Harmless

[MunaZaldrizoti 8037]

Spoiler

 

 

 

Caer Durr’an, Barony of Greywater, Principality of Venerra, Aeldin

 

A storm raged outside the walls of Caer Durr’an, the seat of House Warlai in the dense forests of Venerra. The sturdy keep boasted a small bailey, a stone square keep, and a great spiraling tower that stretched just above the tallest oaks that grew upward like weeds. Helena sat within the confined of her small chamber, eyes trained and focused on a book that was laid open before her. A sudden crack of lightening, like several that had come before, snapped up what little attention she had left. Maelstroms had always troubled her, just as so many things of violent nature had since her youth. Some affected her more than others, but it had become a fact of her life. A pale hand slid beneath the open cover, closing the tome for now. The girl stood slowly, rubbing tenderly at her brow as she paced to close the wooden shutter that spared her some of the annoyance she was suffering from. A maid arrived, small and plain and with big brown eyes. Helena offered her a warm smile, as she so often did with everyone she encountered.

 

“The Baron is returned from his business in Stronghold. He has asked that the household eat with him tonight,” The maid offered. Helena hummed, nodding, “Tell him I will be right down.” The servant would scurry out, likely off to alert the rest of the baron’s family and attendants that he had arrived. Helena turned to the trunk that sat at the foot of her bed, making her way over to it. As she did another great CRACK boomed from outside, the girl grabbing her head and bracing a hand against the trunk’s weighted lid. She winced, groaning somewhat, as her sight was then covered in red streaks. Her head throbbed, her breathing hurried now. 

 

When she opened her eyes, she was standing in the dark. Her room had vanish, Helena quickly shooting her gaze around for any sign of her reality. She looked ahead, and saw a figure, tall and lean, with tumbling red tresses and eyes the shade of a fresh ocean tide. It was herself.

 

“You can’t hide from me forever,” Her mirror-self smirked, eyes glinting with mischief, “One day, you’ll have to face me.”

Helena pursed her lips in anguish, shaking her head furiously, “N-No....you won’t! You won’t have me, you won’t make me your creature!”

The doppelganger began to laugh, which evolved into a shrill shrieking, as loud as the storm that had pained her earlier. “Stop...stop laughing at me...” Helena whimpered.

“ I am inevitable, my dear. One day...you’ll understand that we’re the same. You will cause hurt, or pain, and then it will begin.” The figure, the other Helena, would turn away from her, though maintained her gripping gaze on the girl until she had her back to Helena. The darkness would begin to whip about them, a voice echoing as Helena grasped at either arm, lowering herself to the floor. “I...I could never hurt anyone...anything...” She’d simper, whispering to herself almost in prayer.

 

“You will change, Helena Goldenchild. And the day it begins, you shall not even realize it.”  The voice would warp with the tumultuous winds, before it all faded into nothing.

 

---

 

The Citadel of Aegrothond, Arcas, 1761

 

Helena ventured out to the streams that trickled in from the ocean, leaving the Citadel behind her for the morning. The air was always fresh with the scent of the saltwater breeze, with the fragrance of budding flowers and fresh leaves clinging to the branches of greater trees. The water flowed past as she neared the riverbank, lazy but persistent. She knelt down, allowing her palm to press against its surface, fingers breaking through and the coolness of the inlet washing over her hand. She allowed herself a deep inhale of breath, a fond smile pressing upon her lips.

 

Bzzz, Helena heard somewhere near her, Bzzz bzzz.

 

She maintained her attentions on the river, going to undo the laces of her walking boots and placing them aside. She’d gingerly dip her toes, then the entirety of both feet, into the river. The coldness of the flowing torrents calmed her further, another deep breath emitting itself from her mouth. Bzzzzt.

 

The noise was by her ear now, a mosquito that had flown up from the reeds and puff mud nearby. Bzzzt bzzzt, she heard it again, almost taunting her.

She attempted to ignore it, but it persisted, buzzing and flying around her. She felt her face getting hot, something she hadn’t felt since her days in Caer Durr’an. She felt...no warmth, or kindness. She felt angry. Her serenity had been intruded upon.

 

It was a quick flash, hands whipping up from their place on the grass to vanquish the mosquito between their united palms. The buzzing fizzled out as Helena opened her hands once more, fingers splayed as she observed the deceased insect’s blood stained on her skin.

 

She had only pondered it a mere moment...before relieving herself of it’s minute corpse in the river’s flow, washing herself free of the pest. For the rest of the morning, she would enjoy her time among nature with no further disturbance.

 

---

 

 

Spoiler

Felt like writing a little rp post, just for flavor and to show the slow change being made to my persona, Helena. For those who know her on a personal level, they know this is a HUGE pivot from her usual nature. Going to be fun to explore!

 

[helldiving 5793]

Excellent piece, enjoyed reading it!