Daniella Crenshaw

Well, they found their way through gifts and trinkets. How can I deny my admirers and allies to see their gifts in my household? -A small frown appears over her features before disallowing such an action to ruin the smooth brow- Yet, the bird continues to ask for a crisp which irritates me for the reason it does so in a Cockney accent.

An incline of her head was given to Daniella. After their own outbursts and flared human emotions, it was best to heed caution with her. Amusing how she was careful with this one out of all others. With the others, she would force down their fears, press it away, or soothe it with pleasure or mayhem. With Daniella, patience was a necessity. 

“Flown in from the garden from an individual Ivy. He cares for his garden and this one, Climbing Iceburg, will hold a sweet and light taste in the air. Can you scent it now?” Sweet as her thorn once was.

@daniellacrenshaw

“Mm..” She nodded, bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging her arms around them, her chin rested on her knees as she watched Countess work. “It’s nice.” 

-Hands waved behind her to lift her gown’s train and wrap it about her wrist- Move about as much as you like. I caution you away from the animal quarters for they will overexcite themselves and wake the household. We accepted a few new animals in, a bird, a snake, even an arachnid.

She could not understand her words. Daniella did not wish to destroy items in her bedchambers? Very well, it pleased her to see the female wished not to cause a ruckus. However, the pain, the hunching of Daniella’s spine provoked a deep sensation within her. It felt acidic, eating away at her abdomen and spreading itself towards her chest. It was not poison, of this she was certain.

Slowly, she made her way towards Daniella. “You lived a lie because of my actions. You are no longer in the dungeon. You are in the light of the moon.” Would her words calm her when her own hands shook? The Countess struggled to steady them as she reached towards her thorn, to caress even the wisps of the female’s locks.

“You can and we shall get through this.”

@daniellacrenshaw

Daniella didn’t notice Countess approach right away but when she did, she instinctively stepped back before she could even think to stop herself. Her hands balled up into fists, nails biting into her palm as though that would help stop them from shaking. She was watching Countess closely, watching her hand move closer and closer. It was odd and for a moment everything felt like it was in slow motion. As though, in any minute, everything would speed up again and that hand would be knocking her to the ground. She flinched away from it, looking away and back out the window, hugging herself tightly. 

How could Erzsébet dare to walk into this very room and not sense this overwhelming ache and disgust emanating from Daniella? It was surreal how this sensation struck The Countess off her wits. She had never felt or justified to be in this position. To feel the one who wrongly mistaken someone and realized it was her own foolish desire. Never would she admit to being wrong in other scenarios, but this one? This one was potent and true. Daniella never ruined her virtue, she was true to her vows and to her. What did Báthory gift her in return?

Condemnation, torture, and tore down the trust made betwixt the two.

How could this be rectified?

Would this ever be?

“Scream if you must. Fling items about the room. Fling it at me, if it will aid you.” Better to see her physical reaction than to await an emotional or mental one. Those two were far more torturous, for the wounds would heal, but the words of the wounded would not.

@daniellacrenshaw​

Daniella was quiet for a long long moment. She wanted to scream, she wanted to shout. She wanted to let loose all the anger and bitter resentment that was currently churning in her gut. All she could do was stand there, though; feeling empty and hollow. She clung to her pain, holding it tightly in her chest not willing to let go. To let go meant to strip the bandage away, it meant letting the pain in again. She couldn’t do that, not now, not ever. Not again. 

Her head started to shake after a moment, slow at first as she stared off at nothing, as she stared off into the inky black of night. Her lips parted then closed only to part once more, her voice paper thin. 

“I- I c-can’t.” More frantically her head shook then. She turned, glancing everywhere but at the woman who had been her captor, her lover, her Countess. Her Countess. 

Another breeze brushed across her skin but the shiver that coursed through her wasn’t from the cold. She could feel the presence looming behind her and in that moment she wanted nothing more than to escape this room, to descend the mansion steps, down down down into the tiny room she had learned to call home. 

Daniella is clear of all charges.

Her lip trembled. 

Be truthful and as faithful as her.

Her jaw tensed.

I mistook her as otherwise.

She squeezed her eyes shut.                                                                                   How could she forgive? How could she forget?