Closed [Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Zandelia and Ana catch up with eachother, properly.

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Built high in the massive branches of Taldera's bloodwood forest, The Spires is a city crafted by the peaceful and scholarly Jamoura. Considered a haven for scholars and sages Mizahar-wide, The Spires is a mecca of philosophy and science that draws people from far and wide with its promise of deeper thinking and higher reasoning.

[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Ana Sol Starris on December 28th, 2012, 12:20 am

The Whispering Tunnels
Winter 1st, 512AV


Puffs of white air escaped her mouth as she remained crouched in the tunnel, looking up and down the side, examining the ivy which grew everywheres on the walls of the hard wood walls. To her left there was a dead end, shrine to a god and one simplistic bench, and to her right there was the path which the thief had come- she was not lost but simply taking a moment to admire the beautiful scenery around her. Listening to the winds which hummed lightly, and the sounds of hidden wild life, the rustle of plants being caressed gently by the soft, if not chilly, air.

The plants were green, and seemed to be thriving, while Ana herself was cold. She didn't mind though, she had gotten use to the cold when she had been in Sunberth, its winters chilling to the bone, and soft snow fall which made the deeds of those who had sinned evident with foot prints and blood. It was a never ending struggle between life and death; either the cold got you, or the lurking predators did.

How crazy was it now that she was in the Spires? A place that seemed to be so tranquil, peaceful, it was the opposite of the blood stained streets of Sunberth.

She found herself longing to be in a place that offered excitement, something to fill a void which had formed over time, or had already been there but was now growing exponentially. First it had been from the distance between herself and Wrenmae, the travel to the Spires, wondering if he was alright, or if Shroud had forever taken him; but that feeling dissapated as seasons passed, she was sure he was fine. He wasn't a child and shouldnt be treated thusly as, nor was she, they had met under fluke like circumstances and that was all.

Ana rubbed her cold hands together for warmth, and then pulled her cloak against her tighter. She liked this place.. It was nice, and away from the buzz of every rumor, away from all the worries which came with being in public, and even in private, hah, she felt pretty free in this strange, winding place. Much like how the wind was around her that seemed to live in the halls of the tunnels. It also gave her the chance to think clearly, on matters which she was afraid to ponder over when near people, afraid of the facial expressions, or the poor attention she was giving around her.

Best of all, because of the wind, she felt as if no one could hear her if she were to talk to herself..

What she hadn't expected, was the steps on the wood coming her way, causing her to look to her right in interest. Who had found her?
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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Zandelia on January 4th, 2013, 12:03 am

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Zandelia had heard tell of the new face the Whispering Tunnels possessed now, strange tales involving Gods and miracles and portents of otherwise strangely contrived occurrences. She had heard many say things about divine intervention and, for the most part, was held in awe more with how the stories were always so alike in nature – and that no one questioned this fact. As a gatherer of hard fact, subtle suspicions and wild rumor she could find little evidence of truth to the stories. They were pretty things, but little more than that to her mind. Still, the location itself held a natural wonder of sorts. As she wondered down the corridors formed from life itself she found her mind freed from its usual bonds, her legs merely taking her where they felt was right.

Strange how I needed the Crimson Edge to be blown apart before I could accept it was never the right path anyway. Going toe to toe with mercenary bands… she thought.

“Foolish!” she finished off her mental sentence with a half-hissed word.

She knew that Ana had the desire to raise it from the dead, the passion filling her enough to have some small successes perhaps. However, she needed the corpse to w ant to raise itself as much as she did to succeed. Zandelia was not convinced this would ever be so. The more she thought upon it, the worse an idea it seemed. It was not that the concept of banding together irked her, it was the overt nature of it that caused her pause for action. They had tried that and failed abysmally. Now she thought it was time for something more clandestine. Frowning she stopped her walking, gazing around as she pulled her hood back up to cover her head. It was cold and dreary, the whispering words doing little to warm her form.

“Bloody place is freezing. Winter is not the time to come it seems” she muttered as she tried to remember the way back from whence she had came.

After a few moments of turning on the spot a sigh escaped her throat, frustrated and terse. She was lost, after a fashion, and all due to her over-thinking. It was ironic that intelligence could oftentimes bring blindness. She smiled wryly at nothing in particular, the expression twisting her full lips, before choosing a direction and seeking a way out. She made it perhaps twenty feet before finding a dead end and being forced to double back. Her gaze swept across every entrance as she tried to formulate a mental map of the maze through trial and error. It took her several chimes but she managed to find a passage she had not yet tried.

Great, Zandelia dies in a flowery maze. A noble end indeed she chided herself as she forged onwards.

It was with a growing countenance of anger that she swept this way and that, the wind rippling her clothing and ripping the hood from her head every time she pulled it back up. Her footsteps were less stealth now and more death blows to the ground. It was in this manner that she came across an old friend.

“Ana?” what the petch are you doing in here? Never figured you for a naturalist” she told her, glad at least to have company.


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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Ana Sol Starris on January 6th, 2013, 12:27 am



The girl remained immobile for what seemed to be chimes, eyes locked onto Zandelia whilst her head began to race fifty paces at a time, and counting. Eyes, those impeccably golden honeyed eyes were searching for something about the woman, for what? Ana didn't even know herself. Turning her head slowly, with a firm chin she looked back to the plants which she had been examining. Hardy in the winter it seemed, green still, despite the cold; it was amazing the gardener could keep such a winding place in check all the time. Ana blinked, eyes narrowed as she contemplated on how to greet the woman, it wasn't like the thief had forgotton the lack of presence the woman had.

"I'm not." She stated, simply, with an over hanging tone of sarcasm.

Melodramatic was not the word Ana could describe her current thoughts, she straightened herself out, taking a stand and fixed her cloak to enshroud her figure perfectly once more. Once or twice she would glance at Zandelia from the corners of her eyes, and then sighing- turning so her body would face her new companion, such simplicity didn't sit well with some people (from what she had learned out of experience and their nosyness.) Heck, it wouldn't have surprised her if Zand would have asked again why she was there. What Ana could remember of Zand.. Well was not much.. Except there had been a bond which was now strained, dissipating.

"Jakobi showed me the place back in Fall.. It has a.." She paused to think, eyes drifting to the ivy walls and making a far off look "calming effect."

Yes. Calming. It was the only way she could explain the whispering of the winds they presented, the ever lingering presence that which inhibited the winding halls. Jakobi had indeed shown her the area, it had been much like a date; in Ana's eyes a tour. Breaking out into light laughter, Ana stepped lightly towards Zandelia, arms crossed and hidden within her cloak as she would pass the older woman. Such memories were blissful, if only they could have endured so much longer instead of ending so quickly- but she knew her place. It wasn't to be... Ana cut that thought off abrubtly, hissing inwardly at herself to stop with that destiny crap.

"I could say the same to you Zandelia, whats brought you here?" Ana prodded at the woman with an icy chill to her voice, expecting her to follow after.
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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Zandelia on January 6th, 2013, 5:16 pm

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It was as if time had stood still, seconds frozen as the two women locked eyes and took stock of each other. In the stories this was the point where they bound into each other’s arms and gushed about how much they had missed and what they should do now, to absurdity. Real life, however, had a differing flavor and it was of loss and betrayal perhaps. Zandelia held the notion that Ana blamed her for the collapse of her family – the Crimson Edge. If only she could have found the words to tell her then perhaps they could be friends once more, but words were in short supply these days.

“Jakobi? Ah yes, the man. I have heard of him, nice things mostly. I wish him well” she attempted to break the ice with her words but they seemed only to intensify it.

“Why do you feel the need for calm? The Ana I remember was never one for stagnation. Fickle fingers, I recall” she tried for a half-smile but found nothing but stony response. It saddened her greatly.

If anything it caused Ana to laugh, though not at her words but more in a derisive way. She was nowhere near the girl she used to know, Zandelia could see that now. She was trying to be more than she was, something ZAndelia understood well. She did not understand why she was so filled with darkness though, a darkness that could easily consume as well as aid. She remained still, silent and awaiting Ana’s response. She merely walked past her, arms tight around her torso in a protective manner.

It was not difficult to hear the coldness in the other woman’s tone, you could have probably chilled a drink with it. In many ways Zandelia surmised that she deserved such anger, if only from Ana’s perspective. The greeting was not at all what she would have expected. A kick she would have understood, an angry rant she could weather through – but cold distance was something she could not place with Ana. She had always been a warm person, once you took the time to know her. She had given her weapons, time and training. She had saved her life, after a fashion, and yet she was now an unknown – an outside threat perhaps. It became a catalyst within her heart that hardened her own emotions quickly.

Not to mention that she expects me to follow like an errant puppy. What happened to you Ana? Were you always this cold underneath, or did you experience that which shouldn’t be? she thought to herself, her heart only half-caring now.

“You could, but why should I answer to someone who is not what I remember? What happened to you Ana! You were fiery once, now you are filled with winter. Why do I irk you so? What is it I have done to be frozen from your damned memory?” she responded, her own tones cold and designed to give pause.

She stayed where she was, refusing to be ordered around by one whom didn’t even show her enough courtesy to fill a cup. She would resolve this now, or it would never be resolved. It would be a shame to lose Ana, but nothing that she couldn’t live with if required. She was good at living with failure these days.


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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Ana Sol Starris on January 6th, 2013, 6:43 pm



Zandelias words made Ana's step pause, and remained frozen, the older womans voice seemed to echo through the halls; or more like, in Ana's mind they did. Prooven wrong, the woman had decided to not follow as she would have liked to believe, the thief discovered as her face would turn for her eyes to rest on the woman behind her. The angle to her head seemed to make the dark circles under her narrowed eyes so much more darker than they were before. There was something familliar which Ana had felt long ago, but she just could not pinpoint where she had known it from; perhaps from a person, an experience, or a thing? Whatever it was, that didn't change the fact that the Ana from before would never rebirth the Crimson Edge.

The Ana from before was far from a leader, she had been a follower to her fears and acted upon her instinct to survive. Not as if she could say she was a leader as of right now, instead she was making the transition from small little sheep with its shephard to the street rat, and finally to the cat whom she would become. A look of contemplation, as well as sorrow seemed to follow after as she turned her head away from Zandelia. Shaking it, and looking back to the hall in front of her.

"Maybe it is not fire that one needs to change, but instead it is cold realization that one must change in order to thrive," she let the words roll off her tounge to strike the air, her voice filled with regret, and maybe even self pity. Suddenly she felt herself begin to burn, her cheeks heated up into undefineable anger- what gave the right for Zandelia to say any of that, it was because of her that she was this way. Glaring at the ground now, her form shaking, her eyes welling up with the rage which contained itself nicely within it's little mirrors. All the hate and the pain that came from sleepless nights, which coiled itself around her now, all the time she spent thinking of how things could have been, should have been, but never would be!

Ana could only shake in her spot, feeling herself sway before straightening, regaining her balance. The pressure in her chest slowly accumulated, the stinging in her eyes, the stabs to her mind, how she wanted to yell at Zandelia for deserting them. How she wanted to cuss and scream that it was this womans fault, all of it, everything, but she did not utter a single word; not until she had composed herself apropriately. To do that was to be childish, and she wasn't about to return to her childish ways right then and there.

Something seemed to crack, scratch slowly within her ears as if claws were being taken to glass, it faded away, and with it her anger "does it matter how I once was..? Who's to say I wasn't like this before meeting you..? Or after? Hm?" Ana breathed out quietly, she wanted to choke on her words so much right then and there. Everything was cold around her, she could feel the chill burn its way through her skin "It's not as if I have forgotten anything, but it's not as if I remember much about you either... Tell me Zandelia... What do you know about me? What do I know about you?" It was almost as if she were pleading to know more, or to tell more about herself, but she felt barriers around herself and inbetween the two.
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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Zandelia on January 6th, 2013, 8:37 pm

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Zandelia listened to Ana’s words, watching her carefully as she transformed from a stunned little girl and into a raging volcano of ire within seconds. She could not help it but she positioned the fingers and wrist of her left hand quickly, ready to use her spring blade if it was required. Luckily, however, she did not have to intervene in a bloody way, Ana was no physical threat to her. It seemed more as if she wanted Zandelia to speak words of comfort, to tell her how things were. She would have noticed this and acted upon it if not for the barbs that had been thrown upon her – so much spite packaged into simple words. They hurt more than any punches thrown ever could, more than that damned talon pressed through her leg – if that were even possible.

Her very should seemed to be mildly flayed, her icy coldness now enveloped by an inner fire of anger all of her own. Ana had never seen Zandelia angry before, she had taken great pains to prevent such an encounter in fact, however the girl had pushed just too far in the right direction for her to control her emotions. She felt like slamming Ana against the leaved trellis and ramming reality down her perfect little neck. How easy it was to accuse when one had none of the facts.

She knows nothing! Nothing of what I have done, and she judges ME? were the only thoughts she could keep inside her skull at that point.

“Of course it petching matters!” she shouted, her voice near breaking point in volume, “you were a bloody little girl when I met you, helped you, and you are acting like you know everything now! You know nothing! You are still that girl! Hiding behind words and shyking feelings! You could be great but you never push the right ways!” she raged, trying not to move but came a step closer to Ana despite it.

“Do you even know how much I have sacrificed? Do you even think! Why do you think the camps were never attacked? Who killed so that you didn’t have to?! The only reason the Crimson Edge wasn’t destroyed because of Cade’s stupidity sooner was because others cleared up the mess!” she threw the words at Ana like a spear.

Zandelia had thrust her hand forwards now, her right forefinger pointing at Ana as if it were a knife poised over her chest. Her arm was shaking despite herself, the raw emotion flooding through her not just that directed for Ana but for everything bad that had happened to the Crimson Edge. She was closer now, but still several step away from the girl. She had not planned for this, not for an argument of this magnitude. It was a curse upon her in one sense and cathartic in another. She needed to say these things, though her rage should not have been fully directed at the woman she liked – it was unfair but Zandelia couldn’t bring herself to care at that moment.

“So you’re right, you clearly know nothing of me!” she spat, literally, “but let us see what I know of you shall we?” the words foreboding terrible uttering.

“You are a weak girl who needs others to help her become what she could be. You spurn those whom tried to help you realize what you want because you’re scared. You can blame me for whatever you feel but it doesn’t change the fact I have done more for you than you have for me!”

“Who was it who carried you to a healer? Hmm? Who was it who gifted you a weapon to defend yourself with?”

“You say you know nothing of me, but you would if you had cared enough for anyone other than that bastard Wrenmae, so focused as you were upon becoming his whore that you never thought of anything else! And where is he now? Sending you letters!”

“So who is it who should be hated?!” she finished with the highest yell of her ranting.

She stood then, her eye locked with Ana’s as the world seemed to drain of energy around her, her anger all but spent. She had done grievous harm with words, her greatest weapon. She was ashamed.

Shyke she thought to herself as her hand lowered to her side once more.


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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Ana Sol Starris on January 6th, 2013, 9:42 pm



Upon the thiefs ears came the heated rant in waves of anger radiating off the older woman, much like an ocean, it drowned out all reason there was. How interesting people became when they were angry, Ana mused to herself bitterly, taking into account of what may have put Zandelia teetering at the edge. Of course she had been a little girl back then, she was younger and less knowledgable, she was always on the cliff side between life and death. Yet what change had there been through her whole life? None. The only viable change back then had been locations, the thief shut her eyes and continued to listen, her head hanging lower with each wave.

Ana did not move even when she heard the slight step forward, obviously trying to interrupt the woman would proove to be futile, it would only be drowned out in the sea of the emotion spewing out now. Still Ana did not turn around even as Zandelia began to bombard her veiws onto the smaller one, hitting the mark right on the spot, exzactly as it should, and would always be. Being a weak little girl, scared, helpless, all alone had been exactly what Ana wanted the others to think- she had not been completely like that when she first arrived in Sunberth full of hopes and dreams. To be broken, hacked, slashed, and attacked both verbally and physically?

Sunberth. Oh wonderous Sunberth. So quick to chew the weak up, and spit them out for the crows to pick at the carnage inflicted upon the corpse of ones mind.

The sleight at Wrenmae was forgoed, Zandelia knew nothing about him and she expected the older woman to be ignorant of such information; only Ana seemed to hold that deathly little secret that Wrenmae carried with him. With his broken, and now seemingly put back together mind. No... She did not flare up at the accusation of Wrenmae but the term used along with it, his whore? Ana tensed up, finding her hand snaking its way down to the hilt of the very shortsword Zandelia had given her. Whore was a sensitive term to use, little to nothing had ever happened between her and Wrenmae, she was far too boyish to be considered worthy for such a title.

Her hand shook which held the blades hilt, it jangled in the scabbard only a tad before she took her hand off. Realization hit hard.

Words had started this, violence had not- but words would end with said violence if something didn't change. The thought hit her so hard she felt stunned, as if the wool had been torn from her eyes- it was the same thing when it came to men who acted chivalrous to women that cryed; who acted weak and hurt. Realization... It set in nicely next to her own fueling rage, that once finally Zandelia was done that she took a deep breath and laughed, now not a laugh full of malice, but one filled with reassurance. The thief laughed, and laughed, and laughed until finally her sides hurt- her shoulders shook as she threw her head up and attempted to catch her breath. Laughter seemed to echo... and then silence followed, dramatically.

To be broken by Ana's voice as she turned to look at Zandelia and locked eyes with her, hate was not in her eyes, only a flimsy tiredness "and that... That Zandelia is all I know about you"

"You were apart of the Crimson Edge, one of the leaders next to that moron of a barbarian Cade. Helping me when I was sick? Zandelia I was so close to death then that I had no idea what was going on, I didn't even realize it was you until I was told... I don't think I got to properly thank you yet because of that either." Ana started off, as if she were musing with an old friend... Her moodswings were all over the place it seemed, but that didn't matter "you trained me, protected me... But besides all that Zandelia... What do I know of you? I know not of your past, your age, where you hail from, what your story is... So tell me... What do I know of you? What do you know of me besides your own broad assumptions?"

Before Zand could answer, Ana went cold and seemed to hiss out "Nothing."

Now Ana probed at her with her own rage "you know nothing of me, you have no idea how old I am, where I come from, what my heritage is, if Ana. Sol. Starris. Is even my real name." Ana punctuated her psuedo name, her voice getting harder as she spoke "let me tell you a story, Zandelia..." Ana held both hands out, as if she were exhasperated with the other woman, her hands moving in such of ways that could only describe ones stress "will you let me?"
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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Zandelia on January 6th, 2013, 10:49 pm

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As far as how Ana responded it went better than Zandelia had expected. She could tell there was still anger below the surface, but it was perhaps deeper now and more controlled. Her own anger had been spent at any rate and she held little stomach for another bout of conflict. Her life had not been an easy one of late, filled with much pain and failure. Her rage had bubbled inside her, frustration seeping deep into her bones. It was only after releasing the majority of it that she could now see how toxic it had been. She still did not truly trust Ana, had perhaps never really trusted her. However, she was someone she knew – or thought she had known. Even that was now taken away. In hindsight it all made sense, but she had been too occupied with other concerns to take issue.

It is true that no investigations ever turned up anyone who knew Ana before she appeared. Should have known it wasn’t her real name she thought as she leant back against the wall of foliage and leant her head back against it.

She closed her eyes for a few moments as she took stock of her new emotional equilibrium. It felt wondrous to her, to breathe freely for once and without a tightening in her chest. Tension seemed to have flowed out of her, forced out violently into the ether and now dissipated upon the four winds. She sighed, slowly letting her legs bend until she was sat upon the floor. She did not expect Ana to follow her and did not care if she appeared weak – she was far from it, she felt stronger than she had in some time, less fragile. Ana’s words had been true in the same way her own had been – each a different perspective and for differing reasons. She had seen in her eyes the same sorts of conflict in her own head, the same tiredness. They were more similar than they appeared outwardly it seemed.

“Do you know why no one knows much about me? Why you don’t despite travelling for days next to me?” she told the world in general, not caring if it wanted to hear, if Ana wanted to hear.

“Because no one ever asks, let alone asks the right questions” she told her with a laugh, not much unlike Ana’s had been, “they see me, a nice pair of tits for them to stare at. Or they know I can solve their problems, tell them someone’s weak spots. No one actually ever cares” she continued, rubbing her temples a little.

“Well I’m tired of the running, all of the fighting for nothing. I wanted to do something great and it didn’t work. Never works. I might not know your name, but I know how you feel Ana. Tired. Do you not think others feel that way too?”

“We walk along, making it up as we go along. We all did and we suffered for it. No more. I don’t even know if there will be a next time this time. If there is, though, there will be no moiré excuses. I can’t bring myself to make any” she finished.

She looked at Ana then and sighed. She did not care if Ana cared, it was merely good to tell someone. She was a ghost really, invading and retreating at will. No one noticed her, only her clothing or her body. No one asked who she was, where she had come from or what she really did. They only ever made assumptions, just as she had made assumptions about Ana. She would correct that now.

“Fine, tell me your story – whatever it is. It will be nice to have someone else talk other than me for once” she stated, her hand flicking out in a tired gesture for Ana to begin.


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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Ana Sol Starris on January 6th, 2013, 11:58 pm



Crossing her arms once again, the thief listened to what Zandelia had to say; it was insane how similar their concerns were involving secrecy. Of course, if it was intended secrecy then they could not complain about people not caring who they were, having of felt that way was the only way Ana could justify peoples actions. Indeed, never once had someone asked her who she was, where she came from, her own story besides Weaver. Ana's eyes drifted to the ivy once more, examining its patterns and leafy vibrancy; green like Weavers own eyes. He had been a persona of Wrenmaes, one of wild unpredictibility with a knack for over dramatic story telling. How she loved that side of Wrenmae the most, he was amusing, but rarely out- if at all.

It was because of Weaver that she had managed to get the bare bones of her own story out, she shut her eyes and turned her head upwards as she cleared her head. Each breath became deeper, with every exhale, she felt her mind slipping as if she were about to fall asleep standing up. But she did not. Instead she opened her eyes and looked at Zandelia in a new light, sitting down where she was slowly and began to fix her hair, it had seemingly become undone after some time. Her body was heavy, and her limbs were like rocks, her heart a thawing block of ice that continued to refreeze every time something managed to move her emotionally.

"I wouldn't expect anything less Zandelia, if you self imposed your own secrecy- who are you to complain about people not knowing? A friend of mine once said.." Ana started off slowly, putting her head in her hands and rubbed her temples with her palms "once upon a time.. There was a girl in Sunberth, she was no ordinary girl but instead a small thief that looked like a child in all respects" she shut her eyes once again, digging for the story of which she had known by heart, the one in the book "she was the Thief of Sunberth, no one knew anything of her, she was simply an unknown, a face within a sea of faces that could have been born on the streets, or to a noble household, a wealthy merchant, or an ordinary family all too unique to be mentioned."

"But what was her reasoning for being in the lawless city? Why did she choose that city to learn her trade and become strong enough to wreck havoc upon the corruption that lay within her own family," Ana questioned, not looking up from her hands, she was tired, sleepy, it wouldn't have been any surprise if she had fallen asleep right then and there with her short pause before spluttering up again "her goals were simply unknown, she never spoke with anyone, in fact she spent most of her days isolated, she never got close enough to allow anyone to know of her story- well, not until a fateful day in a Winter season when all hope seemed to be lost and her stomach empty for days on end, sleep evaded her for so long it played with her mind."

"One thing led to another, she was with a man who had taken her in despite her thieving attempts, he may not have been able to feed her, but he gave her safety and a home, even allowed her to sleep close to him, in the same bed without any expectation from her body, and in turn for what she thieved off others she would give to him" the memories welled up in her in the manifestation of tears threatening to break loose, she missed Wrenmae so much, despite his Shroud persona out most of the time, despite the physical and the verbal abuse, she found it hard to hate him at all "then there was a bar fight, and for the first time the thief knew what having a family was, even if it was a bunch of poorly deluded gang with high hopes."

"But I'm pretty sure you know the rest of that story Zandelia..." Ana cut off, looking at her tiredly again, a frown on her face "what you don't know is the story before said story. The why and how she arrived in Sunberth. Simple really, cliche even, a little girl looking for ways to plot for revenge against a parental figure that was always out for her blood, even if she posed no threat to him being ill most of the time but that wasn't what she wanted revenge for.. Oh no.. She wanted revenge on him for slaughtering her own older brother before her very eyes.. a brother whom had saved her from drowning once, a brother that had taught her much about the world, a brother who had been her only peace of mind..."

"That was taken away so violently that the girl forgot that moment and was driven on by an unknown desire to get back at her father." Story complete, she had been unable to tell Weaver the entire thing, but now for Zandelia.. She felt as if she had completed chapters of a life through spoken word. Ana choked on her own air intake, biting her hand suddenly, and hard, she almost broke out into a pitiful sob. Crying was not something she would do today. Hopefully.
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Ana Sol Starris
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[Whispering Tunnel] Reunion (Zandelia)

Postby Zandelia on January 7th, 2013, 1:31 am

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A manic type of giggle began to ripple through her chest until it bubbled up through her throat and erupted into the winds, whipped away to distant parts of the maze within which they both now sat. The wind shifted her robes, caused her hair to block her vision intermittently and all but made it impossible to feel anything but the chilled gusts. She could not help the sounds, the wracking of her body as her head came to rest between her knees at the conclusion of Ana’s story. She didn’t mean any offense by it, she thought her story was a terribly tragic one. She should have known, her own story eerily similar indeed. She quelled her sounds quickly, coughing in air after the episode.

“I’m sorry Ana, so sorry! It’s just, you pretty much described my life – give or take a few details” she told what must have been a mildly bewildered woman. She sighed a little then, her thoughts turning towards the comparisons that could be made between their tales.

Despite herself she could not but think that Ana had not told her everything, her innate intuitions throbbing into practice as she dissected the other woman’s story and wondered whether it was truth, fiction or a blend of both. Ana had all but admitted to concealing her past, had just commented upon Zandelia’s own penchant for secrecy. It came with her job, she always told herself that, though now she was beginning to wonder if it was a way of keeping herself adrift from those whom might harm her – or everyone. It was then that she noticed Ana’s biting of her hand, her shuddering body as if about to cry. Sympathy sparked within her chest and she knew it could not be entirely an untruth.

No, no lies perhaps. Or rather, simple ones to describe general events. But those emotions are real. There are gaps in her tale, but the majority of it is true, I think. At least the family part she told herself, musing upon how to reciprocate in kind.

She pulled out the old dagger from her right boot, always kept safe despite the loathing it created, the corruption of it against her body always causing her skin to crawl should she focus upon its presence. She turned it in her hands, studying it once more though she knew every inch of it by memory. How many years had she carried it with love? How many nights had it given her comfort, her only possession of her family? And now, now it was nothing but the weapon that would strike the final blow – exorcize her past for good. The hilt was gold plated, not solid of course. The blade solid steel and slightly curved. The pommel held the symbol of her father – a mask with a dagger through its form.

“See this dagger,” she began, passing it to Ana to hold and look over as she wished, giving her something to compose herself around, “this was my father’s. I kept it for years, to remind me of him and my mother. She was killed when I was a girl, killed by slavers who came for me” she heaved a deep sigh as memory flickered behind her single eye, frame after frame of perfect recall – hated recall.

“It was my only possession I was allowed to keep, mostly because I was sold to a relatively nice wealthy man and I’d fight like a goddess to stop them taking it away. My father was killed also, or that was what I was told,” she continued, the tears not springing up anymore, they had dried up long ago.

“Slave I was, maid and cook. Chief floor scrubber and privy cleaner. It was alright, I suppose, whilst I was a slip of a thing. It was when I grew older, gained the figure I have now, that life became rather more brutal. Raped by my master whenever he desired, forced to learn the arts of pleasuring others. Orgies, guardsmen, visiting friends of the family – anyone and everyone”

“Hah! And everyone thinks I learnt those skills because I used to be at Brega’s! One of my better cover stories, if I might say so!”

“At any rate, I managed to grasp my way to freedom, bloody as it was. It was after I grew pregnant and was beaten into losing the seed that I finally cracked. Killed some guards, my master, anyone and everyone. Lost my eye for freedom – a small price” she raised her finger to tap the side of her left temple a few times as, for the first time in years, her single good eye grew red and moist.

“Fell in with some bad crowds after that. Never got my body used again against my will, but got a few beatings. Almost killed a few times too. Scars I have, many of them. Learnt my talents though, intelligence and espionage for the most part. Information is more powerful than muscle in Sunberth after all”

“That dagger, I will keep. I will find my father, seeing as he is alive, and plunge it into his heart. I discovered that he sold me and my mother into slavery for a purse of gold. His ambition sated he fled Sunberth to…somewhere. My mother died protecting me,” she gritted her teeth, her knuckles white as her fists bunched with a horrible force, “and so I shall avenge her. After that…who knows?” she finished her own tale, her shoulder slumping.

“There, you know more about me than anyone alive. Do with it as you will Ana, I shall not stop you if you want to go your way. Just remember, I know where you have been, where you want to go, and the costs you might need to pay. Few others can say that with honesty to you”

With that her head was once more rested upon the foliage behind them, slightly tilted towards Ana’s this time. She dared not actually touch the woman lest whatever spell was being woven was broken. Still, she almost felt like she should put her arm around the woman.


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