happy pride everyone! as per tradition me and @nerdynerve collaborated and made some art :]c the sketch was by myself while ollie handled the rendering!
Summary: Keep your mouth shut when you're dealing with gods
Rating: Teen
Warnings: none I can think of
Wordcount: 1565
Sunlight poured onto my eyelids and gravity was pressing me down. My mind was clouded with dark dreams and endless pain. My arms seared and pulsed with every heartbeat. My legs had seemingly left my body altogether. I couldn’t move. I didn’t want to move. Voices echoed in the distance, pulling at my mind. I didn’t want to listen. Please let me just go back to sleep.
“Wake up, dear.”
I shot up out of my bed. It wasn’t a dream. Forget the pain. He was here. My heart felt like it was gonna burst out of my chest and my stomach sank. A new weight set on my chest, and I couldn’t breathe. The Healers tried to calm me down, but how could they? The Dark One was standing in front of the window. His gaze was still pinned on me.
“Light-bearer calm down, you’re safe,” one of the Healers said. Safe? How could we be safe? Did they not see him?
“I- uh where am I? What happened?” I asked the Healer. She gently pushed me back against my pillow as she began explaining. “No one knows exactly what happened, but when you weren’t in your room that morning, the Acolytes went out to look for you. They eventually found you near the river, unconscious with burns all over your arms and torso. You’ve been out for a week.”
The river? I don’t remember going there. “Where’s Skye?”
“Who is Skye, Light-bearer?”
I sighed. “My friend. The Acolyte with the scar on his left cheek.”
“Oh that one! He’s been in here a lot, you know. He seemed really worried about you.”
“I need to see him.” I pushed the blanket off me and stood up. My knees instantly buckled and the floor came crashing towards me. The Healer quickly grabbed me by my waist and guided me back into the bed.
“It’s sweet to see you so worried about your friend, Light-bearer, but you need to rest. Tell you what, I believe they’re praying right now, but I’ll have someone fetch your friend as soon as they’re done with that. In the meantime I want you to stay in bed and drink some water, alright?” I nodded.
“Okay then, I’ll see you in a bit.” She walked out of the room and closed the door behind him with a soft click.
“She’s right, it is sweet you care so much,” The Dark One said. I shrank back into my pillow. “Oh? Did you forget I was here darling?”
“I didn’t forget, I just hoped you left,”
He chuckled and sauntered over to sit on the bed next to mine. “Why would I leave? I’m exactly where I want to be. More or less” More or less? What in Ivis’s name is that supposed to mean?
“Why did you bring me back here? To the river?”
“Should I have left you there to die?”
“Nonono, I'm just curious, you know?”
He grinned and leaned forward. “I’ll be honest darling, this wasn’t exactly the plan,” he said whilst gesturing to himself, “The storm was supposed to hide us from prying eyes, but that lightning hit before you could finish the ritual. I never meant to hurt you that night, but I just know you can forgive me for that.”
I blinked. The nerve of this man.
“So, now what?”
“That is all up to you. Even if I wanted to kill you, I couldn’t. My wrath does not extend to you. After all, you gave me my voice back, though in a limited capacity.”
“Does that wrath extend to Skye?”
“That depends on his actions once he finds out about me.”
“He’ll try to destroy you,”
He laughed, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. “Your gods tried to kill me, and yet here I sit at your bedside. Right now, we are bound together. Tell me, dear, are you willing to die if it means my end?”
I was stunned. He knew I was powerless to stop him. My only options were to kill myself or to be killed. I felt tears prick in my eyes. He moved his hand and cupped my cheek. When I looked down, I saw his fingers, but I felt nothing against my cheek.
“I’m scared,”
“I know,” he said.
“I don’t want to die.”
He looked me in the eyes and smiled. “Then keep me secret.”
The sun had set by the time Skye came to visit me. So much for "as soon as they're done". In the time between my little chat with a mad god and Skye's visit, I had taken two naps and drank the whole pitcher of water next to my bed.
"So, how're you feeling?" Skye asked me, his wings fluttering a bit as he shifted in his seat. He was still in his ceremonial robes.
"Bored," I said. The Dark One snickered in the corner. "How was the ceremony?"
"Uhm, a bit awkward if I'm being honest. So many of the rituals are built around you, and the High Priestess isn't the best at improvisation."
"Really? It doesn't feel that way for me. Most of the time I'm just sitting there wondering if ducks have a concept of self." I absentmindedly shrugged and winced at the pain.
"Well aren't you the enlightened prophet," The Dark One whispered in my ear.
Skye laughed, "You know, maybe if you actually paid attention during prayer, the High Priestess wouldn't be so mad at you all the time."
"Ah you know well enough that she hates me no matter what I do, so why bother? Speaking of our great leader, please tell me she isn't coming here as well?"
"Actually, she's waiting outside. I asked if I could go in first."
"You're not gonna leave me alone with her, right?"
Skye didn't respond.
"No Skye, you can't do this to me, please!" He stood up and gave me an apologetic look before walking toward the door.
"Please come back to me when she's gone, alright?" I whispered.
The High Priestess walked into the room. Rather than meeting my eyes, she looked over my head. Right where The Dark One was standing. His gaze, however, kept flickering between me and the High Priestess. Any shred of the relaxed and taunting mood he had around me had disappeared into thin air; his jaw was clenched and eyes hardened. He straightened out his back and lifted his chin up. His wings twitched in anticipation. The High Priestess squinted right back at him and straightened out in the same manner. Her wings slowly spread out on instinct. At the same time, my heart had moved from my chest to my throat. She can't see him, can she? The three of us stayed put in our spots for an agonizing long time, until I finally found my voice again. "M-mistress? Why did you come to see me?"
She snapped out of her gaze and turned to me, grabbing hold of the wooden bedframe. "Yes, Light-bearer, I apologise, I don't know what came over me. I'm here to tell you that you are relieved of your duties for the coming fortnight. I also wanted to inquire about what happened that night."
"Oh uhm, I-" I fumbled over my words. Great start, me. "I don't really know, mistress. It's all pretty hazy. I think I sleepwalked during the storm. I promise I'll keep you informed if I recall anything else." I looked her in the eyes and smiled to really sell her the lie.
"Good. For now, focus on your healing process." She moved towards the door.
"Mistress? Is the Acolyte still there?"
She peered into the hallway outside. "No, it seems he left." And she closed the door behind her.
I let out a breath I didn't even realise I was holding. Beside me I heard The Dark One do the same.
"What in the Sun's name was that?" I snapped.
"What was what?"
"Don't play dumb, that staring contest with the High Priestess. Can she see you or not?"
"I'm not sure," finally turning his head to me with a sly grin "But it is certainly an interesting development, isn't it?"
"No it's not! It's not interesting, nor is it as funny as you seem to think it is. This is gonna cost me my head. She already wants to snap my neck, as is!"
"And you think I would let that happen, darling?"
I opened my mouth to start arguing again, but closed it in defeat. I looked down at my bandaged hands. “Okay but if this is gonna be a thing, we need some ground rules,” I said.
“I’m all ears.” He moved from the wall to the window. The night sky behind him was still visible through his transparent body, appearing as dark clouds over the bright stars.
“First off, no commentary on conversations with other people-”
“Well you’re no fun, dear” he crossed his arms.
“Second, stop it with the cutesy pet names. I’m not your friend. Call me by my name or don’t talk to me at all.”
He grimaced. “I’m not calling you that.”
“Why not? Nothing seemed to stop you from doing it before.”
“It’s late, you should rest.” He turned his back to me and looked out the window.
“But-”
“Keep pushing and the High Priestess will be the least of your worries,” he growled.
I gulped. “Goodnight.”
He hummed softly. “Goodnight darling.”
Not a very long chapter, but the tension starts building. Hopefully I will find the time to upload the next chapter before Christmas. I did start a new job last week, so it's a slow go on my end :)
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