BLACK ROSE !

“no, that’s fine,” sorens quick to wave it off, already having saw the stone from the times claudia carried around the castle. he holds little to no interest in actually using primal stones. he’s not a mage, he has no use for them. how the stones are made however, is something that’s piqued his curiosity more than once. he lifts his gaze from the book and looks at his sister, reiterating his question in hopes of an answer, “i just want to know how they’re made. like… the storm stone. how did they get a storm to get inside of a stone.”

“He had enough access to that wretched text, and you’ve done plenty of it in front of him.” It didn’t matter. Callum wasn’t going to get better by her scolding Claudia. However, the words that followed stung her.

“We never said we were above you. You just assumed that we were acting high and mighty. Elves do not possess the wretched traits that you have developed over the years. We are not in search of power, or greatness. We live to serve the dragons.” She didn’t know a single elf who was boastful. She still held a disdain for human’s practicing such magic, but right now she was more focused on keeping her away from him.

“I’m not even an assassin.” she muttered, hoping to gain favor. “Assassins take lives and do so without a second thought.” Rayla hoped she didn’t have to continue. “Elves also aren’t inherently evil. Most are rather peaceful if you took the chance to know them, but we will defend our home to the death from threats.”

While she was explaining she spied the other sifting through texts she carried in search of a solution. “Oh no. You’re not using that abomination on him. Dark Magic got us here in the first place!” Anger dripped from each word she spoke. The near-lifeless body that lay seizing on the cliffside was all the evidence she needed to justify her hatred for the forbidden art.

“I will tell you how he is if you promise not to use your magic on him.”

      “My magic might be the only thing able to save him quickly enough!” Outraged reply is less about defending herself and the magic she wielded, more about saving Callum from something that might well take his life. It wasn’t the time for prejudice and arrogance; dark magic could heal as much as it could do damage. If a sacrifice had to be made for her friend to be healed, Claudia would do it without second thought. 

      “I don’t know how he is, but there may not be time enough to seek for something else. Messing with dark magic when you don’t know how to do it is dangerous.” One of the first lessons father taught her; learn and improve, yes, but be careful not to try to do more than she was able to. Rayla is prejudiced, always taught to be against the humans and their magic; she never learned to see what good it could do, in spite of not coming from a natural source. Claudia tries to remember that, and gaze is more determined than it is filled with anger to match the elf’s own. Instead, she tries to be honest. “And I am very aware of what Callum thinks of dark magic, too, but if it’ll help him I don’t care what he’ll think of it afterwards. Or what it costs me to do.”

      “He is my friend ever since we were little children. Was. I still care about him, even if he hates me now.” This is a mistake. It isn’t as if the elf will want to believe her after they fought each other more than once. She’s only giving Rayla more information than she ought to. Claudia can almost hear the lecture father would give, should he learn of this. “I only want to help. Dark Magic can heal, too. It can be used for good even if it doesn’t come from one of the natural sources.”

  this is pure gold

gotta have the talk sometime

    “You want us to hide in the castle? One wrong move and we’re done for. Come on, Claudia.”

Soren had to act like the logical one in this situation. This was something that he would have suggested if the circumstances were different. This was dire situation and for once, he was the one taking control, “I know how you feel about mom. But, she’s the only one who can help.”

“I’m sure she will hide us until we figure out something. I don’t know what–Besides, don’t you want to see her again? I miss her.”

      Different parts of her longed for different things, as if she was two instead of one, or perhaps she had been ripped apart. Claudia missed her too, didn’t blame mother for marriage failed; nevertheless, there was resent also, for forcing a choice she couldn’t ever make, for leaving them behind to build a new life they weren’t part of. 

      “Does she miss us, though?” It had never been a good time to visit, when her child self still bothered with asking. Letters had become fewer with years that passed. Mother left us. It would always stand between them, an obstacle, a never closed wound. Perhaps Soren could look past it, but Claudia could not. They were her children, regardless of marriage, and she left them. There’s no true answer to his question, because it isn’t as simple as he makes it to be. Claudia misses her more than she wants to miss her, resents her just so. 

      She loves her mother, of course. If she didn’t, it wouldn’t hurt as much.

      In something, Claudia believed mother had been right, though: she needed her brother. Soren had chosen father; he chose to go to mother, now, and Claudia would follow, just as she had that first time (imposed, then, but choice all her own now; parents aside, they would stick together --- they ought to). 

      There was no one else to be trusted. Del Bar seemed a logical enough choice (feelings hardly ever bother to agree with logic, still). “I guess we don’t really have other choice.” Resigned tone, defeated almost. “But it is the first place anyone will think of looking for us, too.”

Sarai goes still, her brown gaze never wavering from Claudia’s form. After all there was a lot that she was processing and learning. After all, they had been still recovering and unconscious during the time of Thunder’s passing. The elves that had been taking care of her were a reclusive tribe of Earthblood elves, and it had been thanks to their magic as well as help that Sarai had even managed to survive. 

She had lived among them and learned many things, some of their traditions and cultures. It made her beliefs in hope that there would be some peace between the two warring sides as well as that her ideals about them being equals strengthen. They weren’t monsters or terrifying creatures that they had to hide their children from.

They were living and breathing just like them. Performing mundane tasks and had lives just like them. It had her wishing for simpler times when things had been peaceful and the world at balance. Her views of Dark Magic remained the same as well, it was dangerous yes… unless it was used carefully. While they didn’t feel right about having to use the magic stored inside creatures and animals to use it, if it was used for the right reasons… then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad… Even if it had to take the life of something else to work.

Hearing how her husband had been killed, her hand flew to her mouth. Her body shook faintly as Claudia’s words began to set in. Harrow… her wonderful and loving husband… He was gone… She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream… But all she felt was hollow… It was the same feeling she had felt when her first husband… had died. And it was happening all over again… Her eyes slid closed as hot tears began to fall, a strangled hiccup left her as she leaned over. 

The Queen took a moment, letting her tears fall and soak the soil beneath their feet. Her shoulders trembling faintly as she kept her hand clamped over her mouth as if to keep her cries at bay. Not to long after did she brush the final tears away, standing back upright, her back straight stiff. Her gaze was watery but filled with understanding as she listened on. Once Claudia finished did she take a moment to organize her thoughts.

“I see… Well– Thank you for telling me all this Claudia… And if what you say is true… about my son and the elf going to Xadia with the dragon hatchling, it will be a long and dangerous journey… After all… if they succeed in returning the dragon hatchling to it’s mother… perhaps we will finally have peace once again… I… understand how she must feel… To lose one’s mate… as well as to believe that your only child is dead… must be incredibly lonely…”

She paused for a moment as she held out her arms loosely, almost as if inviting the other to come to her once more for an embrace. It looked like they both could use it at the moment. Sarai knew that she did, after all, she had no idea when she would see either of her sons again or if she would see them at all considering they were on their way to Xadia.

“…And… while I know it’s not my forgiveness you seek… Sometimes people do the right thing… for the wrong reasons. In your case, trying to bring my sons back by force and… breaking their trust… I’m sure once Callum returns, you’ll be given a chance to explain yourself and make it up to him… you’ll have to show him how much his friendship means to you.”

      If impulse is to reach out and try to comfort her, Claudia knows she cannot, fears she might make things worse. More tears stain own cheeks, caused by the queen’s own sorrow more than by the king’s passing, now. If the tears fall and her countenance is crestfallen, Claudia’s is a silent sort of sadness. Inwards, feelings are deeper than she shows.

      It was too much to say at once. Of course it was; the queen, only recently returned, only now reappearing, likely wasn’t ready to listen all of that right away. How could she not tell, though? Sarai deserved to know the truth of her family’s situation. It didn’t seem like a good idea to speak of father, though, of what he had sought to do, of missions given to her and Soren --- of Soren himself, and what she had to do to heal him. 

      No, those were own family issues, not the queen’s. Sarai had endured hearing much, remarkably well poised even then, even receiving the dreadful news. Claudia wouldn’t burden her further.

      The mage had not looked at it quite like Sarai had, thinking less of the dragons and more of humanity. Could peace ever be truly achieved? Wouldn’t the elves just use the opportunity to claim the dragon prince had only been returned due to elven efforts, that humanity was to blame for stealing it regardless? Claudia wasn’t a mother, neither was she a dragon. It was hard for her to believe mother’s gratitude for having her child back, safe and sound, might put a hold on a war between Xadia and the Human Kingdoms. 

      It made some sense, though. When the prince had been naught but an egg, it had been easier to see it as a thing, a powerful and dangerous thing, than it had when seeing the cute baby dragon, so lively and seemingly friendly. It was a living creature, a seemingly intelligent one, certainly one possessing feelings; in spite of own line of magic, or perhaps even more due to it, Claudia valued life, well aware of what she took each time she took it to turn into magic. She cared more than she ought, father would certainly say. He wasn’t right in this. Claudia valued it, yet it didn’t stop her of seeing danger in what would be when the dragon became an adult, of taking a life to use magic when she saw it fit.

      Hardly the most appropriate time to have such a discussion. Instead, Claudia heeds Sarai’s words, nodding as she wipes own tears. In this, the queen is undoubtedly within reason. There is no telling if Callum will ever truly forgive her, but all she can do is try to show him how much she cares once he returns. If he returns. Thought weights heavily on her heart, already haunted by guilt and hopelessness at ever being forgiven. This time, Claudia fights the tears, but she accepts Sarai’s unlikely offer, hugging her tightly. She didn’t expect the queen to act like that after all she had said, after admission of what she had done. 

     Claudia clings to that care and compassion, to the warmth found in arms more motherly to her than her mother’s own, as if own life depends on it. Perhaps it does. Even amidst her sorrow, Sarai did not turn her back on Claudia. If it seemed something without consequence to the queen herself, it wasn’t so for the mage, conflicted as she had been ever since father sent her and Soren on that mission. 

      “I’m sorry.” For what she had done and for not being able to protect Callum and Ezran better, for what she hadn’t yet told the queen, even for what was beyond her power to do, even for choices not her own. Claudia does not say what she is apologizing for; she isn’t quite sure herself. Words aren’t insincere, though. There’s so much she feels for, that she would like to be different. Things had been so much simpler in a past that now felt like centuries ago, when no one had died and they had all been happier. Claudia felt for what Sarai had been through, for what she lost; for own losses as well, for lives they wouldn’t ever get back, now.

      She lingers on the gentle hug for another moment of silence, before delicately letting go. Green eyes search for Sarai’s, and if Claudia doesn’t say it, there is gratitude in her gaze, too. “When I was little, I wanted to be like you. Not as in, a warrior, but in how strong you are, and how caring. I still hope I can be, someday.” It felt like such an impossible thing to achieve, now. “I’m sorry you had to return to all of this but... I’m truly glad you’re back.”

“He’s sick. He’s getting worse by the hour. And frankly, I don’t know if he’ll ever recover. This is all your fault. Teaching him how to do something so vile as dark magic. Maybe there’s a reason humans aren’t born with an arcanum. Because if you could do magic, you’d do horrible things, and you’ve proven it tenfold by cheating.”

She could only see Claudia as an enemy, as she was sure was seen the other way around. All she was doing was tracking them and hunting them down. A few days ago she was aiding her brother in killing her. Not exactly someone she wanted to trust.

There was a grain of truth as to what she said about dark magic. Before he did it, Callum had alluded to Claudia showing him how to do dark magic. It was technically her fault Callum was in a coma. She was getting more worried about him by the second, but couldn’t stand to talk to her any longer. At least not without going back to Callum.

“Look, you can come see him but be careful. Like I said, he’s in sorry shape.”

      “I didn’t teach him --- that is why he’s hurt, because he didn’t know what he was doing, not truly.” His claim hurts not because dark magic is part of her very being at this point; it cut, sharp as a knife, because it had been spell used to try to capture them. “You elves are the ones petty and arrogant, thinking yourselves to be above us just because you are born with magic. We weren’t, but we found a way to compensate for that.”

      Humanity was capable of great things, capable of overcoming gap to magical species with effort all their own. There was nothing vile or inherently evil on their magic. Life was taken all time, for many reasons; animals died to feed other animals, to provide them material for clothing, were used for transport. So what that her magic used their life force as fuel? It was just one more way of using resources taken from other lives, one amongst many. 

      “I’m not gonna argue magic with you. You’re an elf and an assassin, and your opinion on it is meaningless.” Although born with the capacity to use it, Rayla would never understand magic, its intricacies, its wonders. Even if they had time, the elf’s opinion wouldn’t matter. They didn’t have, though. Claudia went  through every spell she could remember in her head, simple or complicate, taking note of what would be easier to find as ingredients close by.

      Rayla might try to stop her, and Callum might hate her more after waking up to discover she used Dark Magic to aid him, but that was unimportant. Not like he didn’t hate her already; if she could do something, at least he would be alive to despise her and her magic however much he wanted.

    Ah, well aisdfhd While I understand, and feel for the fawn too, Claudia’s decision actually makes a lot of sense to me. By no means I mean to judge whether it was right or wrong; it was a life and she took it, but I don’t think even Claudia was insensitive to it.

      I presume Viren begun teaching her Dark Magic at a young age, considering Claudia seems to have considerable knowledge on magic (partially due to her own interest and reading on it, also), and that part of teaching her magic was teaching her to do what must be done. Claudia’s views of Dark Magic being about humanity being capable of amazing things in spite of being born with nothing are likely a little influenced by her father, too. She learned to see Dark Magic as a means to an end, any end, be it to do something important or as part of daily life issues, such as making pancakes fluffy. 

      Seeing things that way, the process that allows her to use magic becomes just as natural. It is what humanity must do to use magic, and she won’t renounce it because creatures die. I think I’ve talked about it before, but I believe the more a creature is sentient/smart, the more Claudia would hesitate to use it. Still, if killing a moth is certainly easier to her than killing a fawn, she’ll do either if she needs to.

      And in this particular case, the way she saw things, she needed to. Even in that you can claim Claudia was wrong (Soren had accepted what happened to him seemingly well enough, after a while, yet Claudia did not). He is her big brother, though, the most important person to her, more important even than her father. For him, she was willing to disobey her father’s orders, even after she was capable of using force to try to bring those she considers friends back to Katolis. That without saying she clearly never even meant that question to be serious, because there was never another real option for Claudia when it came to choosing between the egg and her brother. She would choose going to Soren every time. 

      Her brother was hurt, severely wounded in a way that he wouldn’t ever move again. It is a particularly big deal when you notice just how active Soren was, how he hardly ever sat still. His most comfortable is moving, and Claudia knows her brother, and she knows how active he always was and how much he actually enjoys physical activities.

      Soren means the world to her, and she would do anything to see him well and happy, to see him being capable to do the things he loves. The way she sees it, a fawn is a small price to pay for her brother’s well being. If it isn’t a light choice to make, it is an easy one. Of course, she isn’t insensitive to it. Killing the fawn isn’t like killing the moths. She isn’t insensitive, I’d say she’s even genuinely sorry for it while doing it, but Claudia chooses to kill the fawn regardless because her brother is more important to her than the fawn’s life, because him being well matters more than what she has to sacrifice for that to happen.

@darkhearted || ♕

🔱Sarai smiles at the young girl’s response, her hands folded before her as regards Claudia. For a brief moment, she’s reminded of herself as well as her sister to a time when they were younger. The pure innocent look in the girl’s eyes brings a fond smile to her lips as the other mentioned her father having said that Sarai had a son.

She gave a nod before offering her hand to the other.

“I do indeed have a son, his name is Callum. He’s actually up in his room if you’d like me to guide you to him. He’s still rather shy and could use a friend like you to show him around. Would you be able to do that Claudia?”

      Offered hand is immediately taken, no hesitance or shyness, no fear. Claudia decides she likes Sarai, no matter they had only just met. “Callum is a pretty name.” Different, too. She had never met a Callum before; she would very much like to meet him.

        “Mom?”

Soren offered. He had been years since he had last spoken to her. However, he would always receive letters from here. He would even write back to her. The village that she lived in, is several days away and they would have to be discreet. But, they might be able to make it. 

Regardless, Soren is hopeful that she might hide them. She would always help them in their time of need. The only thing that was on his mind is what if dad found out he went to see his mom? Or the Crownsguard? “What do you think?”

      “Mom?”

      Perhaps she ought to have thought of that (so much simpler, so very obvious). Echo of his question sounds nothing like Soren’s offer, so filled with uncertainty and hesitance in Claudia’s voice. Mother’s departure had left wounds still open, still not healed; and if mother herself had not severed their contact, Claudia had clung to brother and father in her absence, family that was hers and there and close enough to touch. Family that wouldn’t ever have left. 

      “I’m not sure she would agree.” So few certainties when it came to her, truly. They had grown so apart mother was now a stranger; Claudia knew naught of what she liked or didn’t, of her current life, if she would even receive and protect them in a time of need.