Post by Wilhemia on Oct 3, 2010 13:14:59 GMT -6
( sorry for back pedalling a bit, but should have posted this first before moving forward. So without further ado.. how Mena came to the Underdark)
It hadn't been with Augusta's blessings that she left Rome, if anything at all the woman had been furious with her. Yet, Willa felt betrayed, by all she had hoped for. While Odis died in the attempts of keeping her safe away from the men of Rome, she couldn't help but seek out the man responsible for his death. The young woman stood at the side of the ship as it rocked with the waves, the blond hair was left to feather out like a flag in the wind. The eyes stared hard into the horizon with the small hope that life would somehow manage to be as it was when she left. The years that had passed had not managed to create a promising atmosphere for her return, yet she had no where else.
It was aboard the ship she spoke quietly with one of the travelers, a man.. a merchant of no real consequence, yet his words he imparted brought the young woman's heart deeper into the despair. Life had changed within Skye. Had she really expected them to all have halted.. waited on baited breath for her? It was a childish whim, perhaps. Yet the time within Rome had shown her that life did not wait upon childish fantasies. She felt the shame at the pain she had caused others, all for the chance at a revenge that was denied to her. The young woman draped herself in the simple clothing with a heavy wool shawl. She had not come by the way of the popular docks, but one used more for the fisher folks. She and the pack of her belongings slung over a shoulder began the trek across the country itself.
It was midnight when she reached the other wall of the lands she and her father Odis had lived. She dared not cross the forgotten fields. She stared blankly at the old cottage that rested just at the edge of a valley. No, she would go and speak first with the land owners. However when arriving at the path to the keep itself, she found she had no courage left within her. None to face her own shadows. Within the tunnels openings into the Underdark she heard the faint call for help. It was a gentle pleading voice that whispered upward in the early morning light. The young woman gathered herself to investigate. Sitting within the darkness, the muddled shadows was a boy, he crouched beside a woman who's cough rattled her very bones.
Willa had seen such before as she drew closer. The sweet faced boy looked up at her, the tears that rolled down from his cheeks. was more then what she needed to offer a hand. Willa edged closer as she spoke to the child, then turned the kind eyes to the woman herself. Mary's face was pale and her breathing shallow as she gripped the ground when she coughed. The spittle that fell from her lips was tainted with blood, though she tried to hide it from the small boy. The pack slipped over both shoulders now, Willa edged her arm around the woman and slowly drew her upright.
" come.. let us find you a place to rest. "She spoke softly. The woman looked at her, Willa thought her own despair was recognizable..yet Mary seemed to grasp at hers as if it were the last thing she had to keep her going.
" Go miss.. please.. "She whispered as Willa lifted a brow and shook her head.
"Nonsense, you can't handle this alone. Boy..show me where it is you live. "She spoke softly as the lad rose up from his place in the dirt. He looked first to his Mother then to the young woman that offered her aid. He gave a small nod and began to lead Willa and Mary through the tunnels toward the smaller structures. One could call them rooms, as they had been walled off in part by old tattered wood, or filthy yards of cloth. The quiet was interrupted by another fit of the coughing as Willa stepped inside the single room and moved to rest the poor woman upon the shoddy cot.
Their landlord, or sorts, Lars had appeared beating on the fragile door as Mary looked at it frightened. Willa spoke softly , reassuring her she would deal with this.. landlord. The pack was set down and half pushed beneath the cot before she dared to open the door.
" Who are you? " He demanded though the bloodshot eyes looked over Willa as if determining what lie beneath the common clothing.
" I am Mia.. I am taking care of Mary and her son , until she is capable once more. " She spoke softly , keeping her eyes down, small things she had schooled into her head by Augusta. The man sneered and gave a nod.
" That so.. She owes me rent.. what are you going to do about that? " he demanded as she looked up at him. She had a feeling that wasn't the truth at all, however given the situation? She didn't dare speak out against it.
" How much? "She asked softly. The man rubbed his grimy jaw before reaching out a hand to toy with the blond hair. The young woman stepped away and turned her face in the other direction. " Coin.. as I am not for sale."She stated firmly. The man grinned and spoke of a number. Dear Lady above, Willa could have settled them into a fine inn for the cost he spoke of. She gave a nod and moved to her pack.. rummaging to take the last of her coin to pay the man .. for now.
She and the boy shared whispered conversations, his mother Mary often worked for the merchants, washing and cleaning. At least until she had gotten sick. The illness had only worsened over time, fearing to take a day away from the chores , else she and her son become worse victims to Lars and the other swine of the Under Dark. The following Morning, Willa left the boy with his mother, after getting a list of who she dealt with.. she moved through the markets unnoticed by the heavy shawl, avoiding people as much as she could. She had adopted Mary's position, at times bartering items she had brought with her from Rome, to get food or medicine.
The medicine however proved no use as Mary had seen her son taken care of, released her hold upon life. With the promise from Willa's lips to watch over the boy, take him as her own.. Mary's eyes closed for the last time. The boy cried and mourned within Willa's arms as she paid one man to remove the body.. taking the dead further into the depths of the catacombs. Fearing her own past, she had to push it all aside to take up the tasks of fending for herself, as well as Edward.
It hadn't been with Augusta's blessings that she left Rome, if anything at all the woman had been furious with her. Yet, Willa felt betrayed, by all she had hoped for. While Odis died in the attempts of keeping her safe away from the men of Rome, she couldn't help but seek out the man responsible for his death. The young woman stood at the side of the ship as it rocked with the waves, the blond hair was left to feather out like a flag in the wind. The eyes stared hard into the horizon with the small hope that life would somehow manage to be as it was when she left. The years that had passed had not managed to create a promising atmosphere for her return, yet she had no where else.
It was aboard the ship she spoke quietly with one of the travelers, a man.. a merchant of no real consequence, yet his words he imparted brought the young woman's heart deeper into the despair. Life had changed within Skye. Had she really expected them to all have halted.. waited on baited breath for her? It was a childish whim, perhaps. Yet the time within Rome had shown her that life did not wait upon childish fantasies. She felt the shame at the pain she had caused others, all for the chance at a revenge that was denied to her. The young woman draped herself in the simple clothing with a heavy wool shawl. She had not come by the way of the popular docks, but one used more for the fisher folks. She and the pack of her belongings slung over a shoulder began the trek across the country itself.
It was midnight when she reached the other wall of the lands she and her father Odis had lived. She dared not cross the forgotten fields. She stared blankly at the old cottage that rested just at the edge of a valley. No, she would go and speak first with the land owners. However when arriving at the path to the keep itself, she found she had no courage left within her. None to face her own shadows. Within the tunnels openings into the Underdark she heard the faint call for help. It was a gentle pleading voice that whispered upward in the early morning light. The young woman gathered herself to investigate. Sitting within the darkness, the muddled shadows was a boy, he crouched beside a woman who's cough rattled her very bones.
Willa had seen such before as she drew closer. The sweet faced boy looked up at her, the tears that rolled down from his cheeks. was more then what she needed to offer a hand. Willa edged closer as she spoke to the child, then turned the kind eyes to the woman herself. Mary's face was pale and her breathing shallow as she gripped the ground when she coughed. The spittle that fell from her lips was tainted with blood, though she tried to hide it from the small boy. The pack slipped over both shoulders now, Willa edged her arm around the woman and slowly drew her upright.
" come.. let us find you a place to rest. "She spoke softly. The woman looked at her, Willa thought her own despair was recognizable..yet Mary seemed to grasp at hers as if it were the last thing she had to keep her going.
" Go miss.. please.. "She whispered as Willa lifted a brow and shook her head.
"Nonsense, you can't handle this alone. Boy..show me where it is you live. "She spoke softly as the lad rose up from his place in the dirt. He looked first to his Mother then to the young woman that offered her aid. He gave a small nod and began to lead Willa and Mary through the tunnels toward the smaller structures. One could call them rooms, as they had been walled off in part by old tattered wood, or filthy yards of cloth. The quiet was interrupted by another fit of the coughing as Willa stepped inside the single room and moved to rest the poor woman upon the shoddy cot.
Their landlord, or sorts, Lars had appeared beating on the fragile door as Mary looked at it frightened. Willa spoke softly , reassuring her she would deal with this.. landlord. The pack was set down and half pushed beneath the cot before she dared to open the door.
" Who are you? " He demanded though the bloodshot eyes looked over Willa as if determining what lie beneath the common clothing.
" I am Mia.. I am taking care of Mary and her son , until she is capable once more. " She spoke softly , keeping her eyes down, small things she had schooled into her head by Augusta. The man sneered and gave a nod.
" That so.. She owes me rent.. what are you going to do about that? " he demanded as she looked up at him. She had a feeling that wasn't the truth at all, however given the situation? She didn't dare speak out against it.
" How much? "She asked softly. The man rubbed his grimy jaw before reaching out a hand to toy with the blond hair. The young woman stepped away and turned her face in the other direction. " Coin.. as I am not for sale."She stated firmly. The man grinned and spoke of a number. Dear Lady above, Willa could have settled them into a fine inn for the cost he spoke of. She gave a nod and moved to her pack.. rummaging to take the last of her coin to pay the man .. for now.
She and the boy shared whispered conversations, his mother Mary often worked for the merchants, washing and cleaning. At least until she had gotten sick. The illness had only worsened over time, fearing to take a day away from the chores , else she and her son become worse victims to Lars and the other swine of the Under Dark. The following Morning, Willa left the boy with his mother, after getting a list of who she dealt with.. she moved through the markets unnoticed by the heavy shawl, avoiding people as much as she could. She had adopted Mary's position, at times bartering items she had brought with her from Rome, to get food or medicine.
The medicine however proved no use as Mary had seen her son taken care of, released her hold upon life. With the promise from Willa's lips to watch over the boy, take him as her own.. Mary's eyes closed for the last time. The boy cried and mourned within Willa's arms as she paid one man to remove the body.. taking the dead further into the depths of the catacombs. Fearing her own past, she had to push it all aside to take up the tasks of fending for herself, as well as Edward.
A humble heart filled with regret, yet honorbound by a code written only within my father's eyes.