Day 110
“Are you in Clancy?” Corrina’s voice rang out into the office space, the subject of her search unaware that the Guardian had even opened the door.
“Yeah, but I’m a bit busy,” the Pearlcatcher paused in her writing to look up. Saile had provided her with more work since turning in the last reports, and she didn’t wish to fall behind. As much as she disliked all her work and her employer, she unfortunately needed to stay caught up. Finishing reports allowed her more time to help Elanor now. Something she very much preferred.
The current piece she looked over was supposedly an old altar of sorts based on the images and partial sculpture she’d been handed. It was simple work proving that everything lined up with the theories presented, but writing an explanation in a longform report of any kind was tedious and made her want to rip her mane out. And this was only one of the two new piles of work handed to her.
The archaeologist peered in, wearing a look of concern on her face as the two made eye contact, “You’ve been in here all day. Don’t you want to get out and in the fresh air today?”
“As much as I would love to,” she gritted her teeth, “Saile’s decided to pile even more work on me. I swear he doesn’t believe in breaks in my line of work.”
“Well, the professor’s work can wait. I’m not having you starve yourself,” fully barging into the room, the much larger dragon soon got a grip on Clancy, pulling her away from her desk and towards the door.
The Pearlcatcher despised the action as much as any other time she’d been handled by a dragon larger than herself. Digging her metal claws under the scales of Corrina’s forearm, the sudden pain was enough to free her. “Okay that’s enough Miss Daunte,” she spat. “I know you mean well and care for me, but I will not take to being handled like a misbehaving hatchling.” Anger still rising, she didn’t stick around to hear a retort. If the Guardian wanted her to get fresh air so badly, she’d go outside on her own. Not be followed around and tended to as if she was still injured.
It was raining as she stepped outside and onto the expansive lawn. All in good time too as more of the foul oil rose to her throat. By the time she’d recovered from the sudden sickness her clothes and fur were both drenched, and her arm now ached in protest of the weather. Still, having gone this far already, she began to wander the estate, paying no mind to those around her or where she was headed.
Passing the hedge maze, she heard Howl before seeing the Tundra. Not that it came as any surprise the guard was there at the moment. Ever since Zylen’s passing, she’d noticed the furred dragon spent time in the maze to grieve. Sometimes he sat at the center to cry out for the lost Fae, but other days, like now, he would patrol the maze instead. Not wanting to be bothered talking with him, she moved on, leaving him to his emotions.
Wanting out of the rain, Clancy eventually made her way to the observatory. Knowing the time of day, she’d be alone there, too early for Khim to be setting up for the night. Alone to dry off, she contemplated her future. The topic weighed on her mind constantly after her failed attempt to flee the manor. And like that attempt, there was no escaping lingering on it.
The most pressing issue was her work now. While she no longer passionately served Saile in any regard, she now stuck to Elanor. The archivist’s work, while more interesting, presented itself with unknown threats that not only put herself in danger, but the manor as a whole. However, any given task the professor now gave them could easily hold as much danger. And unlike Elanor’s requests for help, if he asked for her help on something, she couldn’t say no to it. Now more than ever she wished to be anywhere but the manor. Well, almost anywhere.
The dull ache in her arm distracted her from thoughts about home.
Her wellbeing was another permanent worry etched into her mind. While the pain didn’t get worse, she could feel it eating ever deeper into her body. That encroach of metal eating away at flesh and bone alike. Indiscriminate towards what it removed and replaced as it buried deeper and deeper into her body. Her body rejected it once, back when the pain was fresh and new and not encapsulating her arm. Now it almost instinctively welcomed it in the worst way possible.
She noticed the last time she was forced to….feed. Whether or not she or Zylen or Saile coined the term, that’s what it was. Any time her mind burned with unbridled fury or cowered in sharp paranoia she knew that’s what could fix it. But to feed was a terrible act in of itself, and the consequences weighed heavily on her conscience. Even if it satiated the unwelcome changes to her mood and thinking, it was only ever going to be temporary as well.
With a huff, she flipped onto her back, adjusting her wings as she looked at the painted starry scene above her. Trapped in every sense of the word, she considered if it was worth carrying on as she was currently. Sure she may still find a way to rid herself of the creeping steel embedding itself in her body, but then what? She’d still be trapped in the manor with no real way of escaping as far as she was aware. And even if she did find a way out, there were at least two individuals after her simply for her employment at the manor. Everywhere she looked there was a death sentence.
“Are you okay Clancy?” It was Malakhim. The Imperial made as quiet an approach as she could, laying on one of the sofas meant for a dragon her size. “Howl said he saw you saunter off this way nearly two hours ago.”
Had it been that long already? “Not really. Well, moreso than usual.” Sitting up she felt the oily bile rising to her throat, which she barely managed to keep down.
The astronomer looked away sheepishly, “I’m not going to force you to talk about it, but you know I’m here to listen.” As she kept her eyes away from making contact, the large dragon was clearly troubled. Tail twitching nervously and wings tensely closed at her sides, something or someone had upset her.
“What about you?” Clancy deflected attention off of her, “You aren’t looking the best either.”
“It’s just, well,” the Imperial was struggling to find her words, “To be blunt I don’t think anyone wants to tell me anything. Elanor and her assistants always keep to themselves. Micah has some sort of obligation to not say anything that he’s told by the others. Corinna and Ardie are as in the dark as I am but don’t seem to care in the slightest. Tulu is dealing with whatever the hell happened to him, and Howl’s still grieving and not talking to anyone. Ever since what happened with Rachael you’re the only one I can hold any sort of conversation with about anything.”
The Pearlcatcher scoffed, “Isn’t that ironic.”
“You’re one to talk. I’m the one thinking dragons would come to me to seek comfort and grumble their worries towards. I try to be approachable and I swear the opposite’s happened since I’ve gotten here.”
“Well, if you think I’m the best to talk to, who am I to stop you?” Readjusting her position, she felt the bile rise again, and unable to stop it this time, she spat it out in the nearest planter near the two of them.
“Do you mind if I start there?” The Imperial’s lips had curled upon watching the sticky black liquid drip from historian’s maw.
Defeated and done with her day, Clancy let out a defeated sigh, “You know what? Sure. I’ve seen and done worse.”
@Galehaut @TrashMomma @Spectator @moonlitknots @Jetdrana @CirrusAscending @Tynethyne @Drachenschwinge @nekopallet @MisterMylez @Venusian
I apologize for no entry yesterday. After my D&D session my head was in a fog the rest of the night no matter what I tried to fix it. Did manage to get writing in today though so that makes me happy. Today's immunity goes to Corrina.
As for the topic of today's writing, Clancy isn't okay as always, and is only slipping farther as the days go on. I also realized that despite being an open ear for everyone, Malakhim is very out of the loop with everyone's personal matters. At least she'll know what's going on with Clancy now. As in, more than just the weird metal arm shenanigans that are definitely getting worse.
I want to say more but I honestly am failing at commentary tonight. I think I'll keep it at that for tonight. I will say I'm unsure if I'll get a post out tomorrow as we're going to attempt a D&D session tomorrow. We stopped in the middle of a kinda important dungeon while also being at the tail end of an area we've been in for well over two months now so we want off the ride.
