Post by Suliss on May 24, 2006 8:50:04 GMT -5
She stood stoically, her face impassive as the whip slashed down tearing her gown apart and opening a welt on her back. The only sign that she felt anything was the tightening of her hands on the ropes that bound her hands to the post. The sound of the water lapping against the beach outside of her family’s estate was calming and she barely heard the whipping sound as she allowed herself to fall into a trance. As though from a distance she heard a soft voice speaking and barely discerning the words, Suliss Oloth succumbed to darkness.
“Vrine'winith, il zhah jal dos inbal zet...”
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Suliss regretted slapping the maid as soon as she had done it. Now the girl whimpered in a corner her eyes down. “Oh stop!” she muttered turning her head to face the young girl. She lay on her stomach on the ornate wooden bed her father had purchased for her and had shipped from the orc lands.
The headboard had carvings of Orc warriors engaged in a fierce battle with the elves. She loved this bed. She had been only eight when he had visited those lands and returned with it. She had boldly told him that those elves, their ancestors; had been foolish.
“They stood no chance, now if it were me, I would have snuck in under the cover of darkness and slit their throats.” He had slapped her so hard that blood spurted from her nose onto the newly made bed. He proclaimed that no child of his would be so dishonorable and not face their enemy head on.
His sharp words had hurt her then. Now, an adult, she cared little of what he thought. Her only desire was to escape him and his tyrannical rule. The beatings she could take as well as the lectures. It was his disappointment she could not stand. The guilt was something that, no matter how she tried she could not shake. Her path was chosen and it was too late to change it. He knew this; she knew this. And yet…
Not liking the turn her thoughts had taken she pushed herself up onto her elbows and gestured to the girl to come closer. Whimpering the girl barely took a step toward her mistress before bursting into tears again.
Sighing Suliss angrily punched a pillow and winced in pain as the movement sent a shiver of pain down her abused back.
“Kla'athen dos ditronw, dos zhal'la tlu mzild dosman xuil ilta. Il zhah er'griff natha dalhar.” Her eyes widening slightly at having been caught off guard she tried to roll over her hand instantly reaching for her knife that lay under her pillow. A gentle hand at her shoulder shoved her firmly back down and the knife was whisked out of her hand.
Looking around she saw a woman walking toward the girl and she frowned in confusion. She was fast, almost as fast as she herself was. She watched as the woman, a light elf woman by the looks of it, spoke softly to the girl in her family’s own native tongue. Her eyes narrowed as the girl obediently took the knife and went to the armoire and set it with the rest of her assorted collections and blades.
Her eyes shifted back to the woman who was staring at her a slight smirk on her face. “Who are you and what are you doing here?” feigning boredom, for in truth she was extremely curious she relaxed back against the pillow allowing her eyes to close slightly though her gaze never left the stranger.
The woman sat in a chair crossing her legs and her cloak fell open to reveal long shapely legs. She wore a white tunic with a design of blue on the breast piece, her belt a shiny silver. Suliss noticed with some interest the wicked looking knife in the sheath at her side and seeing no other weapon, assumed this woman had much confidence in her abilities to travel so unarmed.
Her eyes drifted back to the woman’s face and she was struck at how dark her eyes were, but then she watched as the woman sat forward to speak and the candlelight caught her eyes revealing their icy blue color.
“Usstan tlun dosst kaoveh lu' Usstan doer ghil ulu…” Raising a hand Suliss cut the woman’s words short. “Speak in the language of humans.”
A slender eyebrow rose in question but the woman nodded and sitting back began again. “ I am your cousin, Laelyn Del Oloth. My mother was your fathers’ sister. “
At this Suliss laughed huskily not caring at the pain in her back. “My cousin...aye, I see the resemblance.”
Laelyn returned the smile and stood coming nearer to the bed. Suliss gazed up at her and frowned slightly. “If you are my cousin, then why have we never met?”
Leaning forward Laelyn pressed a hand to the wounds on Suliss’ back and whispered a quick spell healing them. “That is a long story. But for now we must go before your father changes his mind.”
Turning to the girl who until now had been forgotten by Suliss she took sack and tossing it onto the bed said “If there is anything else you would like to take with you then you had best get it now.”
Sitting up Suliss watched a moment as Laelyn quickly filled the bag with various necessities. “Do I go somewhere? Why are you packing my things.”
Glancing at her she whispered to the girl loud enough for Suliss to hear.
“Ilta sarolen, ka gaer zhah folbol mir mina wun dryss'ho mina queelas.”
Frowning at this Suliss stood and grabbing a pile of clothing Laelyn was about to shove into the bag, she quickly dressed. “Are you going to tell me anything? You come into my room and touch my things and do not tell me why I am or where I am going.”
Stopping abruptly Laelyn turned to look at Suliss her eyes darkening angrily.
“You will go with me. You cannot stay here any longer. Your father has disowned you and you are now my charge. He would kill you…”
Her eyes widening slightly she nods and looks around a somewhat bewildered expression on her face.
They packed the rest of her things in silence and when the young maid handed her the belt she carried her knives in she thanked her, something the lady Suliss had never done. Both the girl and Laelyn looked at each other, the girls eyes surprised, Laleyn’s filled with sadness.
They walked out the front door, Laelyn pausing briefly to go to her Uncles study.
Suliss stood in the entry her sharp ears hearing every word that was said. Her eyes filled with silent tears when she heard Laelyn accept the moneybag, her inheritance. Stepping outside she was somewhat surprised to see two large striders waiting patiently outside, their steamy breath blowing the dry earth up in small clouds
“Suliss…”
Hearing her cousins’ voice she turned slightly glancing at her. “I am ready.”
Together they mounted the striders and at a shouted command from Laelyn they set off into the dark night.
She didn’t look back, though she longed for a last look at her home.
A home she knew she would never return to.
“Vrine'winith, il zhah jal dos inbal zet...”
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Suliss regretted slapping the maid as soon as she had done it. Now the girl whimpered in a corner her eyes down. “Oh stop!” she muttered turning her head to face the young girl. She lay on her stomach on the ornate wooden bed her father had purchased for her and had shipped from the orc lands.
The headboard had carvings of Orc warriors engaged in a fierce battle with the elves. She loved this bed. She had been only eight when he had visited those lands and returned with it. She had boldly told him that those elves, their ancestors; had been foolish.
“They stood no chance, now if it were me, I would have snuck in under the cover of darkness and slit their throats.” He had slapped her so hard that blood spurted from her nose onto the newly made bed. He proclaimed that no child of his would be so dishonorable and not face their enemy head on.
His sharp words had hurt her then. Now, an adult, she cared little of what he thought. Her only desire was to escape him and his tyrannical rule. The beatings she could take as well as the lectures. It was his disappointment she could not stand. The guilt was something that, no matter how she tried she could not shake. Her path was chosen and it was too late to change it. He knew this; she knew this. And yet…
Not liking the turn her thoughts had taken she pushed herself up onto her elbows and gestured to the girl to come closer. Whimpering the girl barely took a step toward her mistress before bursting into tears again.
Sighing Suliss angrily punched a pillow and winced in pain as the movement sent a shiver of pain down her abused back.
“Kla'athen dos ditronw, dos zhal'la tlu mzild dosman xuil ilta. Il zhah er'griff natha dalhar.” Her eyes widening slightly at having been caught off guard she tried to roll over her hand instantly reaching for her knife that lay under her pillow. A gentle hand at her shoulder shoved her firmly back down and the knife was whisked out of her hand.
Looking around she saw a woman walking toward the girl and she frowned in confusion. She was fast, almost as fast as she herself was. She watched as the woman, a light elf woman by the looks of it, spoke softly to the girl in her family’s own native tongue. Her eyes narrowed as the girl obediently took the knife and went to the armoire and set it with the rest of her assorted collections and blades.
Her eyes shifted back to the woman who was staring at her a slight smirk on her face. “Who are you and what are you doing here?” feigning boredom, for in truth she was extremely curious she relaxed back against the pillow allowing her eyes to close slightly though her gaze never left the stranger.
The woman sat in a chair crossing her legs and her cloak fell open to reveal long shapely legs. She wore a white tunic with a design of blue on the breast piece, her belt a shiny silver. Suliss noticed with some interest the wicked looking knife in the sheath at her side and seeing no other weapon, assumed this woman had much confidence in her abilities to travel so unarmed.
Her eyes drifted back to the woman’s face and she was struck at how dark her eyes were, but then she watched as the woman sat forward to speak and the candlelight caught her eyes revealing their icy blue color.
“Usstan tlun dosst kaoveh lu' Usstan doer ghil ulu…” Raising a hand Suliss cut the woman’s words short. “Speak in the language of humans.”
A slender eyebrow rose in question but the woman nodded and sitting back began again. “ I am your cousin, Laelyn Del Oloth. My mother was your fathers’ sister. “
At this Suliss laughed huskily not caring at the pain in her back. “My cousin...aye, I see the resemblance.”
Laelyn returned the smile and stood coming nearer to the bed. Suliss gazed up at her and frowned slightly. “If you are my cousin, then why have we never met?”
Leaning forward Laelyn pressed a hand to the wounds on Suliss’ back and whispered a quick spell healing them. “That is a long story. But for now we must go before your father changes his mind.”
Turning to the girl who until now had been forgotten by Suliss she took sack and tossing it onto the bed said “If there is anything else you would like to take with you then you had best get it now.”
Sitting up Suliss watched a moment as Laelyn quickly filled the bag with various necessities. “Do I go somewhere? Why are you packing my things.”
Glancing at her she whispered to the girl loud enough for Suliss to hear.
“Ilta sarolen, ka gaer zhah folbol mir mina wun dryss'ho mina queelas.”
Frowning at this Suliss stood and grabbing a pile of clothing Laelyn was about to shove into the bag, she quickly dressed. “Are you going to tell me anything? You come into my room and touch my things and do not tell me why I am or where I am going.”
Stopping abruptly Laelyn turned to look at Suliss her eyes darkening angrily.
“You will go with me. You cannot stay here any longer. Your father has disowned you and you are now my charge. He would kill you…”
Her eyes widening slightly she nods and looks around a somewhat bewildered expression on her face.
They packed the rest of her things in silence and when the young maid handed her the belt she carried her knives in she thanked her, something the lady Suliss had never done. Both the girl and Laelyn looked at each other, the girls eyes surprised, Laleyn’s filled with sadness.
They walked out the front door, Laelyn pausing briefly to go to her Uncles study.
Suliss stood in the entry her sharp ears hearing every word that was said. Her eyes filled with silent tears when she heard Laelyn accept the moneybag, her inheritance. Stepping outside she was somewhat surprised to see two large striders waiting patiently outside, their steamy breath blowing the dry earth up in small clouds
“Suliss…”
Hearing her cousins’ voice she turned slightly glancing at her. “I am ready.”
Together they mounted the striders and at a shouted command from Laelyn they set off into the dark night.
She didn’t look back, though she longed for a last look at her home.
A home she knew she would never return to.
