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[h2][color=f26522]Aurora Liesma[/color][/h2]
[sub]Bride of Zakroti [@darkwolf687]; Sister-Bride to Aymiria [@Amethyst][/sub]
[sub]Interacting with Zakroti and Aymiria[/sub]
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Aurora knew that whatever time they would be allowed to soak in the hot springs would be limited, but what she had not been expecting was for them to go back on their word so quickly. When they had been released into the depths, they had been promised the luxury until lunchtime… Yet only a couple of hours into their relaxation did a flustered looking guard make his way down to address the group. While she had no way of knowing what the cause was, Aurora knew that something must have happened to cause such a disruption among the Drakkan. After all, they weren’t just being pulled from the springs early, the girls were being shipped off immediately.

She didn’t put up any sort of resistance as she stood from her seat along the edge of the water, pulling her towel close to her body as she observed the guards that were present. The two that had been guarding the door were whispering to one another, though whether out of agitation or confusion was beyond her simple observations. Keeping her thoughts to herself, Aurora changed back into the wool clothing they were provided and awaited further instructions.

One by one, each of the girls loaded up into the wagons, huddling together to keep some semblance of warmth in the freezing environment. Once all the girls had been packed up they began moving, heading to what many were acting would be their deaths. Aurora couldn’t blame them, there was no telling what would happen between this point and their arrival. Even she was beginning to feel nervous, but she wasn’t about to show it. Not yet anyways. The real danger wasn’t until they were handed over to their so-called husbands. It would be then, and only then that the true game of survival would begin. Some would live to see another day, perhaps even a few more years…. Others would succumb and be tossed aside or sent home to be buried by the family that had just said their goodbyes. She pushed aside the image of her sister’s funeral before her anger could get the better of her, instead focusing on radiating enough heat to keep herself and her travel companions warm along their journey.

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The capital seemed like such a difference from the prison they had been training in for the past couple of days. Instead of snow, the land was surrounded by a sea of sand. A desert unlike anything Aurora had ever seen in her life. By this point the skies had grown dark, the occasional tendril of lightning cracking open the heavens, cracks of thunder quick to follow. The smell of rain was thick in the air alerting those outside of shelter to the oncoming storm. Luckily they had all made it inside before the rain came pouring down, certainly a rarity in these parts if she had to guess.

Before being delivered to their new husbands, the girls had been instructed to change their clothes and freshen up from their journey. Just like before, the Drakkan had provided clothing for them to change into, however, such a word was used lightly. Before they had been forced into drab, and frankly, uncomfortable wool to keep warm and assumedly keep the guards from temptation. This time they were being displayed in a way that called for brighter colors, most likely to make up for the lack of actual cloth.

Aurora rolled her eyes as she sat down in front of a mirror, taking the opportunity to brush a few knots out of her hair before she went to changing her clothing. The outfit that had been laid out for her was a bright crimson, and much to her surprise… A rather familiar shape. Donning the garb, she found herself reminiscing over past shows she had participated in having worn similar attire for each.

Her top fit tightly so as not to allow any extra movement underneath, but this was made up for by the various jewels and metallic ornaments designed to catch and reflect light. The bottom was a free flowing skirt that hugged low on her hips but allowed for a wide variety of motions. Attached to the waist piece were jewels and ornaments similar to the top, however there were a few additions of bells that would make sound every time she took a step.

She wasn’t sure how she felt about it at first, torn between hating its intended purpose, and loving it for its familiar feel. Taking a deep breath, Aurora came to the decision that she would wear it proudly and prove their schemes wouldn’t get to her. The first impression had to be good, otherwise she ran the risk of ending up like her sister… She refused to allow her family to re-live such a moment, she would be better… She was going to make it.

It didn’t take long for the Drakkan guards to return for the girls, rushing the final touches on her outfit before she had to head out the door. Due to the burns on her feet, the fire Gem left the shoes behind, instead shifting the weight forward and continuing onward in her bare feet. She wondered if any of the others had chosen similarly or if they were too far lost in the shock of it all to feel the pain. Shaking her head, Aurora lined up and took another deep breath to steady her nerves. This would be it, she could no longer worry about any of the others… though admittedly she had kept them at a distance since the beginning to make this moment easier on herself. She couldn’t care for those she didn’t know. Once again, they were lined up one by one before being marched out into a room that nearly stopped Aurora’s heart.

The place was huge, not to mention filled to the brim with Drakkan. She was surprised to spot more than a couple of females in the crowd, one seeming to keep rather close to the man that had been identified as the high prince of the nation. A couple of others she spotted over with the men that she assumed they were being handed off to, her chest tightening at the entire scene before her. She jumped slightly as the prince began speaking having come to the realization that she had never once heard the man speak before. Aurora found herself silently wishing that he would speak longer as once he had finished they would be given away, but alas her wish was shattered as she realized it was less of a speech and more of an announcement. In all but a few sentences the prince had called her people weak, made themselves out to be selfless heroes, and referred to her and every one of her sisters present as ‘spoils’. 

A glare overtaking her features, Aurora was given very little time to gather herself before a guard was stepping forward and pulling her toward her fate. Not once on the journey over did she falter, and neither did her expression. In fact, it seemed only to grow more hostile as she was presented to a rather short Drakkan. She stood silently as the guard addressed the man, somewhat in shock that someone as short as him had been able to earn a bride such as herself… After all, it had been her understanding only the best of their citizens received such prizes. To the Gemmenites this usually came with a description of a hulking monster whose only reason for existence was to shed the blood of others. If it weren’t for the horns and his skin tone, he might have been able to fit into the background of her own country. Something about this though terrified her causing her to look behind the man where another Gemmenite stood staring at her. She assumed the girl to be a bride that he had earned previously, seeing as she wasn’t a face Aurora recognized from the days leading up to this moment.

There was something about her expression that worried her though, almost as if she too was frightened. Perhaps she was being forced to re-live her own Reaping and it was causing her stress, or maybe it was just the fact that she was familiar with how this man was and she was scared for the well-being of the newcomer. This caused Aurora to laugh silently to herself, she didn’t need some weakling to be looking out for her. Exhaling slowly, the fire Gem tuned back into what the guard was saying. She caught the tail end of the address where the guard mentioned something about an incident the year prior, making her out to be some kind of replacement?

[color=f26522][i]Seriously? What did he do?[/i][/color] Aurora thought to herself, starting to become truly angered yet still finding herself increasingly apprehensive. The other girl’s fear was starting to make more and more sense, causing the brunette to wonder what exactly it was that she had gotten herself into. Or, that was until she finally looked at the Drakkan referred to as Zakroti to see a similar expression on his face. The man had gone rather pale and was hesitant to approach her, reaching out as if making sure she was really there and sharing glances with the girl behind him as if they shared some mutual secret. 

Growing ever more impatient, Aurora opened her mouth to speak but was silenced by the man speaking first. Introducing himself fully and twenty times more polite than Aurora had ever assumed a Drakkan could be. Still though, his attention continued to wander to the woman behind him rather than maintaining a gaze with her. The longer this went on, the more freaked out Aurora became bringing her to the point of lashing out demanding answers. Once again, however, she was cut off by the man’s voice, asking her a question that caused her blood to run ice cold.

“Am I right to take it that you are of the Liesma family? What is your name?” He said, as if having this knowledge were anything but terrifying to her. Had their names been sent ahead to the men that were going to receive them? She thought this unlikely due to how swiftly they had been ushered out, meaning whatever plans they had made had been accelerated so how would they have gathered this information in the first place? Thinking back on it, such an idea made even less sense as she had never actually been asked what her name was by any of the guards. Eyes widened with mixed horror and rage, Aurora ventured to take a shaky step away from the man.

“[color=f26522]Pyrus strike you down where you stand. How is that you know that name?[/color]” Aurora hissed, though an inner voice told her that she already knew the answer to her question. The shared glances, pale expressions… Neither were terrified for her, they were terrified of her. In their eyes they were seeing a ghost, the ghost of someone she had been told her whole life she resembled quite closely. The ghost of the reason Aurora kept her hair short and did her best, of why she was even here in the first place.

“[color=f26522]You’re the reason my sister is dead, aren’t you? Or was it the snivelling child behind you? Difficult to tell which one of you looks guiltier.[/color]” She realized that the air around her had begun heating up considerably, something she was certain might be seen as an act of real aggression around these types. Closing her eyes, Aurora balled her hands into tight fists before exhaling anxiously. Attempting to regain whatever composure she could muster, she slowly re-opened her eyes and bowed to her new ‘master’.

“[color=f26522]Yes, I am of the Liesma family. Aurora Liesma to be precise. And I would like to get one thing straight with you. I am not, and will not be, a replacement for the sister that you murdered. So much as speak her name and you will feel the consequences of your crime come crashing down upon your short little head faster than you can draw your sword.[/color]” Her face remained neutral but her eyes screamed with rage, fire burning brighter than she ever would have thought possible. If she had to be perfectly honest, the way that she felt at that moment was enough to drive her mad. Grief, anger, and fear all wrapped up into one… If she wasn’t careful, she might actually strike out at the man. She would have to find a way to keep herself in check on the off chance her most recent words had not already sealed her fate.

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Aurora starts getting nervous for once… Upon delivery she is met with the Drakkan that was her elder sister’s husband from the previous year. She better be a little more careful if she wants to achieve her ultimate goal of survival, or have her priorities shifted? Hmm, we’ll see. ;)

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