HEAT

[TaraJess 2848]

 

HEAT

 

—

Heat. It only existed in the south anymore. The sun only seemed to shine upon orange tinted sand and the rainbows that peeked out upon the hillsides. It blew through the wind, those blonde locks constantly assaulted by sand.

“Bring your father, bring Valka. I wish to ride south.”

 

The urge hit her at least once a year, how odd was it that one had to travel to their home. The gates were easy enough, the new guards were not really trained… and obviously not informed on the new enemy name to make the list. Without search or further questioning did the gates rise, allowing Aurelian and her party entry into the southern city. She was obviously there to collect a few things from that childhood home of hers of course.

 

Silence never belonged in that house. Seven children, uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins, there was always noise. How deafening that silence was now. Aurelian made her way to one relative’s room where several trinkets were hidden. Quickly they find a new purpose with the Greye girl. 

 

Kusi and Valka remained at the entrance, their silence dripped like a nervous sweat, hushed murmurs of who was in town. To Aurelian’s dismay, no; it was not Peter. There were plenty of people who roamed the realm who knew of the bounty Aurelian placed upon him. Was he worth that much? No. Not at all. Yet still did Aurelian ready her coffers to pay for his blood, so that her own hurt may be thrust upon him in the most violent way possible.

She knew what was violent. It was a line that even the Imperials did not cross when she was taken from her home at only a few years old. The kids. His heir. 

 

No, he was no kid anymore, that was a man near grown, protected by two other grown men. And sure, Aurelian had seen the very non-child-like assaults committed by her friends, but even they knew how important such a catch was. In her pocket, jewelry jingled, yes, but so too did something else. 

 

“Let us go get more people…”

 

What a rush they were in too. Quickly were they standing in front of the Imperial Heir, quickly were a handful of soldiers gathered, quickly was a quiet exchange of glances passed from Aurelian to the Imperial Prince. The jingling. 

 

And the door clicked, and the knights passed. The blades were drawn, the heir cornered. And he ran. 

 

Perhaps she, too, was guilty of running. She ran to Norland. She ran to the Empire. She ran to Andromede. Any direction that was away from the end of a blade, she ran. Despite the begging, it was the blade that pushed her family over the edge, what pushed her over the edge. 

 

She wondered if her Uncle tried to run in his last moments. Loyal dog. Perhaps he didn’t see it coming, a dog being put down. Perhaps he did not see the blade, even when that little girl with a giant bow in her hair told him it was coming.

 

“Diarch means two, Uncle Aedric. Why does he walk around like he is a king?”

 

“I do not trust him either, Aury.”

 

Blind loyalty, blind loyal dog. 

 

Aurelian sprinted after that heir of Rovare. In step with him and his guard, they shoved themselves into the gatehouse, thinking it their safe haven. How frightening was a ten year old that two grown men fled in terror behind a heavy steel door? Terrifying apparently, especially when that door did click open. 

 

It happened so fast… Aurelian did not even realize that she was the only one to slip in. It was her and these two grown men who towered over her. Was it blind rage? Adrenaline? Peter’s heir was on the ground of the gatehouse bleeding… and so close was his guard… and it felt as if her body was not her own when it did give out on her and dropped. So fast, she didn’t even feel it… she wasn’t even sure which one of them got that blow on her. A murder scene was made of that gatehouse, who’s blood? All three of them probably. 

 

She could recall how hot it was, the blood. It felt like the heat of her home, like the sun. It wasn’t Peter’s blood… but in a way, it was. And she laid in that blood facing Simon Peter as the world dimmed in her eyes. 

 

Briefly did she wake upon the table in that Rittersburg hospital, red locks at her side, a rising anger trying to shoo away all those that surrounded Aurelian. Odd, that was usually Aurelian’s job… she had never been on this side of the wall. 

 

In and out of consciousness, there were a few words that stuck… Sir Antonius shouting into the hospital for Aurelian to hang in there, how he watched her dive into their gatehouse… how she was very honorable. How another said that she would be fine, for she was a Greyehound. 

 

And as more hooves made way for the Capital, Oyashi, Idunians, Petrans, Albans, Imperials, again she found that peaceful slumber, and she would not wake again until battle was won.

 

Spoiler

im tired and i dont want to format

 

[CamoRein 154]

I too am In this episode.

[EmiliainWonderland 2309]

Could she have ever done anything differently? That mother who had left it all behind. If things had been different when they were young. If the world hadn't take such a turn, would her own blood be so capable of violence as this? Sometimes she wondered still if it was her fault that Aedric died. Was it her fault she had been friendly with Peter when perhaps she ought not to be? She was trying to stay neutral, trying to remove herself from the politics of it all and just be happy for once. 

 

Misfortune followed her at every step, she couldn't shake it. How fitting her own children should become so. . . numb to their own safety. 

 

Perhaps it was better this way. That they would never know the truth of her fate. She could not harm them anymore from so far away.

 

[PoliteEquation7 187]

Adrian heard of Simon's execution, but not of his own daughter's part in it. PROUD couldn't even begin to describe how he felt in regards to her. His thoughts returned to his brother, Aedric,

"We're one step closer brother"

his words echoed to the wind, where he knew his elder brother could still hear them. Adrian's hand reached for the blunt that they had last shared together, and he smiled as he glanced it over.

"I miss you"

 

[Spellblades 751]

Aelyn Greye stood in the roaring crowd at the execution of Simon Peter, a slight smile found the 'ker as he watched Yelizaveta pull the rope, killing the Heir. Blood splattered across the ground, the Eminent's newfound powers going haywire for a moment before the erratic visions stopped upon the bloodshed's end as if the death satisfied the mana surrounding his irises.

 

"I hope you're watching, Uncle."