Chapter v, The Begining of Exile |
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Wednesday, 08 June 2005 |
Page 1 of 3 Her eyelids did open,
the act achieved with reluctance, for to awaken to the physical
weakness of her body and the wound within her spirit was sufficient
cause for her to wish that she was dead.
"Ah, you do awake at last; I did begin to wonder if I did but
stand watch over a pair of corpses." Dragging herself to her knees, the
effort causing her stick-like limbs to begin trembling Ae'thenal did at
first make the mistake that it was Naideth Morningstar who did lean
upon her spear. Only it was not, for it was Nimine Starbrow who had
stood a night's watch over them. Nimine with her armour and weapons
that had been hers when she had been of the Maiden Guard, her seven
years of service at an end before both Si'anelle and herself had been
born into this World.
"It is my true desire that I had not awoken Nimine," Ae'thenal
did reply as her eyes did fall upon the Banepearl where it did lie half
covered by the tattered ruin of her cloak. Dark as the night's core a
flicker as of flame did show itself beneath its smooth surface as if it
did give acknowledgement that she was now one of its damned guardians.
Casting her cloak the more fully over the hateful object she did say,
"To sleep forever in death, to know no more of this World, this is my
one and true desire."
And in response Nimine Starbrow did take the three quick steps
necessary to reach her before she did bestow a ringing slap upon her
face. As Ae'thenal did raise a trembling hand to her cheek, her sudden
tears wet on her face Nimine did knot her fingers in her cloak and by
main strength lift her to her feet. "Might well you stink unwashed as
if you were numbered among the beast creatures of a Chaos Lord
Ae'thenal, daughter of Telimis; - Telimis, your father who did breath
his last in my arms on Finuval Plain. But you shall not give voice to
the Doom that does lie upon you while the entire company of Si'anelle's
household does stand outside this pavilion; in hope that by their love
and continued service they shall see the day in which their mistress is
restored."
Releasing her Nimine did now shove her towards a basket that
did lie upon the ground within the empty and bare pavilion. "You live
Lady Ae'thenal, so eat and gain you some small measure of strength. Or
will you have me feed you by force?" With the weakness that was
afflicting her, she could do no more than fall to her knees beside the
basket that did contain small loaves of waybread, a flask of water and
an assortment of fruit. Her shame did now lend a hot flush to her
cheeks and it did seem Nimine did take a measure of satisfaction at the
sight as she did stand over her.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 September 2005 )
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