herself shes was at Hephastion's place in Paz. Hephastion she thought, looking around for him, hoping desperately that he still slept.
She emerged with a gasp into the clearing where the Clan resided. It had been widened several hundred feet; tree trunks sat in sullen ruins, some smouldering still, but most simply shattered into splinters that littered the torn ground. Thin tendrils of smoke rose from small mounds across the field, cracked and broken domes that used to be the Clan's modest dwellings. Her scarf flailed in the air behind her as she sprinted across the field towards the smoke. Wrong. It was all wrong. A log caught her foot and sent her sprawling against the churned up dirt. The Clan always kept the village clean and clear of debris; she turned her head as she pushed herself up on her elbows and cried out in anguish. Hephastion laid sprawled out on the ground, his eyes staring sightlessly at her.
"Hephastion, no!" she cried out as she wrenched herself into wakefulness, her fist clutched to her chest where her heart beat rapidly with panic. Her eyes took several moments to adjust to the darkness of the room, and recognize where she was. This wasn't her cottage, this wasn't even Bravia. Swallowing hard she calmed herself and reminded herself shes was at Hephastion's place in Paz. Hephastion she thought, looking around for him, hoping desperately that he still slept.
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Hephastion
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
His opened, shining brightly as he heard her shout out. He moved through to the room his eyes scanning the darkness "Its ok Wandress im here" he saw her eyes searching for him as he sat on the pallet beside her.
He could see her eyes were frightened and her heart was racing "You were just having a bad dream" it was certainly not the first time he had witnessed her doing this and he wondered if on this occassion she might tell him about it since she cried out his name. He looked into her dark eyes again, it was definatly fear that had struck her Surely its not because im leaving
"We can stop by the Clearing tonight if youd like" he hoped being there might help her feel relaxed and even encourage her to talk to him about her dreams. The sun wasnt far off the horizon, if they left early enough they could spend some time at the clearing before moving onto Bravia.
He directed her to the market so that she could find some food for the next days, he often forgot about mortals needing to eat and drink, his own feeding habits coming naturally to him, like that of some predatory beast.
He could see her eyes were frightened and her heart was racing "You were just having a bad dream" it was certainly not the first time he had witnessed her doing this and he wondered if on this occassion she might tell him about it since she cried out his name. He looked into her dark eyes again, it was definatly fear that had struck her Surely its not because im leaving
"We can stop by the Clearing tonight if youd like" he hoped being there might help her feel relaxed and even encourage her to talk to him about her dreams. The sun wasnt far off the horizon, if they left early enough they could spend some time at the clearing before moving onto Bravia.
He directed her to the market so that she could find some food for the next days, he often forgot about mortals needing to eat and drink, his own feeding habits coming naturally to him, like that of some predatory beast.
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Wandress
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
She didn't take long at the market gathering the few supplies she needed for a few days; she had a few non-perishables still stashed at the cottage in the clearing, and she didn't need much. Returning back at Hephastion's house just before sunset, they did not have long to wait until they set out from Paz headed north.
Hephastion hadn't asked her about her dream, though she could see in his eyes how much he wanted to ask. If anyone could comprehend the loss she had faced, it would likely be him; they both had lost all the family they had, but he had faced his tormentor. She didn't have a clue who had slaughtered her Clan, and she would likely never learn about the raiders who had murdered them. All she wanted to do was forget about her past, but in her dreams she returned to that fateful day, the desecrated clearing she once called her home.
The stars shone brightly in the cold sky above them, lighting the path that curled away from the main road north of Paz, meandering through the trees towards the cottage. To the unfamiliar, the barren trees were skeletal sentries to the cottage, but to the pair of them, they were a welcome sight.
Hephastion hadn't asked her about her dream, though she could see in his eyes how much he wanted to ask. If anyone could comprehend the loss she had faced, it would likely be him; they both had lost all the family they had, but he had faced his tormentor. She didn't have a clue who had slaughtered her Clan, and she would likely never learn about the raiders who had murdered them. All she wanted to do was forget about her past, but in her dreams she returned to that fateful day, the desecrated clearing she once called her home.
The stars shone brightly in the cold sky above them, lighting the path that curled away from the main road north of Paz, meandering through the trees towards the cottage. To the unfamiliar, the barren trees were skeletal sentries to the cottage, but to the pair of them, they were a welcome sight.
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Hephastion
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
He noted her mood lifting slightly as they arrived at the Clearing, he hoped she would take more time to visit now that she had been back again. Once they had left their belongings he invited her to sit by the waterfall. The sound reminded him of the first time he had brought her here, and it certainly brought peace to him, one of the last pieces of humanity he had managed to hold onto.
As they sat he turned to her, here eyes were calm as was her heart, he could hears it slow rhythm in his ears "So are you ever going to tell me what is haunting you?" he watched her eyes for a reaction, but couldnt read them this time "Your dreams, theres something from your past that keeps coming back" he paused a moment "And Im not sure if you remember, but you cried out my name this time" his hand reaching for hers to comfort her, he wanted to know what was haunting her sleep, maybe it would help him better understand her, why she seemed detachted from him for periods.
As they sat he turned to her, here eyes were calm as was her heart, he could hears it slow rhythm in his ears "So are you ever going to tell me what is haunting you?" he watched her eyes for a reaction, but couldnt read them this time "Your dreams, theres something from your past that keeps coming back" he paused a moment "And Im not sure if you remember, but you cried out my name this time" his hand reaching for hers to comfort her, he wanted to know what was haunting her sleep, maybe it would help him better understand her, why she seemed detachted from him for periods.
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Wandress
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
The tip of her tail trailed slowly through the stream swollen with the last of the snow melt, trying to decide how to answer. She hadn't confided in anyone since she arrived in Bravia; she had decided to leave her tragedy behind her, start fresh in a new home...the alternative would have destroyed her. She would have preferred to ignore her dreams while she was awake, but Hephastion had asked her outright, and she couldn't lie to him, not about that. He was the closest thing she had to family.
Water dripped from the tuft as she withdrew her tail from the stream and settled it in her lap. "Three years ago this spring was my, well, call it my coming of age ceremony. When the Elders think a Clan member is ready to be an adult, they send the novitiate out into the forest by themselves for three days without food or protection, to commune with nature and the gods and meditate. When the child returns the Clan throws a feast and celebrate the new full Clan member. I spent my three days in the woods, sleeping in the new grass, serenaded by birdsong, companioned by a doe and her new fawn; it was the best three days of my life, I almost didn't want to go back. But part of being a full member of Clan is knowing duty, so I had to go back, I couldn't keep everyone waiting for me."
She fell silent for several moments, recollecting her thoughts. "When I returned," she cut off, her throat thickening with grief, and she fell silent for several moments more before she tried again. "When I returned, everything was wrong even before I arrived. The forest was silent, and smoke hung in the air, greasy, acrid smoke. Our clearing was the site of a battle; trees were blown apart, the ground was torn. Some of the trunks still smouldered. I...ran, as though I could still help, but I couldn't. Every hut in our village had been burned, some of them with Clan still inside them. The rest..." her chest heaved slightly as she fought the losing battle to control her emotions, flooded with pain at the memories. Her palms pressed against her eyes, and her thin shoulders shook with the effort. "Everyone was killed. Everyone. The Elders, males, females, children...noone was spared. Most were burned where they fell, some were left to rot. I was too late by a day, maybe even half a day, to help them."
Water dripped from the tuft as she withdrew her tail from the stream and settled it in her lap. "Three years ago this spring was my, well, call it my coming of age ceremony. When the Elders think a Clan member is ready to be an adult, they send the novitiate out into the forest by themselves for three days without food or protection, to commune with nature and the gods and meditate. When the child returns the Clan throws a feast and celebrate the new full Clan member. I spent my three days in the woods, sleeping in the new grass, serenaded by birdsong, companioned by a doe and her new fawn; it was the best three days of my life, I almost didn't want to go back. But part of being a full member of Clan is knowing duty, so I had to go back, I couldn't keep everyone waiting for me."
She fell silent for several moments, recollecting her thoughts. "When I returned," she cut off, her throat thickening with grief, and she fell silent for several moments more before she tried again. "When I returned, everything was wrong even before I arrived. The forest was silent, and smoke hung in the air, greasy, acrid smoke. Our clearing was the site of a battle; trees were blown apart, the ground was torn. Some of the trunks still smouldered. I...ran, as though I could still help, but I couldn't. Every hut in our village had been burned, some of them with Clan still inside them. The rest..." her chest heaved slightly as she fought the losing battle to control her emotions, flooded with pain at the memories. Her palms pressed against her eyes, and her thin shoulders shook with the effort. "Everyone was killed. Everyone. The Elders, males, females, children...noone was spared. Most were burned where they fell, some were left to rot. I was too late by a day, maybe even half a day, to help them."
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Hephastion
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
Listening to her in silence, memory of his own grief coming back to him, even though it had been thirty odd years, he still remembered the sight of his wifes limp body in Modius' grip and his infant son dead in his cot, but that seemed to pale into significance to her loss, her entire family, her friends, everyone she'd ever known. As she sat with her head in her hands, he struggled to find any words to comfort, the only ones in his head There was nothing you could have done seemed totally inappropriate and would have offered her no comfort at all. Even though he had no idea who or what had brought this grief on her, he felt an anger welling up inside him. Three years ago he had been wandering the North, he hadnt heard of this specific incident but had heard of hordes on the warpath, destroying each other, but he couldnt see anything warlike in her at all, so why would someone do such a thing to a peacefull tribe like hers. Calming himself after a moment he looked skyward at the stars, knowing they wouldnt have an answer but they would turn his train of thought.
After a moment he realised why she was so upset at the prospect of him leaving, even though it was under different circumstances, another being she had learned to trust and embrace as one of her own was deserting her. In that moment he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he knew it was guilt. A few moments of silence passed again before he moved closer, using an arm to comfort her, he was still stuck for words in that moment "Im sorry you had to relive that Wandress" pausing again "But something or someone spared you that day"
After a moment he realised why she was so upset at the prospect of him leaving, even though it was under different circumstances, another being she had learned to trust and embrace as one of her own was deserting her. In that moment he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he knew it was guilt. A few moments of silence passed again before he moved closer, using an arm to comfort her, he was still stuck for words in that moment "Im sorry you had to relive that Wandress" pausing again "But something or someone spared you that day"
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Wandress
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
Wandress leaned against Hephastion's shoulder in a tacit acceptance of his very human gesture of comfort. She hardly even noticed them anymore, his physical expressions were becoming more commonplace, more normal to her. She took several deep breaths to try and clear the acrid memory of smoke from her nostrils, concentrating on the crisp freshness of the clearing around her. "And what a cruel twist of fate that was," she sighed, fighting off another surge of sadness.
It took several moments more to bring herself to a calm state, focusing on the inky stream waters flowing past them, breathing slowly, taking strength from Hephastion next to her. The Vampyr didn't seem phased by anything, and she was envious of his stolidity. "I...see them in my sleep, sometimes," she said after a while. "The ruins of the village, still smouldering. The bodies of my Clan...my mother..." she trailed off, pausing for a moment and swallowing hard. "Last night it was you there, with them."
It took several moments more to bring herself to a calm state, focusing on the inky stream waters flowing past them, breathing slowly, taking strength from Hephastion next to her. The Vampyr didn't seem phased by anything, and she was envious of his stolidity. "I...see them in my sleep, sometimes," she said after a while. "The ruins of the village, still smouldering. The bodies of my Clan...my mother..." she trailed off, pausing for a moment and swallowing hard. "Last night it was you there, with them."
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Hephastion
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
His eyes narrow a moment as he listens to her I was there? he tilts his head slightly "Well I cant explain why I was in your dream Wandress" he knew dreams and such things meant more than just simple figments of imagination, he had heard of some whos dreams could shape the future and recall the past, but this time he could only put it down to her mind playing tricks, he had writen to her to tell her he was leaving, maybe this was her minds way of letting her know how it might feel.
Looking at her a moment, his eyes soft as he looks into her dark eyes "As I said Wandress, I'll always be your friend and if you ever need me" he couldnt quite explain how he would know "We have shared Vitae, were connected in some way..." pausing a moment again "I can feel some of what you feel, why do you think I always keep coming back when ive not seen you in a while" he smiled softly hoping she would understand. His arm held her into him, he could feel her heart pulse through her body, the Vitae that she had taken from him was still in her, and through that he knew they would always be connected, no matter how far he was.
Looking at her a moment, his eyes soft as he looks into her dark eyes "As I said Wandress, I'll always be your friend and if you ever need me" he couldnt quite explain how he would know "We have shared Vitae, were connected in some way..." pausing a moment again "I can feel some of what you feel, why do you think I always keep coming back when ive not seen you in a while" he smiled softly hoping she would understand. His arm held her into him, he could feel her heart pulse through her body, the Vitae that she had taken from him was still in her, and through that he knew they would always be connected, no matter how far he was.
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Hephastion
Re: RP - Chronicles of A Vampyr
He sat listening to the sound of the water, the stream bubbling over the stones by their feet. After a few moments he took his arm away and lay back on the soft grass, she turned slightly to look at him, his eyes catching hers in the moonlight, he wondered what she was thinking. She had responded to any affection he had shown her but her lack of understanding the meaning of it meant that her response was only to mirror him, he felt strongly for her, but he had to keep reminding himself that it would be nothing more than a strong bond of friendship.
Still lying back on the grass he speaks softly "Wandress? Would you ever go back to the glen your tribe called home?" he knew what the answer would be initially, he heard her heart skip faster for a moment. Who in their right mind would want to revisit a place whos freshest memories haunted their very sleep, but maybe if she gave it some thought, the idea would grow into curiousity, and at least it would give her an excuse to remain with him, or maybe his thinking was the other way round. As he listened to her breathing, he watched the stars blinking in the inky darkness at them, wondering if they witnessed the night her tribe was attacked.
Still lying back on the grass he speaks softly "Wandress? Would you ever go back to the glen your tribe called home?" he knew what the answer would be initially, he heard her heart skip faster for a moment. Who in their right mind would want to revisit a place whos freshest memories haunted their very sleep, but maybe if she gave it some thought, the idea would grow into curiousity, and at least it would give her an excuse to remain with him, or maybe his thinking was the other way round. As he listened to her breathing, he watched the stars blinking in the inky darkness at them, wondering if they witnessed the night her tribe was attacked.