A Spooky Witch

 

In the month of Grand Harvest, 1438, a woman rode on horseback with a child in her arms in the pouring rain toward the gates of New Malinor. The child was young, only having barely turned six. The woman, Kalin’dra Aeth’ahern, pulled her hood up and scowled at the falling rain which had thoroughly soaked through her cloak. She was a fair woman, her skin like that of the fine dolls from the east with deep green eyes, like the pines in the forest on a cloudy day, delicate red lips the color of ripe strawberries, and curly white hair that reached her waist.

 

Kalin’dra held the child close to her with one hand while snapping the reigns on the horse with the other and ducked her head down to the child; she was just waking up and her big bright green eyes peeked up at her sleepily. Kalin’dra’s pupils dilated slightly as she looked at the young girl in her hands and she forced a smile down at the girl. All she saw was his face… She must stay safe…

 

She pulled the reigns in as they reached the outer gates of New Malinor, bringing the horse to a trotting stop. Kalin’dra dismounted and reached up, grasping the girl under the arms to lift her off and down from the horse. Taking the child’s hand, she led her inside the gates, knowing it was safer there than it would be outside, and headed to the bridge towards Haelun’or. As they stepped onto the bridge she stopped, making sure the child was standing under the shelter of the tree at the foot of the bridge.

 

Kalin’dra knelt down in front of the girl, putting both hands gently on her shoulders and looking her in the eyes. “Now little flower,” She said, like she was instructing a student. “I’ll be going to run a very important errand, do you understand?” She asked, the girl nodded back to her in response, her curly hair bouncing as she did. “Good, so very smart you are. Now, I want you to wait right here, do you understand? It’s dangerous outside the walls, people could hurt you, alright?” The child was listening intently and nodding as she spoke to show she understood.

 

She looked at the bright green eyes staring back at her and she hugged the girl close, pressing her cheek to the top of her head, into the little mop of curls. “I love you my little Poppy flower.” She said softly, kissing the top of her forehead lightly. “I love you too, Haelun.” Poppy said, a little too cheerfully on the rainy afternoon for Kalin’dra’s taste but such was the mind of a child. She got to her feet, her hand on the top of Poppy’s head, and quickly made her way back to her horse, Poppy waving after her as she stood under the tree by the bridge.

 

Kalin’dra mounted the horse and snapped the reigns, riding off in the pouring rain. As she galloped across the Old Malinor Bridge, she slowly brought her horse to a trot, entering the barren forest that was Old Malinor. Riding to the middle of the field under the black and white tree, her eyes narrowed onto the figure standing beneath it. The one feature she saw first under the shade of the tree and the light of the fading day were the two glowing eyes. Pulling on the reigns, she forced her horse to a stop and dismounted, approaching the man shrouded under a hood in the still falling rain.

 

“Where is the child.” The man asked bluntly, clearly wanting to get to the point. Kalin’dra scowled ever so slightly and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve decided to decline… I’ve done fine raising her so far without your…. methods. She stays with me.” Kalin’dra kept her face straight and passive, hoping the conversation would go no further.

 

The man’s head cocked to the side a moment at her response and he took a few steps towards her, Kalin’dra stood her ground, her insides twisting uncomfortably as he spoke. “She’s of my flesh and blood, my children are all raised the same you know…” He trailed off, lifting a hand up to run through her hair lightly; Kalin’dra cringed a little and spoke up. “I am going to raise her, the only reason you came around was because you found out I was with child. I’m surprised you took so long to find me.” She snapped at him grasping his wrist and firmly shoving it away. The man stiffened at that and left his hand hovering in the air as he spoke. “Whether or not you let me raise her, I’ll still be an influence… always in the shadows. And I ask again, where is she.” He took a step forward, his body inches from her own as little embers danced across his fingers. Kalin’dra stared at him square in the face and took a breath, turning her back on him to go to her horse. “She’s nowhere and she’s safe, and she’ll stay that way…” As she stepped forward towards her horse, the man thrust his hand out to grab at her shoulder. “Kalin’dra!” He said, almost angrily as he pulled her back into a rough hold, “If I cannot have the child, then neither can you!” He then pulled her towards him in a sudden kiss.

 

Kalin’dra stiffened and shoved at his shoulders, attempting to bite him, but he held fast. His arms encircled her as she squirmed, and after a few feeble attempts to break out of his grasp, she stopped. Her arms went slack at her sides as he kissed her, and she started to feel a growing heat in her throat. Closing her eyes, she felt the raging inferno burst down her windpipe from his own mouth. Kalin’dra inhaled the flames in fiery agony. “I love you… my little Poppy flower…”

 

 

Anthos

 

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Born on the 21st of Snow's Maiden in the year 1432, Poppy's life truly started the day that her mother Kalin'dra left her under a tree in the city of New Malinor.

 

Poppy wandered around the city of New Malinor as a bright and bubbly 6 year old looking for adventure in the most unlikely of places. There she met a guard that would have an impact of her sense of trust, Ramza. Poppy met Ramza when she was sitting on the rail of the bridge heading to Haelun'or, looking over her shoulder as she scribbled sloppily in her notebook wondering what she was drawing, and they soon became fast friends.

 

As Poppy became more familiar with the city around her, she also became more aware about how her situation was to be kept secret. Poppy listened to people talk, saying that children without parents belong in a house with other orphans, with strange people. At first Poppy never knew what the word orphan meant, until she heard that they were children without parents.

 

She blanched at the thought, and whenever someone asked about her home and her mother, she lied. Poppy didn't want to be sent away to live with a strange person, she still was confident that her mother would come to get her from her errands and she couldn't just leave. What if she came back and her mother saw she wasn't there?

 

She said she would be back to get her soon...

 

Months went by before Poppy finally knew her mother wasn't coming to get her. She had already taken it upon herself to going to the underside of the docks every night on the beach, pull in her little makeshift lines for fish to eat, curl up in the sun-warmed sand, and go to sleep. Poppy knew she was safe, no one ever went under the docks...

 

When another few months went by, Poppy met Prishe, then soon after a boy named Eren Carteret, two Mali'ame teens who took a shining to her (mostly Prishe, that girl adored the white haired craze-ball). Together the kids went almost anywhere they could get into, not excluding the now ruined city of Haelun'or and its labyrinth like library.

 

One day when Poppy was waiting for Prishe and Eren to show up, two tall men, Gravelords Nimdravur and Vinzakra, walked by with the Druid Elorna, as Poppy watched, one stopped in front of her, Vinzakra, and knelt down.

 

"Do you want to go on an adventure?" The man asked, his voice low and gravelly.

 

Poppy immediately brightened and said yes, following the three back into New Malinor until they reached the back where the ruins of Haelun'or were. The same man knelt down and asked her to go into the little valley to pick some flowers, she scrambled down the hill and did so. When Poppy came back, Elorna seemed uneasy, but she thought nothing of it as she held up the little bundle of flowers to Vinzakra proudly. The next thing Poppy knew, there was a bolt in her throat and a sword in her stomach...

 

This was the first time that Poppy had ever experienced the cold hands of death.

 

Of course she woke up in the Cloud Temple some time later, disoriented and confused about where and why she was there. Though Poppy doesn't remember the incident clearly, she still to this day has nightmares of the Wraiths, though with no idea why or who they are.

 

Upon returning to Malinor, Poppy knew everyone's face; being around the area gives you a certain apt for remembering faces. As she was sitting under a tree, she looked up, seeing a tall figure standing over her in dark brown robes. At first Poppy was alarmed, by now she had become more wary of strangers; but.. as the man knelt down before her, she felt at ease. She looked at the man and yanked on his hood to look at his face. It was kind, aside from the man’s shocking red irises, though she could tell there was hardness behind his gentle mask. The man smiled at her, complimenting on her drawing. She was surprised, and almost drawn in by his almost parental pull.

 

Poppy was intrigued, she hadn't felt this way since her mother had left; and she didn't want to let it go. So as the months went by, Poppy would spy the man wandering around New Malinor and she would go up to him, just to talk (sometimes to give him a flower or something), and it became the norm. Whenever she saw him or the other way around, one would sneak up on the other, just like a game. Not soon after, she learned his name; Pherak Roatan.

 

When Poppy turned 10, she went to the city of Abresi with Pherak for a little trip. When they reached the square, there was a skirmish going on and Pherak stepped in to help, then learning about his power using the black mist (or necromancy as she later found out it was called). When the fight escalated and a guard hit Pherak, Poppy ran to his aid, but was stopped by a holy man. A few moments later, a man who knew fire evocation stepped forward and was about to strike Pherak with fire until Poppy threw a book, hitting him square in the face. Directing his anger at her, he threw a fireball towards her. Pherak jumped in front of the fireball and took the blow, saving Poppy's life. After being escorted from the city, Poppy searched for Pherak back in Malinor the next day, his injured self had been taken away to get medical treatment, and she came upon him later that day and found out from him that he had died later that day because of his injuries. Feeling guilty, Poppy was determined to make it up to him, but he wouldn't have it. He said he wanted to protect her and that he wasn't sorry he did it either.

 

This sparked a bond between them, and the more time Poppy spent around Pherak, the more she wanted to stay. One afternoon in 1445, Poppy was standing by the gate by herself, waiting for either Eren, Prishe, or Pherak to show up, when a man approached her, asking her why she was alone in the city. Poppy was used to lying, and she simply said her mother was on an errand going to the human lands and that she was told to wait for her. But this time was different, the man kept asking questions, asking to speak to her mother at their home. Poppy went into a mental panic, no one had kept asking questions like that before and she didn't know what to do, when out of nowhere, Pherak stepped forward behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder and saying "I'm watching over her until her mother returns, she is with me."

 

Poppy was surprised, she never thought someone would help her like that. So she nodded and pointed at Pherak, "Yeah what he said." She replied almost comically, looking up at him with thankful eyes. When the man was satisfied that she wasn't alone and had left, Pherak had knelt down starting up the usual chatter when Poppy stopped him. "I was lying." She said shamefully, having never admitted it before she didn't think it was bad until she said it aloud; she never wanted anyone to know. "I don't have a house, and my Haelun won't come back." The surprise on Pherak's face was obvious, but it was replaced with a look of... understanding? Pity?

 

He stood up, then knelt back down, offering her a piggyback ride; which she gladly accepted. After some talking, Pherak offered her to come stay with him. Poppy was more than excited to, she would have a home finally, a warm bed and someone to keep her safe. She, not surprisingly, accepted.

 

After about a year of living with Pherak, she was more than accustomed to the... strangeness that surrounded Pherak, and started to call him her father. Poppy came to learn about his abilities as a necromancer and shrugged it off as if it was just like any other kind of magic. She once even fought with a corpse while Pherak controlled it, so that she could learn to defend herself and keep other from touching her in a fight. Needless to say it ended up with a corpse falling on her (not to mention it was oozing from the holes she poked in it with her knife) and a stinking Poppy rushing to the bath.

 

Poppy had also started to meet people that Pherak knew and was acquainted with. One in particular that stood out was a dark elf woman named Lilith, who seemed to have had a liking to Pherak (at least to Poppy's eyes anyway). She would stride about with Cordal, her companion Dread Knight who protected her until his last soul bound breath. Poppy grew attached to both of them, and she was heartbroken to see Lilith devastated by her loss. Poppy assured her that Pherak and herself were there for her, as a family, and wouldn't allow her to be lonely anymore.

 

Lilith came to assume the role of Poppy's mother not soon afterwards and Pherak and Lilith became good friends, working as a pair to watch over Poppy and one another.

 

As the years went by and the world changed around them, Poppy became more accustomed to the ragtag life that she had thrown herself into. Often she would spend time with Eren, exploring the back parts of many forgotten cities and the woods and lands surrounding them.

 

When the Conclave of Malin was erected as the home for the elves, everything changed. The relationship between Lilith and Pherak started to grow... distant, and all Poppy could do was watch her father grow just as distant. To keep herself lifted as she had always done, she busied herself with the task of bringing happiness to her family, to Lilith, to Pherak, and to Eren (Eren and Poppy by then growing to be close companions with one another) in hopes to bring normalcy back to their lives in the dark times they were having.

 

One afternoon while Poppy was out shopping for beef for her dog Balto, she ran into a man in the tavern of the Conclave. She had been asking everyone she saw if they knew of a butcher in the area that she could go to, and no one had answered. This time was different. The man smiled at her in a way that unnerved her.

 

"I do know of a butcher in these parts... I could take you to him." He said in a lulling voice. Poppy hesitated, the man acted funny and she didn't quite like it. Politely, she refused and started to go on her way, though the man stood from his chair to follow her. At this time, Pherak had come into the tavern and was harboring such a look of hatred towards the man that she quickly moved to stand behind him.

 

"Evocress.."  Pherak had hissed, it was clear his distaste for the man was nothing short of extreme.

 

In that instant, it was done. The man eyed Poppy like she were a piece of candy, putting together the connection between Pherak and herself. From that moment on the only terror in her life was Evark Evocress.

 

Harassing her at any chance that she was alone, Evark would find some way to make her life a living hell, her being (sometimes) lucky enough to have someone intercede, as she was a child at the time. Poppy could see the toll that this was taking on her father Pherak, so she made it her mission to distance herself from him in a way that it would not affect him. Though soon enough, her good friend Eren was pulled into the insanity as well.

 

Evark held Eren to a false contract, stating that he was his 'student', and after one such 'lesson' that he had with him, Eren had come back with a broken arm and a myriad of bruises. Poppy was distraught at the state Eren was left in and the guilt of his involvement was lasting. As soon as Pherak and Eren's father Raziel had found out, they interceded, and for a time Evark was nowhere to be seen.

 

For some time after, everything had gone back to being peaceful. Eren and Poppy had become closer through their ordeals, and they even made up their own little phrase for themselves. Ceru'oiala, forever strong.

 

Of course Evark came back after a few months, and in one such instance, he could see the bond that Eren and Poppy had started to form. He stood in front of them, threatening to burn Eren unless they show they're obviously growing affection, with a kiss. The two teens were besides themselves with embarrassment and fear, and looking at one another (despite the looming threat of burns, or worse) they did realize that they meant a lot to one another. And, both to humor Evark and for themselves, kissed each other for the first time. After that incident Evark had disappeared again, Eren and Poppy were almost always with one another, watching each others backs and just being there when the other needed it. Despite the negativity that came with their first kiss, Eren and Poppy started their courtship.

 

Emerging yet again one late afternoon, Poppy was walking along the path towards the old New Malinor city to see if she could buy any valuables, when a harbinger jumped her on the side of the road. Just as the harbinger was about to take her into Lenniel, Evark came strolling down the road. "If you're going to kill the girl, might I have her eyes first?" The harbinger agreed much to Poppy's dismay, and held her down on the ground as Evark slowly moved down to gouge her eyes out. Just before he was about to, he stopped. Staring at her face for a moment, he saw that her eyes had begun to illuminate in the light of the fading day, much like his do, and his family. He changed his expression, saying that her eyes were too special to take,  and said he changed his mind. Departing the scene not too long afterwards.

 

While Conclave struggled to stay afloat in the sea of nations, Pherak, meanwhile, had met a woman named Katherine. A Conclave guard whose looks could turn the eyes of many. Though in Pherak's eyes she was more beautiful a person than any of the female goddesses combined. A few months after they had met, and the many many times they had spent together, Pherak and Katherine wed.

 

When Poppy had gotten away from the harbinger, she fled to her home and consulted with Eren about the incident. Eren was just as confused at she was, and had no definitive answer for her. Soon afterwards Poppy was speaking with Pherak one night in their home when it became dusk. Surprised that he had not noticed it long before, Poppy's eyes emitted a luminescent glow as the sun outside set on the horizon. At that moment, Pherak pieced together the puzzle. He had only seen one person's eyes to what Poppy's was doing, and that was Evark Evocress. After stating that Evark was obviously her real father, Poppy flew into a panicked rage, insisting that it wasn't true, wanting to believe anything than what was being said. For a while all she could do was despair over the new development of her life.

 

Then the world changed all over again, the Fringe opened.

 

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Fringe

 

When the new world became passable to the realm of Anthos, Poppy thought this as a fresh start. Moving far into a secluded area of the Fringe with Eren, her adopted brother Caedwen, her father and his new wife Katherine, Poppy saw this as an opportunity to start anew. And she took it in stride as one of the happiest moments of her life, finally feeling safe from the world around her.

 

Of course, this happiness did not last for long.

 

While out shopping for tea at the vendors outside the New Cloud Temple with her brother Caedwen, Poppy discovered that Evark had come through to the Fringe. He was standing in the marketplace, watching her and Caedwen with the eyes of a hawk. Quicker than a dwarf on the battlefield, Poppy took Caedwen up in her arms and rushed to get to their home, away from him, away from everyone.

 

Thinking that one of her worst nightmares was left back in Anthos (and apparently being wrong), Poppy continued her life, letting herself go out into the public more frequently. Wanting to spend more time with her mother Lilith, Poppy search many a time with Caedwen to find her, sometimes it was a short visit should they have ever had found her (if they ever managed to that is). Tragedy struck one morning as Poppy was coming up from her burrow and her little brother Caedwen came rushing up to her with tears in his eyes.

 

"H-haelun... sh-she forgot me..." he stuttered, Poppy was confused. What did he mean she'd forgotten? Urging Caedwen to take her to where he saw her last, Poppy, Caedwen in her arms, went to the human lands in search of her mother. When they finally managed to find Lilith, she was a different person. Lilith looked at Poppy and Caedwen with a look of annoyance as another pestering kid insisting that she was their mother. Poppy's heart broke at this, her only mother that had been around for such a long time was gone. Taking Caedwen back to the burrow in which they lived, she cried with Caedwen in her arms, comforting both him, and herself.

 

In light of the events that had started to transpire in the Fringe, Eren came to Poppy one day with a proposal for marriage. Delighted at the thought that she would be married to her lifelong friend, Poppy said yes. A few months after the announcement of their engagement, Poppy and Eren wed in the garden of their friend Ramza's mansion.

 

From here, events seemed to start to spiral downwards.

 

One morning when Poppy was harvesting food for their food stores, Poppy looked up from her work and spotted yet again, Evark Evocress standing in the grove they lived in. Poppy dropped the carrots that she was holding, standing shock still, too afraid to move as he spoke to her, walking closer. He came for Eren. Emerging from the burrow at that moment was Eren, Poppy was frantic as the two spoke, as Evark coddled Eren into going with him. Eren and Poppy's friend Ramza and his wife Laurira had approached the scene, hearing the shouting that Poppy had been doing (loud enough for the Fringe to hear that's for sure) and had come to see what was happening.

 

"I'll go with you." Eren shouted finally at Evark, and Poppy's heart stopped. She instantly started screaming at Eren, begging him not to leave, not wanting him to return hurt like the last time, shouting and insisting he was a liar. Eren consoled her as best as he could before he turned and departed with Evark, Poppy screaming and clinging to Laurira with frantic abandon as she watched her new husband leave; thinking he was as good as dead.

 

Surprisingly, Eren returned to the grove unharmed. This sent such a relief through Poppy that they reluctantly agreed to Eren going back when he was called, so long as she would go with him to ensure that he was unharmed. Eren reluctantly agreed to this as well.

 

Though her fears were only slightly pushed aside, Poppy went into a silent depression with the events that had started to transpire around her. On a night that she had fallen asleep before Eren had, he received a bird from Evark and left in the night. When Poppy woke the next morning, Eren was nowhere to be found, it would be at least two days before he came home. Poppy had come into their home to the sound of Laurira and Eren's voices in his room, moving in she found a heavily bandaged Eren lying on his bed. Laurira told her what happened, Evark had broken one of his arms and a few of his ribs.

 

This was the final straw for Poppy. Looking at Eren as he lay in the bed, bandaged and bruised made Poppy snap. She put a smile on her face for Eren and tended to him a while as she thought. After a few hours Poppy excused herself to go and write, and write she did. Stuffing a letter into her pocket, she went outside and sent a bird off to Evark, asking for a meeting as soon as he could. While Poppy was out shopping for some tea for Eren, he had taken the liberty of going through some of her books, and stumbled upon her journal. Reading some of the entries that she had written down, Eren knew what Poppy was planning to do. Poppy was going to take Eren's place with Evark.

 

When she finally received word back from Evark, she went and spoke with him. She insisted that she would take Eren's spot on the deal that they were holding. He would finally get what she thought he wanted, which was her. Evark listened to what she had to say, and lay on the table one condition for her taking Eren's place. And that was to end their marriage immediately.

 

This was the last deal she would make. Though she hesitated, painfully... she agreed to the condition. I'm going to save him... He'll finally be safe... She thought to herself as she agreed.

 

Walking into their home, Poppy made her way to her prayer atrium, finding Eren there by the fireplace, his face was grave.

 

"I need to speak with you..." She said quietly.

 

"Me too." Eren replied, his voice was surprisingly grave, he knew what she was up to and he planned on confronting her about it right then and there.

 

Poppy stepped towards him and let it out in a short sob of what she was about to do. "I can't do this anymore!"  She cried, her voice echoing throughout the atrium at a painful pitch. Eren recoiled, he wasn't expecting this kind of conversation, and he immediately went into a pleading state. Begging Poppy to not do this, not to leave him, he cried and yelled. Pressing the emerald and gold wedding band into his palm, the inscription "Ceru'oiala" glinting briefly in the firelight, Poppy painfully and reluctantly pulled herself from Eren's grasp, gasping from the pain in her chest. She said she didn't want to have anyone to worry about getting hurt anymore, that she had done too much already.

 

"I told you I would be there for you! Like you were there for me! YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME POPPY!" Eren had begged, somehow though through the pain of his words, Poppy forced herself to run from the room, leaving him yelling and begging for her to come back. "Don't let him win!" He had howled as she left.

 

As Poppy emerged from her home, ready to go with Evark as she was led a little ways across the grove, her father, Pherak, stood there. His eyes were pitch black and wisps of black smoke were floating around him with a deadly purpose. "Inferno, you are to release that girl or else I will destroy both of you." he had said coldly. Having heard the screams coming from their home, Pherak had made his way to the grove to see what was the matter.

 

This of everything, caused the hole tearing in Poppy's chest to rip open even further. She didn't intend on telling Pherak what she was doing. She didn't want to get anyone else involved in what she was planning for fear that someone else would get hurt all over again. Just like they had before...

 

Pherak however, was not having any of it. He looked at her with such cold malice that she had never seen him look at her in such a manner before.  "You choose Inferno over your now EX husband, and for what? To stop him? Inferno will never stop, until his very last breath chaos will be brought about, and you are only helping him, by doing this.. What have you become?"  Those last words made Poppy go silent. She was only trying to help wasn't she? No... she had clearly only made everything worse, just as she was good at.

 

The next words that came from Pherak, were words she never thought she would hear in all of her life."Child, depart from me with Eren and never come back. It was my mistake to take you under my wing, for I have introduced this Inferno into your life, and now it will be finished." The words 'never come back' echoed throughout her mind over and over and over as the trio looked at one another.

 

At that moment, Eren had come out from the burrow, his face red and stained with tears of loss and pain. Seeing Pherak and Poppy and Evark standing across from one another caused his howling to cease. Pherak took notice of his entrance into the scene, and he narrowed his eyes.

 

"There is no stopping this, you two are leaving, Evark and I are staying behind, if you don't follow with my instruction, I will have no choice but to end the two of you now, so be gone. I have tried, and have failed, the remainder of my days will be left in sorrow and regret of ever knowing any of you, to be a part of you, and your lives... Depart from me, I know you no longer." All the while, Pherak's black aura had grown around him menacingly, ready to strike at the slightest movement.

 

At this, the hole had ripped itself so wide that hugging her torso was all Poppy could to do to keep herself together. Poppy stared at her father, her lifelong companion, and fearfully stepped backwards at his threatening words. Her maln, her papa, had disowned her and everything about their life together. Taking a shuddering breath, Poppy turned and fled into the woods, tears running down her face, away from Pherak and Evark and Eren, and ran; wailing loudly and painfully as she did.

 

Finally she collapsed on the ground under a spruce, and curled into a ball, holding her torso and crying loudly and helplessly. She had lost everything, her husband, her best friend, her father, her mother, everything that was her center of her world. All the loss and pain that had built up over the past years was finally being let free, and it broke her.

 

After a few hours of laying in the forest, curled and broken, Eren finally found her and she fell into his arms. Saying she was sorry over and over and over and that she didn't mean any of what she said. Eren held her and she him, saying it was okay, that he forgave her. Which in her mind was more than what she deserved. As the tears soon came to an end, replaced by a look of complete emptiness and loss, they finally made their way back to their home together, the ring put back on her finger, never to be taken off again while she still lived.

 

Several days after the incident between herself, Eren, Evark and Pherak, her father Pherak returned to her revealing that all he said was to protect her from her biological father Evark. Though his return is unlikely because of the looming threat of Evocress, both Poppy and her father Pherak remain bonded. This brought a great relief to the grief stricken heart of Poppy.

 

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Thales

 

The change was sudden without thought or a sound in the night. All of the descendents, Poppy and her family included, were thrust into the chilly realm of Thales in 1465. Thales was a relatively small coastal chunk of land that was seemly small, though large enough for the respective races to go to their own corners of the land per usual.

 

Along with a band of friends and family, Poppy settled on the coast, helping build into the coastal mountains as they struggled through the first winter in the strange land. And this winter was harsh, their food stores were low and it was harder to farm in this landscape. Several times their livestock died in the cold and the adults had to go hungry some nights in order to feed the Powell-family children. Though in their eyes, it was worth it to see that they were healthy and well off.

 

Poppy had nearly forgotten about the atrocities that transpired in the Fringe Lands. While time were rough in Thales, it was a sound relief to know that many of those she feared were nowhere to be found. As time went on though, Poppy noticed that something didn’t still feel right. The thoughts of what happened with her family stuck with her at every turn. The constant companion of guilt ever followed and it seemed to put a small strain on her relationship with Pherak. While it wasn’t a very obvious problem, she always felt smaller and smaller whenever she was around her adoptive father.

 

Finally after an almost three year winter, the cold broke and people across Thales prospered once more. This of course led to a migration of people across the land as people left the homes they had to hold themselves in while the winter passed. As Poppy, Eren, and the Powell family resided on the oceanside, their home area was soon visited by a family of large.. well large humans. They were of the appearance of barbaric men and women who wanted nothing but their land. When after months of verbal threats and even almost violent advances made, the group decided to let the Northern Human men have the land and move to live elsewhere.

 

Once again being uprooted and made to live anew, the gang did find a spot in a secluded forest far from another city and settled there for a time. Free from worry and influence of the outside world.

 

Then of course, once more, worlds were changed as the cold returned with a vengeance.

 

While the exodus from the Fringe was sudden and alarming, the one from Thales was no such similar an event. As life went on in Thales for the descendents, the cold was creeping on the continent. Eventually the conditions were so horrid and cold that the peoples of the continent were forced to flee in the year 1468. This would be known forever in history as the Great Winter.

 

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Athera

 

Athera, unlike the Thales, was a much more forgiving and varied landscape to live in for the races of man, elf, orc, dwarf and halfling. Many believed the land to be the origins and ruins of the famed and fabled Aegis, though this was never confirmed.

 

The lands were plentiful and large enough as the races quickly settled into their own lands. Poppy and Eren (and a few others later on) would come to find their own land that was set apart from the other races in the middle of a pleasantly warm and humid jungle. Their home was set on an island in the middle of a broad river for a time.

 

As others started to move into their lands, they were made to leave, or face violence for their lands. They were invited to stay at the manor of Ramza Mantisuku, who had long since established himself as a family friend and confidant. They happily lived in the large home with Ramza and his family, and were readily welcomed from the first day. Life moved on as Poppy gained a position as a harvester for the tavern that Ramza owned. It was a hot spot for gathering and socializing; and of course drinking.

 

The job was easy and made them what little money Ramza could afford. Of course her quarrel came after a few months work and she got no pay, so she elected to leave her job at the tavern. Her and Eren were living rent free in a home, so why did it matter? This opening in her life left her more time to spend with her husband and the rest of her extended family.

 

Soon though, of course, the shadow of her father Evark Evocress came closing in. This though, rode on the ponderings that Poppy had about her birth mother; Kalin’dra Aeth’ahern Evocress. She knew little about her mother, save the few short clips of memories she had of the last few days she saw her. Her long, gorgeous white curled hair, her deep green eyes like the forests of Malinor, and the ageless beauty that was her whole being. Poppy began to  think harder on her memories as they began to fade away with her growing mind. Soon she began to send her biological father letters, demanding to know about her mother and whether or not she was alive or dead.

 

She was finally sent a letter one day, to meet with Evark to speak about their mother. He had promised all the details and more. Of course Eren and Pherak wouldn’t have anything of it, they knew he was up to no good and that Poppy should be wary of his words in case it was a trap. Poppy knew that they were right, but she didn’t back down at their counsel. She was determined to know more about her mother and why she left her so many years ago. Poppy would go, and she wouldn’t change her mind.

 

The day came that she would confront Evark, not as a girl, but as a woman. Pherak, Eren, and several other family friends attended to keep an eye on those they were to confront. Sitting at a blanket was Evark, her sister Cali, and another woman that she didn’t recognize. She was a high elf, that much was obvious, and she was beautiful. She turned as Evark introduced her and smiled a gorgeous smile. Her name was Vallel, and Evark claimed her to be Poppy’s mother. This would have been the end of the guise had Poppy known her mother’s name was Kalin’dra, but she didn’t, she only knew her as Mother or Haelun. Poppy was overjoyed to know that she had finally met her mother again.

 

Little did Poppy know, was that Evark told Vallel to convince her that she was her mother, and she used mind magic to do so. For a time, Poppy was happy with the deception and it didn’t seem like there was anything sinister about the lie that Vallel and Evark told her. It was almost as if he was actually doing her a kindness.

 

Life went on for Poppy and Eren and the gang, and she took every chance she got to see her ‘mother’ and get to know her as she in turn got to know Poppy. She was happy, even in the midst of a deception by her birth father it had seemed that some good had finally come of his intervention. Discovering that her ‘mother’ was alive was probably the happiest she had been in a long time.

 

Life in Athera, however, was in turmoil. As the return of Iblees raged through the land, chaos ensued and it was seen on the faces of all who did the normal tasks of life such as going to the market or walking on the roads. Even though there was always tension between the races, it was more prominent now that one of the most feared daemons had returned. Factions fought cities and brother fought brother. This gave birth to many dark forces, one such being the coalition known widely as The Adherency.

 

The Adherency was a collection of necromancers, wraiths, ghouls, and many more such people who dabbled and devoted their lives to the Dark Arts of magic as they fought against Iblees. Their most notable locale that was known by Poppy was the Castle in The Swamp as she called it. It was a massive fortress surrounded by stone walls with towers on the turns in the walls. Often times Poppy, on the days that she was gloomy, would wander into the swamp and sit within the shadow of the willow trees, watching the fortress. Now Poppy wasn’t fascinated with the fortress, it was more of an aid to nurse her gloomy thoughts when she felt sad. She would sit there and think “At least I am not as sad as that place” and she would feel better. She never did know what horrors went on inside those walls.

 

Until she was brought there herself.

 

On a warm fall evening, Poppy was in the Magenta Forest with Eren just outside the High and Wood elven cities admiring the wisps floating about a tree. As the couple watched the wisps fly, they were soon approached by two strangers.

 

“So sorry to bother you,” One man with a funny accent said, whom would later be found out to be a man using the name ‘Lugen’. “Our cart has broken a wheel on the road in the swamp. It is dangerous there and we’ve expensive wares. We would pay you two if you could help move our things.” The offer seemed tempting as Eren leaned over to discuss it with Poppy, and they agreed to help the two distressed men.

 

Making their way into the swamp led by the men, they were soon on the hunt for the supposed cart. This cart however, was an obvious lie. When the two men went to point out the vehicle, one came up behind Eren and hit him over the head with a large rock. Poppy turned to the side and screamed before being struck herself. Not too long afterwards, the two were being lugged across the mud to the sad Castle that Poppy looked upon day after day.

 

When Poppy woke, she was in the mud and surrounded by men all talking about what was to be done with the two new captives. A swift kick was sent to Eren, who had woken before she did, and she gasped aloud letting them know she’d woken as well. A hooded being walked up to her and yanked her up by her hair into a seated position.

 

“Can I have her…?” A man somewhere off behind her had asked, the manner he asked made her skin crawl and she knew she didn’t want whomever had asked to be anywhere near her.

 

“No,” The man standing behind her said, his voice hollow and cold. “She’s to be a worker like the rest, you neglect your other ones too much.” The creepy man that had asked would soon be grumbling about the denial. With a yank, Poppy’s head was pulled back and she was looking up at a darkened face shrouded by a hood, his hand lifted and soon a black mist was forming on his hand. He was obviously a necromancer.

 

“They need to be.. Broken in..” The man proclaimed in an eerie manner before tipping his hand to the side and letting the mist float down to her face. Poppy’s eyes widened and her mouth opened with a gasp, the mist slipping into her mouth and over her face, and soon.. The world went dark.

 

Several hours passed before Poppy woke again. Her hands were no longer tied behind her back and she felt cold and damp. Looking around, she saw she was in a rather large room, it was circular much like the innards of a tower and the ceiling rose high above her head. The walls looks almost decrepit, holes in a few places high on the walls with puddles and leaking water dripping in from the roof. On one wall, to the left of the door, were four chains attached to the brick with large hooks and ended with shackles. Laying on a bed of straw, she looked at the door. Of course.. Iron and locked no doubt.

Eren was nowhere to be seen, and she started to panic. What if he were hurt? What if he were dead? Were they going to keep them apart?

Poppy scrambled to her feet and ran to the door, shouting Eren’s name. No one seemed to be around as she peered out the little window of the door. She stepped back and brushed her filthy hair from her face, looking around. If she could get one of those chains off the wall, perhaps she could try and mess with the door hinges to warp them enough to get out?

Thinking it a viable plan, Poppy quickly rushed over to the wall with the four chains and grabbed one, trying to jimmy the hook holding the chain off the wall. She pulled and pulled and wiggled and pulled more until her arms were sore. The chains clanked and clamored so much that after about an hour of trying, the door behind her started to open. Poppy turned sharply, and stood against the wall frozen. She had nothing to defend herself with, and she was a rat trapped in a cage.

 

The man who entered was a Mali’Aheral, his eyes a soft purple color that looked as cold as the tower she was in and as calculating as a fox. Later, she found out his name was Valmuel. He gave her a once over, eyeing her filthy form, and visibly scowled. “Disgusting..” He uttered before his gaze snapped to the chain she held in her hand. “Trying to be clever are we?” He asked, his voice interested and seemingly amused. Poppy dropped the chain and just stood there, too frightened to move.

 

“Stay where you are, your means of escape will be your nightmare.” Valmuel said darkly as he moved over to her, picking up the shackle ended chains and began fixing them to her wrists and ankles. The only time she tried to push him away ended with a vicious backhand across her face that knocked her senseless; she did not try it again.

 

For the next five or six months… Poppy’s life was truly a living hell. Separated from Eren in pairing with the daily beatings she regularly received kept her screaming until she fell asleep in that dark and damp tower chained against the wall. There were moments when she thought that Valmuel had gone too far, hit her too hard, that she was truly going to die either from the pain or the lack of food that she rarely got.

Looking at her own reflection in the puddled floor around her always made her sick to her stomach. She barely recognized herself as her face was littered with bruises, her lip swollen and bleeding, her usually snow white curls mixed and matted with mud and blood, and dark circles around her eyes; one being swollen shut.