ONE BRIGHT BURNING STAR

[yandeer 734]

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

DEATH COMES SWIFT

 

The Palace of Novellen stood strong against the test of the incessant rain, beating a wardrum’s pace onto the balcony of one Valentina Ruthern’s apartments. The lady paced in agitation, blue eyes blown wide as she gnawed her fingernails down to the flesh. Her skirts were soaked at the hemline, drenched from the rainwater leaking in from the balcony; her hair was greasy from days of poor hygiene- streaks of white forming at her hairline after two weeks of having not dyed it, and the bags under her eyes had grown sunken and greyed. 

 

“This is how it happens, then?”

 

The figure in the corner of the room glanced at the Grand Lady, only nodding their head once.  

 

Valentina paused in her pacing, her eyes squeezing shut as she hiccuped, quickly bringing her handkerchief up to her eyes to wipe away her tears. Time seemed to slow for her, glancing up at her assailant. Valentina managed the very faintest of smiles, mustering every ounce of courage she had in her body. 

 

“I did not think I would be so lucky- to die with a friend at my side. Would you- would you be willing to grant me one last request?”

 

-=-=-=-=-

 

When Lorena Antonia finally returned from her vacation at Selm, she was miffed to find that the hearth had gone cold- no log left on the fire linking her room to the Grand Lady’s. The Imperial Princess’ face turned into a grimace, idly walking over to the gap in the wall, glowering down at the scrap of figure she could see on the other side. 

 

“Stop moping around in there- you need to keep the fire on if you’re going to coop up in your room all day,” spat Lorena, hefting a log onto the heart to coax the embers back into life, before marching further into her apartments to go unpack her things. There was no response- no movement on the other side, but the figure would slump slightly with the force of Lorena shutting the door to her bedchamber. 

 

-=-=-=-=-

 

When Lorena Antonia emerged from her bedchamber some two hours later, having grown bored of her nature encyclopedias and moving on to playing ball- the rough leather leaving a bit of a mark against the pale walls. 

 

After a few solid tosses- the ball bouncing right back into her hands (and she only broke one flowerpot this time!)- it hit the ground hard, bouncing off of her hands and scattering across the ground. Lorena swore internally, clutching at her stubbed finger as she went to go retrieve it. 

 

The Imperial Princess crouched before the hearth where it had rolled, narrowing her eyes at the bright blaze as she went to reach for the ball before it singed. As she reached for it, Lorena noticed a faint pop and crackle- a strange scent in the air. Her brow furrowed, and she glanced past the fire and to the shape beyond it- the black silk clad figure that seemingly hadn’t moved for more than two hours. 

 

“... Valentina?” 

 

Lorena’s call was apprehensive, her eyes still squinting. “Are you there? Did you get too drunk?” 

 

When all that met Lorena Antonia was silence, she finally began to grow worried. She called out the Grand Lady’s name once more, before rising to her feet to fetch her basin of water. Lorena was swift to throw it on the blaze, sinking down to hands and needs to crawl through the divider and into the woman’s room, uncaring of how she mussed up her dress crawling on the ashes.

 

“Valentina, are you-”

 

Lorena paused as her hand smacked straight into a pool of congealing blood, glancing down in horror at her now red-stained hand, head snapping to look at the woman beside the hearth. Valentina’s form was crumpled, red dripping down from her hand onto the floor beside her, blue eyes glassy and unseeing as she stared up at her ceiling. What skin showed was covered in red, deep gashes left in her frame that tore parts of her to near shreds. 

 

Lorena Antonia screamed.

 

Rylan Swint and Elene Greythorn arrived swiftly, swords at the ready, but when they saw the body- saw the carnage on the floor, and the cold waxiness that had caught in her skin, it was already too late.

 

Valentina vas Ruthern had been murdered.

 

 

Spoiler

a very big, heartfelt thank you to @Hunwald for proof reading this with me and giving me the courage to post, and a thousand kisses to @Starryy for allowing me to inflict trauma upon her character for the sake of a good death.

 

[Eryane 3698]

Maya Valeriya’s hands trembled as she received a missive regarding the death of Valentina. Only several saints days before, Maya could recall her become growingly fearful she might be assassinated. She sucked in a quick breath as she tried to blink back tears, “She was so paranoid when I last spoke with her – I wish I could’ve done something more to protect her. I’m so sorry, Valentina.. Rest well.” 

[Stump 709]

Spoiler

 

Initially, a certain bystander was only on one of her flights from Helena’s solitary banks to the mainland, finding the option of sleeping anywhere other than her childhood room a welcome sense of control. In eventuality, the youth always found herself coming back, as if reassuming an especially stressful job.

 

Expecting the drab welcoming when she arrived in the Novellen, that is a few nods from the serving girls, Lorena Antonia trudges her bags through the halls and up into the apartments, met with a billowing draft when she stepped into her old room. A dead fire, just her luck. Hauling quartered wood into place on the coals, she imagined a few scenarios where perhaps she was already in a bath, or having a hot dinner, while someone else did this.

 

 

It was so much colder in her room now.

 

Despite the chill that spring rains had brought in, the Imperial boarded up her hearth, refusing to see it alight. All manner of thoughts swirled in her head, paranoid and foul, bleaching away childish mirth. She didn’t weep, but felt a weight on her chest.

For once the girl kept relatively quiet in her chamber, watching light seep in through the window, and paying mind to chips in the walls. Another shudder.

 

Later on, wind buffeted Lorena Antonia’s unkempt hair, as she raced a stallion across Helenan lowland. A train of concerned army men came after her on their own mounts, trying to keep up pace. She had it in mind that maybe if she ushered her steed fast enough, she would trip and fall into some place else.

[Ivoreyy 2303]

Mary d’Arkent hears of Valentina’s death whilst she sat within her chambers in Selm, having spent the last hours sewing her latest of fanciful hats and gowns. As the too thin pageboy spouted the news, she sent him swiftly away- wishing for silence to contemplate the day’s events. Casting a wear gaze back to her work, she’d begin to grow distracted- memories of her time spent with the Ruthern lady crossing her mind.

 

”What do you say to someone who’s likely to soon die? How might you comfort them?” She’d asked Mary long ago.

 

”No clue, I don’t contemplate mortality often. You’ve ought to just be with them, surely. No one wishes to die alone.”

 

She’d pay little attention as she sent a sewing needle right into her thumb, a rare occurrence for the perfection-seeking woman.

[ydegirl 2357]

reserved

[rukio 8924]

”Lady Ruthern. My friend, Valentina....I will find them and avenge you.” Elene would say quietly, alone at a table in the tavern, after having seen the body. 

[FireCrimson 109]

Konstantin was shocked at the death of his niece.  “I did not know you have as well as I should, for the circumstances of your birth.  I wish that I did.  Rest easy now.”