Danyxandra
02-18-2006, 10:48 AM
Danlily sat bored, drumming her perfectly manicured nails on the table before her. She frowned at her bow, Mother. She frowned at her daughter, Danlyra. Danlyra smirked back at Danlily from over her cup, a cup filled with tea generously spiked with spiced rum.
Danlyra set her cup down, “So, none of your experiments have proven fruitful. What can you expect? Your test subjects are adults and their bodies are geared not for growing and healing but for getting older and dying. Once a body hits puberty, we are all on borrowed time as our body-clocks click towards death. Perhaps you need younger subjects.”
Danlily twirled a blond lock of hair around a finger, pursing her lips in thought over her tiny tusks. Danlyra continued, “Your glory mission for the RAS was ruined when an angel promised you life and didn’t tell you the cost was transmuting the serum into something akin to a love-potion for the loch monsters. What can you expect from angels? You thought your mother was some gossamer saint too. Being beautiful with an ethereal look in your face doesn’t make one good, no matter what the reputation people give angels. Oh they’ve been known to grant life, but that kiss is always at some kind of cost. You’ve failed the RAS twice now and have nothing to show for it.”
Danlily’s eye started to twitch, staring at the leathery skin wraps around the handgrip of her bow. “Mother…”
“Yes, let’s talk about your mother for a moment. It was your mother that handed you over to the Baron Nex`Cruor. She’s paid for that, she will never betray you again and now she serves you eternally every time you put an arrow into the heart of an enemy, but what about the Baron? Has he paid? He still walks about freely. Have you gotten your revenge? Has Clys stood up to her father? Your lover and mistress does nothing to avenge you. Does she really truly love you? Is she really seeking immortality to save you so you two can be together forever or is Clys simply saying that to keep you working like a good little thrall? And what of Kittsu? Are you really, truly sure she didn’t enjoy herself a little bit more with that paladin than she is really telling you?”
Danlyra leaned into the table towards her mother, “You, my dear mother, are more than bored, you are frustrated. Nothing you’ve set your hands to has succeeded. Well, except for getting a name for yourself. That’s been quite successful. You can’t walk outside of horde territory alone because without your mistress to escort you, your golden hair is like a beacon to every alliance thug and mercenary out to claim your shining scalp. Unlike me, of course, I will always have the shadows.” Danlyra smiled sideways as she leaned back into her seat and squinted her eyes at her mother to measure the effect of her words. “Let’s see, let’s count them off, shall we?” Danlyra counted with her fingers as she spoke, “One, your surgical experiments are a bust. Two, you’re a failure to the RAS. Three, your beloved mistress does nothing to avenge the horrors inflicted on you by her father, and four, the alliance has moved you near the top of their kill on sight list. Oh, and five, you’re getting old. Don’t forget that. What little you’ve had to laugh about has left crinkles near your eyes.”
Danlily moved her hands to rub her temples as if trying to sooth out the wrinkles that had been growing more insistent at the corners of her eyes. Her eyes welled up with tears she would not shed. “I am getting old, and I’ve nothing to show for it, nothing at all.” Danlily shook her head and pushed herself away from the table. Without another word, she went out into the night, without her bow, without her enchanted blade, without her hunting cat by her side, and for the first time, she walked without hope.
Danlyra set her cup down, “So, none of your experiments have proven fruitful. What can you expect? Your test subjects are adults and their bodies are geared not for growing and healing but for getting older and dying. Once a body hits puberty, we are all on borrowed time as our body-clocks click towards death. Perhaps you need younger subjects.”
Danlily twirled a blond lock of hair around a finger, pursing her lips in thought over her tiny tusks. Danlyra continued, “Your glory mission for the RAS was ruined when an angel promised you life and didn’t tell you the cost was transmuting the serum into something akin to a love-potion for the loch monsters. What can you expect from angels? You thought your mother was some gossamer saint too. Being beautiful with an ethereal look in your face doesn’t make one good, no matter what the reputation people give angels. Oh they’ve been known to grant life, but that kiss is always at some kind of cost. You’ve failed the RAS twice now and have nothing to show for it.”
Danlily’s eye started to twitch, staring at the leathery skin wraps around the handgrip of her bow. “Mother…”
“Yes, let’s talk about your mother for a moment. It was your mother that handed you over to the Baron Nex`Cruor. She’s paid for that, she will never betray you again and now she serves you eternally every time you put an arrow into the heart of an enemy, but what about the Baron? Has he paid? He still walks about freely. Have you gotten your revenge? Has Clys stood up to her father? Your lover and mistress does nothing to avenge you. Does she really truly love you? Is she really seeking immortality to save you so you two can be together forever or is Clys simply saying that to keep you working like a good little thrall? And what of Kittsu? Are you really, truly sure she didn’t enjoy herself a little bit more with that paladin than she is really telling you?”
Danlyra leaned into the table towards her mother, “You, my dear mother, are more than bored, you are frustrated. Nothing you’ve set your hands to has succeeded. Well, except for getting a name for yourself. That’s been quite successful. You can’t walk outside of horde territory alone because without your mistress to escort you, your golden hair is like a beacon to every alliance thug and mercenary out to claim your shining scalp. Unlike me, of course, I will always have the shadows.” Danlyra smiled sideways as she leaned back into her seat and squinted her eyes at her mother to measure the effect of her words. “Let’s see, let’s count them off, shall we?” Danlyra counted with her fingers as she spoke, “One, your surgical experiments are a bust. Two, you’re a failure to the RAS. Three, your beloved mistress does nothing to avenge the horrors inflicted on you by her father, and four, the alliance has moved you near the top of their kill on sight list. Oh, and five, you’re getting old. Don’t forget that. What little you’ve had to laugh about has left crinkles near your eyes.”
Danlily moved her hands to rub her temples as if trying to sooth out the wrinkles that had been growing more insistent at the corners of her eyes. Her eyes welled up with tears she would not shed. “I am getting old, and I’ve nothing to show for it, nothing at all.” Danlily shook her head and pushed herself away from the table. Without another word, she went out into the night, without her bow, without her enchanted blade, without her hunting cat by her side, and for the first time, she walked without hope.