[center][h1][b]Interlude [color=c4df9b]Tayla[/color][/b][/h1][/center] [hr] Year 4256 2nd through 4th days of the month of Olfaccium [i][color=c4df9b][b]Thirsty...[/b][/color][/i] Tayla thought. [i][color=c4df9b][b]So Thirsty...[/b][/color][/i] Tayla banged weakly against one of the walls to her 'prison'. [color=c4df9b][b]"Let me out!"[/b][/color] She croaked. [color=c4df9b][b]"Please!"[/b][/color] [i][color=c4df9b][b]I'm sorry![/b][/color][/i] She thought... or did she speak those words? It was getting hard to tell. [i][color=c4df9b][b]So so sorry...[/b][/color][/i] But what again was supposed to be sorry for? Hungry. Dehydrated. Delirious. Tayla had been chained to the floor in some lone room in the cellar. They held her captive, much like her good for nothing father had imprisoned her as a child. Except this time, she had no means of escape. They hadn't fed her since locking her in this room, nor had they given her any water to drink. The later was of more consequence to her. For the fight with the white haired princess had already dehydrated her significantly. She had barely had enough time to rehydrate at all before getting thrown in here. She would have escaped then were it not for them pumping her with deterrents. Now though, lacking the water her magic required, Tayla found herself at the mercy of the clan's good grace. [color=c4df9b][b]"Please..."[/b][/color] She whimpered. Her eyes closing in the darkness. [color=c4df9b][b]"Someone..."[/b][/color] [hr] "She really is pathetic, isn't she?" A familiar voice said, waking Tayla from her slumber [color=c4df9b][b]"Smit?"[/b][/color] She croaked. Senses, she was thirsty! She could feel her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth! "Always depending on me yet never admitting to it." [color=c4df9b][b]"Smit... what?"[/b][/color] Her mind fuzzy, Tayla creaked her eye open as much as she could muster. She felt so weak. So tired. "Its worse than that." Another voice said. This one belonging to that white haired 'princess' "She refuses to let others in." [color=c4df9b][b]"You..."[/b][/color] Tayla seemed growl. A bubble of hatred rising to the surface [color=c4df9b][b]"Acting like you know me..."[/b][/color] "I think she does know you though." The voice of Smit said. His form seeming to materialize in the darkness. "Better than you know yourself." [color=c4df9b][b]"Shutup!"[/b][/color] Tayla barked! Her cry seemed to grind at her vocal cords. "Look at her coward in fear." The woman mocked. Her form materializing next to Smit's. "Always running, that girl is. She runs from me. She runs from you. Senses, she even runs from herself!" [color=c4df9b][b]"YOU DON'T KNOW ME!"[/b][/color] Tayla screamed. She launched herself at the visions, stopping short due to the chain locked around her ankle. The visions laughed. Not at Tayla, they seemed to be ignoring her. Rather they laughed among themselves. "You know, I always knew she was a runner." Smit said. "Told her as much from the start." "And look where all that running has got her." The white haired woman said. "Locked away, once again, in a closet. Chains wrapped around her ankles." [color=c4df9b][b]"I said shut up..."[/b][/color] Her cry came out weak this time. She shut her eyes. Her body trembling. "It seems you've come full circle." That... that was her father's voice... She could help but take a look... Looming over her stood her father. He stared at her with those predatory eyes. [color=c4df9b][b]"No..."[/b][/color] She whimpered. [color=c4df9b][b]"Please no..."[/b][/color] Her head was pounding. The world was spinning. In an instant her father vanished. His form replaced by Smit. "You don't look so good." He said leaning over her form. "Here. Have some water." Graciously. Tayla reached for the skin he held, but it was just out of reach. [color=c4df9b][b]"Too far..."[/b][/color] Her voice barely above a whisper. [color=c4df9b][b]"Can't reach..."[/b][/color] The skin fell to the floor. It's contains spilling out red. Smit's form shimmered into the form of the white haired woman. The world bleeding black. "Should have taken the water." The white haired women said. The darkness swooped in taking Tayla yet again. [hr] Tayla awoke in coughing fit. She felt a cool liquid wetting her dirtied garments. [color=a187be]"Hush..."[/color] Said a dry sounding voice, trying its best to sound soothing. [color=a187be]"Your punishment is over. Drink... You need the water..."[/color] Sightless Syella... She had come through for Tayla... The Sightless held a cup of water in her hands. Slowly she brought it to Tayla's cracked lips. Tayla took the offering graciously. She drank the water faster than she probably should have. [color=c4df9b][b]"You came..."[/b][/color] Tayla said having finished the offering. [color=c4df9b][b]"I thought... you would leave me hear to rot."[/b][/color] [color=a187be]"Course not."[/color] Syella said. [color=a187be]"A mother does not leave her child to die."[/color] Tayla nodded, taking the time to take in her surroundings. They were still in the cellar, but no longer in the room they locked her in. She hear the shuffling of feet towards the far wall. A group of Sightless had entered from a hidden passage built into the cellar wall. In their hands they carried rags with darkened stains. Tayla furrowed her brow. [color=c4df9b][b]"What... what's going on?"[/b][/color] [color=a187be]"Nothing. Feeding time just finished is all."[/color] Sightless Syella said. [color=c4df9b][b]"Feeding... time?"[/b][/color] Tayla repeating. Her mind still seemed muddled from her time in isolation. [color=a187be]"That's right."[/color] She said. [color=a187be]"Come child. Let's go upstairs and get you some food."[/color] [color=c4df9b][b]"Food?"[/b][/color] She asked, her stomach growled at the word. [color=a187be]"Yes."[/color] Syella say. [color=a187be]"You're going to need it. Food and rest. We have battle coming our way and I'll need you at your best."[/color] Tayla's mind struggled to keep up. [color=c4df9b][b]"Where's Smit?"[/b][/color] Tayla heard herself say Syella almost seemed to frown. [color=a187be]"He's... busy."[/color] She said hesitantly. [color=a187be]"He been given a promotion actually. From now on Smit will be a squad leader. As for you? Well... Perhaps I was too hasty in stating that your punishment was over. From now on, Tayla, you will be taking orders from Smit."[/color] The words hit Tayla like a rock. They had demoted her for her actions. Everything she worked for ruined in one fell swoop.