Inner Demons

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[272] Nymaya: Inner Demons
Fri May 21 02:18:55 2010
To: New_Thalos Keylan Dar'shin ( RP ) All
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Water fell from her in a fast torrent as she broke the surface of the pool, plastering her hair down the length of her bare back as she stood though its silver was muted in the low lantern light. Running her hands back over her scalp sent more water cascading down behind and her gaze shifted immediately to the surroundings.

Night had long since fallen upon the desert, leaving behind the eerie whisper of the wind, the origins of which felt far more steeped in shadow and dark memory. The flame of the lanterns flickered with it, even as deeply cloistered within the bath house as she found herself. One attendant dozed nearby, the only presence she had allowed to accompany her though more had tried to insist. The thought made her shake her head. The Sultan had probably sicced them on her...

Her sigh was whisper soft but still managed to be heard amongst the strange acoustics of the building. The sound stirred the attendant to wakefulness and with dutiful motions, the young woman arose carrying a small mound of towels.

Nymaya watched the dark brown gaze of the woman widen as she came near, drawn to the scars few ever saw. Abashed, the servant held a towel out when she stopped, her eyes dropping down quickly at a cool impassive blue look.

Accepting the towel slowly, Nymaya found her memories evoked by the individual marks as she stepped from the water to the tiled floor, far more pleased by the gentle lavender fragrance that followed than she could ever recall. She'd grown so used to the smell of metal and worn leather.

The act of drying was a slow, calming process - broken only once by the attendant who managed to scrounge up enough nerve perhaps to ask; 'Mi'lady, where did that one come from?'

Turning her head to glance once at the woman behind her, she noted where the woman was pointing and shifted her attention to the wide set of claw marks that were much faded but still pale and visible, ripping a long path down from her shoulder to mid-back.

"Demon" She remarked in a far-away tone. Her past was riddled with such portents. If she had bothered to take note back then, she might have seen what lie on the distant horizon for herself.

Strangely, tuning out the presence of the attendant, she found her thoughts drawn to the particularly disturbing memory of her nameless son. Wrapping the white towel around her body, she sought another while her mind tentatively picked at that infernal trial. He'd been whole and familiar to her eye. It had to have been a trick...

Trying to shake the memory from her, unwilling to dredge it up yet, she turned with the intent of seeking out her clothing - but stopped short as the sound and feel of steel piercing flesh whispered through the bath house - shuddered through her sharply.

Standing very still, her gaze met a down-turned head, which rose slowly to set familiar eyes upon her own.

"Mother" He whispered, a sound that let the pain loose through her body.

...and she awoke struggling for breath that wouldn't come for the longest time. It wasn't until she leaned over the edge of the bench, to cough blood upon the tile, that desperate gasps began to feed her lungs their lost air.

It was with a heavy sigh that she looked around, finding herself still within the mostly abandoned bath house. She'd about fallen asleep outside the warded tower.