RuneScape Forum Archive | Polymath's Miscellany

[#3WR3NGEL8]

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Redemption

When she opened her eyes, Ocelia was surprised to behold a face she hadn't seen for nearly two years, ever since she was ostracized by the Vestals of Thalis and then captured Lord Baron. At first, in a moment of starvation, she couldn't make sense of what the lovely woman was doing in the midst of an army of thugs known for the mindless and cruel destruction it left in its wake. And then the bitter truth came to her. Lord Baron had captured most of Ocelia's former followers.

The young Vestal stood still, holding an aromatic bowl of spiced stew, cookies and sausages. Young, Ocelia corrected herself ruefully, if one considered four centuries and a few decades old to be young.

"Euphemia," Ocelia made her jaws work. It had been weeks since she had spoken to anyone. In her shackles, Ocelia couldn't feed herself. Soldiers fed her twice a day, in two ways actually: either they stuffed her mouth or they made her eat off the ground. She preferred the latter, despite it being humiliating for a sorceress, since it wouldn't be the end of her. Apparently, the men so disliked the duty of feeding an old woman that Lord Baron gave the menial task to Euphemia.

"Mother Vestal," Euphemia greeted in a tone that betrayed only the slightest crack of hopelessness. A sarcastic smile tainted her rosy lips. "Or should I say, Mother Vestal proven to be a servant of the Dark One."

Euphemia used to have a regal bearing that intimidated Ocelia on a certain level. Her back wasn't as straight as it once was, nor was her chin lifted haughtily. Ocelia believed Euphemia was probably the most beautiful woman she had ever met, but now her comeliness was marred by the nasty cuts and bruises on her cheeks. She was still exquisitely beautiful, but Ocelia didn't think it was an asset anymore in Euphemia's perception. However, it was her dark eyes that startled her the most. They were no longer as proud, and as calm, as they used to be.

13-Aug-2011 14:23:43 - Last edited on 19-Aug-2011 13:48:21 by [#3WR3NGEL8]

[#3WR3NGEL8]

Posts: 1,412 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Continuation:

"Pretense is unbecoming of you, Euphemia," Ocelia inhaled the aroma, despite how much she wanted the fallen Vestal away. "But then you and some of the others are good in pretending, so I guess it's alright. I never thought any one of you would fall to the Dark One's promises."

"I brought you something to eat." She changed the subject with such coldness that Ocelia caught the threat.

"Why you?"

"Because His Majesty ordered me to." Euphemia knelt on the ground, holding out a spoonful of stew. It was a ridiculous sight to Ocelia to see the woman on the soil. The Vestal wasn't complaining one bit, but she still looked out of place with her beauty. "Here, have a taste."

Ocelia opened her mouth and relished the sumptuous taste. As much as she wanted to slap the woman and refuse the food, she knew not eating would only make her weak and would not accomplish anything.

Once, she winced when Euphemia accidentally touched the wounded side of her lip.

"Those wounds would leave quite a scar on your face, Mother Vestal. Perhaps I should heal you."

"Yes, you should." Ocelia shrugged, and, against her will, smiled. "My lovers would be disappointed to see me ugly."

Euphemia laughed. It wasn't a cynical laugh or anything negative at all, just the lilting expression of amusement. "You could always make me laugh, Mother Vestal, even if I don't want to."

"That was why," she hissed with a venomous glare, "I never thought my young Euphemia would join the ranks of the Dark One's minions. I never thought my little Vestal would fall to the temptation of evils. I always you loved the Creator, and that you would never renounce Him."

"I did. I once did, Mother Vestal."

"Bah, you only love yourself." She scoffed.

"Perhaps you're right." Euphemia stirred the soup for a moment and then brought it up to Ocelia's mouth carefully. "You usually were."

"But you can return to Him. You can, Euphemia."

"I'm a fallen Vestal." She answered, retreating to an emotionless place.

13-Aug-2011 14:23:45 - Last edited on 19-Aug-2011 14:20:15 by [#3WR3NGEL8]

[#3WR3NGEL8]

Posts: 1,412 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Continuation:

"I am a sorceress bound to cause nothing but death."

"But the Creator is all-loving and forgiving... the Dark One is nothing but a liar. You canno--"

The young woman suddenly slapped her hard enough to sned her sprawling on the ground. The Vestal glowered down at her. Her dark eyes gleamed with feral fury and menace.

"You will not utter blasphemy. The Dark One is my Master. I serve Lord Baron in this world, and in the other I serve the Dark One. I will not tolerate your profaning of my oath to my a Master. Do you understand?"

Ocelia did not move, or speak for that matter, fearing to provoke the sorceress again into another outburst. Euphemia grabbed a fistful of her rag of a clothing
and hauled her up to her knees. "I asked a question; I expect an answer. Do you understand?"

She couldn't make her jaw work at first. The slap seemed to have broken it. When the Vestal started to use her magic to make her muscles ache tortuously, Ocelia was finally able to breath out "yes."

Euphemia let go and picked up the bowl. "There are still a few sausages and biscuits here. I'll leave some stew for you to drink."

Her dark eyes turned to the bowl below, as she held out a spoon of chopped sausage. Euphemia at last spoke. "I'm sorry that I hurt you."

"I forgive you Euphemia." The woman refused to look into her eyes. "I really do."

"There is nothing for you to forgive. I am what I am--a cherished servant of the Dark One. Nothing can change it. You can't imagine of the things I've done to be a fallen Vestal, of the men, women and children I've killed to prove myself." Euphemia looked up with a distant expression. Her gaze was haunted by visions Ocelia couldn't see. Ocelia thought all fallen Vestals had no mercy and conscience. Apparently, this one did. "You can't imagine of the powerful magic I was granted in return. You have no idea, Mother Vestal."

Ocelia almost asked what good it did her, but managed to hold her tongue and finish the food in silence.

13-Aug-2011 14:23:59 - Last edited on 19-Aug-2011 14:43:36 by [#3WR3NGEL8]

[#3WR3NGEL8]

Posts: 1,412 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Continuation:

Euphemia stood up without preamble and began to walk towards the tent flap. "Could you sit with me for a bit?"

"I will bring you food later this evening."

"No, I would like to have someone to talk with. It's quite tiring to stay inside this tent for an entire day, doing nothing, and then another day I would be stuck inside a box." Ocelia admitted. Their former home, the palace back at Thalis, was enchanted by the wizards and sorceresses of long ago to slow the process of aging. In all the two thousand and six hundred years she'd lived, Ocelia had seen people, revolutions and rulers come and ago. This one had caught up with them, though. Likewise, every year of her age caught up with her.

"I'm a fallen Vestal."

"I'm a Vestal of the Creator, and you brought me food, remember?"

"I was ordered to."

"Fine, then. I shouldn't have interrupted your 'duties.' Lord Baron obviously wants you back to 'serve' his men."

Silence reigned for a few moments, before it was pierced by a woman's scream of terror and despair. Ocelia was no less relieved when the men's laughter abruptly overwhelmed the pleas of the poor woman. She didn't want to think what they did to her.

The woman finally sat down beside her. "Yes, it would be better if I stay for a while."

"So," she asked when she couldn't bear looking at the ground any longer. "What are the things Lord Baron has of use for your powers?"

"We are used as his weapons, nothing more." Euphemia replied impassively. "We are but his tools, to do his bidding. There is a kingdom he wishes to conquer. Ayapathia, I think, is its name. When his army is resting, we are sent to the tents... to serve... like the woman you've heard."

Ocelia didn't know what to say when she saw the woman on the verge of tears. Vestals were women of magical mastery, women of intelligence, and women of strength forged by the passing of centuries. Fallen Vestals were harder to break.

13-Aug-2011 14:26:17 - Last edited on 19-Aug-2011 15:16:11 by [#3WR3NGEL8]

[#3WR3NGEL8]

Posts: 1,412 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

She feared to think of what had so easily reduced this five-hundred-year-old fallen Vestal into nothing but a helpless and abused object of lust.

"I'm... His Majesty's favorite." Her words held no hint of pride or honor. "I have no idea how he acquired such strong magic. Even I, a fallen Vestal, cannot begin to accomplish what he can."

13-Aug-2011 14:26:19 - Last edited on 19-Aug-2011 15:19:24 by [#3WR3NGEL8]