Fandom: The Letter.
Pairing: Ashton Frey and Isabella Santos.
Summary: All she needed to hear was his voice.
"Help me..."
Then came the shrieking laughter that often accompanied it, echoing. That twisted, bloody smile. Eyes so full of malice and hatred. Something that would never be forgotten, no matter how many years may pass. How could someone forget something like that? The memories of that curse and that woman were burned into memory.
Often, it had Isabella waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, eyes wide and heart racing. Tonight was no different. Shakily, she lifted a hand to her face, doing her best to take slow, deep breaths.
"It's okay. She's not here... She's gone... It's over." She whispered, trying to calm herself. While it helped some, it could only do so much.
After a moment, her gaze trailed over to her bedside table. The bright red digital numbers of her clock caught her attention first. 1:16 am. Then her focus shifted to her phone, which sat not too far from her clock.
She hesitated for a moment, before reaching out to pick it up. It was cool against her palm.
"I don't want to bother him, but..."
She turned it this way and that a couple of times before turning it on. Once it was on, she was quick to go to her contact list. It was easy to find the one she was looking for.
Ashton.
It took a few seconds, but she pressed call and lifted the phone to her ear.
One ring. Two, three... Every ring it took had her heart sinking. But then...
"Isabella?" Ashton's tired voice came from the other end of the phone.
"Hey, Ash..." She chewed on her bottom lip.
"Everything alright?" There was a hint of concern in his voice when he spoke this time.
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just..." She paused for a second. "A bad dream.."
I just needed to hear your voice...
"I see."
He seemed to understand as soon as she said that. She could tell by the tone of his voice. She wasn't the only one still plagued by the memories and voices of that mansion.
Their talk turned to idle chatter, asking how the day was going. Or how the case he was working on was going on. It didn't matter what they were talking about. Talking to him helped her get her mind off of it, especially when she couldn't see him in person right then.
After a while, she fell asleep with the phone to her ear. And he was content to just listen to the sound of her breathing as she slept.
Summary: It was something Jaken never thought he'd see. After all, in all the years he served Sesshomaru-sama, he never witnessed such a thing. But there came to be such a softness in his Lord's eyes.
Had he not known his Lord as well as he did, he may not have noticed it. And it was a surprise when he did. Sesshomaru's distaste for humans has always been obvious. Rin was the only exception until she appeared.
At first, her existence was nothing more than an annoyance. Entirely troublesome. She was a human after all. And one more person that his Lord and he had to protect.
She surprised Jaken though. She put her life on the line more than once for Rin. And even for him. A human? Trying to protect him? He couldn't keep himself from laughing at the thought. There was no way she could win against anything as a weak human. But that didn't stop her.
Sesshomaru's cold looks softened. His harsh words lost their edge. She was allowed closer to him. And, eventually, he let her in.
Chapter One
Ring. Ring.
Brown eyes shifted from a page in a notebook to the ringing phone, which was situated on a nightstand.
"Wonder who that could be..." A female voice murmured. A hand reached out towards the phone, a groan escaping her. It took some leaning and shuffling closer to the edge of the bed, but she was able to grab the phone to answer it. "Hello?"
"Hey, Meiya!" It was a cheerful sounding female voice on the other end of the phone that greeted her, one she recognized almost instantly.
"Oh, hey, Yuka." She greeted in return, supporting the phone between her shoulder and cheek. Once she was sure it was secure, she rolled back to laying on her stomach.
"How are you feeling?" Yuka asked, concern in her voice.
"Better actually. Just a bit of a stomach bug, I guess." Meiya shifted her gaze back to her notebook once again. "I should be good to go to school tomorrow."
"That's great!" Yuka exclaimed, letting out a 'oops' only a few seconds after. "Nearly dropped my phone. But I'm glad to hear it!"
"How's school been?" Meiya looked over the current equation she was trying to figure out.
Divide by three? No, that's not right... Times by three? No... Man, I really hate math sometimes.
"It's been alright. Kagome's been at school the last couple days though!" Yuka answered, though soon a loud sound came from the phone, almost as if something was brushing right up against the receiver.
This caused Meiya to wince, pulling the phone away from her ear. She waited a few seconds before resting it back between her shoulder and ear.
Thank goodness.
A silent sense of relief since the sound was gone, and not hurting her ears anymore.
Wait. What did she say?
“What?" Any thought of math and equations went right out the window.
"What?" Yuka echoed the question, a hint of confusion in her voice.
"What do you mean Kagome was at school the last few days, Yuka?!” Meiya exclaimed in complete and utter disbelief. The phone nearly slipped from her hand. Her mouth hung open slightly, her brown eyes wide.
“It means just what I said, Meiya. She was at school.” Yuka spoke, almost slower as if that was what was needed for Meiya to catch it.
“When I'm sick and can't go to school... Is when Kagome makes it to school?” The disbelief didn't lessened any. Kagome had been sick for the longest time now with some very serious illnesses, often missing school for weeks or months at a time.
I can't believe it!
“Yeah, I was surprised to see her too, but it was really nice to see her.” Yuka commented, a smile more than obvious in her voice. “It’s been a while since she’s been well enough to go to school.”
“Yeah, it has...” Her words trailed off as she began to think to her self.
Maybe since Kagome is feeling better, she'd be able to pay go and pay her a visit. If she was feeling well enough to go to school, then a visit from a friend should be alright.
It'd be nice to catch up with her.
“What?” The sound of Yuka's confused voice was what brought her out of her thoughts.
“Oh, nothing. I was just daydreaming for a second there.” She said, twirling a lock of her dark brown hair as she rolled over on her to back. “Sorry about that, Yuka.”
“It's alright. That's not unusual for you.” Yuka laughed, no doubt shaking her head. Then her laughter died down. “Hold on for a second. I think I hear my mom calling me.”
“Alright.” Meiya gazed at her ceiling, listening to the sound of the phone being set down.
As she waited for her friend to return, she glanced at the locket that hung from her necklace. A sigh escaped her lips as she gazed at it. It was a small, silver heart shaped locket on a simple silver chain. Small lettering was across the front, in the middle of two engraved hearts. 'To My Daughter.'
A sad smile began to tug at her lips, but before she could reach up towards it with her free hand, Yuka's voice came back.
“Hey, sorry about that, Meiya.”
“It's fine.” She reassured her friend, shaking off any approaching thoughts of the locket.
“I have to go though. It's time for dinner. But I'll talk to you later, okay?”
“Alright, I'll talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Meiya hung up the phone and put it on its charger. A sigh escaped her as she gazed at her phone for a moment.
“I could go see Kagome now....” A thoughtful expression crossed her face. If she went to see Kagome now, she could get back home in plenty of time to get some studying in before bed. Due to being sick, she missed her exams. But they were letting her take make-up exams that weekend.
“It's early enough to go see her. I'll study later.” She nodded to herself before she heaved herself up from her bed. Still clad in her pajamas, she was quick to get changed.
A black pleated skirt adorned her lower half while a short sleeved, white v-neck shirt covered her top half. Then she pulled a light grey jacket on over the shirt. With the way the temperature was starting to drop, going out in only a t-shirt wasn't the way to keep warm. Then, after pulling some black thigh high socks on, she pulled her sneakers on and tied the laces tightly, so they wouldn't come untied.
“Now just to make sure that I look presentable.” She gave a small nod, turning to the full length mirror on the wall.
Her mother had gotten it for her to help with her ballet years ago. It helped her to keep an eye on her form while she was practicing. But it came in handy when she wanted to make sure everything looked alright at once. It certainly was easier than trying to angle herself just right in the bathroom mirror.
“Not that bad.” She murmured as she eyed her hair. It was a little out of order due to her just laying in bed all day, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. All it took was her running her hand through her hair a couple of times to sort it out.
With her hair in order, she left her room and headed down the stairs, pausing when she reached the bottom of the stairs. Her hand stayed on the railing as her eyes roamed over the empty house. She stayed like this for a moment longer, a sad smile tugging at her lips. Her other hand lifted, fiddling with the locket for a minute before she let her hand fall back to her side again. Then she moved away from the railing, her hand slipping from it as she made her way to and out the front door.
The walk to Kagome's house didn't take very long, since she lived relatively close. So before Meiya knew it, she was already at the front door. Lifting her hand, she knocked on the front door a couple of times, then waited patiently for someone to answer.
It took a moment or two, but soon the door opened to reveal a young boy with short, black hair and brown eyes. Kagome's younger brother.
“Hey, Sota.” Meiya smiled at him, giving a small wave of her hand.
“Oh, hey, Meiya.” Sota returned her greeting as he looked up at her.
“I heard that Kagome's been at school the last few days, so I thought I'd come by and pay her a visit.” She explained, still smiling as she looked down at him. “I was sick, so I missed the last few days of school.”
“We-” Sota started to speak, but his voice was cut off by an older man's voice. A voice that came from behind him.
“Who is at the door, Sota?”
Meiya shifted her gaze so she was looking behind him, instead of at him. The source of the voice turned out to be Kagome and Sota's grandfather.
“Hi, grandpa.” She waved lightly at him, smiling.
“Oh, hello, Meiya.” He greeted her kindly, returning her smile.
“She's here to visit Kagome.” Sota looked over his shoulder at his grandfather.
“Oh, I'm terribly sorry. She's taken a turn for the worst. She's resting right now.” Grandpa told her with an apologetic smile on his face. “I can tell her that you stopped by though.”
“Oh...” She trailed off, disappointment clearly etched on her features. That meant she wouldn't be able to see Kagome, but it couldn't be helped that she wasn't feeling very well anymore. She probably overdid it when she was at school. “Thank you, grandpa. Please tell her that I hope she feels better soon.”
“Of course we will.” Grandpa nodded his head, sending another smile her way.
“I'll be going then. Bye Sota, grandpa.” She smiled at them, giving a small good bye wave.
“Bye, Meiya!” Sota waved back as he was nudged back by his grandfather so they could close the front door.
Meiya let out a soft sigh, looking at the door for a moment. Then she turned around, taking a few steps away from the house.
“Poor Kagome... She's always so sick...” She murmured, her stride pausing for a moment. “She feels well enough to go to school for a few days, but then...”
Movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention, causing her to completely forget whatever she'd been saying to herself. Her eyes widened as her heart hammered in her chest. Though it was unlikely, what if it was someone dangerous? Her years of ballet wouldn't be much help if she was attacked.
Relief spread throughout Meiya's body when she saw that the movement had been caused by Kagome, who was heading towards her family's shrine.
“It's just Kagome...” She instantly relaxed, eyes closing as a sigh of relief escaped her. But, only a few seconds later, they snapped open again, landing on the shrine. “Wait. Kagome?”
Kagome glanced around a few times before she opened the doors to the shrine and walked inside. The doors closed behind her seconds later.
“What on earth is she doing?” Meiya frowned, concern written all over her face. “She's not feeling well! She shouldn't be going into the shrine... I should go check on her to make sure she's alright.”
With that decided, she approached the shrine and slid the doors open, peeking inside. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary inside the shrine, and Kagome was no where to be seen.
“What? But I know I saw her go in here.” She frowned as a look of confusion came to her face. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Her gaze stopped on the well in front of her, and she stared at it for a moment.
“Don't tell me... She fell in the well?!” A gasp of horror left her as the thought occurred to her. Immediately, she rushed over to the well and leaned over the side of it to look in.
“I can't see anything...” She squinted, hoping that would help her see to the bottom of the well. But squinting didn't help at all, since there wasn't much light in the shrine.
A sigh left her as she leaned forward a little in another attempt to see better. She moved her hand so she could get a better hold on the edge, but the palm of her hand just barely missed. This left her with nothing to support her weight, so she tipped forward and fell into the well head first.
Her body collided with the hard ground only a few seconds later, and it knocked the wind right out of her. Her whole body ached, especially the front since it had taken the brunt of the fall. A weak cough escaped her, laced with pain. Her head felt rather foggy, and her eyes felt heavy. Then her eyes slipped closed and everything faded into darkness.
Summary: The return to Blackwood Mountain only a year after the disappearance of Hannah and Beth has a feeling of uncertainty in the pit of Skye's stomach. Is it because of how awkward this reunion could be? Or is it her gut trying to tell her something?
Prologue
Washington Lodge
1:30
The empty bottle was placed down on the counter, a groan escaping the one who set it down. Blue-green eyes were unfocused, and long, black hair hung to the young woman's mid back.
"D... Done!" One of her hands shot up in the air, before slamming down onto the counter in front of her. The force jostled the empty glass bottle, causing it to fall over on its side and roll right off the counter. It clanked against the floor, but didn't shatter against it.
"That a girl, Skye!" A slurred cheer came from her left, followed by a hand clapping her on the shoulder. "Told ya I'd show you how it'sh done!"
The weight caused Skye to tilt to the right, almost far enough for her to fall out of her seat, but she managed to not topple out of it. Sluggishly, she looked to her left. "Josh... Tha's not nice..." Her voice was starting to slur just as much as his was. "I ne-nearly fell over!"
A fit of laughter escaped him, pulling his hand back so he could pick up his bottle and down the rest of it, not that there was much left in it. He slammed it down, and it tipped over, landing on its side. It didn't roll any farther though.
A groan came from across the bar, followed by a light thunk. It caught their attention, and one look over showed that a blond male was now laying with his face against the counter.
"Chrisssh, are you okay..." Skye tried to reach over to shake his arm, but she couldn't quite reach, so she ended up just kind of wiggling her arm on the counter to try to reach him.
"He'sh fine." Josh waved his hand dismissively in Chris' direction, or at least tried to. It turned out to be more of a flail, his hand slamming down on the table as a result. Set off balance, he swayed for a moment, before settling in place in his chair once again.
A few giggles burst from Skye, her hand lifting to her mouth to try to cover it and muffle her giggles, but it didn't work at all. "'S what you get!"
"What'sh that mean!" Josh wiggled a finger at her, only causing her to giggle that much harder.
"Nearly knocking me over!" Skye shook her head at him, only to groan as everything started to spin.
Thunk.
"Joshh?" Skye turned her head, albeit slowly because the room still hadn't stopped spinning, to see what made the noise.
Josh was now slumped over the counter, face to the cool surface.
"Okay, night night..." Skye pushed herself up from her seat, wobbling as she slid off of it. "Couch..." She stumbled her way away from the bar, in the direction of the couch in front of the fire place. After almost slipping and falling on her face, she made it to the couch and collapsed onto it on her stomach with an arm hanging over the edge.
"Comfy..."
Within seconds, sleep claimed her.
2:00
"Hey... Did you see that?" Beth called over her shoulder, trying to see through the slots of the shutters on the window. "Dad said it'd just be us this weekend."
There was no reply to what she said, causing her to look over at the bar. "Josh?" She moved away from the window to find Chris passed out on that side of the bar.
She rounded the corner to find Josh on the other side, passing out as well. She reached out to pick up the empty bottle beside him and look at it. "Once again, dear brother," The bottle was placed back down, and she grasped his shoulders to jostle him. "You've out done us all."
All that came from him was a groan, and he remained slumped over the counter.
A glance over her shoulder showed Skye on the couch not too far away, in the same position she was originally in. "And you took her down with you."
A piece of paper on the bar caught Beth's attention, and she grabbed it, tilting her head slightly to read it.
Hannah
You look so damn hot
In that shirt…
But I bet you’re even
Hotter out of it.
Come to the guest room
At 2:00am :)
Mike
XXX
"Oh my god. What'd our naive sister get herself into now?" Beth asked, turning her head to look at Josh. With a shake of her head, she set the note back down. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move by the window, and she ran out of the room to find the others.
6:00
The feeling of someone shaking her shoulder was what pulled Skye out of her drunken sleep. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. Everything was blurry and unfocused, but after a few blinks and a minute of waking up, it cleared up.
"Mnn..." Another shake of her shoulder reminded her that she hadn't woken up on her own. Her gaze drifted over to find Sam. "Sam...?" She pushed herself up into a sitting position, hand pressing to her head as the entire room spun around her. "What's going on..?"
The words that next came from Sam's mouth were enough to knock any sleepiness right out of her.
"Hannah and Beth are missing."
"Wait, what?" Her eyes widened, and Skye jolted up from the couch, swaying somewhat in the process, but thankfully, Sam caught her arm to stabilize her. "What happened?"
"A stupid prank." At that, Sam sent a look over her shoulder, before focusing on Skye again. "I'll fill you in later, but we're going to go look for them."
"Of course." Despite being a little wobbly, Skye didn't hesitate to follow Sam.
The others were already getting ready to head out, lacing up boots, pulling on coats, hats, gloves. Sam was already dressed and ready to go out into the snow.
Skye, albeit slowly, pulled her shoes, then her coat. As she zipped her coat up, her attention finally drifted to look over everyone else.
Chris and Josh looked like they felt as bad as she did. There was something more to Josh's expression than just hungover though. Upset, concern, worry. Skye couldn't imagine how he felt right now. Sam looked worried and perhaps a little annoyed, but determined. Ashley seemed to be avoiding eye contact with Josh and Sam. Jessica seemed normal, but there was a subtle hint of something beneath that. Skye couldn't place what it was at the moment. Emily's lips were in a tight line, her expression giving almost nothing away. Mike's hands were shoved in his pockets, shoulders somewhat hunched down into himself, gaze on a window. Matt was rubbing the back of his neck, appearing to be a little awkward.
"Everyone ready?" Sam asked, taking the time to look over each person present.
Each gave their confirmation with a nod or a 'yeah'.
"Let's go then." Sam was the first one out the door, followed by Josh and Chris. Ashley went out shortly after, followed by Jessica and Emily. Matt scooted himself out as well, leaving only Skye and Mike left to leave.
Skye reached up to rub her face, breathing out a sigh before looking to the door once more. She caught Mike's gaze, and there was something in his eyes that was gone almost as soon as they locked eyes.
Remorse? But for what?
A few seconds after making eye contact, Mike was out the door, giving a brief glance over his shoulder. Perhaps making sure that she was keeping up with the rest of them, given her sluggish movements.
Skye was out the door last, letting it close behind her as they began their search. Unfortunately, despite hours of repeated searching, there was no sign of Hannah or Beth.
Writing Prompt: The money was nothing more than a huge distraction from the pain.
Fandom: Original Fiction.
“How could you?!” Tears welled up in her blue eyes and began to flow down her cheeks. Her hands clenched into fists, rising to collide with his chest.
Each blow that hit him was nothing. It wasn't that she was weak. She actually didn't have that bad of a punch. But the physical blows were nothing compared to what he was feeling as she pounded her clenched fists repeatedly against his chest. But his face remained void of any emotion.
“You expect anything else from a bandit, Princess? Money's all they care about.” A man standing to her right spoke up, brushing the blond hair from his face. Then he rested a hand on his hip. Silver armor adorned his body, and there was a sword at his left side, strapped there by a belt.
Her head turned to face his direction, eyes narrowing into a glare. “Shut up, Daine!”
Then she turned her gaze back to the dark haired man standing in front of her. Her hand rose in the air, shooting out towards his left cheek. But as her hand grew closer to his face, she faltered. Her hand stopped inches from his face.
The tears continued to pour. She lowered her hand, letting it rest in a loose fist against his shoulder. She leaned forward, and her forehead rested against his collarbone. Droplets spilled down her cheeks, soaking the fabric of his shirt.
“Why? How could you do this to me?”
“It's like he said.” A brief glance at the blond soldier, Daine. “I'm a bandit. It was the money from the beginning.”
“I trusted you.” It was whispered, her voice trembling and full of so much hurt.
He was silent, his hand lifting and ghosting across the back of her head. But he clenched his hand into a fist, forcing it back to his side before it made contact with her.
“I trusted you...” Another whisper, sniffles accompanying it.
“I know.” He whispered back. It was barely audible, even to her.
He let her stay like that for a moment longer. Then he took her by the shoulders, using the hold to move her away from him. As soon as she was moved, his hands slipped from her shoulders.
“Elias...”
But he didn't acknowledge that she had spoken. He looked away from her, turning his attention to Daine.
“This was our deal. Here she is.” He was calm as he spoke.
“Of course. Here's your payment.” Daine approached the two of them, reaching towards the belt around his waist where a coin purse was tied. The coin purse jingled as it was pulled off and held out to Elias.
Elias reached out and took the coin purse, shoving it into one of his pockets.
“Pleasure doing business with you.” Daine bowed his head as if he were tipping a hat. “Come on, Princess.”
She said nothing, merely glaring at him. When he reached for her, she tried to step out of the way of his grasp, but he was quicker than she was. The hold he had on her arm wasn't rough, but it was firm.
With her securely held, Daine began to pull her along with him, away from Elias. She struggled against his grip, but to no avail. He was far too strong for her to get away. But that didn't keep her from continuing to try.
“Elias!” She looked over her shoulder, still trying to shake Daine's hand off of her arm.
Elias merely watched, hand clenching into a fist at his side. Not once did she cease in calling his name. Her voice only grew fainter the further away they got.
But why should it matter to him? He had what he wanted. The reward for the Princess. Five hundred silver coins. The money was what he had been after since he first saw the reward poster. But he didn't feel anything. The money didn't seem to matter any more. Even as he touched the pocket where the coin purse was stored, there wasn't an ounce of happiness. The money was nothing more than a huge distraction from the pain that he felt in his chest.
Writing Prompt: Do not worry about the lateness of the hour, for there is still time.
Fandom: Original Fiction
Darkness enveloped the Inn. It was well past midnight, and not a sound could be heard. The only source of light was a small candle, grasped firmly in a young woman's hand. Her footsteps were careful as her free hand held up the end of her night gown. The light fabric was illuminated by the candlelight, as were her features. Blue eyes gazed in front of her, tinted a faint orange from the flame. Dark locks hung against her back, giving a light bounce with each gentle step she took.
Her journey soon had her stopped in front of a door. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary about it. It was wood, painted a maroon with a golden handle.
She brought her hand up, fingers curled against her palm. The back of her fingers were only a whisper away when she paused. An uncertain look streaked across her face, but as soon as it had come, it was gone. With a shake of her head, her knuckles finally met with the door once, then twice.
Taking a deep breath, she relaxed her arm and let her hand hang at her side once again. Nervously, she chewed on her bottom lip, eyebrows knitted together in worry. What if she didn't get an answer? What if she had come here for nothing?
But that worry had been for nothing, because seconds later, she could hear the sound of something moving behind the door. Then the handle turned, and the door opened. A rather tall man stood there, dark brown hair sticking out in every direction. His eyes weren't open yet, even as a yawn escaped him.
“Elias...” Her voice was soft, but it had his eyes snapping wide open when he heard it.
“Anisa?” It came out as a question, shock lacing his words.
“I'm sorry to bother you. I just...” She stopped, fingers curling into the silky fabric of her night gown.
“What is it?” A hint of concern flashed through his grey eyes.
“I had a bad dream. And I... I just didn't want to be alone.” It was barely audible, merely a whisper.
A soft look came to his eyes as his gaze fell on her. Her attention wasn't on him; it was on the floor. Head tilted forward a little so her hair spilled over her shoulders, partially shielding her face from view. He moved to the side, opening the door more.
“Come on in.” His tone was gentle, warm.
Slowly, she pulled her gaze from the ground to look up at him. Her eyes met his, full of gratitude.
“Thank you.” She said softly as she stepped into the room.
It wasn't very big, but what else would you expect from a room at an Inn? It was big enough to have a decent sized bed, a nightstand and a small, cushioned chair.
“I'm sorry that it's so late...” An apologetic look spread across her face.
“I'll tell you what my mother always told me.” He faced her once he had closed the door.
“What is that?” She set the candle on the night stand, then tilted her head to the side.
“Do not worry about the lateness of the hour, for there is still time.” He smiled at her. It was soft and caused her heart rate to speed up.
“...Thank you, Elias...” She murmured, cheeks tinting a soft pink.
“You don't have to thank me.” He chuckled. “Go ahead and take the bed.”
“No, this is your room!” She protested with a small frown. Then she shook her head, sending the dark tresses of her hair flying. “You shouldn't have to be uncomfortable just because of me.”
“Anisa, I insist.” He reached out and ruffled her hair. Then, before she could say anything else in protest, he plopped down into the chair. He stretched his long legs over the arm, leaning back against the other arm. His eyes immediately closed.
A sigh escaped from the confines of her throat. There was no point in trying to argue with him.
That was one thing she learned in the time she'd known him. Once he made up his mind on something, there was no talking him out of it. He was stubborn, but then again, she wasn't one to talk. She was just as stubborn as he was at times.
Approaching the bed, she pulled the blankets back so there was room for her to slip under them. Then, once she was comfortable, she pulled the blanket back over herself. She tucked her arm under the pillow, laying on her side in a slight curl. Her eyes closed, and she nestled her head against the pillow. Within moments, she'd fallen asleep.
His eyes opened, landing on the bed. A small smile came to his face as his eyes trailed over her frame, lingering on her face. The look on her face was so peaceful.
He heaved himself from the chair, making his way over to the bed. Gently, he touched her hair, letting himself indulge even if it was only for a short time.
“...I'm sorry.” He whispered, a flash of pain passed through his eyes. He pulled his hand from her hair, being as silent as possible as he left the room.
Fandom: Original Fiction
Summary: Valerica and the constant internal battle that she goes through.
Commission Information
Blue eyes held a dull look, trailing along the walls of the woman’s bedroom. Seated in a chair was a high elven woman. Held in her right hand was a sword, black wisps emitting from the blade.
Even after so long, at times, it still felt like he was going to be around a corner, waiting. Waiting for the perfect moment to try to capture what he considered to be his prey. There had been a time where it almost seemed like there was going to be no end to his torment. It’d been years since she’d seen him. He was dead as far as she knew. That didn’t stop the nagging feeling in the back of her mind, telling her to not let her guard down, to remain on alert. For he was a man that maybe even death would have a hard time stopping.
What if he showed up again one day? You thought he was gone before, Valerica. And then he appeared again.
Her form grew even more tense at the thought. A slow sigh escaped her, fingers tightening around that hilt, her knuckles turning white. The line her lips thinned into left almost no space between them. Her free hand was on the arm of the chair, hand grasping the end of it. Her nails dug into the cushioned end, scratching at it. The fabric there began to fray, ever so slightly.
He wouldn’t leave you alone. He wouldn’t leave. He made you what you are now. A tool for murder. And it was so easy for him to do.
A snarl almost escaped, her face twisting. But her expression soon relaxed as the thought of Rothilion came to her mind. A light in the darkness she’d found herself in. The light she’d met in that Sutica tavern. Amidst how unsafe she had felt and the constant worry and paranoia of him showing up, Roth was her safe haven. A place where she didn’t have to feel that way, where she could feel safe and happy. Guidance to show her the way and where to go.
But he’s gone now, Valerica.
A hint of sadness washed over her face. There was an empty space left in her heart from when Rothilion had passed. It ached and ached, not lessening even with how many years since his passing. So long, too long, it had been since his sweet voice had called her ‘love’ or his ‘snowflake’. Without him being the one to say them, it just wasn’t quite the same. No one would be able to take his place in her heart.
Roth was the only good part of you. Look at the things you’ve done. The blood on your hands.
Out of instinct, her gaze shifted down to each of her hands. Deep crimson coated both of her hands. It even appeared to be dripping down the hilt of her sword, since it was clutched in her fingers. In the blink of an eye though, everything was back to normal. There was no blood on her hands or the hilt of her sword. Nothing at all.
Is there any hope for you to be good without him? Do you even want to be good?
A battle she often had with herself. Many people had fallen at her hands. So many people she’d hurt. All the things she’d done in the past… Could they ever be righted? There was also the fact of… people. Being good meant people, and she hated those. Everyone but a select few.. Rhaella, Estellise, Daemeon… They are worth the effort, aren’t they? The effort it would take to be good?
You couldn’t even keep your children alive, Valerica. How could you be good?
A quiet, yet sharp, intake of breath, before it was slowly exhaled. None of her children were alive. She’d outlived all of them. Her shoulders curved forward somewhat, a slight slump forming as she leaned her weight against the left arm of the chair, her fingers relaxing so that her nails weren’t digging into the fabric there.
How could you ever hope to protect those you care about when you couldn’t even protect your children? Look how they ended up, where they ended up.
Almost as soon as that thought had finished though, she shook her head, however slight a movement it was. No, that wasn’t true. Not all of her children were dead. Rhaella was still alive. Her niece by blood, but in actuality a daughter to her. Her God-daughter. So, she still had one of her children with her. One she would do anything for, sacrifice anything for. Her fingers started to fiddle with the ring around her left ring finger. The hilt of her sword was still clutched in her right hand.
What of Daemeon? Do you deserve him? After everything, do you deserve to be loved by him?
Her love for Daemeon was unwavering, and Daemon had pulled her out of that pit of despair she’d fallen into with Roth’s death, something she’d be forever grateful for. It was a struggle, as it always was, to not fall deeper and deeper. The few she cared about though, they were what kept her going, what kept her fighting off the thoughts she had. The ones that made her feel like she was nothing more than her past. A cold-hearted murder. A tool to be used to take the lives of others.
That is all you are, Valerica. It’s all there is to you.
By now, she was doing her best to ignore the voice in the back of her mind. Whether what it was saying was true or not, she could look forward. Because of them, her loved ones, she was able to walk forward, try to move on from what she’d been in her past. Rhaella, Estellise, Daemeon, Rothilion, the rest of the Tathvirs…. They didn’t stop the internal battle she had going on, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last time she fought within herself, but they made it worth it. She could keep going forward, even if it was only for them.
Valerica belongs to Mewliet. Daemeon belongs to Sug. Rhaella belongs to CelticTaters. Rothilion belongs to ThumperJack. Estellise belongs to me.
He approaches me. Happiness fills me. It's been so long since he's visited me. I rush to him and wrap my arms around him, but he pays me no heed. He just keeps walking, breaking away from my embrace. A hurt look crosses my face, while he stares emotionlessly ahead. I catch up to his side and whisper that I love him, but he doesn't respond. He gives no reaction at all, as if he didn't hear me. And he can't. He can't hear or see me at all, because I died two years ago.
The blade went through the young woman's stomach from behind, piercing through her flesh as if it were butter. A gasp left her lips as one of her hand darted up to clutch the wound. Blood immediately began to spill over her fingers, dripping onto the ground and beginning to make a crimson pool. She looked over her shoulder to see who had attacked her. Her onyx eyes widened. "I-Itachi-kun..." She whispered, feeling tears come to her eyes. "B... But why...?"
Itachi stared down her, his face and eyes void of any emotion. "Why you ask, Hana? To measure my capacity."
"Wh-What?" She coughed, cupping her other hand over her mouth. When she pulled her hand back, she wasn't surprised to fid her hand soaked with blood. She found herself losing the energy to keep herself standing, but she managed to stay upright.
That hadn't the killing blow though. She could live if she managed to get some help. But she knew that he wasn't going to allow her to live.
That was made clear when she felt his sword pierce her body again, only this time it went through her chest. Blood spewed onto the ground and she completely lost any will she had to stay standing up. She fell onto her back with a loud, wet THUNK.
Her eyes slowly trailed to Itachi's face as she felt the life slipping away from her. He was kneeling over her now, looking down at her. A small water droplet slid down his cheek, landing on her face.
"I'm sorry." was the last thing she heard as her eyes closed and she drew her last breath.
