#1327 ae

[alexandrialacoria]

Happiness from Saplings

Once again, there was another sapling in her life. It had taken nearly a year to get Nepilim trained to the point where she was confident, and knowledgeable enough to be able to go out on her own. It wasn’t that she didn’t love the sapling, but her patience and the craziness of her life truly didn’t make her the ideal choice for a mentor.

There was no way she could turn away Tacita though. After everything the swampy leafed Sylvari had gone through in her first week of life, just to make it to the Priory to find her. She was still irritated that Nepilim hadn’t warned Tacita to wear furs or wool when travelling in the Shiverpeaks.

It wouldn’t be easy, but she would do what she could to help the newest Priory Novice. Having been awakened during such a time of turmoil not only for Tyria, but for the Dream itself had left her at even a greater disadvantage then most saplings. But, where she lacked understanding of her Dream, she made up for it with an unusually well developed sense of understanding and an ability to see the uniqueness in the world around her. Her journey would be a long, difficult one, but Alexandria had faith that her newest apprentice would be just fine.

With a smile on her face, she opened her eyes. Nightmares and uncertainty that had haunted her for the past few nights had been replaced with ideas of what to teach Tacita, who she could contact about her apprentices muddled Dream, and Minthe. She was beginning to grow annoyed with her bodies needs, it seemed that she was drawn even more easily to the beautiful women in her life than normal.

“Good morning,” Minthe chimed in, giving Alexandria’s hand a squeeze.

“Oh! Good morning Minthe.” Rolling onto her side she realized that the only thing covering her was the large fur blankets on the bed. Blushing lightly, she realized that Minthe too was wearing nothing. “Leo already took off?”

“She had somewhere to go,” Minthe shrugged. “I thought I should stay here until you woke up though. I let Renita know where you were though.”

Alexandria giggled at Minthe’s tone. “I’m guessing there was more to that conversation?”

“You know how she is.”

“I do, and,” leaning over she gave Minthe a peck on the cheek. “Thanks for staying with me last night, and I am sorry for causing you pain. But, if you ever want to talk, about anything, just tell me. We can go to the Priory, or my house in Garenhoff since I know you aren’t the biggest fan of the Reach.”

Minthe nodded and for a while the two of them just lay there, holding each others hand in silence until life beckoned them from their comfort.

[alexandrialacoria]

As Alex woke up, she would find a small, metal box outside Renita's guest room door. A small note was held in place by small pin, the Dylane heraldry. The note read: "The cake is for you, but do share some with Renita. I have no idea what type of cake you like, so I baked a dark chocolate cake. Save me a slice! -L.D." As promised, inside of the box would be a chocolate cake. Laila was a decent cook after all.

Alexandria frowned as she awoke, realizing that in wake of everything that had happened last night, she had fallen asleep wearing her Wintersday Ball Dress. With a deep sigh she rose from bed, removing her gown and hanging it upon a hangar on the far wall.

Crossing to the small vanity in her room, she grabbed her brush, starting the process of taming her hair into an acceptable appearance. Staring at herself naked in the mirror her eyes flitted between her various scars. The three black claw marks that ran from under her breast to the bottom of her ribcage on the left side, the puncture mark beneath the bone in the center of her chest, and the scars from where her ribs had been protruding during the attack on Lornar’s Pass.

She didn’t mind the scars, they were her symbols of survival. The only scars that bothered her were on her back. Dozens of lash marks, marred with three deep scars from where a dull Dredge blade had been dragged through her pale skin. What would Laila think if she ever saw them? Would she be appalled by the sight of them? Why was she thinking of that?

Blushing again, the brush was set upon the vanity quietly. Alexandria smiled at herself in the mirror. “You are being such a girl,” she teased herself. It was an unfamiliar but enjoyable feeling. As always she had no idea where things would lead, but she wouldn’t dismiss anything, rather just enjoy whatever happened.

Heading for the closet she stopped and turned back to the bed. Giggling, she opted for her customary dress of a bed sheet wrapped around her tiny frame. Opening her door she was greeted by a small metal box with a note on it. Picking it up carefully, she felt the heat in her cheeks rise. She loved chocolate, especially dark chocolate.

“Laila,” quietly spoken, she carried the box to the kitchen. “How can you make me feel like this so quickly?” Setting the box on the table in the kitchen, Alexandria begins gathering ingredients for two recipes: croissants for breakfast and sugar cookies for Laila when she returned home tonight.

[alexandrialacoria]

A Letter from Another LaCoria

Tietra LaCoria leaned against the wall near the door of her daughter’s room. It was the second night that she had passed by only to hear her daughter sobbing herself to sleep. Since the other night, Alexandria had been almost absent from her own mind, simply moving about without motivation, or any sense of self.

It could be one of two things, either the Cartwright girl, or Minister Lu. Since the Blade had reported that the Minister was still recovering, she could only guess it had something to do with Alex’s friend Renita, or at the very least Renita would know.

Quietly stepping away from the door, she made her way down the hall to her office. The woman had stayed with them briefly, but the two of them had never met. With Alexandria having already stated that she would be leaving for Hoelbrak in the morning, it gave her a chance to talk to Alexandria’s obviously closest friend.

Superintendent Cartwright,

If you are available this evening of the next, I would like to extend an invitation for afternoon or evening tea at my home. This is an open invitation, so please feel free to stop by whenever is convenient for you.

Tietra LaCoria.

Sealing the letter with a simple wax seal with the LaCoria crest on it, she handed it over to a messenger to deliver to the Scribe Offices.

[alexandrialacoria]

Alex,

I have two things to ask of you. First, I think I’m almost packed up with stuff to move to my new home. Would you assist me with it? I will be asking Miss Black as well, I don’t know if you know Asmaria but she’s becoming a bit of a close friend to me, too. So if you can’t help, I understand. 

Also, I don’t know if you can talk about this or even know about it, but is there an investigation going on with the incident at the Langmar Garrison? I figured it would be your people investigating as there are rumors of Separatist involvement. 

Renita

  Renita,

I'm not familiar with a Miss Black but I'm glad to hear that you've found more friends in the city. Naturally I'd be more than happy to help you move, I think you left a couple of things here in Garrenhoff as well, so I'll bring those with me the next time I come to the city.

As for the incident in Rurikton, I heard about it and my people are looking into it. Though we aren't taking the same approach that the Shining Blade or the Seraph will. Some troubling whispers have reached my ears and if even half of them are true, we may be looking at something far worse than a simple bombing.

Anyway, I will see you when I get into the city.

Love, Alexandria

[alexandrialacoria]

A Legacy of Ice and Death

Surrounded by absolute desolation, she encased her forearm and hand in a jagged, razor-like ice formation. Bitter wind blew loose snow around her, the sharp frozen flakes cutting at her face as she attempted to trudge forward. Each step was a battle, the snow giving out beneath her feet causing her legs to sink calf deep into a small icy pit.

Not knowing where she was only added to the helplessness the woman felt. Nerves shot by the cold made her skin ache, unable to feel anything, even the biting wind. Howling winds filled her ears, sounding like the screams of souls lost to nothingness. Loose snow swirled about her, turning the air into an impenetrable sheet of white, making it impossible to see.

How long she was walking, she couldn’t tell. Perhaps each step had only taken a second, or a minute, by chance, a day. There was no way to tell, and no way for her to stop. Only as the last of her strength began to fade did the storm around her subside. Dropping to the ground, her knees and hands sunk into the soft snow as the ice around her arm shattered.

Around her were the ruins of a thousand different civilizations. Crumbled castles with their stones worn smooth by raging winds, stood amongst pillars of metal, shattered, twisted, and broken by the trials of time.

The winds ceased; making it easier to see her surroundings. Covered in snow and ice, everything looked the same at first, but slowly she could start making out details, until she wished she couldn’t. Hundreds of skeletons were frozen in place around her, in the very position she was.

“Behold you legacy child,” a man’s deep, hollow voice said from somewhere among the ruins.

“This is not my legacy,” Alexandria managed weakly, her teeth chattering as she spoke.

“Is it not?” Hearing the crunch of snow to her left, she turned her head. Approaching her was a man, or perhaps a creature of the world around her. Encased in thick, dark ice, the figure appeared to be clad in armor, though she could not say for certain. “You excel at dealing death; concealing it beneath the guise of protecting those you claim to love.”

“Shut up,” her tone was pained, her body aching from the cold, every muscle in her hand screaming in protest as she clenched her fists. As if a thousand needles were being pulled through every centimeter of flesh in her legs, she rose to better look at the figure that towered over her even as she stood. “If a thousand must die to protect one that I love, then so be it. In the end it will be my hands stained red, not theirs.”

“Pathetic naivety,” the figure scoffed, his hollow laughter somehow sending chills down her already frozen spine. Pacing around her, the figure though much large than she, was able to walk atop the snow without sinking. “Indeed your hands will be stained, but every stain from your hands will seep onto the souls of those you care most for.”

“What are you tal…”

“Alex!” A familiar voice screamed in horror. “Help me!”

Spinning in wide-eyed panic, she saw Renita on her hands and knees in the snow. Taking a step towards her friend, she froze as the snow began shifting. Nearly a dozen of the frozen skeletons surrounding the brunette began stirring, the snapping of ice sounding more like the cracking of their frozen and weather worn bones.

“Alex! Help me!” Renita screamed, frantically attempting to pull her arms free of the snow, even as the skeletal remains crawled towards her.

“Renita!” Alexandria yelled in response as she tried running to her friend’s aid. Her leg had no more than left the snow then she felt something tear at her still buried ankle. Grimacing in pain, she looked down to see the snow around her leg turning red, bony fingers piercing her flesh as it attempted to keep her from moving. Looking back towards her friend, she felt tears well up in her eyes, only to freeze, blurring her vision until all she could make out was red and the screams of terror slowly dying, the world returning to utter silence.

“This is your legacy,” the hollow voice said heartlessly.

Her eyes shot open and she was staring at a ceiling that she had woken up to everyday for thirteen years. Despite the cool early morning air, she was sweating, the sheets clinging to her damp skin even as she sat up. Pulling her knees to her chest she ran over the dream in her head again and again.

She didn’t recognize the figure, and his voice didn’t seem like anything that the Marquis would use. Thinking about it, perhaps the figure could have been an Icebrood Norn, maybe even one of the more powerful ones. But what about the skeletons? Even the most powerful Necromancers she knew couldn’t summon or control a field full of fleshless remains.

Wrapping the sheet around her slender frame, she padded across the room and looked out the window. The light was barely peeking through the rooftops of the city, and the streets were still fairly devoid of traffic. Grabbing a glass of water, she sat at the small table in the corner of the room and grabbed her journal. Perhaps running over the reports from the Silverwastes would help her clear her mind.

[alexandrialacoria]

'Cause that's subtle.

Get back to the Reach by five bells tonight.

-Cristian

Alexandria stated blankly at the short, yet eloquently written note delivered to her. With a sigh she rose from her humble sitting place among a pile of archive records and exited the storage room deep within the bowels of the Durmand Priory. If she was going to leave, she wanted to let someone know.

[alexandrialacoria]

Alex, Do you ever wonder about your own assumptions about people? It seems I do almost daily now lately. Either way, I was wondering if you would like to go with me to a ball or two? Seems it is ball season again and Taiel is busy with Priory business. I barely get to say hello or anything before he is out the door. The main reason I’m asking you, is your willingness to get me out of a situation if things get too bad for me to handle. I don’t know if I can trust Minister Volundir or even Lord Eskara to do that for me. Besides, the first one is an Ascalonian hero themed masquerade and I am sure you will like the costume I have made for it. Still deciding if I should wear a blonde wig. Also, can we talk sometime? I could use some advice, mostly concerning Taiel. Sincerely, Renita Ps. I got this for free at a Salma district event, it made me think of you.

Alexandria glanced her jaw over in the mirror. The bruising was finally subsiding as was the pain, but, with skin as pale as hers, even the faintest bruise was pronounced. Her attention turned from the mirror as she heard the tapping of metal legs as R.A.R.G. hopped his way up the stairs. Smiling as her little red golem appeared, she noticed a letter in his hand. Walking towards him, her bare feet padding on the ground in unison with his metal waddle, they met midway and he beeped happily as he held the letter up to her.

She barely had to glance it over to know it was from Renita. She had been wondering when her friend was going to write. Flopping down onto the chest at the foot of her bed she opened the letter and read it.

"Well then," she spoke aloud as she finished reading the letter. Folding it back up she descended to the second floor of her house where her desk was. Settling into the chair she scribbled up a quick response.

Renita,

No, I do not worry about the assumption I make about people. I've found that many more times than not, my assumptions are fully justified, and the few times they're not, it's quite easy for me to shift my paradigm and accept the reality of the person over the fictional assumptions I made.

As for the ball, you know I'm not really a fan of parties. That being said, if you need someone to go with you, mainly to get you out of there at a moments notice, I would be more than willing to if I am free at the time. However, I cannot make any promises since Whitney and Zhuliya have decided to stick around a bit longer. I don't know if I mentioned it, but Zhuliya's a demon hunter as well, and Whitney told her about some of the demon problems around the nation and well, she decided she could use some fresh hunting grounds.

I don't know why you can't, or rather, don't feel like you can't trust either Braxis or Cris, but I won't press.

Anyway, I'll try and track you down if I can find some free time.

Love, Alexandria

Folding the paper up into it's usual bird shape, she animated it with enough air magic to find Renita. Flapping its wings a few times, the letter took flight and flew several circles around the room before flying out the window and off towards Renita's house.

[alexandrialacoria]

Colossus 7 1327 AE

Alexandria felt her jaw pop out of place; the warm sensation, and metallic taste of blood filling her mouth as her head finally stopped turning. The blow had been solid and would assuredly leave the right side of her face black and blue. Spitting the blood from her mouth, she gripped her jaw, snapping it back into place with a single sickening and painful motion.

“Do you feel better,” she asked wincing.

“No,” Zhuliya replied quickly and angrily, her hand still raised from striking Alexandria. “It is one thing for you to refuse to come back with us, but it is another matter entirely to start sharing information about us with random people.”

“She’s not random,” the petite woman’s cold eyes met Zhuliya’s stern gaze. “She’s a far better friend than I’ve found in a long time. Unlike you, I can’t just wander from place to place at will; my options are far more limited. So I have to make the best out of whatever situation I get dealt.”

“You’re such a child,” Zhuliya scoffed as she lowered her hand. “I don’t understand this obsessive need of yours to have friends everywhere you go. In the end either they’re going to die and move on, or you’re going to have to leave. It doesn’t make sense to waste your time getting to know people when the chances of you seeing them in minimal at best.”

Conjuring a handful of ice, Alexandria pressed it against her jaw, closing her eyes as she did. “I suppose you really wouldn’t get it. You think of people in terms of usefulness for your plans, I don’t. I see them as individuals with stories to tell, but that sort of thing doesn’t matter to you. Honestly, I’m amazed you’ve stuck around me for as long as you have.”

“We have the same objective, that’s the only reason we work together.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Then why bring it up?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve reminded myself just how cold you can be.”

“Says the child of Ice and Snow.” Turning on the heel of her violet, scaled boots Zhuliya scoffed again. “I’ll see you before Whitney and I leave, try and keep your mouth shut.”

Sighing Alexandria kept her eyes closed as she listened to Zhuliya’s heels clicking on the wooden floor. A gentle creak indicated that the front door was opened, and the thundering bang of it slamming shut caused her to slowly open her eyes. Wincing once again, she pulled the ice from her jaw. “Hopefully this heals up before Cris or Renita sees me…”