TILL DEATH DO US PART [DUAL PK]

[carebear 1291]

TILL DEATH DO US PART

 

 

A young girl sprinted down the streets of Valdev, her messy red hair flowing in the wind as she rushed towards a tall figure. She collided with the man, grinning at him as she hugged his legs.

 

“Papej! Papej! Can you teach mea how to use swords? Ea want to be just like you!” 

 

Nikoletta Colborn looked up anxiously at her father, hoping he would agree. The girl was only 5 years old, yet she was determined to be exactly like her parents. Brendell Colborn knelt to his daughter’s level, picking up a big stick from the ground.

 

“Ea will teach you when you can lift this stick above your head for 20 minutes. Fair?”

 

Nikoletta reached for the stick, barely able to lift it. She slowly dragged the stick towards herself.

 

“Ja, fair. Ea’ll practice every day, ea promise!”

 

 

---

 

 

Nikoletta wandered through the streets of Whitespire, spotting a few other children her age. She rushed towards them with a smile, ready to greet them. 

 

“Eja! Ea’m Niko! What are your names?”

 

The boy had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a warm smile. The girl had red hair like her own, light brown eyes, and a voice that commanded authority. The red-haired Lady spoke first.

 

“I’m Adelheid Klara von Alstreim. But I prefer Heidi. And this is Philip Halcourt. Want to come play with us?”

 

Philip and Adelheid would become some of her dearest friends, though she didn’t know it now. For now, they put on masks and played in the streets, pretending to be great warriors protecting a Princess. They met another girl as well, Lucia. She had long raven black hair and deep blue eyes. From the moment they met, Lucia and Nikoletta were practically inseparable.

 

 

---

 

Niko watched from afar as Lucia stood in the field. Lucia’s mother and Artel were there as well. They all watched a figure, Lucia’s father. They called him Funnybone. Niko thought that was a strange name for a man, but she couldn’t have misheard them. Lucia’s mother was scared of him. Artel was always alert, they said he had become dangerous. But Lucia wanted to meet him, so here they were.

 

“Dads are supposed to love their kids. I don’t think he loves me, so he can’t be my dad.”

 

Lucia nodded to herself, sure of this foolproof logic. Luci and Niko sat on the steps by the tavern after she had been told to let the grownups talk for a bit.

 

“But if your mamej says that he’s your papej, doesn’t that make it true?”

 

Nikoletta wondered out loud. Lucia shrugged at her question and they continued chattering happily on the steps, not realizing just how dangerous Lucia’s father truly was.

 

---

 

 

Nikoletta sat on the floor of their family home in Valdev. Her mother, Via, sat in front of her. Between them sat a medical kit and several different medical supplies.

 

“Remember what we learned about herbs, which one will help when vy need to numb something?”

 

Niko looked at all the supplies, then pointed to the jar of frostvine and the jar of blissfoil. Via smiled, nodding to her daughter.

 

“Da, very dobry Letta!”

 

Niko beamed with pride, very pleased with herself. She could sit here for hours learning about herbs, all that mattered to her was spending time with her mother.

 

---

 

Nikoletta stumbled into the city after the blizzard had hit, looking for her parents. She had been with her friends in Aaun when the freak blizzard came through, and she had been sent word to come home right away. It was then she heard it, the wailing. It was her sister, Iduna. She ran towards the noise, slipping and tripping through the ice and snow. She found her parents in the morgue, having already been transported there. 

 

“No, don’t go, don’t leave me-” 

 

Niko hobbled over to the tables, sobbing over her parent’s bodies. Her entire body felt numb, this couldn’t be real. But it was.

 

“Eam so sorry mamej, eam so sorry papej. Eam sorry ea couldn’t protect you and save you,”

 

 She continued her sobs, raising a hand to her mother’s cold, frozen cheek. She’d already placed the blame on herself as if the 11-year-old child could have saved her parents from their fate. She crumpled up in a ball on the ground, shivering and sobbing into her clothes. Iduna tried to reach out, to put a hand on her shoulder, but she pushed it away.

 

“If ea had been there, maybe things would be different…” 

 

Niko murmured, clasping Brendell’s hand. Iduna shook her head.

 

“Ja, if you were there you would be dead too Nikoletta!”

 

 Iduna replied through her own sobs.

 

“No! Mamej and papej would be ALIVE if ea had been there!” 

 

Nikoletta snapped back, too lost in her grief and guilt for logic. Iduna left her alone then, too tired to argue or reason with her twin. It was a long, cold night in the morgue...

 

---

 

Nikoletta looked up helplessly at the monster who had pinned her against the ground. She was only 11, she couldn’t fight back against his brute strength, though she tried. He raised his twin axes, burying them into her shoulders. She could only scream and sob as he grabbed her head and carved a line down her face with his axe. A scar she would keep with her for the rest of her days.

 

“YOU WON’T DIE, BUT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET.”

 

 The monster laughed maniacally as he attacked the girl. Niko faded out of consciousness, barely surviving Detlev’s first attack. But he was not done with her quite yet.

 

---

 

Nikoletta sobbed into the arms of Lucia. Her body hurt, her heart hurt, and nothing was going right in her life. Her parents were gone. The monster stalked her. Nowhere was safe except in Lucia’s arms. She cried and cried until there were no tears left and the night had passed.

 

Once the mornings came, Niko trained and trained until she could barely walk anymore. She worked on her swordwork, worked out until her arms felt like noodles, and ran around the entire city multiple times a day. She needed to get stronger. She needed to protect those she loved the most.

 

 

---

 

He was back once more, with a vengeance. With a friend. She was 16 now, she was stronger. And yet, she was still no match for both of them. She’d told Lucia to run and hide as soon as she had seen them. She couldn’t afford Lucia getting hurt like she was going to be. She was on the ground again, Detlev pinning her down with his foot. The weight was crushing, she couldn’t get out as much as she tried. The axe went through her arm and she let out a shriek. Her screams turned to sobs as Detlev cleaved her arm off her body. The mud around her turned crimson red, stained by her blood. Her head was pushed into the bloody mud, she couldn’t see and she couldn’t breathe.

 

“ONE DAY CHILD, YOU WILL FIGHT AT OUR SIDE,”

 

 

---

 

Nikoletta leaned into Marian’s hug, tears running down her face. She was ashamed for crying, but she couldn’t help herself. Marian was the closest she could get to feeling like she had a mother again.

 

“Ever since mamej died, ea haven’t felt any peace. But, your hugs are the closest ea can get. Ea’m sorry, ea shouldn’t be crying…”

 

Marian paused, eyes widening briefly. Her eyes welled up with her own tears. She hugged Niko just a little closer, placing her chin atop the girl’s head. 

 

“Sometimes… some people are told niet to cry. Soh they don’t. And they keep it in. And… it hurts them. And it can hurt ve people around them, too. Ea want ve very, very best for vy. Ea want to protect vy… but, there are many ways o’ emotions and feelings. And it’s nie easy to figure out. How vy navigate it… is up to vy. But ea, ea am here to help vy. Always.”

 

Niko continued crying silently, letting it all out. Marian stroked her hair, trying to comfort her.

 

“Ea just want things to go back to normal. But ea don’t think that can happen anymore. And ea can’t stop crying.”

 

Marian gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. She held Nikoletta tight in her embrace.

 

“If vy canniet stop crying, Niko… then cry. Eav got vy, Ma Petite. Eav got vy…”

 

---

 

He was finally dead. She had done it. The fight had been brutal, he was just as vicious as always. But at 19, Nikoletta finally had the strength to put Detlev down for good. And if he wasn’t dead, she knew she could kill him again. She stood from the battle, watching Detlev’s body fade into the wind. In his place, an axe was left. The axe that had tormented her throughout her entire childhood. She picked it up, a small smile on her face. It would make a fine trophy.

 

 

---

 

Nikoletta and Lucia rode out to a field of flowers to the south of Petra. Lucia thought it was a normal date, Niko was sweating profusely. In her pocket, she fidgeted with a small box. They settled on a blanket in the tall grass, surrounded by rose bushes. After a few moments, Niko spoke.

 

“Luci- Ea have something to tell you.”

 

Lucia played with Nikoletta’s hair idly, a smile on her face.

 

“And what’s that?”

 

Niko cupped Lucia’s cheek with her hand, smiling nervously.

 

“That ea love you very very much. You’re the first thing ea think about when ea wake up and the last thing ea think about when drifting to sleep. You are the reason ea have kept fighting and kept going.  Ea want to love you forever.”

 

Lucia had no idea what was happening. She just leaned into Niko’s hand and smiled.

 

“I love you too. Adore everything about you.”

 

Niko pecked Luci on the lips, smiling adoringly at her. She slowly took out the small box and knelt onto one knee in front of Lucia.

 

“And as much as ea love calling you my girlfriend… ea want to be able to call you my wife. Lucia, will you do me the absolute honor of marrying me?”

 

Lucia burst into a loud squeal, barely giving the box any thought as she tackled Nikoletta into a hug.

 

“Yes! Yes yes yes!”

 

The two women landed on the ground in each other’s embrace, holding each other tight. All that mattered was each other.

 

---

 

It was a tiny ceremony. They stood arm in arm in Vissingren, Lucia in her beautiful white dress, and Nikoletta in her mother’s uniform. Artel stood before them, wearing a stupid hat and reading off their vows. All that mattered in the world was them, and their vows to each other. Niko cried first, and Lucia followed shortly. They cried tears of joy, it was a perfect day. It was their day.

 

---

 

 

It was supposed to be a perfect day, they were having a picnic in the field they had gotten engaged in all those years ago. Yet it had gone worse than Nikoletta could have ever imagined. Niko had tried to protect them, she had tried to raise her axe against him. But it was no use, the monster kicked her back with inhuman strength. Somehow, he was stronger. Lucia screamed, rushing to her side. Her mind was foggy and her vision was dizzy. A few broken ribs, for sure.

 

“Niko please- please you’re the one who can fight! Please!”

 

She heard Lucia begging, she needed to get up but she couldn’t. Detlev was approaching, and Detlev was going to hurt Luci. She had to get up, she had to fight for her wife. Lucia was pulling her up, her body could barely move.

 

“YOU ONCE HAD A CHOICE, GIRL. I GIVE IT TO YOU ONE LAST TIME. SUBMIT TO ME. JOIN THE RULE OF CHAOS NOW AND I SHALL SPARE YOUR WIFE,”

 

He was towering over them, blood dripping from his armor. Detlev was looking directly at Lucia, waiting for her answer.

 

“I’ll do anything! Please, leave her be!”

 

Lucia pleaded with the monster, falling to her knees in front of him as she begged for the life of her wife to be spared. Niko watched in horror, barely able to move.

 

“Don’t! Please- Please Luci!”

 

Nikoletta yelled to her wife, forcing herself to crawl towards Lucia. It was no use. She was too late.

 

“IN DEATH- THERE IS CHAOS!”

 

Detlev spoke as he swung his duel axes down towards Lucia. She fell backward, bringing her arms up as a poor shield. But Lucia’s fate had been sealed. His axes tore through her chest, it was only a matter of time until she died. Nikoletta screamed as the axes cut through her wife, crawling to Lucia. She tried to apply pressure to the wounds, but she knew that it was too late.

 

“No, no, no… NO! Luci stay with me- please! I can’t live without you, please…”

 

Lucia looked up towards Niko, unable to speak as she slowly bled out. She was desperately pleading with death, but death did not listen to her demands. Tears ran down Nikoletta’s face as she was violently kicked back against the boulder, Detlev looming over her once more. Niko continued looking at Lucia.

 

“I love you- I love you, Lucia…”

 

Niko murmured to her dying wife as Lucia took one final breath. She slowly turned her head to look at Detlev and said nothing. She had nothing to say to her lifelong stalker, mutilator, and soon-to-be murderer. The monster turned slightly, then began laughing as he turned his axe on Nikoletta. Niko closed her eyes, accepting her fate. There was no point in living without her Lucia. And so, she waited for the fate that befell her. The chop was quick, at least. Detlev ended the short-lived battle with a clean cut. The beast turned then, leaving the lovers twisted together in death for eternity, bathed in scarlet underneath the red moon.

 

[Art by RoseyMissPosey]

 

 

---

 

The bodies lay silent in the field, for a time. But as the blood moon faded, two figures approached the lover’s grave. The bejeweled skeletal figure lumbered forward, motioning for the large flesh golem to follow. The golem approached towards the bodies, placing on the ground the coffin he carried. The figure, dawning a golden frame of bone, scooped up the body of the raven-haired woman and placed her in the coffin. The flesh golem pulled the lid over the woman’s body and lifted the coffin. The Lich bent down once more, placing down a jester’s mask where the body of Lucia once lay. Their work now done, the two walked away from the bloody field and into the misty night beyond.

 

 

---

 

Nikoletta opened her eyes, bright light surrounding her. Two familiar figures waited for her. They looked exactly as she had always remembered, tall and strong. Niko slowly stood before her parents. Via pulled her into a bone-crushing embrace. Brendell put his hand on his daughter’s shoulder.

 

“We’re so proud of vy.”

 

“Welcome home, Letta.”

 

“Ea missed you both so much…”

 

 

---

 

[!] Soon, four letters would be sent out by courier.

 

To Iduna:

Spoiler

Dunnie,

 

If you’re reading this letter, I am dead. I love you always, and I’m sorry for not visiting as often as I should have. I promise I’ll give mamej and papej a big hug for you. Someone will bring you all the things our parents left me when they died. Give them to your children, please. They deserve to have a piece of our family.

Your sister,

Letta

 

 

To Artel:

Spoiler

Artel,

 

If you’re reading this letter, I am dead. You stepped up to be my father figure after my papej died, and I will be forever grateful for you and Lucia. Please take good care of her, she deserves only the best. Give her all the hugs that I’m not able to give. I love you so much, thank you for everything you have done for me. In my death, I permit you to use my arcane sword.

Love,

Niko

 

To the Halcourts:

Spoiler

Philip and Heidi,

 

If you’re reading this letter, I am dead. You have both been my dearest friends for the last 40 years, I am lucky to have grown up beside you both. I wish you both health and happiness, along with all your children. I love you both, I’ll see you in the seven skies someday.

Love, Niko

 

 

To the Colborns:

Spoiler

My Kusins,

 

If you’re reading this letter, I am dead. I am grateful for the love and support I have received from you all. If my wife is still alive, please give her the remainder of the belongings in my room. If not, keep them. There are some heirlooms, if you can find them.

Family Through Fire,

Nikoletta

 

A fifth letter lay undelivered, addressed to Lucia.

 

---

 

 

[Art by Ivery]

NIKOLETTA ROSILYA ADA COLBORN

1931-1981

 

[Art by RoseyMissPosey]

LUCIA LUTHER

1932-1981

 

Spoiler

Nikoletta was a whirlwind to play. Her life was full of tragedy, but there was hope as well. I enjoyed playing her very much. I'd never played in Haense before, so it was a completely new experience that was fun to try out.

HUGE thank you to @teeylin and @tadabug2000 for letting me play their daughter. Y'all were great, even if you died.

Another HUGE thank you to @RoseyPosey532 my beloved for playing Lucia. I loved being super ******* gay with you, Luci and Niko were ******* adorable together despite all the hardships they went through.

@Lmcfc Nikoletta and Iduna had such a fun dynamic that I wish I could've included more of in this post, but I didn't take screenshots of a lot of it. Thank you for playing my twin <3

@Destructokeith thanks for playing my murderer and Niko's father figure. Artel is great, Detlev is terrifying. Love you <3
@cherrybud@JustAngel69@CasChaos you guys made the experience of playing Niko so much fun and gave her more depth. I love you guys.

And thank you to everyone else who interacted with me on Niko. She was such a fun character that was molded by her experiences in life, it wouldn't have been possible without y'all.

 

Also sorry it took so damn long to get this post out, I had major writer's block this week <3

 

[cherrybud 423]

Heidi sat in her study that evening, a familiar refuge in her quieter days. The unexpected letter from Nikoletta had arrived, and she tore it open eagerly, anticipating news of a potential visit to Artois from her lifelong friend. However, the contents had been the last thing she expected.

"Oh, Niko..." she murmured with a furrowed brow, reading the words again to ensure she hadn't misunderstood. She held the letter tightly to her chest and immediately sent word for her Husband, Philip.  @JustAngel69

[beetle 3315]

An old soul of Colborn felt shame, horrified that Nikoletta, her legacy, did not have a better ending than her own.

[Destructokeith 1142]

The forge of Vissingren falls silent, its flames dying out for the first time since its construction. The forgemaster is not seen for months as a letter lay open on his anvil.

So this is what it felt like? to loose a child? A girl you were trusted with to protect from the horrors of the world and a child you saved many times and who saw you as a father?

Artel would find the site one day, see the jester mask. see what remained of his daughters and feel a hole in his heart that would never heal rip wider, The old man shattered.

A new blade would be hung from his hip for the rest of his days, a final gift from the child who he loved so.

[tadabug2000 4918]

Via Colborn squeezed her daughter in a bone crushing hug - arms wrapping fully over her. Her heart hurt for her daughter, having left her so soon in life and only for her to die the same way she had - in an attempt to protect her beloved husband.

"Ea love vy, Letta," - "Eam svam ea couldn't be there. Vyr wife ist dobry, ea can't wait to meet her."

 

Spoiler

I appreciate you tons as always, friendo! <3 I also look forward to what you do next!

 

[Lmcfc 515]

apon hearing the news from her adopted mother that her beloved sister was dead, iduna couldn't believe the words Laurissa spoke. before rushing off from where laurissa spoke on where Nikoletta was left to die. 

upon finding her sisters corpse left to rot in the field of flowers.. she took the body of Nikoletta back to hohkmat with her where she rests in the morgue of the Reinhold Clinic. awaiting a proper funeral. which iduna was planning.. 

"eam so sorry sestra.. mamej.. papej.. please look after her." she muttered as she wept for the nights to come..

[tezzaract 191]

Astrid Thriceblood had never been close to her aunt, but the loss still weighed on her, nevertheless - if only from seeing how terribly it pained her mother so. She stands beside Iduna as she reads that final letter, silent and stock-still. Comforting others had never been her forte, and never in her life had her clumsiness with emotions feel like such a deficiency. Watching her mother sob, she felt lost.

[Tav 4336]

What a cruel, unnecessary thing, death was.
                                 "If only it were Iduna instead," The Old Goat lamented, lighting a candle for that somber moment.

[Itz_Cookie 1974]

"Sounds like the poor girl wasn't as strong as she thought she was..." 

 

The weak are meat, and the strong do eat; The Serpent thought.

 

"Ada was the same... rest their souls."

 

 

 

She had just enough humanity left to mourn for but a moment.

 

[Phoebe202 1057]

Darkened curtains drawn throughout Malkovya, the Colborn Matriarch drew her husband's kin into a proper state of mourning. Despite never having met either of the women, she admired the bravery shown in something as small as Nikoletta's farewell letter.

[teeylin 1688]

Brendell welcomed his daughter with open arms. "Come on, Letta. Eymr brodir ag farfadir are waiting. Hope eym like barbeque." 

 

 

From the other side of the continent, Cassian Colborn, wife and kids abandoner extraordinaire, wept at the news. He went back to his booze soon after. 

[RoseyMissPosey 152]

Lucia's death was one filled with terror, choked on blood. In her final moments the words "I love you, Lucia" rang in her pounding ears. Eternally, her last breath would hold the "I love you, too" she could not speak in return.

[Frostdrop1 1843]

Ser Audo Weiss dipped his head to Niko's arrival. "Vy were a good one - ea never had to worry." He smiled her way, something soft. "Ag vy lived vyr own way. An honour to our blood." He bid her, before he returned to his watch of his family from the Seven Skies.

 

---

 

Felyska clicked her tongue at news of the death. Though not close, she knew the girl a warrior.

 

And then, in time, somewhere within the Weiss crypt, a token of remembrance was carved for the Colborn by one of the ceremonial Crypts that lined the underground: Via.

[JustAngel69 513]

Sir Philip Laurent read the news of the passing late, venturing back to his home for a short rest away from the roads he sighed heavily, his armor bearing rust on the edges where maintaining proved cumbersome. 

 

"Oh Nikoletta..." His words were difficult to form as the wandering knight let his guard down in the darkness. "My mother may have only born one child, but despite that all I had a sister."

 

The Baron of Artois tugged out parchment to write a memo of his own.