Day 65: Hear Me Roar
Sentence: 10-20 Coli Battles
Sentence: 10-20 Coli Battles
Bailaduel paced around her new room in the palace. She had been moved to the wing given to Virtue and Hollyn to house the Sisters of Virtue. The move insulted the wildclaw, it was as if she were being passed around like a child. She had half a mind to get up and leave, but she was trapped here, as Coldstorm had told her. She would be trying to leave the city until it killed her. It was better to wait out this process and find her own corner in the clan where no one would bother her.
She didn't like how lost she felt. She always had a purpose, and that was to survive. It was why she had teamed up with Ghostlantern, and why she had later killed him. It was why she had moved from flight to flight, taking various mercenary jobs without question. It was why she had taken this one, and why she had gone to move onto the next. But somewhere along the way, survival wasn't enough anymore. If this were just about survival, she would be content to stay in the Forgotten Kingdom, if that's what would keep her alive. Now she itched to leave, hungry for something that she could never seem to fill.
Or maybe she was just hungry, Bailaduel realized as her stomach growled. When had she last eaten? She had refused breakfast and lunch, with everyone too busy fawning over the sick queen to worry about whether she was taking her proper meals. Now she regretted that action. She had done it out of spite, and dinner seemed ages away. It was then that she remembered that Hollyn had a collection of pet bunnies. Surely she wouldn't notice if one of them were to disappear?
Feeling proud of her ingenuity, Bailaduel slipped out of her room and made her way through the common area towards the room Hollyn and Virtue shared. Virtue usually took Hollyn out for a walk around this time, so the wildclaw was certain she could sneak in unnoticed. Stepping lightly, she creaked open the door and made her way inside.
Bailaduel could smell the rabbits moving around, their warm blood rising making her mouth water. Yes, they would make a good snack indeed! Licking her lips, the wildclaw pried open the lid to the rabbit enclosure and pulled out a plump rabbit. It squealed at her harsh grip, fear in its wide black eyes, but it didn't struggle. Silly rabbit, it had gone soft and trusting, too used to the caring hand of Hollyn. It's trust would be its downfall. The wildclaw bared her teeth and moved for the kill.
Before Bailaduel could bite down on the soft flesh of the rabbit, the door to the room swung open and she heard a scream sound as light flooded the room and the wildclaw was blinded. She dropped the bunny in surprise, and it hopped towards the figure in the door. As Bailaduel adjusted to the light, she saw Hollyn staring at her with a look of absolute horror. Her mouth hung open as she screamed, and tears began rolling down her cheeks. Bailaduel swore. Maybe she and Virtue hadn't gone out after all.
Bailaduel quickly moved to slip away, hoping the incident would soon be forgotten, but Virtue intercepted her before she could reach her room again.
"We need to talk, now," Virtue's voice was calm, but firm. There was no wriggling out of this one. The imperial's form towered over the wildclaw, and she knew that despite her experience, she was no match for a dragon so big. Bailaduel let herself be led into Virtue's office. The imperial closed the door and locked her in, leaving her alone for a moment. Bailaduel could hear her even voice calming Hollyn before she returned.
The imperial's calm demeanor didn't fool Bailaduel. Virtue was furious. Bailaduel didn't see what the big deal was. Hollyn had lots of rabbits, and she could easily get another. What did it matter if she ate one or two.
"You know, we didn't have to take you in. We could have left you to die on that cold, dark street where you lay starving, but Age has made it very clear this is a kingdom of second chances," Virtue growled. "We could have thrown you out the moment you were conscious again, especially considering how hostile you've been to everyone. Honestly, I'm surprised the curse hasn't gotten to you yet, with all that darkness in your heart."
Bailaduel snorted. She couldn't be serious? The Forgotten Kingdom had basically kept her prisoner since she had been rediscovered! What sort of kindness was that?
"I agreed to take you in because I know what its like to live a rough life. I know what its like to fight for everything you have. I know what its like to lose things, and what it's like to try to build something resembling a good life out of the ashes," Virtue said. "I lost two sisters in the process. They may not be here anymore, but it was because of our vision, of a life no one had to fight for, that we created the Sisters of Virtue. I want this to be a place where dragons come to challenge their brokenness, to make something better of it. I want to see you face everything that's made you as twisted and bitter as you are and help you make it into something that makes you happy. I want everything my sisters and I have done to be for some good, so that they didn't die pointless deaths in an unfair world. I am willing to stand by no matter what you do or how many times you try to bit off my head, but I will not let you disrespect my remaining sister by taking something she loves from her. Has she not already lost enough?"
"Life is about loss, sister," Bailaduel cackled. "It's about time you get used to that. It's honorable, you know, fighting for something better, but let me tell you, there's nothing better out here. You had a nice run, but now your queen is sick. Maybe she'll live now, but she's going to die sooner or later, and how long will it be before all her precious ideals are broken and the throne is held by a corrupt monarch, just like every other kingdom in history. It's inevitable. So remind me again why your precious little sister shouldn't learn life's rough lessons sooner rather than later? It's only a matter of time. A better future? You're only deluding yourself."
Virtue shook her head. "I can't believe you. Do you know anything about love and care and compassion? Why does life being unfair give you special permission to ruin things for everyone else?"
"I know I thought I found love once, but I was stabbed in the back," Bailaduel snorted. "When I met Ghostlantern, I was young and naive. I truly thought working together would make life better and easier, but it didn't. I thought I was right, fighting for a better life for my children. You don't know the pain of watching my youngest starve because there was no food. He said we would fight for the other two, but where did that leave us? The moment it suited him, he tried to kill me for money. I had no choice but to try to kill the dragon I love, so you tell me where all those fuzzy little feelings get you in the end."
"What about your children?" Virtue pressed. "If you care so much about giving them a better life, then why would you abandon your family? You think Seaberry and Coldstorm don't need you? You think Karma wanted to grow up in a broken family? You really think your actions don't have consequences?"
"Honey, the sooner they learn how to tough it out for themselves, the better," Bailaduel grimaced. "The more they rely on others, the more they are going to get let down when reality sets in. Leaving them is the best thing I could do for them, its what my parents did for me."
"You do realize that in saying what you have, you're stepping on everything they've built for themselves in The Forgotten Kingdom? All the hard work they've put into pursuing a living and finding their place? Invalidating all of the relationships they've built?" Virtue asked. "Do you realize how much of a hypocrite that makes you?"
"They've made their own choices, I've made mine," Bailaduel shrugged.
Virtue sighed. Bailaduel could tell she was getting tired, and she felt a glimmer of satisfaction.
"Fine, leave if you want," Virtue snapped. "in order to bring forth change, you have to want it, and its clear you don't. Your wasting your time here, and you're upsetting Hollyn. If you change your mind, you're welcome to come back and I can walk alongside you as your sister if you want to work through everything you've gone through and heal form your past, but I'm not going to force you into something you clearly don't want."
A smile stretched across Bailaduel's face. She had won. She should feel happy, but somehow she didn't. It was a hollow victory, she was no less lost than she was before. She just didn't have annoying dragons looming over her anymore.
As Bailaduel returned to her room to pack up her meager possessions, she felt a deep heaviness over her. Some of the things Virtue had said cut deeper than she cared to admit. Their argument had opened old wounds, wounds she had thought she had gotten over. Why should Ghostlantern still have this power over her? He was dead and gone, and yet he was still hurting her as he had when he was alive. His death should have solved his betrayal, but it still cut like a knife.
Bailaduel was just as weak as she always thought. Feeling a surge of anger at her own softness, she slung her bag over her shoulder and flew off into the night. She would return to the house she had stayed in when she had been hired as Bahat and Bonegnasher's bodyguard, and from there, she could figure out her next move.
Violet had not been able to stop thinking about her encounter with Juliette. What did she want? She had run away with Zeal because she wanted a great love story like her parents, and she had been charmed by Jett for the same reason. Both had ended in disaster. Perhaps it was time to put her dream on hold and figure out some other plan. Or maybe she was being foolish, and there was nothing wrong with Jett. The wildclaw had been nothing but nice to her, after all, giving her a place where Zeal had not. And yet, she wasn't entirely sold on their operation. Maybe it was less so that Jett didn't care about her, and more so that the two of them hadn't been a good fit, like her mother and Gray hadn't been a good fit.
All this still left Violet with the question of want. Beyond Zeal and Jett, she had no idea what she wanted. She had no ambitions, no desires, and no passions. Without the thought of having a boyfriend, she felt like she was floating aimlessly through the world.
The thought scared her too much to bear. She would go back to the black market. She would see Jett, and everything would be okay again. That's what she would do. She was being silly. Juliette didn't know what she was talking about, clearly.
Just as she had made up her mind, she turned the corner and found herself stumbling past an impromptu camp in the middle of the street. A wildclaw huddled close to the fire, poking it absentmindedly with a stick.
Violet stopped, too surprised to say anything. The wildclaw looked up and noticed her stalled in the air, looking at him dumbfounded.
"You wouldn't happen to have any food, would you?" The wildclaw asked meekly. "My stores have just run out, and Thorburn won't give me anymore until tomorrow."
"I think I have an apple," Violet realized, digging through her bag. "Though wildclaws only eat meat, don't you?"
"It'll do. I'm hungry enough that I'll eat anything," The wildclaw said, taking the apple from her hand. "Thank you, you have no idea how much this means to me."
"So, you work for Thorburn too?" Violet asked, settling down next to him.
"Not exactly. But he's helping me out with a very important quest," The wildclaw grinned slightly. He took a bite of the apple, wincing slightly at the taste, but he gulped it down.
Violet felt her stomach drop. "You wouldn't happen to be Gillian, would you?" She asked.
"Yeah, that's my name, why?" The wildclaw looked confused.
Violet wrestled for a moment with whether or not to say anything. She didn't want to betray Jett, but this wildclaw looked so hopeful that knowing what was to come was physically painful for her.
"Thorburn's not helping you," Violet blurted out at last, growing warm as she said it. She had never done anything so bold before. "He wants your family's fortune for himself. He's using you for information so he can steal it. He's leading you on a wild goose chase."
"Oh," Gillian deflated. He looked for a moment at his half-eaten apple, wrinkled his nose, and threw it onto the fire dishearteningly.
"I'm sorry," Violet said. Her heart was pounding in her chest. What was Jett going to say if he found out?
"Don't be, I was a fool. I just genuinely thought someone might be able to help me find it. My father told me stories, but he said it was all a myth," Gillian sighed. "I just wanted to be the one to find it."
Violet fidgeted uncomfortably, not sure what to say to his disappointment.
"So, you work for Thorburn then?" Gillian asked, eying her warily.
"Yes? No? I don't know," Violet sighed. "Sorry, I'm wasting your time."
"No! Don't be sorry! It's actually kind of nice to have some company!" Gillian exclaimed.
"I really should go," Violet decided. She felt so anxious, she felt like she was going to tie herself up in knots very soon. "But you know, if you're planning to stay in the Forgotten Kingdom, you don't have to camp out in the street. There's a whole bunch of empty houses in the Living District, you can take your pick."
"I like sleeping out under the stars, but thank you. I'll remember your advice if I decide to stick around," Gillian smiled slightly. "Thanks again for the heads up, I feel like such an idiot."
"You're welcome," Violet said quietly. I'm the idiot, she thought to herself. She didn't know who she wanted to be, but she knew it wasn't a liar. She could see now that she and Jett would never have worked. Perhaps it was time to figure herself out before jumping into some sort of relationship.
Without saying another word to Gillian, she slipped away to return home. She had a lot to think about.
@CleverDual @HauntedWhale @Disillusionist @AlchemyFox @Tirtouga678 @catmeow1 @Leopardmask @Midwinter @chantric @Dynami @ShinyDecidueye @tigressRising @FallenEclipse @Stitched @Willnotgogently @Sabariel @MisterMylez @Skystrider @Starongie @icetail0912 @myriadofstars @Aetherstorm @Weredogalism @Nargeorgicorn @WeaverofLies @herobrinna @secretlylying @Azurepocalypse @GoldictheHedgefx @CobaltMoon
Oh man, Bailaduel is such a fascinating character to write! I've never written a character like her! She keeps surprising me too, I totally thought she would start the healing process with Virtue when I started the chapter, but turns out she's doing what Bailaduel does best and is making things more difficult for herself. Virtue has gotten her thinking though, so maybe there is a start of something.
Also, bringing Violet in has been hard because I realized she had no personality outside being in a relationship??? Which, I mean, was the point. I created her to be quiet and dependent and have no willpower, but it's going to be interesting to see who she turns out to be now that she's starting to figure herself out. Also, I do want to get her into a relationship eventually, but not until after she's gone through enough character development for that not to be her defining trait. I have a few potentials to ship her with, but we'll have to see where the story takes her (and who stays alive!)
Today I took Virtue, Bailaduel and Scoril into the Coli and Scoril slayed everything in the training grounds! Bailaduel is now level 2 and Virtue is level 4.
