Reaching For The Light

[Criala 728]

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

The room was empty, except for the mali’fenn woman who resided there. Careful steps took Estellise upstairs to the bedroom. Once she was there, she collapsed onto the bed into the blankets and pillows. Turquoise settled upon the ceiling above her. Slow, deep breaths. 

 

“Damned octopus…” It was muttered beneath her breath, which she’d finally caught. There were red marks all along her right leg, bruising already starting to show along them from where the deformed octopus had its hold on her. Her eyes closed, arm lifting to rest over them. Quite the ordeal, but she had survived. She’d gone through too much to be eaten by some deformed octopus.
 

“He tried to kill me, Estellise!” The man’s voice was raised, echoing throughout the room. Amber smoldering, full of anger and rage. All directed at her.

 

“I don't want anyone else to die.” Her words were barely audible, along with a slight shake of her head. But they were heard, and it caused a snarl to escape him.

 

“Estellise, you said you wanted to help me, didn’t you?” 

 

“Y… Yes.”

 

“Then tell me what I need to know.” A deep, growling rumble came from his throat.

 

“I don’t know anything you don’t know!” 

 

“Disappointing! Then you’re on his side!” He stepped forward, which caused her to take a step backwards.

 

“I-I..” Deep under the surface, yes, but he didn’t need to know that.

 

“There has to be something you know. He was rather protective of you at the end there, before he decided to leave. Maybe something to do with that.” He persisted.

 

“I don’t have any information for you. Nothing that you don’t already know.” She was adamant with her reply.

 

Another growl escaped him, fueled by him not getting his way. That hate and anger filled gaze burned. And it lingered on her face. This lasted for several minutes, before he finally tore his focus off of her, and he let out a long, drawn out sigh.

 

“Fine. But you will play your part when the time comes. Understood?” The anger and hatred had died down in his gaze, but it was now  replaced with expectancy. “If you don’t…" He didn't have to finish his sentence for the threat to be real.

 

A slow nod of her head. It was a threat that she knew he’d have no problem carrying out. But the nod seemed to be enough for him, because he gave one nod, then stormed down stairs to where his room was.

 

 

~*~

 

"The only reason we got back together was because I didn't want you to have any reason to remain loyal to Lothric. Are you aware of that?" There was no emotion to the man's tone, as they laid side by side.

 

"...I thought that might have had something to do with it." The timing was what told her that. But... Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

 

"That's all it had to do with it. I didn't feel any sort of feelings towards you. I felt the same towards you as I did someone I've never met before. There was no love."

 

"I... See." She hated that it hurt, that there had been a tiny bit of hope that the man she first met was still in there somewhere. She also hated that, deep down, she wasn’t surprised by it. He’d always just used her and used others to get what he wanted.

 

"I was going to kill you and pin the murder on Lothric. Use it as a way to ruin Fennic and Irrinor relations further." 

 

Even the admittance of his plan didn’t shock her. It wouldn’t have been the first time he’d done something like that to someone. Why would she have been any different?
 

~*~

 

"No idea. Men are weird. Maybe you've got an issue with pride. Or..." There was a split second pause here before Rhae shrugged her shoulders, thinking better of it. "I'm not going to finish that one."

 

"Finish it." was the reply she got from the masked and robe-clad figure. Wisps of black were leaking out from the visor of the mask.

 

"No." The reply was rejected.

 

"Okay then. Give the Parasite control." By the tone of his voice, it was meant to be a demand.

 

"No thanks."  A demand that was denied.

 

"Does it really matter?" Estellise spoke up, arms crossed and resting against the top of her ribs. This ended her silence in the conversation, though her question was ignored.

 

"Wasn't a question, Rhaella. Give control to your Parasite." Still, the man persisted, despite being told no. 

 

"Would really rather not." Rhae held her ground on the matter though.

 

"I don't care. You'll either finish your statement or you will give control." Another demand.

 

"I think I'll do neither." But she wasn’t having it.

 

In a moment, the black wisps flowing out from the mask began to thicken, and the sense of dread in the room thickened and grew stronger, having an effect on those around him.

 

Estellise pressed her crossed arms tighter against herself, breathing out a slow and shaky breath.

 

"Nope!" Rhae spun on her heel, so she could face the doorway.

 

That was as far as she got though, because a gloved hand shot out and aimed to tangle their fingers within her ivory locks. With the grip on her hair gotten, she was yanked down onto the ground as much force as possible used to do such.

 

A shrill shriek erupted from her, likely heard throughout the entire Estate. A heavy thump came after when Rhae's back collided with the floor. Her hands shot up to her hair, one against her hair and the other searching for the hand clutching her hair.

 

Estellise was frozen in place, her eyes widening and her mouth hanging up. All of her senses were screaming at her to intervene. But she knew what would happen if she did. He had killed her once, so she was told by Lockezi, and he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. 

 

He knelt down on the ground, lowering his head so that his mask was close to Rhae's ear. "If you are going to insult and belittle me, I do not care. But you will do as I say, and you will not try to avoid me to get out of it."

 

Rhae grit her teeth, her eyes narrowing into a glare at the man.

 

Estellise was only able to stare, gaze darting back and forth between the two in front of her. 

 

"We had ourselves an agreement, Rhaella. You will do as I say, and you will listen to me. Remember?" The grip on her hair remained tight. "Estellise won't do nothing for you. She will watch, and she will listen.  I do not want to scold you, but you need to understand." 

 

"I didn't want to insult you! That's why I shut up!" Rhae squirmed, both hands moving up to try to loosen the fingers latched onto her hair. "I realized what I was going to say was bad, and I didn't want to finish it! You're really going to force me to insult you? Really? This isn't a Shade thing, so let me go!" 

 

"I want you to listen to me. Say what you were going to say, Rhaella Tathvir. If I were a Paladin, and you made the same slip, I would have done far worse to get you to talk." 

 

"It's not important! I'm not telling you! So, either let me go, or do what a paladin would do. Treat me as those idiots would, if you want. Or are you really that worried about your stupid manhood?" The words came out as a growl.

 

Promptly, the man released her. Seeping out from his skin, within his hand, was a thickening mass of amber. "Fine." 

 

A feeling of relief spread throughout Estellise's body once Rhae was released, though she didn't fully relax just yet.

 

Upon being released, Rhae turned herself over, tearing herself out of his grip. Daggers were still being glared at him. "If you really want me to shut up for paladins, just cut out my tongue, why don't you?" 

 

Any sense of relief was instantly shattered for Estellise. Her arm was snatched by him, his left hand tugging her in front of him. A gasp escaped her at this. She kept herself extremely still, aside from a slight upward tilt of her head, especially when his right hand moved close to her throat.

 

The glare Rhae had faded, her eyes widening. She scrambled to get herself to her feet. As soon as she was, she launched herself at him, grabbing at the arm which held the amber. "Let her go!" 

 

She was able to grab his arm, but the stream of amber stretched out to wrap around Estellise's throat. Though his face masked, Rhae likely felt the glare and unamusedness coming from him.

 

Rhae growled, her hand whipping down to her belt and withdrawing the wickedly sharp fork she kept stashed there. "Let her go." She raised it, the tines of it pointed towards his neck.

 

The only thing Estellise was able to do in that moment was keep still and take slow, deep breaths. There was nothing she could do to retaliate. No weapons on her. Her medical satchel was down stairs, no use to her now. 

 

Fortunately, the tendril of amber released her, and from the grip he had on her arm, he yanked her to his left and released her. His attention was on Rhae now. "Are you threatening me, my dearest Rhaella?" 

 

Estellise stumbled as she was moved, sucking in a deep breath and her hand lifting to rub at her throat.

 

"You're threatening my mother. So yes, I am." Her scowl deepened. "Shut up. Shut up." The grip she had on the fork tightened then relaxed, and then tightened once more. She seemed to be fighting with herself. "I am not weak..."

 

The man simply watched her, his arms crossing over his chest.
 

The sound of armored foot steps coming up the stone steps brought Estellise out of it. A sound all to familiar to her now. Her arm lifted from her eyes so they could open, turquoise meeting green. 

 

"Hey." It was a soft greeting from her upon seeing Taal at the top of the stairs.

 

"Hey." He returned her greeting with a warm toned one of his own, something akin to relief on his face as he drew closer to her, standing at the foot of the bed. "Quite the trial... I was afraid for a bit there, you know. Not even the sea could stand up to me if something happened to you." 

 

"Don't worry. It takes a lot more than an octopus to get rid of me." She reassured him. Her arm lifted, hand reaching out to grasp his. Reaching for the light. And the light, her light, reached back, taking her hand, pulling her out of the dark yet again.

 

Spoiler

((Thank you to @Mewlietfor inspiring me with something she was writing for Valerica.

[WestCarolina 1779]

Yessss Zadie!! Well written