A Whirlwind of Thoughts - Vala's Journal

[Alurianna]

That dream… it was so real. So… perfect.

Her eyes glaze over… her mind far away… A hand waves in front of her eyes but she doesn’t see it.

A home. ‘My’ home. My lighthouse. She kisses her husband.

A caravan came to town to perform. Her whole family came to share in the fun. As the sun fades and stars begin to shine, the kids head off to bed as Vala and her husband wander the streets. A stroll that could last all night, especially now that the kids found themselves in their own dreams. Then they attacked…. The bandits.. they came to steal from the town. She was ready though… and she protected all she loved. It was glorious…

She stands her ground. They take off to a nearby cave trying to hide from her.


(( Music starts – AKA press play))
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3wKzyIN1yk)


She stands in the opening ... waiting a moment staring into the darkness… Her hands slowly pull out her scimitars… She breaths for a moment and then steps inside…

She sees the first scout. He smirks thinking he could take her. He was wrong. She steps up with ease and her blades slit his throat. The body hits the floor. She steps over it the blood dripping from the tip of one of her scimitars and goes deeper into the cave.

All along the way, bodies fall. They did this to themselves. They hurt her friends… they threatened her family.

A larger group stands huddled behind a fire.. She enters the slightly larger cavern… a smirk sneaking onto her face. She takes a step towards the fire… She stops for a moment and one of the bravest… or daftest move around the fire towards her with a club in his hand… He tries to bash her head in only to find his club flying through the air and a scimitar in his chest.

She eyes the rest of the bloodthirsty bandits and clenches her fists around the hilts of her scimitars. “You hurt too many tonight. Now it’s your turn.”

The enemies move to surround her. But she isn’t scared. They are just making this easier for her. Someone yells in anger and the fight begins. She ducks and weaves through the enemies their grunts and curses getting more aggressive as they seem to just miss her. The firelight reflects off her blades like lightning. One by one they start to drop like drops of rain.. falling and collecting around her. Sounds echoing off the walls like thunder.

Finally... the thunder stops. She looks to the back of the cave where the bandit leader was sure to be ready for her.

She walks towards the entrance of the backcave. She steps through and instantly ducks as daggers fly towards her… She drops her blades and ducks below the one aimed at her face and jumping over the one aimed at her knees. The daggers stop flying and as she stands there, she narrows her eyes at the giant of a bandit leader.

“That was a mistake” she says coolly.

She keeps her eyes on the leader as she slowly crouches to pick up her blades and calmly comes to a stand, the blade tips dragging through the dirt. A flail eerily sways in the giant’s hand. Vala smirks and starts to walk towards the man. Her walk slowly turns into a jog and then into a run as the giant charges her. Her face that once held the smirk, turns to concentration as her body slips into the gypsy dance taught her. Her body moves and dances around the giant, her blades catching just enough skin to make his clothes soak with blood. She continues this until his shirt is more red than brown.

The giant swings while spinning in a circle to try and make his flail take purchase. Vala dodges and ducks, spins and twists. Her body in the likeness of a raging storm sweeping and tearing at everything in her path. After a while beads of sweat line her face as drops of his blood hit the floor.

“Now. It’s. Going. To. End” she says between cuts. She tumbles, leaping atop the giants shoulders and slices his throat. As the body falls forward she pushes off of its head and rides the body’s back like a wave as it comes crashing down landing on a crouch on top of him. She looks from the back of his head up to the entrance of the cave. Her hands grip her blades as she stands and makes her way out of the cave… keeping her back to the stillness of the cave.



“No one threatens my family.”






...

[Alurianna]

How could this happen...

Screams are heard through the caves... Where is he...

Derik jerks as darts strike his chest... It shouldn't be him working the traps...

Another scream echoes through the caves... We're coming...

...

Three stand in the way... They will die...

...

Vala slices the man holding Herran captive just as he teleports, bringing both him and her from the darkness of the cave to the brightness of the outdoors. She grapples him to the ground... "Kill her...." was all she heard before she was hit.. Not by a sword or an arrow or even a dart... A spell. One so powerful all goes black in an instant... Blackness... Release...

She eventually breathes again... "Necromancer..." she says as it was the first thing she remembered...
"Open your eyes" she hears...
No...too much... She blacks out again... Accepting the darkness... It's easier this way... No more talking.. No more deciding... No more protecting... No more worry....

Did he make it out..? A thought.
Are we safe... ? A question.
Is it worth it...? A dubiety.


No... I don't want to wake up... Not yet...

[Alurianna]

//A four part dream from her comatose state (3rd of December 2016)
::PART 1::


No... I don't want to wake up... Not yet...

Vala relaxes as the blackness surrounds her. Quiet… peace… rest…. She closes her eyes.

Only, it didn’t last.

“Vala... Treasure... we have him... he's safe...” Derik? Is that you…? Vala opens her eyes and tries to focus them. She looks around, sitting up. I can almost see … something…. She squints her eyes… Slowly blackness becomes shadows …. Shadows that almost remind her of something but dissipate before she can put her finger on what it is… “Will be here when you're ready to be awake, Treasure…” Derik’s voice says causing Vala to take a few steps not quite sure which way she needed to go … I’m coming. I’m coming… I just needed to sleep… I needed…

*a womans voice* “I know you cant hear me... but I really hope you are okay... Or maybe you can... Vala...?” Who’s that… I know that voice.. I think? “Can you hear me? It's me... Juniper... The weirdo?” A smiles spreads across Vala’s face… I knew I’d heard that voice before…

Vala again looks around still not sure where to go .. or how to get out of …here…? After a little while something in the distance makes her stop and perk her ears, her feet already moving towards the voice. Is that … singing?

"Would you like to live in Luskan... Where the pirates come to town.." … Is that .. Michael… Michael! I remember the pirates… "Or maybe Sundabar...Where the sun shines all year 'round..." Wait.. sunshine.. someone calls me that… Thomas? Wait.. no.. singing.. right.. _ She continues into the darkness. "If you can do anything else, do it. But if you can't.... darlin’ you can stay right here." No wait.. I’m coming…. "Rest well, little lady." Something touches her shoulder and she jerks around looking… She rubs her shoulder where a shadow grazed it…

Seeing nothing Vala turns back around and shrieks as a shadow suddenly stands staring into her face…. She relaxes as she realizes it’s just Derik there… He begins to speak to her. "I couldn't protect you... and now you’re like this ... I should have protected you." It’s okay Derik…. I didn’t know the mage was there… I couldn’t do anything… Derik raises a hand and strokes her hair. "When I saw you... like that... there. I didn't know what to do with myself. Couldn't leave you there, even after we brought you back, couldn't leave you then either. I don't want to ever have to leave you..." Derik’s hand forms a fist and pulls at her hair a little bit and his voice gets darker. “I've given you all I have… “ Vala begins to back away from Derik but he keeps a hand on her hair holding her in place. “All I have is me... all I have is what I do.” His hands slips through her hair and she finally is able to step back… “… if you wake up, you won’t be you... the beautiful, vivacious, adventurous woman that I love... Please stay away...Please don’t come back to us....” Derik walks off….and after a moment of surprise Vala tries to catch up to him… "Sorry Treasure” Derik says as the blackness swallows Derik up and Vala is again left in the shadow black mass….

Suddenly her wrist gets scratched… A branch? Here…? She goes to look at her wrist seeing the blood starting to form and covers it before looking at the tree… and suddenly he is there… Michael leans up against the tree, a knife in his hands as he whittles at a stick…. He walks over to her, a leer on his face. He holds her arm while he uses the other to pull the ribbon off of his arm to tie over the small cut to stop the bleeding. “Rest easy there little lady, much as you need for as long as you need. We don't want you back... Sad to say but the trouble starts again soon as those dirty mud-brown eyes open."

She needs to sleep.. this is .. too exhausting.. Where…? She looks around… Oh… an iris flower patch. She lets out a breath of relief and heads over to it. She lays down on the flowers, it feeling like a fluffy bed of comfortableness. She just manages to close her eyes as her hands jerk… Ow… What was that..? She looks at her hands as red welts begin to form on them… `No…. Her face drains of color.. Poison.. this is poison…. She tries to get out, her body panicking… Instead of being able to crawl out, the flowers seem to resist her movement keeping her on the poisonous patch of pain….

A voice.. his voice… “I am here Vala.” Herran!! Help.. I’m stuck!! A shadow of Herran pops up standing over her looking down to her as he addresses her… “All is right with the world Vala” No Herran… No .. it hurts .. help me..! He leans down to her and presses a loving and tender kiss to her lips as he caresses her cheek with his fingers. “ Vala… all is fine…” He smirks and snaps his finger teleporting them both.

[Alurianna]

Vala sits in the Friendly Arm Inn writing in her journal and occasionally drinking from her mug. After she finishes writing down a memory, she closes her journal, and looks around before rising to her feet and shouldering her bag a smile spread across her face.

Hidden: show

"How is this going to work...?"

The same couple of questions kept echoing in her mind, as water dripped down her face and into the water bassin in front of her mirror as Vala washed the grim and dirt off from the days adventures and duties.

"Can I keep them safe?"
"Can I keep them going strong?"

As Vala takes a towel to dry her newly cleansed face, her eyes dance over her face's features in the mirror. She studies them close, closely noting especially the way her lips angle downwards and brows crease in worry. The more she studies the more these symbols of worry begin to fade.

"I will keep them safe. I will lead as well as I before have followed."

As Vala stands there towel still in hand, her posture, although not physically changing, shifts, transforms, her body no longer weighed down by worry and fear but standing firm: one of assurance, courage, and valour.

"They will not fear to follow in my steps."
"They will know that I am strong and can weather the tempests that come our way."

[Alurianna]

She tugs at his hand. "Come on! Come on!" She says as she tries to get his feet to move faster. Michael gets tugged along an amused smirk on his face.

"We're going to be late!"

Vala and Michael make their way to the harbor.

As they near, Vala points at the incoming ship. "Must be someone important." Her words are only confirmed as the harbor hums with extra hands trying to make the necessary preparations as the galleon pulls into the inlet.

Vala pulls on his jacket arm, her face beaming though not from the prospect of meeting the emissaries from the ship, but from the ship itself. Newly birthed the ship shown with pride. The wood gleamed in the sunlight. Vala takes Michael's hand and pulls him along with her as she tries to find a better vantage point.

She shakes his arm as they find a spot and immediately starts pointing out the finer details, the type of ship and what she thinks might be inside and where.

They spend the next candlemark watching. The ship's anchor on the starboard side is dropped and the sails are neatly and efficiently folded and stored. As the ship takes it place in the inlet, the sailors prepare the longboats for the emissaries.

As the emissaries row to the docks, Valas attention flits back and forth from watching the sailors rowing, to the sailors on deck preparing the ship for the night.

Michael pulls out his whittle and stick and begins to whittle. Having seen the ship, he was content to let it be.

The sound of wagon wheels on the docks pulls Vala from her intense attentiveness. She looks to the source of the sound and finds a merchant of warm candied almonds crossing the docks offering samples to anyone he thinks can afford the inflated price of treats.

Vala's gaze goes from the merchant to Michael and back again. Michael's contented smile turns crooked and charming as he flashingly stores his dagger and his whittling project. He kisses Vala pulling her in more than she felt comfortable with with all the sailors watching as he lays claim to his wife there on the docks. When he feels successful that the message is sent he tips his bent forefinger under her chin resting his thumb on top of it as he whispers low.

"... and now they all know you are mine..."

Vala's cheeks tinge a soft pink as he moves off. She runs a ringed hand through her hair a few times in the hopes of distracting from the spreading pinkness on her cheeks.

Michael heads to the merchant and starts talking with the man and then shortly after that, bartering with him. Vala would happily have given over the extra coins but Michael refused. After a longer than needed bartering process, Michael hands over some coins and then returns to Vala, a brown paper package in his hand and a crooked smile on his face.

In the background, the merchant packs up his wagon and heads off likely further away from the man and any that heard their conversation.

Vala quirks a brow, a question clear on her face. Michael sees the question and just chuckles. "It was his own fault...." is all he offers as he hands over the package to Vala. Vala narrows her eyes, looks back to the merchant for a moment before shaking her head and eagerly opening up the candied treat. She eats three almonds in a row and then remembers to offer Michael some of then. He grins and offers a hand towards Vala. She takes an almond from the package and then proceeds to chuck it at his face.

Michael laughs as he tries to catch it. Vala slides off her perch, takes another candied almond, pops it in her mouth with a smug look on her face and then begins to walk away. Michaels jaw drops playfully and then he moves lightningly. Vala screeches in surprise at his speed and then the chase was on. All the the sailors hear as the pair run off, is the giggling of Vala and the sounds of two pairs of boots sprinting off into the distance.


...

[Alurianna]

The familiar ringing of Vala's blades ring through the orc cave. Michael's eyes, even if blended in the shadows, seek out the sound. Vala, not knowing that his eyes tracked her, walks forward confidently. To her, this was familiar. The smell of the orc cave, although repulsive, brought back memories of her goal. She ran through this cave countles times and this time was no different.

She remembered the army they had amassed. She remembered the threat they put on her friends and family.

She had made sure she would remember to come in here, in this very cave, and make sure the orcs weren't amassing again. They had gathered before and
was possible they would do it again.

Valas blades slice the orcs throat. Her body already moving past it as the body falls. Michael follows silently watching his beloved as she makes her way through the rooms, his bow still knocked as he steps over the trail of dead orc bodies.

As Vala neared the center of the throne room several orcs come from different directions trying to slow her in sheer number. Vala hears them and as she takes notice her stance changes. Concentration shows on her face her feet spread and her grip on her blades tighten and then loosen.

Michael almost takes a steps forward but stops as Vala's dance begins. Vala's movements flow as her blades, extensions of her arms, flash as they swing in motion with her body, the low light flickering off the blades as they whirl around and through the orcs.

The final orc falls and Vala stands there for a moment the movements of attack replaying in her mind. She kicks one orcs body off of another and quickly searches the bodies.

Vala pockets a few coins and a gem before moving to the chest in the back corner. She butts the hilt of one of her scimitars against the lock and then pries the chest open pulling out a nicer looking belt. She smirks and pockets this and then makes her way back out.

Halfway to the exit Michael decides it's time to let her know he's there. He purposefully crunches on a bone, rather loudly. Vala whirls around, blades at the ready, searching the empty room and reaching for her specialized wand satchel. Michael steps towards her and at the same time steps out of hiding.

Valas stance immediately relaxes as the familiar cloak comes into view.

"That had better be you and not some orc in your cloak... and your body rotting in a corner... Because then I would be quite unhappy...."

She smirks over to him and sheathes her weapons as she steps towards him.

"Impressive love. You know what would make you look even more captivating?" he asks.

"What?" she asks back curiously as she continues to step towards him.

"You doing that without a stitch of cloth on you." His grin is one of mischevious chagrin.

She stops and snorts.

"... uh... huh.... " she says matching his look with a flat one of her own.

He shrugs. "Doesn't change the fact that it's true." He gives her a knowing smile.

She scrunches her nose at him and then begins to draw her blades as she spots the orc coming up behind Michael. Michael turns around having already heard where his target was and releasing his bow before Vala can even take two steps towards him or the orc.

Vala takes her turn giving Michael a smirk as she sheaths her blades knowing that she would likely not need them again on this trip. She keeps her hands on the hilts, ready, but as she thought she didn't need them again as they reach the entrance of the cave, a line of bodies marking the path behind them.

"Let's go home Love."

Vala offers Michael a quick kiss before they head off towards the inn, walking as Vala wipes off as much half dried orc blood she can manage.



...

[Alurianna]

Flashes.... Images of things darting into the corners. A nightmare.

But when did dreams suddenly feel better than reality.

Before her eyes come into focus, a male voice sounds loomingly….

“You can’t wash that off your hands, Peaches. He’s always gonna be mine. Keep having your fun and telling yourselves otherwise. You love a good chase dontcha? I know I do.”

.....................................................

Vala’s lungs fill with air to scream but nothing comes out as the drow behind her keeps Vala’s mouth covered. Vala watches on hopelessly as Michael takes -her- hand…..

She bites into the drow’s hand and turns around only to see it wasn’t a drow but a priestess…

The look on her face… that look that shows that Vala knows what she did wrong… that Vala could never fix it …. That nothing she could do could make him happy.

She turns around and runs after her husband. Michael looks back and smiles that crooked, handsomely broody side-grin of his before he and his girl turn into a pile of leaves, his prayer echoeing in the wind.

“NOooooo!” She screams out in horror….

Then -he- shows up …. A thick stocky man with dirty, brown hair and mucky brown eyes, accompanied by that ever greasy smile of his.

“Well Peaches, there you go. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya, because I did. Gotta love a good love story, -especially- when it ends. It’s a wheel dear heart. Yours just happens to be done, and his is just beginning.”

“Don’t worry though Peaches, I’ll stick wit him. Make sure he gets into all kinds of trouble and into all the wrong hands.”

Vala grabs for her blades that still are frustratingly absent from her side… instead of her blades her hands get twisted, wrapped in something flowing about her waist… a deep, dark maroon ribbon….

Last thing she sees is that ragged hound of a man walking towards her as she furiously, apprehensively tries to free her hands. He steps up to her, his body somehow hovering dominatingly over hers, his hand twists in her long sweat-tinged hair, breathing his mangy cigar tinted breath into her face, lowering his voice.

“He’s always been mine and I am taking him back. And now. Oh now sweet Peaches… You are going to learn exactly what it is like when someone takes something that isn’t theirs.”


...

[Alurianna]

Vala stands there looking around feeling the tension exuding in the quiet….

Something’s wrong, she thinks to herself. Too hard to explain what it was, it was a feeling, a part so engrained inside of her. Something she has had since she was a little girl, that little feeling that you feel on the back of your neck when something is close by but hides just out of the corner of your eyes as they shift trying to find the danger.

All of her senses were on edge, the grip on her scimitars tightened, her hands trying to dispel the sweat threatening to dew on her palms. She can’t explain it... but it felt wrong. This was a meeting. A meeting to meet with a potential client, a simple one sure, but a good source of steady income.

Meet up near Thunders Ride, the letter had said. The job was just broken wagons and crates that needed to be shipped to and repaired in the Gate. She had agreed to meet up with the employer to look at how much needed moving before an official date was set. Vala stood tense as she waited as the sun set below the trees.
An owl hooted somewhere before a broken branch announced the arrival of someone… or thing.


...