emmel
2008-09-03 12:13:22 UTC
Just to point out that I'm still around and things... This is the
beginning of instalment 12. Comments welcome...
The little arrow of pale blue light spun around its axis without being
able to decide on a bearing. Aleana visibly relaxed, the arrow fading
as her grip on the spell loosened. Laiva was alive, even when she
couldn't pinpoint her position. Deep down she knew she'd have known if
anything had happened to her little girl, but she had had to make
sure.
It was the smell that got to her. That sickly sweet stench
travelling with the smell of fire. She had long ago passed the point
when it made her stomach turn, but it still carried with it memories
of things that Aleana would rather not have remembered. Slowly she
continued along the road, hand rested at the hilt of her sword.
A few minutes later she was standing in front of a heap that
once been the inn. Even the roof with its massive support beams hadn't
lasted, being reduced to ashes as the rest of the house. The chimney
alone had survived the brunt of the fire, many of its stones cracked,
but still standing against the night sky like a finger raised in
warning.
By the looks of it, the rumours of bandits in the area where
true after all, and on top of that they had a mage among them; there
was no way that fire had been natural. In a way fire had a
personality, an inherent pride - it wanted to be respected, admired.
Left to its own resources it would have left reminders of its force -
blackened planks, charred beams, half burned bits and pieces; the
destruction of the inn, in contrast, had been complete, and, if she
wasn't completely mistaken, far too fast. Too fast to get out in time.
'May your spirits bath in forgetfulness as your bodies
continue the eternal cycle.'
Aleana felt a pang of guilt for shortening the rites like
that, but she trusted the dead would understand. She simply didn't
have time to go looking for remains to bury, if there even was
anything besides ashes. All that mattered now was Laiva. Somewhere out
there was her little girl, on her own, with the only shelter far and
wide gone. She had to find her before any bandits stumbled over her.
Her poor little Laiva. All the thing she had to go through
because she had failed. Failed her. Laughed at her. She off all people
should have understood. The look on her face...
Not this time. She would find her, protect her, try to make
up. She could only hope Laiva would ever be able to forgive her.
--
emmel <the_emmel*you-know-what-that's-for*@gmx.net>
(Don't forget to remove the ** bit)
story archives available at http://ranira.wordpress.com
Official AGC feedback maniac
"God is playing creatures - and we're the norns."
"A hundred dead are a tragedy - a hundred thousand are statistics."
"I guess you can call yourself lucky." -
"I could, but Linda suits me a little better... :)
Things called lucky tend to get hit by trucks."
Proud owner of 1 (one) DISOBEDIENCE point.
Former owner of 1 (one) eating point (eaten, sigh).
Hi, I'm a .sig virus. Just copy me to your .signature. And don't worry.
beginning of instalment 12. Comments welcome...
The little arrow of pale blue light spun around its axis without being
able to decide on a bearing. Aleana visibly relaxed, the arrow fading
as her grip on the spell loosened. Laiva was alive, even when she
couldn't pinpoint her position. Deep down she knew she'd have known if
anything had happened to her little girl, but she had had to make
sure.
It was the smell that got to her. That sickly sweet stench
travelling with the smell of fire. She had long ago passed the point
when it made her stomach turn, but it still carried with it memories
of things that Aleana would rather not have remembered. Slowly she
continued along the road, hand rested at the hilt of her sword.
A few minutes later she was standing in front of a heap that
once been the inn. Even the roof with its massive support beams hadn't
lasted, being reduced to ashes as the rest of the house. The chimney
alone had survived the brunt of the fire, many of its stones cracked,
but still standing against the night sky like a finger raised in
warning.
By the looks of it, the rumours of bandits in the area where
true after all, and on top of that they had a mage among them; there
was no way that fire had been natural. In a way fire had a
personality, an inherent pride - it wanted to be respected, admired.
Left to its own resources it would have left reminders of its force -
blackened planks, charred beams, half burned bits and pieces; the
destruction of the inn, in contrast, had been complete, and, if she
wasn't completely mistaken, far too fast. Too fast to get out in time.
'May your spirits bath in forgetfulness as your bodies
continue the eternal cycle.'
Aleana felt a pang of guilt for shortening the rites like
that, but she trusted the dead would understand. She simply didn't
have time to go looking for remains to bury, if there even was
anything besides ashes. All that mattered now was Laiva. Somewhere out
there was her little girl, on her own, with the only shelter far and
wide gone. She had to find her before any bandits stumbled over her.
Her poor little Laiva. All the thing she had to go through
because she had failed. Failed her. Laughed at her. She off all people
should have understood. The look on her face...
Not this time. She would find her, protect her, try to make
up. She could only hope Laiva would ever be able to forgive her.
--
emmel <the_emmel*you-know-what-that's-for*@gmx.net>
(Don't forget to remove the ** bit)
story archives available at http://ranira.wordpress.com
Official AGC feedback maniac
"God is playing creatures - and we're the norns."
"A hundred dead are a tragedy - a hundred thousand are statistics."
"I guess you can call yourself lucky." -
"I could, but Linda suits me a little better... :)
Things called lucky tend to get hit by trucks."
Proud owner of 1 (one) DISOBEDIENCE point.
Former owner of 1 (one) eating point (eaten, sigh).
Hi, I'm a .sig virus. Just copy me to your .signature. And don't worry.