Awesome, thank you!
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For stats, is there a maximum number you start with as a pool that you have to allocate accordingly? For example, you have 15 points and have to use them wisely. Or is there no set limit for character creation?
I might be interested in this! I love this idea a lot.. just seeing if I can commit :)
This is in advanced too?
Interested!
The souring in his stomach grew the more the situation unfolded, even more so when the princess announced that everyone could leave. Höd did not picture the return of his name to Železna Kri to be shadowed by a reckless feminine Drakkan breaking into the Ceremony and demanding a bride who belonged to someone else. Despite the frustration he was feeling, he couldn’t but help feel a sense of respect for the white haired boy; his actions proved true to that of Drakkan behaviour and for that, Höd had to applaud him. Regardless, the kid had stolen his thunder, and he wanted it back.
The Berserker’s purple eyes scanned the room, just as a lion did while hiding in the brush and deciding their target. He stopped on a rather unfortunate looking… thing. He was puny and decorated with some kind of blue gemstones. Was he even a Drakkan? The scowl that coloured Höd’s face twisted into a cynical smile as a blood lust began to seduce him. He would demand the room’s attention, and he knew just exactly how to get it. Kill someone.
Höd turned to Morganna,ignoring the petrified Brides asking for her help; it was not his business. He placed a heavy hand on his chest and bowed his head slightly toward her. ”Pardon me, miss. I hate to cut our conversation short, but there is something I need to take care of. Maybe we can continue this later, if I am so lucky. And I do apologize, for what comes next… but I’m sure you’ll understand."
Höd’s heavy steps started toward the puny Drakkan he singled out as he swiftly made his way through the crowd toward him, his large shoulders pushing into people as he passed them. It wasn’t long before he reached his target. The pretty looking Drakkan turned to face him and his mouth opened to spit a cocky response ”What do you want?” A grave mistake.
Höd’s hands shot out, wrapping themselves around Zevi’s head and almost completely encapsulating it. The ferocity in Höd’s eyes intensified as he lifted the Drakkan from the ground, leaving his feet to dangle above the stone floor with no hope of ever returning. Höd’s vicious grin resurfaced from earlier when he was tempted to punish the defiant Brides, although this grin had another layer of malice to it. He was going to quench his thirst for blood; a satisfaction he had been waiting for all night. Höd’s grip on the Drakkan’s skull began to compress, his fingers constricting against the flesh and bone. Zevi squirmed as much as he could in Höd’s grasp, his feet wildly kicking, desperate to find their footing. As Zevi thrashed, Höd’s grip tightened.
”Look at you, weak. Unable to do a thing. Useless. Pathetic. You meant nothing… and now, you will die."
Bone began to concave. Skin began to tear. Cracking began to sound. Within seconds, Höd’s hands were painted red and a limp body fell to the floor, head caved in and face unrecognizable. Höd’s arms dropped to his side, blood rolling off his hands and dripping onto the floor. His eyes filled with pleasure as he watched a pool of scarlet red begin to take shape underneath the Drakkan’s broken head. He lavished in the moment, ignoring the sounds of muffled screams and astonished gasps around him. A heavy breath filled Höd’s chest, escaping his lips in a sigh of relief, temporarily relinquishing his need to kill. Satisfied with a job well done, his eyes darted toward the little Gem bride who belonged to the now mangled body on the floor.
”Don’t be scared, kitten.” He said, his voice low for only her to hear.
Höd quickly turned toward her, his blood soaked hand latching onto her wrist and pulling her closer to him without any regard to if he was hurting her or not. ”I don’t even want you. I have no use for you… unless”
His eyes dragged across her body from head to toe, toe to head. His imagination beginning to run wild with just what he could do to her and how. Höd’s body ached for hers, or rather, it ached for the pleasure that it could bring. He always lusted for another after taking a life. Höd’s free hand ran the course of her side, trailing up and overtop her breast and further reaching to her neck; a streak of blood shadowing where his hand once was. His fingers twisted into the back of her hair at the nape of her neck, his hand quickly clenching a fistful of it as he pulled her head backward to look up at him. He looked down at her, studying her as his mouth began to water. Any other day he would’ve taken her, but his need for lust would have to wait.
”You’re lucky that I have other business to attend to. A shame really, I would have thoroughly enjoyed enjoying you.”
Höd released Aryll’s wrist, his hand still firmly clenching a fistful of her hair. He yanked the girl by her hair, throwing her to the ground away from him and toward the group of Drakkan who had backed away. ”She’s all yours, boys.."
Höd’s attention moved toward the Royal members of the room. A villainous smile appeared on his face as he took a few steps toward them, stepping over the still body on the floor. He stood on the other side of the body, moved his arm across his body and hinged at the hips in a small bow. ”My apologies for my rude behaviour.”
Höd returned to an upright position, relaxed as he stood there and clear that he was not in the least bit worried about the guards who were readying to strike at a moment's notice. ”I should introduce myself before I go slaughtering your guests, but you see… When a Drakkan such as he exists, I simply cannot help myself. I suppose thanks are in order, you know, for me helping you with your little problem here.” Höd notioned to the body on the floor by kicking it lightly.
”I could help you with the other problem in this room if you would like”He continued, now motioning at the disturbance at the door. ”But it seems like he is being taken care of already.”
Höd shrugged lightly, almost with a faint hint of disappointment that he wouldn’t be able to collect more lives. ”Well then, let's get on with it, shall we?” My name is Höd, Höd Ultair. I am sure the name means something to most of you. I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble here, but the pretty boy by the door stole the show and I had no choice but to outshine him. Friendly competition, you know.”
”I came here today to say hello and to tell you that the Ultair name has returned. And now that I have, I must be leaving. But don’t you worry, I’ll be around.”
Höd turned and took his leave. As he crossed the room in his confident stride, his eyes fell on the beauty he was speaking to before. She had surprised him, pleasantly so. He playfully grinned at her before exiting the ceremony hall, thinking about how interesting it would be to run into her again.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
The sound of the Warden’s chains rang through Arden’s ears. The woman refused to flinch in fear in the presence of the monster, instead her hardened expression remained as she glared at him without hesitation. He was the master of a prison, surely glaring prisoners would not phase him; likely a common occurrence in the hell he was used to living in. A yank came at her wrists as Heccarim pulled her and Sorrin behind him. The yank came so suddenly, the Gem almost tripped on her feet before steadying into a walk. Finding her footing against the sturdy ground, her glaring eyes returned to the back of the beast as she followed in silence.
The walk through the city was quick. Arden knew she was tall for a gem, a female gem at that, but the Drakkan must’ve been a foot taller than her and it was a struggle to keep up with his pace. She looked over to her sister, Sorrin, who was noticeably shorter than herself. She worried how the blonde haired girl was fairing, she seemed petrified in the Choosing and all Arden wanted to do was speak to the girl, console her even. She didn’t dare speak though, given that the Warden was guiding them in and out of the alleyways, purposefully avoiding the main streets; was he hiding them?
Once the trio reached the edge of the city and emerged from the buildings, the Warden rang a bell that shrieked through the empty desert. It was cold and now that they were standing in the open with no protection from the roofs overhanging the city, Arden realized it was raining. The droplets found her skin like bees find flowers blooming on a spring day. Her head naturally cocked back as she looked up at the blackened sky. If we don’t leave soon, we will freeze out here…
It wasn’t long before a carriage could be heard in the distance, the sound of the wooden wheels cracking beneath the weight of the structure echoed in the emptiness of the desert. Arden watched in curiousity as it drew closer until it came to a lulling stop in front of them; the strong odour of death following it. Her eyes studied the carriage, everything about it was designed to scare. Within moments of the carriage halting, two grotesque creatures emerged. Arden felt her face twist into a shocked and disgusted look, she had never seen something so hideous in her life before and how they looked at her with their yearning eyes sent a shiver down her spine.
The tiny creatures opened the carriage doors for the Warden, following behind him and taking their seat beside him. They sat erect with pride next to the Drakkan; clearly he was well revered in this dark land. Another yank came at the chains attached to the cuffs tightened around their wrists, pulling them inside the carriage. Arden found her seat opposite of the beast, Sorrin next to her. Once the two girls were situated, Arden looked over at her sister, hoping the girl would notice her empathetic look before turning her attention back to their keeper.
He began to speak, in the same eerie voice he had used when they were delivered to him. What came next almost seemed practice, a speech of some kind designed to imprint terror onto them as a desperate effort to ensure obedience.
You will not attempt to escape.
Arden turned her look away from him, purposefully not giving him the attention she knew he expected his speech to demand, and found herself watching as the Hoblars began boarding the windows. Another tact used to scare them, to make sure they felt as trapped as possible.
I will cut off her limbs and feed them to you
It was almost humourous to her that a man who called himself the Warden of Harand Kor, clearly a title to be feared, would have to go to such lengths to scare his brides. Gems, who she had learned while in Shadow Worth, were nothing but objects. Weak objects.
Stripped and beaten
She looked back to the Warden from the corner of her eye as he finished threatening them, defiance lighting behind her gaze. Stripped and beaten. She had already been beaten as a result of an act of direct defiance in the face of a royal. They needed her. He needed her, he had made that clear already. An heir for Harand Kor.
Do. I. Make. My. Self. Clear.
Arden turned to face the Drakkan, her steel grey eyes meeting with his. Her face wore an expression of that of a person in power angered by someone’s unjust actions.
”Warden of Harand Kor, was it? She asked, her voice steady. ”Fear will not bring you an heir to your prison. Your threats are empty, Warden. You might be lucky that there is two of us, but in order to make sure your prison continues to thrive, you need us. Otherwise you wouldn’t have been at the ceremony, collecting your prize. You can beat me all you want, you can burn me, starve me, isolate me… It won’t matter because you won’t kill me. You need a child, and your chances are higher with two. But I swear, it won’t be easy for you.”
Arden stared at him for a moment, her heart racing against her chest, clawing to escape. Even she knew she was taking a heavy risk and she was scared, but she couldn’t let him hold all the power. She couldn’t let him win and turn them into terrified little souls. If she had been alone, she might have kept quiet, but she was with a sister and her sister needed to be protected. If he was angered at something, he would always look to her for this moment and take it out on her, hopefully leaving Sorrin alone.
”Do I make myself clear?” She finally asked, her face still unflinching.
Sera Makatza
Bride of Ineraz; Sister Bride of Zeldria.
Interacting with Zeldria @Saltwater Thief and Ineraz@SilverPaw
Her red eyes focused on him, her new husband, as he spoke. She studied his lips as each passing word was released. How her name fell of his tongue without even a hint of fear surprised her. She couldn’t even remember how long it had been since the last time she had heard someone say her name without it being accompanied by a scared face turning and running.
A sudden force pushed into her arm. She quickly turned to see what, or rather who, had bumped into her. With the turn of her body she met face to face with another; she was delicate…
S...s...serafine
The name barely escaped her quivering lips.. Her eyes were shaking and she instinctively stepped away from the red eyed gem.
Don’t call me that…
She couldn’t have made it more than three steps before her hair started to singe.
She had lost herself again, though this time she had lost herself in the surprising relief she felt that this man had not turned away from her as many had done before. She knew Drakkan had no reason to be afraid of Gems, pathetic and weak Gems, but it was a feeling that she wasn’t going to deny. His name was Ineraz, and she was to address him as sir or husband when in public. The titles of master and lord husband soured in her head; she didn’t like the sound of them. She settled on Sir Ineraz.
He talked about what a beast master was and explained that hunting was not sought after in Drakka; another surprise. Hunting was second nature to the people who lived in Sera’s village. Her parents would go away before the frost would set in to prepare for the cold. She used to enjoy hunting with her parents, even taking quiet solace in catching and killing the animals; a guilty pleasure she would dare not reveal. That all changed when he was born… She hasn’t hunted since.
”Hunting… it would be fun.”
~~~
The walk to the Evrenarth estate was a wet and quiet one. The rain had not let up once the entire walk there, and though Ineraz attempted to match their pace, his long strides were still difficult to keep up with. The trio did not speak the entire way, though Sera shot small glances at her new Husband and her sister bride?. The group stopped in front of a rather large yellow manor; Sera looked up at the massive home in awe. She was accustomed to living in a house that was a single room where everyone slept on the floor in a row - though that was a memory so far gone that it was almost forgotten.
The warm foyer of the home was a welcomed change from the damp outside. She stood side by side with Zeldria as their husband dried them off in a manner of some kind using air magic. Sera’s face twisted into an unpleasant scowl at the feeling of the air rushing over her body; she would have preferred to warm by a fire but it appeared as though her Husband did not possess such a skill.
That’s alright… we can light the fires.
Sera sat lifelessly at the dinner table as she poked at the food on her plate and ignored her husband’s judging eye. She barely had an appetite back home but here it was worse; was it because she was afraid? Or was it because their food was gamy and dull. Regardless, it took a rather firm hand on her shoulder and a stern look by a guard to encourage her to eat even just a little bit but not without a momentary scowl in return. After the meal was over, her and her sister-bride were lead to yet another room. With the announcement of a bath Sera felt a twinge of excitement; her wet dress had become heavy against her skin and it was growing uncomfortable. As much as Ineraz attempted to dry them off, the material had absorbed too much water to completely dry while remaining on her body.
Before her husband had even left the room she had started to remove the dress. By the time he was gone, the dress was in a crumpled mess at her ankles. She moved toward the wooden tub and dipped her foot in to test the temperature. Though it was almost too hot, she was too cold to care. The Gem sunk into the water and watched as her Sister Bride undressed, neatly put her dress over the side of the tub, and lower herself into the water. Sera stared at her; she had reddish coloured hair, was much taller than she was, and had boring brown eyes. She’s a fire gem?
"Sera, was it? I feel we should get to know each other a little better, since it seems we're fated to spend the rest of our lives as..."
The Gem couldn’t finish the sentence.Pathetic. was her first thought, but the girl kept going. "What could you tell me about yourself? Or would you prefer that I start?"
”Live our lives as slaves, do you mean? Or what was the other word they used… Sister brides?” She asked, almost too casually. ”I lived in a small village in the woods. I didn’t learn much about Drakkan there. The day I was taken, I didn’t know what that was.”
”You’re the first person to talk to me in a long time. I don’t know what to tell you about myself. What kinds of things do people tell strangers?” She asked, her signature emotionless face staring at Zeldria. Most people would think she was mocking them, but Sera was completely serious. Not a single person has socialized with her in a friendly way since the incident happened. The extent of the villagers speaking to her was to call her a freak; a monster. They too, had wished for The Reaping.
~~~
It was refreshing to be warm and in dry clothes, though the tunic provided for her would not fit a Drakkan, it was still a little baggy on her. She left the ceremony gown provided for her in a lump on the ground and followed the guards that had been standing outside the cracked open door as the they had bathed; she was almost certain their wandering eyes had made their way in the room once or twice. A minor detail she cared little for. The hallway to their destination was even something of beauty; the walls were decorated with massive paintings and mantles from animals displayed as trophies. The guards stopped at the end of the hallway and pushed open two large wooden double doors. Sera and Zeldria entered the room and the guards left as quickly as they had delivered the prizes. In front of them in the center of the room on a rather large bed was their husband.
He was dressed in a black tunic that clearly displayed him and was sprawled across the bed in a seductive manner. Sera could feel a slight heat to her face; she had never seen the male body in such a way before and she was surprised that a race she had learned to be monstrous her whole life could be alluring. As quickly as she felt the heat, it retreated. Next his voice filled the room, bringing his brides three choices with rather colourful body language. ”And I assure you, I will show you the kinds of pleasure you wouldn’t have had chance to even dream of until now, much less experience”
The statement purred out of his mouth with confidence, causing Sera’s heart to beat a little faster. Her eyes watched as his hand playfully slid down his chest, his fingers lingering around his manhood. She felt the heat return to her face and pulled her eyes from his hand and back to his gaze. Sera tried to recall what she had learned in Shadow Worth, but the entire experience was nothing but a frantic blur. She hadn’t experienced choice in a long time and the unknowing of how to respond made her uncomfortable. Would she be punished for the wrong decision?
Her eyes flicked to where the bed rolls were on the opposite side of the room; a familiar comfort. Her body naturally moved toward them. As she moved across the room, she pulled her long white hair out from where it was trapped underneath the tunic when she pulled the cloth over her head. She picked up a roll from the pile and began to unravel it on the ground, facing the door as always. She looked over to Ineraz and swallowed back what she could only gather was nerves. Before settling into the bedding on the floor, she moved to the side of his bed and stopped mere inches away from it. Her small hand reached out to his face and she took his cheek in it. Her red gaze found his and she studied him for a moment, not entirely believing he was real. The warmth of his skin against her hand reminded her otherwise, and she quickly removed it and returned to her bed on the ground. Sera settled into the blankets, her face toward the door.
”I’m sorry if this isn’t the right answer.” Her voiced quietly spoke from the ground. As she stared at the wooden door to the room, her mind curiously wandered to what lied beneath her Husband’s tunic, and for a moment she forgot about the monsters trying to pry their way in.
The ceremony was mostly quiet, the chatter being confined to those who were delivering the Gems and the few words shared between Husband and Bride. The ceremony was mostly unentertaining to watch, though the scared faces of a number of the Gems and their varying reactions to their new Husbands made it tolerable. The Drakkan grinned viciously as he watched the strong headed Brides hold their heads high to their new masters; that grin grew at the souls who mustered the bravery to even talk back to them. His mouth began to drip with temptation at the thought of reaching out to the defiant few and crushing their pride between his blood soaked hands. Surely, their new husbands would not live up to the cruel nature that was once feared of Drakkans, a conclusion he deduced from the meak size of those receiving their prizes. His eyes scanned the line of Husbands, looking for anyone worth while, until they stopped on a rather sizable Drakkan who was receiving his Brides from the High Prince himself.
Hope still lingers in this tainted land, I see.
Inquisition settled in the pit of his stomach as he noticed the exchange of words between the High Prince and the Drakkan, and again between the Husband and the Brides. He was too far away to make out what they were saying in a room bustling with various conversations all happening at once. If he wanted to listen in, he would have to get closer.
The Drakkan began to move from his position when he noticed another female Drakkan appear from the other side of the room and swiftly travel across it, landing behind yet another slender looking Drakkan. How many of these pretty boys were allowed to live at birth? Disgusting.
This one had distinctively long black hair and a brunette Bride that was already attached to him. There was a white haired Gem standing in front of the couple as well. His eyes focused on the Drakkan female. Her hair resembled that of the male she was speaking with and how her body spoke as she talked to him made it clear that the two knew each other. Related, perhaps?
She was tall, her frame slender, but she held herself with an air of confidence. Confidence befitting of a Drakkan; an utmost alluring trait. His lips crooked up at the ends of his mouth, reeling themselves into a mischievous smile. This female was just as exquisite as the royal member before her, though he preferred the dark hair of this creature over the last. It was her eyes that captivated him the most; even from a distance their striking green colour was evident. With a shrug of her shoulders, she left the male and vanished into the ever depleting crowd. All of the other Drakkan there were receiving prizes today, why should he not relish in the same luxury? If he was going to catch her attention without drawing too much to himself, now was the time while there was still a crowd to conceal him.
He moved again, this time swiftly into the group of males accepting their Brides. His eyes watched the room as he moved through the Drakkan, ensuring not to alarm a guard of an uninvited guest. His pace matched the female as she seamlessly moved through the crowd, though he was approaching her from the opposite direction. It was likely that she was already aware of his presence, given how effortlessly she had snuck up on her relative. He would have to make it look as if he was not purposefully aware of her; with his head turned to observe another useless Drakkan he would surely forget about in seconds, he felt the left side of his body collide with another.
Instinctively, though purposefully, his body turned toward her; one arm scooped behind her back as the other held onto one of her free arms to stabilize her. As soon as the two of them both caught their footing, which was mere seconds, he released her and stepped back in respect. His calculating eyes met hers and he delivered a perfectly trained response; ”Pardon me.”
His voice lingered with his gaze for a moment before he spoke again. ”Though I should thank you… In a room full of sniveling and weak girls, it’s nice to see a woman still exists.” The Drakkan’s grin returned, though this version of it carried a seductive annotation. ”Excuse my forwardness, it is not every day one is allowed the presence of Drakkan such as yourself.”.
He allowed his tone to carry the last of his sentence, paying close attention to implying that she was gracing him with her presence; with both her beauty and the fact that she was a female in a race dominated by men. A rarity, indeed. It would take more than one simple interaction to woo a Drakkan female; they were people after all, not objects that could be bought or won. In this interaction all he was hoping for was to make a lasting impression, one that at least would have her memory flick back to him at some point, one that would maybe even convince her to speak to him again.
He knew their interaction would not be long, he wasn’t there to sink his teeth into a prey of his choosing yet. He was there to say hello to the royal family; he was there to reintroduce his family name to Drakka. He had pictured the moment in his head for what felt like an eternity now; a grand yet disappointing entrance as he strolled up to the front of the room. He had hoped someone there would have known his father personally, knowing that he shared an uncanny resemblance to him had him thirsting for the reaction of seeing a ghost paint itself across their face. His plan was almost ready to put in motion, but not before a slight detour to imprint his impression on the lady Drakkan he had bumped into, and not before a commotion just outside of the heavy doors came crashing in.
He watched unamused as a smaller white haired Drakkan appeared, spouting bullshit about obtaining one of the brides. The guards at the door had backed away quickly, their weapons drawn.
”Well I could have done that!” He said with a comedic tone as his eyebrow cocked and an open hand gestured toward the obscene situation unfolding at the entrance. Höd’s unamused look twisted into a curiously pleasured one as he watched the Royal Female take her defensive yet challenging stance in front of the white haired Drakkan.
”At least this waste of time will be entertaining.” He offered, his eyes looking at the female next to him. He gestured his head in the direction of the Royal and the party crasher. ”How much would you love to see her beat him senseless? And rightfully so, look at that poor excuse for a man. If he didn’t have horns I might have thought he was a bride.”
Arden Gaothaire
Bride of Heccarim @ClocktowerEchos; Sister-bride of Sorrin @WeepingLiberty
The return to Shadow Worth was a silent one, the news of meeting their husbands had cast a new feeling of despair over the group. Even Arden was silent on the return, not speaking a word to her newfound friend. The reality of her situation had begun to sink in with each minute that pressed toward meeting the Drakkan who would own her life. She looked around at her sisters, her heart aching for their mournful faces; they had already given up. Her gaze drew itself to her feet, she watched as she walked one foot in front of the other.
This is now the path that you walk. Not for me. For them. You cannot let them down.. You have to find a way.
~~~
Arden returned to her room without the need to be ushered along or reminded. There was a small fire in in the hearth of the fireplace nestled in the corner. It had been burning for awhile now; was it in preparation of their return? A scoff escaped her at the thought of the Drakkan being kind, though it was pleasant to return to a warm room. Her trunk of belongings had been pulled from the back of the room and placed near the door, ready to be plucked up and carried off along with her when the time came. Her caretakers before the Reaping had packed her trunk for her and it was littered with feminine items. They were truly incessant in pushing the matter on her. Arden was impartial to most of the belongings in the trunk, however, she had grown fond of the dark red pigmented concoction her caretakers had introduced her to when she first arrived in Priseil Aldentine. She pulled it from her trunk and found her way to the mirror in the corner of the room, completely ignoring the clothing laid out for her on the bedding as she passed by. Arden stared at herself for a long while, as if she was memorizing her reflection.
Whatever happens, you cannot let them break you. Do not lose yourself.
Arden’s hands rolled themselves into balls against the small table placed in front of the mirror, her body leaning over it for support. Her expression softened and with a heavy sigh, she let her bravery escape her to allow her tears to freely trickle down her face as she softly weeped.
~~~
Železna Kri; the capital of Drakka. She had overheard the name spoken by one of the many guard that aided in their travel there. Železna Kri was a fair distance from Shadow Worth and had to be reached by carriage. Arden was herded into a carriage with a number of unfamiliar faces, all unwilling to speak to each other. Instead the group leered out the window or lost themselves in their own hands as they cried. Arden chose to observe the drastically changing scenery, attempting to ignore the situation for as long as she could.
It wasn’t long before she was forced to observe the others, as the curtains of the carriage were closed once they had entered the capital. One particular Gem had been sobbing heavily for quite some time and the rest of them were either petrified with fear, or solemn faced. She didn’t know what to say to them, but she knew she had to say something.
”Listen to me, ladies. We have already been through a lot but there is so much more that we have to endure. If you want to survive, you have to find strength within yourself to lean on. You cannot let them see you broken… Just because we were taken from our homes, just because we do not have choice here, does not mean we have to lose ourselves. We might be divided, but we are never alone. Your sisters are everywhere, and together we thrive. Remember, they need us. Be strong.”
She spoke with a sense of graceful leadership that oozed an air of confidence. Half the battle of having others listen to you when you spoke was not about what you said, but more about how you said it. As the words flowed from Arden’s mouth with ease, the faces of the Gem in the carriage began to settle and even the sobbing Gem found momentary peace. Her job was done.
The carriage came to a stop and as the doors opened, a cool breeze with the scent of rain rushed in. Arden stepped out of the carriage and peered at the dark sky above her, feeling relief from the rain falling against her face. The moment didn’t last long as the girls were swiftly lead into the building. One foot in front of the other; this is your new path.
Arden’s eyes quickly found their way to Adorabella who was plucked from the line by a hornless Drakkan. She wanted to reach out to the woman but the ache that remained on her abdomen stopped her. A pit grew in her stomach as they were lined up, forced to stare in the faces of the many who were there to claim their prizes.
This is it. This is where everything changes.
Her heart beat so heavily in her chest that she swore she could her its rhythmic melody. A younger looking Drakkan came for her and another; the other Gem was a familiar face from the hot spring. He grabbed them both and walked them toward a rather intimidating looking Drakkan. Before reaching her new husband, the guard aired them a word of caution to behave. Even he was trembling in his own skin. The guard made haste after delivering the two of them to Heccarim.
Arden shifted closer to her sister, noticing that she was overtly afraid. She took the Gem’s hand in her own and squeezed it as a sign of comfort. Her face did not leave that of the Warden’s, her strong eyes meeting his as he examined them. He was ghastly and wore a mask; there was an odd mist that surrounded him and he was covered in chains. He reminded her of the living dead, or more accurately, of a ghost to haunt their souls.
Harand Kor? Empty cells? Are we going to a prison?
Arden’s brow hardened at the appearance of the shackles in her husband’s hands and her own hand tightened against Sorrin’s. “You’re going to chain us up?” Where do you expect us to go from here in a room full of guards.”
Arden’s hand was ripped from Sorrin’s and chained together, linked to the Warden himself. He didn’t even bother to answer her but simply demanded their names. Her face remained stern with disapproval, although her heart raced with a certain fear.
”Arden.” Her response was short as she glared at Heccarim. If Sorrin had not been at her side, she would have not given him her name but she didn’t want to create undue trouble for her sister.
She wanted to look for Bree, but she refused to break her eye contact with the Warden; a sign of strength in a time of darkness. Underneath her defiant exterior she thanked that she was not alone with such a Drakkan. The feeling of loss crept into her throat, realizing she might not see the only piece of home she had left in that place; Bree.
”Stay alive, my friend.” She whispered softly against the wind when the warden turned away from them, hoping it would find its way to Bree
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