The moment her dislocated leg had been put back into place, she was brought immediate relief. It was still numb- it likely would always be for as long as it had been out. The damage to her nerves couldn’t simply just be undone. Though the swelling had reduced considerably, it was certainly better than being stuck on the ground. Hobbling along, Aurelia moved rather slow- but it was part of it. In order to regain full mobility of it, she knew she needed to use it … though it was straining to do so. On top of the personal struggle, her absence would probably anger snaggle-tooth if he had noticed it. Leaving her prison unannounced was certainly pushing her luck. But this was his doing. If she were going to be able to support herself, she’d have to have the function of her leg or be forced to remove it. Dragging a deadened limb wasn’t an outcome she would even consider. And it was easier to walk than it was to cut through flesh and bone.

She was getting tired quickly- weakened from her captivity. Instead of pushing herself on, she found a sunny spot against the rock face where direct light had managed to melt off some of the snow. Staggering her way to her intended destination, she fell back on her haunches. Tilting her chin up, and closing her eyes as she reveled in the warmth that soaked into her charcoal fur. The fresh air was nice, and it was a much-needed break from the reek of blood and lust- scents that saturated her fur. The open breeze- cold, but clean. Cleansing. It gave her hope that perhaps she hadn’t been abandoned. Though she’d keep that glimmer of sanity firmly to herself. She was a survivor. And while pieces may be stolen, she’d remain herself until the embrace of death. The bond endures to the day of demise. And in the upcoming days, she would plot her own.

But for now, the pleasure of small mercies was entirely her own- completely unaware of how populated the Polar Sound had become as of recent.

"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

Absinth had been out, seeking some form of entertainment in the vast expanse of the valley of boredom. Aresenn was nowhere to be found at the moment, very unfortunate- so she had very few options for amusement. At least lately it seemed that more and more souls were coming into the valley, so that was something to look forward to. Her snowy paws carried her onward to a place she hadn’t been before- one that immediately brought with it something new. A blood-scented creature Absinth just had to make contact with.

“Well. Don’t you look like crow food.” Absinth called out, her eyes alight with a morbid  interest in the smaller girl propped up against stone. She approached with a slow saunter, her head swiveling to search for any others lying in wait as she drew closer to the injured girl. Nothing. Ha. Absinth was about to speak again when the scent of Sephiran assaulted her nares. Ah. This was that surprise she had overheard- the one he had wanted to show Aresenn back when she had first met the purple boy. What a pretty thing she was. Though- she looked half-dead. Not just her body, but her eyes. A yearning for demise, one Absinth knew well from her time among the street rats of her homeland. Ah, the monotony of life.

“Oh honey. You look dreadful.” The monochromatic fae cooed dryly. Emeralds scanning the filthy girl with apathy, taking notes on how awful it must have been to be one of Sephiran’s toys. It reminded her of a lot of childhood memories- ones she never had to experience firsthand…. exactly. “Sephiran doesn’t hold back one bit, does he? Yeah. My father was the fucking same.” She aimed for her words to be some sort of comforting, a sort of i-know-the-feeling.  The girl looked so defeated. It was hardly bearable. “You look like you want to die.” Nothing new, she’d seen it a hundred times before- especially the aftermath.

wormwood

The first moments taking advantage of her false freedom actually did quite a bit for her in the avenue of reviving her spirit. Though of course, the brief meditative moment she had claimed for herself was once again interrupted. Sapphire gaze blinked open, her attention settling on a black and white fae as she approached. The words that were spoken to her, while she heard, she chose not to acknowledge. Annoyed with the random encounter, she considered telling the stranger off entirely- though she wasn’t really in a condition to back her tough talk with a fight. Still, it was her nature to do so. However, as the other girl came to a more conversational distance, she reiterated how terrible she looked. Even still Aurelia wouldn’t cower. The wounds around her neck and scruff were on the mend- but still very much visible. She wouldn’t hide them. What did she care if this stranger thought lesser of her. And while she made no move to hide herself, she didn’t like the feeling of examining eyes. “Yeah, well looks aren’t everything, and snide observations from nosy passerbys aren’t useful.” Her words were sharp, and her sing-song tone- while more casual than anything- did have a bit of an edge to it as well. It was an act of passive-aggression at its finest.

The next sentiment that was given to her, nearly took her breath away. Sephiran. So this must not be a total stranger after all. But if this girl ran with the purple brute as well, then how were they in such vastly different conditions? What the fuck!? As it was explained to her that the longing for death was plainly written in her expression, she immediately answered with a giggle- cracking a brightened grin that probably felt just as unsettling as it looked. “You’re just all kinds of perceptive, aren't you? …” She asked, her words trailing off as her expression fell lax.

As far as this girl’s relationship to her own personal, egotistical maniac … she needed answers. “What is Sephiran to you?” Aurelia asked, voice void of any amusement now. She had to know.

"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

This girl looked properly toyed with. Quite the sight with all those wounds. Though, Absinth was beginning to understand just why Sephiran chose her. She had a fire in her eyes, and it was growing- a feisty one. So… that's how he liked them? The ones that had some good fight in them got made into toys, and the ones with not enough were killed on sight. Sounds absolutely right. “Mmm. But looks do still mean a lot- you learn from observations made. Which is- I think -useful.” Absinth shot back with a laugh, finding the other girl's charisma entertaining to say the least. And that voice!

Absinth took a moment to draw a touch closer, silent as the sapphire-eyed stranger giggled. She cocked her head to the side ever so slightly while attempting to get even more of a read on this poor thing grinning with such instability. Her own emerald gaze indifferently taking  a moment to close and sigh. “You’ve taken all this from him and you still have spirit- it’s commendable. But it’s insanity.” Why continue to suffer? Probably the exact reason why she seemed so ghastly, and not just in appearance. But why not do something different if her current approach to Sephiran was not working? If there was no escape, did the only option seem to be rotting away? Absinth was trying to understand- but her assumptions were far too alien to fully empathize.

The question that came from the beaten girl took Absinth by some small bit of surprise, it was almost desperate- but in what way… the monochromatic female wasn’t sure yet. A simple answer would do for now. “A bloodthirsty maniac I chose to follow.”
wormwood

The other girl was quick to counter her own observation- a gentle disagreement. Of course, this stranger was entitled to her own opinion. Even more considering Aurelia didn’t have the energy to apply herself into trying to change it. With a tight-lipped grin in response to the laughter of her company, she’d concede with another barbed tongue reply. “Well, if I ever need a character witness, I’ll be sure to seek out your expertise.” Aurelia assured, casually looking away as she scanned for anyone who might be approaching. As far as she could tell, they were alone.

She didn’t return her attention until the monochromatic fae spoke once again, explaining just how insane the situation “That’s where you’re wrong, Nosy Passerby. I’m the sanest person I know. As to what Snaggle-tooth has taken from me, well … I’ll tell you the same as I have told him. This …” Aurelia paused as she gestured to herself with a sweeping gesture of her paw. “Is merely a vessel. A disposable one at that.” True power was granted when you craved the embrace of death. Things could be taken sure, but at the end of the line … your wish would be granted. Blinking away the thoughts that clouded her mind, she contemplated divulging more. She supposed her explanation would be a little far-fetched to someone who didn’t know of her and her practices. But ahh, what the hell? It wasn’t like she was afraid of the thoughts of others. Besides, this girl already implied her sanity was suffering. How much further could her perception possibly sink? Let’s find out, shall we? “I won’t bore you with the details, but Sephiran and I have entered a death pact of sorts. I’m completely willing and capable of fulfilling my end of the deal, but it seems that he’s not interested in allowing our game to end- the cowardly bastard.” True anger was present in her tone, though she quickly covered up with a flash of that tight-lipped grin. Only to allow it to fade with the stranger’s next words.

Aurelia blinked in disbelief. If she could have shaken the other girl, she would have. And she had the audacity to call her insane? “Your definition of insanity is extraordinarily skewed if you chose to follow that sociopath.” Aurelia responded flatly. Though, the longer she thought about it, the more her temper began to boil.

"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

For a creature so beaten and abused she sure did have a lot of time to come up with some cute nicknames for everyone. It was something the emerald-eyed girl was taking a liking to, in a funny, slightly irritating way.

Absinth listened well to the girl. So much personality practically oozes out of her. But a strange topic arose as she explained her sanity and her practices. Ahhh. At the word vessel she was beginning to see a more accurate picture of Sephiran’s toy. A partisan of faith. Two souls with different beliefs- fighting for supremacy without either backing down. She understood now…. “Well, there’s your first problem. You’re not giving yourself enough value as a living thing, and you must be worth something to him if he’s ensured you couldn’t run away from him- or go off yourself. A man like that- so full of grandiosity- and you’re calling his favorite plaything disposable.” Hell, Absinth would be mad too. She was sure Sephiran found so much pleasure in this toy- and to get that much out of one living thing…. He had to cherish her in his own sick way. That was how her father was too. He loved his toys, and whether he knew it or not they gave him validation. How could Sephiran feel that without this girl caring about her life at all?

“Your death pact sounds an awful lot like marriage. Till death do us part. But you want it to end. And he doesn't.” Absinth was more so musing to herself, fitting pieces together in her mind as she went over the small details the other girl had given up- eyes moving to capture those pretty blue orbs. She moved even closer non-threateningly, making sure she was not going to be ignored. Then, she spoke- her tone compelling and brusque. “Insanity is repetition without change. Am I the crazy one for living how I fucking want to? Or are you for dying to get away from someone when you have so many other options? Play. The. Game. Death pact be damned, why die when you can live? You think you win that fucking game by dying? You think your gods want you to be snuffed so easily? What a fucking waste.” Absinth was ticked off at the lack of effort to live she was seeing. But she hardly knew this girl, so perhaps she was wrong. All she truly knew is that she had fought tooth and claw to get here herself, to make something of herself when she was meant to be nothing at all- and here is another strong woman only seeking death in the face of surmountable odds. Her bias having Setekh for a father blinding her slightly in the face of another girl who had probably never needed to learn the rules of the game. But there was always time to learn.


wormwood

Honestly, Aurelia wasn’t really sure what to make of her new acquaintance. Maybe if they had met before her drastic change in circumstance, their initial meeting could have gone way differently. But at the moment, she had no interest in making lasting acquaintances. “My value supersedes a living thing, I wouldn’t necessarily call that a problem.” Aurelia interjected. Beyond life and death, she knew souls were immortal, and the only way her’s would be unbound from Sephiran’s, was when she left this plane of existence and began preparation for the next life. Until then. “I subsequently made my own worth to him- I see that now, and I certainly regret it. I fought, he retaliated. I ran, he chased. I stood up to him, and he tried to break me. However, you pledged yourself and to him- the lunatic, and I’d be willing to guess he’d kill you without a second thought.” She paused blinking, with that bubbly grin returning to her features. “Yet here we both are.” Toe to toe, and not all that different. If she wanted to be a good little girl and walk on eggshells, navigate the minefield that was their captor, then she was completely in her right to do so. Aurelia couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not now. Not ever.

As she went on to acknowledge what she described as a death pact, Aurelia gave a hesitant nod. “Close. A blood sacrament is like marriage, but it’s not something you can just walk away from.” There may be distance, but there will only be separation in death. Running away didn’t really solve the problem.

Her company slithered ever closer, and she was only vaguely aware of it. However when she suddenly began to match her own rising temper, the other girl had her full attention. Slowly narrowing gaze, and a hardened expression. This was far from the peaceful meditation she had hoped for. “No. Living how you want doesn’t make you crazy. It’s choosing to live the way you do that makes me question your soundness of mind .. You might enjoy yourself playing with a maniac, and I’m very happy for you that you found one to cater to whatever it is that makes you feel warm and fuzzy … But for me, I refuse to willingly be used as a piece in someone else ploy. You say there are so many options. I’m afraid I don’t see them. But I can assure you what I’ve endured as of recent has not been living- or perhaps only just.” She was so fucking tired of games. She cringed at the mention of them- it. Whatever metaphorical fucked up lifestyle this girl was referring to. “It most certainly isn’t winning, but I guess you could call me a sore loser. I’d rather cut my losses and flip the board than see the disaster that becomes of me unfold.” That was the truth of it. But she had very little left to devote to whatever pissed-off pep talk this was supposed to be. If it was meant to motivate her or pick her brain apart, it was a shitty job.

Though, when it came to the mention of her beliefs, she could handle no more. “You can criticize me or my decisions as much as you like, but don’t you dare pretend to know my goddess. One of the very few things I have left is belief and I’ll not have it taken away from me.” Aurelia challenged, making sure her stance on the matter was crystal clear.

"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.

There had never been a long list of things that could make Absinth’s fuse begin to burn. Most of her life she had been pitted against other souls who weren’t black, or white- but simply gray. Everyone was gray. They did what they needed to to survive, and many went above and beyond that. Atrocities, corruption, all souls could turn pitch black. That wasn’t the issue. What was the problem was when someone started spewing bullshit about how her choices  were crazy. Crazy in the face of what? What alternative lifestyle could she have led, growing up the way she did? Around the things she did? Clawing for survival, still clinging to the  games  that kept her alive. Yeah. Unsound mind. Absinth was not the first to throw stones about choices - she’d tried to offer a new perspective; a helping hand. “Yes. He would. But I am here  because I like playing the game.  It’s all I’ve ever known, and It’ll remain that way. That’s my belief. Better here in the company of devils I know than cursed by the angels whose intentions I can’t understand. You sin, you go to hell. You live your life good , and still end up in hell because you  weren’t good enough.  Not enough prayer,  not enough benevolence.  Not enough reverence  in a higher power. You know what I believe? It doesn’t matter  what you believe, you’re still worm food in the end- or one of many many  souls whose existence didn’t mean a goddamn thing .” And this girl was making sure she wouldn’t mean a thing. It was difficult for Absinth to reign in her aggravated tone, her eyes flashing with disbelief and more so disdain.

“So. You, up there on your altar of worship, looking down on the rest of us for not understanding your Goddess or your beliefs. From my perspective, you’re a dead ringer of a crazy fanatical bitch- and oh. You already have a match! A maniacal murderous bastard. What a pair! That death pact was a fucking stroke of luck.” She was seething now, her limbs planted firmly to remind herself that this girl was untouchable. And why attack such a weak battered thing anyways? Absinth was not the type to have toys, and she wouldn’t start now.

With a snort she turned her entire body away, letting out a barking laugh that shook her ribcage fiercely.  “I won’t waste mine, or your time with this pointless conversation any longer. But little miss sanity, you should either be more effective about meeting that Goddess of yours or stop shitting out of your mouth. If you really wanted to die you’d have bitten your own tongue off, bled out, and been done with it. So, figure out a way you can live with yourself after you acknowledge that.” Absinth spat, tail lashing as she began to leave. It was impossible to speak at the moment- especially with a girl so dead set on giving up her one and only life. Ridiculous. How many struggles of others did that invalidate? Absinth hated it. She acted like she was the first ever to endure a madman. But perhaps, Absinth hadn’t given much thought as to just how strong she herself was in the mental department that way. There were some things others couldn’t, wouldn’t endure.

As she departed Absinth left the girl- whose name she never bothered to ask- with a final sentence spoken over an ivory shoulder. “If you get over yourself, let’s chat again- if you die, send me a sign or whatever dead fuckers do.”

[Exit Absinth]

wormwood

TW: SUICIDE ATTEMPT

As her ever pleasant company continued to draw impressively large conclusions about what faith Aurelia had managed to maintain for herself, she promptly made the decision to check out of the conversation entirely. She maintained a tight grin behind narrowed eyes, but her attention remained fixed on the ground off to the side. She had nothing more to say to this girl. It wasn’t her duty to ensure some basic standard of understanding be achieved in Sephiran and his lackeys. The girl kept on and on about heaven, hell, and sinning- monotheistic ideals that had nothing to do with her branch of paganism. Aurelia also had to agree that whatever physical demise either of them came to, it would certainly share a similar outlook in the grand scheme. But what would be the point in correcting her? It’s not like she was going to lose sleep over the opinions of those around her. Oh, but crazy fanatical bitch- that was a new one. Had she been concerned with the thought fo someone thinking ill of her, she would have simply stayed with her family.

The next barrage of hateful intent she was struck with, wasn’t so easily ignored.  Be more effective about meeting that Goddess of yours or stop shitting out your mouth. Her sapphire gaze widened a bit, though she didn’t alter her line of sight as it slowly transitioned into a thousand-yard stare. The emotional detachment- there it was. It was paired with the realization that the other girl- who had already turned and was seeing herself back to whatever she was doing before this fun-filled encounter- was right. More words were spat out, but the epiphany she had been led to was much more important. What was she doing right now? Sitting. Exercising the leg that had just been somewhat restored to her. Her mind had been twisted! He had begun to indoctrinate her into this life … and she hadn’t noticed! None of it mattered! This was her opportunity!  “You are absolutely right.” She answered quietly to herself- it was a response to the girl, but she was already long gone.

As she brought herself to her paws- her attention panned up to a sudden drop off in the Ridgeline above. It would be a fairly difficult ascent- it was taller than the pine trees that littered the inlet. But in that moment, she had her mind set.
-fade for travel-
It had taken her a good while to reach the point she had set her sights on- hobbling on her leg and all. And when she arrived on the small plateau, she didn’t hesitate until her toes were curled over the edge. Aurelia didn’t look down- just out over the trees as she stood much taller than them now. “Accipe sacrificium meum deae... Me bene in altera vita inveniat.” She whispered into the wind as it rushed against her face. She leaned into it, accepting it to be her final embrace. And as the ingrained instinct to self-preserve screamed in the back of her mind, Aurelia remained still- almost painful so.

The sensation of falling was a peculiar one, though it wasn’t something she reveled in for very long. When her head and body collided with something that couldn’t possibly be the ground- unconsiousness stole her away.

-fade via unconsiousness-

"Aurelia Veratti"
 Fancy Italic.