A Rose in the Snow - Chapters IV and V

[tcs_tonsils_ 2833]

A Rose in the Snow 

Chapters IV-V

[!] A portrait of Borris Iver Kortrevich

 

11th of  Tov ag Yermey, 425 E.S.

 

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Chapter IV

 

Borgitta was right where she should be, back in her tower room, surrounded by her vast collection of books and nick-nacks that lined the bookshelves. It was raining outside. It was not like the warm summer rain that she loved to go stand out in when he was younger, it was rather a colder, darker, winter rain. It was mid-Amber’s cold, and while the winter had mostly brought on heavy snow, today was unusual. Everything was dark till a flash of lightning stretched across the clouds above. 

 

Twisting her body so that her feet touched the ground, Borgitta let out a soft sigh. She stood up, rubbing her eyes as another flash of lightning lit up the sky. She watched as the candlelight danced on the walls of the room, a perpetually moving orange glow. Everything was orderly in the room, her brother's old room, which had always been a complete chaotic mess. Borgitta kept his room rather organized and clean. 

 

It had already been a year since Andrik had passed away but Borgitta still felt the heaviness of it every once and awhile. She continued to stare at the shifting light, her mind fuzzing a bit. As always, her eyes glossed over, yet, despite the well that had accumulated, she was not one to cry. 

 

However, at this moment, a single tear fell down, staining her pale cheek.  a bit as his eyes glossed over. A single tear fell down her face as he looked at the reminder. Hastily, she wiped her cheek with a sleeve before hopping up. She moved to the stairs- she wished to stay, but there was work to be done. Too much work was needing to be done. 

 

Borgitta’s meeting was on the other side of the palace, and it was just her luck that the palace was longer and narrower than most of the other buildings in Dravistadt. In fact, being where she was at the top of a spiral in the palace, it could take upwards to 10 saint’s minutes to make it to where she needed to be depending on how crowded the hallways were with working staff.

 

As she walked down the final long hall, she became cold and uncomfortable. Something overtook her, an odd feeling that she could not quite place. Borgitta paused, her eyes scanning the room- every inch of it. There was nothing. No servants greeted her as she had made her way throughout the castle. No maids asked if there was something she needed, despite her rush from one end of the building to the other. Even as she had come within yards of the room, Darius, their esteemed governor, was nowhere to be seen. 

 

Odd. She thought, slowly taking a step forward. Darius alvays vaits for eam before this meeting.

 

She continued moving towards the door. The hallway felt darker, as if it was all of a sudden shrouded in some sort of shadow. Borgitta took a step back, rubbing her hands along her arms to try and warm herself up. This didn’t feel right… she didn’t remember this… However, as soon as it came, it vanished. Borgitta shook her head. This was nothing, he knew it was nothing. Putting her index finger in the air, bobbed her head from side to side. Then, she spoke clearly and reaffirming. 

 

“Everything es fine.''Unlike her unusual voice, this one had a higher and thinner tone of voice.

 

But there was something… 

 

A loud noise sounded the moment she entered the room. Just as the hallway had been, the room was completely dark until the noise sounded. Then, at that moment, orbs of blue fire sprang forth from multiple places around the room. Yet, even with the flame, the room was still dark. Unaided by the light coming from any of the covered windows, it was hard to tell who was in the room. However, as eyes adjusted, Borgitta made out a grayish blob that sat in the chair across the room. A humanoid shadow looming at the edge of the space.

 

They sat with elbows resting on the table. Left arm was up, allowing their forehead to rest on their palm. The shadowy form stared through the table, letting the soft brown, scratched wood become a distorted and fuzzy brown. The distorted bells of the chapel came and went, their echoes bouncing off the blocked windows. 

 

“Vhat es thes?” Borgitta asked, a shiver once again enveloping her. Yet that was all she could ask as she felt her eyes grow extremely heavy.

 

Then she felt herself falling. Time slowed as she made her descent towards the ground. However, in this, she could have sworn she saw the figure rising. Then, there was nothing. Yet there was something strange- a warmth. The warmth was an unexpected pleasure. Borgitta closed her eyes, stretching, body arching as before hitting the ground. Still, there was nothing but this warmth. Exhaust and something else took over- too strong for her to fight. So she didn’t.

 

 

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Chapter IV

 

He leaned on the wall, staring blankly at the board several feet in front of him. He tapped the pocket on his pants lightly to the beat. The music that was playing consisted mostly of an upbeat melody led by the main piano and accompanied by a harp. It came through a small window. A circular table sat in the center of the room. Seconds later a smooth female voice from the outside began singing along with the flowing sounds of the harp. Seconds after that, he joined. He sang along in a low tone. His voice was gruff, deep, and severely offkey. 

 

The room he was in wasn’t too big, there was a medium-sized circular table in the middle, paired with a dual set of chairs. In the back right-hand corner was a dark wooden desk, papers scattered on top. In the middle of the back wall, the wall that was left of the one which he was currently leaning on, was a singular window. To his right was an oak wood door. 

 

“Vy could have been a little more discreet” A voice came from the corner.

 

Callum looked over to the man sitting at a chair by Callum’s desk. He tilted his head, giving him an odd look. “How? How could Eapossibly have used any more discretion with that bomb?”

 

“Vy could have not used it.” He said, staring straight up at the ceiling.

 

“Everything that we have done, she was gonna ruin it had we not continued. How would vy say we continue?” Callum asked.

 

The man shrugged before rocking back and forth and standing up. “Good question.” He smiled.

 

Moving to stand by the window, his back turned to Callum. His long black hair ran down to his shoulders. He wore a dark blue shirt with black plants although they fit him weirdly, his pants being slightly too tight for his body and yet his shirt was just slightly too large, causing his shirt to fold over on itself. He was shorter than Callum and not as well built as Callum was considered to be. Glaring out the window, he looked at the smog that had overtaken the forest. 

 

“Why are vy here?” he asked, not bothering to turn.

 

“What?” Callum replied, narrowing his eyes at the man.

 

“Eamean why are vy still doing this?” He turned, staring back at him. His sharp brown eyes pierced Callum. He shook his head. “vy really think that? After everything that has happened, he would still be able to just… trust vy? What makes vy think he would be willing to give anything at all, let alone the thing vy are looking for? After everything that vy did.” He yelled, clearly frustrated by his thought process. He then began walking back over to the desk.

 

“What Eadid? What Ea did was save his life.” Callum snorted, his voice slightly raised.

 

“What vy did was ruin his life and then felt guilty.” He said, crossing his arms.

 

Callum felt silence for a few moments, glancing back towards the window. “Why are vy here, Andrik?”

 

Andrik was still staring at him when Callum met his gaze. “Time am running out and this is not going to go over like vy hope it will.”

 

“Oh and why not?” Callum huffed.

 

“He has nothing, yet he still outsmarts vy at every turn.” Andrik snorted, shaking his head.

 

“He will not this time.” Callum’s eyes were firmly set on Andrik.

 

“And when vy meet again- when he figures out what vy have done... If he doesn’t comply, what then?” Andrik asked, tapping the desk lightly.

 

Callum opened his mouth as if to say something. He didn’t. They sat in silence for a few moments before Callum did finally speak. “Then Ea will do what Ea need to do..”

 

 

“Do vy ever get tired of doing that?” Callum asked, his finger resuming to tap the table. 

 

“No.” Andrik responded bluntly.

 

He continued to peer at Andrik for a while before turning and looking at the window. He watched as the grayish mass enveloped all clearness. 

 

“vy know…”

 

Suddenly, the door flung open. Callum spun quickly, his hand reaching down to his thigh. He pulled out a set of knives as Dedrick walked into the room.

 

Callum frowned, his eyebrows narrowed. He let his hand drop to the table, resting the knives on the wood. “What are vy doing here, Dedrick?”

 

“We have a problem,” He said, swinging the door shut and sitting across from Callum.

 

He set his bag on the table as well and clicked it open. Dedrick picked up an eviction notice and threw it down on the table. 

 

“Yam not sure what vy want eam to do about this?” He asked, visibly confused. 

 

“Get the money- now.” Dedrick replied. As he did, he sat back in his chair and crossed his leg over his knee. 

 

“Eado not believe that is a good idea, Ea need more time.” Callum spoke flatly.

 

“Oh? And Why not?” Dedrick asked, sounding slightly amused.

 

Callum didn’t respond but rather just continued to stare at him.

 

“vy get him, vy get paid, simple as that… or did something change in the last several hours that Ea should know about?”

 

Callum just barely nodded, glancing back down at the photos before him. Dedrick stood, closing his bag as he pivoted to face the door. He opened it and stepped out before glancing over his shoulder as if expecting Callum to say something. He didn’t. Dedrick shook his head and left, closing the door behind him. From over Callum’s shoulder, Andrik burst out in laughter. Callum turned sharply and gave him a dead stare. Andrik shook his head, calming his laughter just slightly. 

 

“Well, there vy go… Ea always told vy that vy would have to eventually have to face him.”

 

“I…” Callum paused. “Just go, leave eam alone.”

 

Andrik smirked. His haunting voice echoing in the room. “vyr reckoning comes.”

 

“Leave eam alone!” Callum yelled fiercely at Andrik as he picked up the knife and hurled it at him. 

 

The blade flew through the air, the soft ringing as it went. It hit the stone wall with a loud crack, chips of stone and metal breaking and flying all around. The dagger plopped onto his bed, still once more.

 

Callum breathed deeply and stared at the wall.

 

He was alone.

 

Signed,

Borris Iver Kortrevich KML

[satinkira 6194]

Remon reads over the writing, eyes gently closing as he finished. He pins it to his wall. This is fine writing. Very good stuff..