Letter from Caede

[Caede]

((Cross-Posted from the Cult website here: http://www.mwcult.org/ First post is from Silas))

Silas set the folded letter down on the desk. It was an empty home that Rashi had found for him, when he cared to stay in Ironforge. The papers were done, and the home had been paid for. Of course, the fee was small, but if another resident had beaten him there, he'd have to concede the night. Fourtune was about the night though, as the home was empty that night.

Silas sighed heavily, the tasks of the day weighed heavily upon him. Another run through the bowels of the Scourge infested Stratholme yielded nothing in specific. More enemies of God destroyed, yet their keeper, the Baron Rivendare, had evaded death once again, being sucked away into the floating mass above the wreched town.

The prophet unbucked the four heavy buckles on his robe, letting it hang open. Reaching under his arms, he unbuckled his shoulder armor. A cool, soft hand touched his neck gently. Hanging his head, she slipped his mantle off, caressing his ears. "Rashi," he sighed, his eyes closed.
"No, Lord Silas..." she spake.
He turned suddenly, slapping her hand away, and grabbing the dagger that hung on his belt. A look of shock crossed Caede's face
"Forgive me," the prophet said, hanging the dagger back at his side. "I've had to thwart one would-be assassin already."
"I am glad you would meet me." Caede responded.
"What is it you needed?" Silas asked.
"I'll not waste your time, Lord. Ever since we met, you've been very supportive, and I've..." she trailed off, looking at her feet.
"I've always told you, service to Kerahl will grant the solace you seek." he said.
"I've become infatuated with you, Silas..."
The prophet stood in shock for a moment. She edged closer to him. Silas regained himself, and took both of her hands into his. Holding them together, he looked deeply into her eyes.
"I am the Prophet of God. My work is His will, Caede, and there is no place in my life for love. My heart belongs to Kerahl's work, and no other.
Tears welled up in Caede's eyes. The prophet released her hands, and walked over to the stairs, his back turned to her.
"If peace and solace are what you seek, then take my hand, and serve Kerahl with me." Silas offered his hand. She approached without hesitation, and took his hand. Just then, she collapsed.

"Rashi!" Silas called out. He whistled loudly, knowing the Zealot was always near. He checked Caede's breathing. Light, but steady. He grabbed a nearby blanket and wraooed it around the fallen girl. Rashi appeared in the doorway, dagger drawn, ready for a fight,

"Rashi, shar tal an Maleck, ishnu. Aman Alah'ni shar ri fal." Rashi nodded, and helped Silas carry the wrapped girl to the Zealot's Nightsaber. "Dath diel, da fal fulo tal alah." Rashi nodded. Securing the girl in her saddle, Rashi rode off quickly.

Silas walked back into the room to gather his mantle. It would seem there would be no rest tonight either. He packed his wares and prepared to trek back to the Church in Rashi's wake. pausing for a moment, he picked up a green pill box shaped like a leaf, where the girl fell. He rolled it in his hand, before departing.

[Caede]

((Caede))

Caede felt her body being moved, but all she could do was breathe. In her mind she cursed herself for being so focused on Silas to forget her medicine. The pain built inside of her until the moment her hands touched Silas' when he had offered them to her. The bubble burst, then she collapsed. All she could do was focus on breathing. Her concious thoughts drifted away and she was unconcious before she hit the floor.

She dreamt similar dreams of to what she was accustomed to. Dreams of where carrion doves and rotting roses created a black stench of which swallowed her, and strangled her to death. Usually, she would wake up instantaniously and gasping for air but this time she couldn't. She lays there, unconcious and unknowing to what is going on around her. Death's tendrils were lapping at her feet, her hands, her throat as she drifted through the world by someone else's will.

Cenarius visited her, caressing her face and stroking her hair occasionally. He would quickly disappear later. Often a shadow would appear to her in her mind and watch her, penetrating the deepest and darkest parts of her soul with their grey eyes.

Often Caede would feel her sprite darter named Aelfin curl on her stomach, and fly away later. One occasion she felt him lying on her stomach with paper under him. A letter? It made her heart pound faster, but she knew Aelfin would not bring her anything dangerous. Caede let herself go, fading away in this unconcious world that left her body feeling cold and her eyes grey. Many scars that were not originally seen stand out and shine against her paling skin.

[Caede]

((Rashi))

*Rashi rode fast towards the church, the woman strapped tightly to the saddle with her. Looking down, Rashi sneered, wishing she could 'accidently' unhook the straps that held Caede secure. Shaking her head of dark thoughts, Rashi whistled for her nightsaber to run faster.

Reaching the church, Rashi dismounted, pulling Caede with her. Carrying her inside, Rashi quickly found Maleck in one of the studies. Walking straight to her, she set the woman down on top of the desk.*

Alah'ni shar shando! *she said quickly. Seeing the blank look Maleck was giving her, Rashi looked around. Grabbing a piece of parchment and quill, she drew a picture of a leaded vial and a cooking pot. Shoving the paper into Maleck's hand, Rashi pointed from the paper to Caede.

Nir! *Rashi stomped her foot, not wanting to be the one in trouble should Caede die right then and there. Motioning to the paper again, she hoped Maleck would get what she was trying to say.*

[Caede]

((Maleck))

Maleck hardly heard Rashi clambering into the study, she was so entranced with the tome before her. As such, when the body of the druid Caede was thrown over her work, knocking over a vial of ink and putting out a candle, Mal's look was something in the way of blank confusion.

She stared at Rashi, saying nothing, but with her face seemed to scream, monotone, emotionless. What.

Rashi rushed about with her drawing, and Mal's look changed from blank confusion to honest confusion, until the paper was shown to her. She studied it momentarily, and then her expression was, once again, new. Shock.

"You want to cook that elf?!"

... Then she grinned, and pointed over to her belt, which lay, unceremoniously, in a heap with much of her other equipment. On it were many many vials, each of thick glass and stoppered. The contents spanned all of the colours of the rainbow, and were, indeed, arranged in such a fashion.

"I'll go get a fire started."

[Caede]

((Caede))

"Dreams" caressed Caede's mind until a point where Caede was alive, standing in a grassy grove under the sun. A dark figure was standing aloof, staring at her with yellow eyes. Caede slowly approached it, her body was young again, she looked like she was that of a child.

"What are you," Caede asked the figure, her words smooth as is the tongue of the druids.

"An entity, not alive, not dead," spoke the darkness in a rich male voice which sent shivers down Caede's spine.

"Are you of my imagination or a penetrator of kind thoughts," she asks boldly, standing in such a way to deflect attack if this thing were to.

"Not so kind thoughts that you have, Princess."

Caede stared at the the thing, taken aback by the dark words. She fumbled for words, but none came out.

"I know you more than you think. I am the darkness that hides behind your eyes, princess. I am your saviour, a sad attempt for you to see the truth." It pauses, staring through Caede before continuing, "I know the lie you live, hiding yourself from your family. The illness that burns within you. You trust no one, you did not even tell your friends of this matter." The thing spits these words at Caede, causing her to stumble backwards and fall to the ground. She sits, shaking as she is terrified of this beast.

It approaches her, arm like things wrapping around her and stroking her hair, "I am here to soothe, even though your death draws near." Caede cowers in the entity's arms. It whispers to her, "I know everything. A letter to Clys shall end your pain, your father giving you a new life. A life where you will not have this pain," it pauses, tapping her chest, "here, a life where you can live freely. Without feeling as if you need to lie."

"What if I am pleased with this life?"

"You're not, so do not even try to lie. The barren world is not the cause of your love, but the cause of else. Think not of it, stay clear of those you lie to. Trust is not far from your grasp."

"And of Clys." Caede asks hestitantly, staring at the hand of the entity on her chest.

"I shall deliver you to her, in time." With that, it vanished and Caede fell onto the grass, staring up to the sun until everything faded away. She was back to the dull unconcious world once more.

Whilst Caede was dreaming, her body lay still. Her slow paced breathing continued with a rare catch for a moment before it released and she returned to the slow pace breathing. Death had her hand.

[Caede]

((Caede))

Caede felt a wierd sensation, as if her body was moving on its own. She felt something cold press against her chest, a hearthstone. In her mind, she panic'd. She felt a pen in her hand, and rest against paper. It wrote quickly, sloppily. Caede hoped that Silas would know this was not her hand. The pen was dropped and the hearthstone activated, and it swallowed her.

She was in Southshore, in the inn. Caede felt herself walk up the stairs and into a room. Shortly, she collapsed onto a bed and was once herself again. Kittsu walked into the room shortly after.

"Can you hear me," she asks. After a moment of no reply, Kittsu casts a couple restorative spells before picking up Caede. A look of shock crosses Kittsu's face as she lifts Caede, the Druid Princess's body weight so very little as if there was nothing left but a soul inside a case. With that, Kittsu carries Caede off to Clys' laboratory.