Fictember Day 11: Three of Pentacles
Prompt: Malignant
Characters: Auri Heleric, other members of Plan C
Setting; Dnd homebrew
Warnings: None
If she hadn't already been convinced--no, certain-- of her desire to leave on the earliest available carriage ride, witnessing the shifting shadows in the room solidified her decision.
It had been years since she'd seen that kind of nightmarish shape, long enough to have convinced herself it was just the product of a child's overactive imagination. She was uncertain if what she'd described to the others had even been real, or if she was just succeeding in making herself look paranoid.
Nice. If anything would create distance between herself and the rest of them, that sure would do the trick.
The moment she saw Excen change shape and don the guise of that thing, however, she knew she wasn't out of her mind at all. Every whispered threat-turned-promise she had heard in the corner of her room had been real. Every nightmare showed the frightful truth.
She felt her usual calm slipping away, snatched from her fingers before she could think about it. Sheer, cold terror seized her in its place for just a moment before she fiercely swallowed down that fear.
With luck, she'd been quick enough to smother it before anyone saw.
Parts of the conversation were a blur. From then until Costa took his leave, Auriga felt a restless desperation. Get away. Leave. Hurry. Flee. She made her excuses so the others could continue to plan. She needed to sever whatever this was before it was too late.
She never expected a counterargument. Why was she so eager to go?
Auriga threw out every excuse she could think of. Worry, safety, inexperience.
Everything but the truth.
Somewhere along the lines, it seemed Revel, at least, thought it was about a fear of death. Auri smiled, tongue caged between her teeth in defiance.
'Oh no,' she wanted to say. 'Why should I fear death when he is the only kindness my loved ones have ever known?'
Death meant the end of terror. The end of a long and vicious cycle. Death meant rest. She did not hate death. She was, however, rather tired of its company.
It seemed that it was her only real company.
In a last-ditch effort, she showed the mark on the back of her neck, but even that hadn't been enough. They didn't understand, didn't see it for what it was. That surprised her. Surely that of all things would cut the flimsy ties between them?
She felt like a trapped animal, desperation driving her to the brink of chewing off her own limb if it meant getting the distance she so desperately needed. She'd think on it, she said, and that was finally enough for them to relent.
At last, she could breathe.
She had no intention of 'thinking on it.' Her heart was set. It took only minutes to pack up her belongings. Most of it had stayed wrapped up, frivolous and unused. It felt...heavy. As heavy as the sack of gold sitting on the edge of the bed. She picked it up, rolling it over in her palms while she paced back and forth.
Though spoken in haste, her logic was sound. She was no hero or even an adventurer. That alone should have been enough of a reason to go home. Why were they so stubborn about keeping her around?
Why was she so keen to listen?
Frustrated and antsy, Auri gathered her belongings and headed out. If she was lucky she would not have much of a wait before the carriages departed. The doors of A Tavern opened up into a bright, sunny day. Auriga forced herself not to look back.
The walk to Continental Carriages proved to be a bit disastrous. Given the long night, the party had woken much later in the day and the streets were already bustling. More than once, her luggage got jostled or knocked over by passing groups and she had to fend off a couple of would-be-pickpockets before all was said and done. It took a struggle, but she did eventually reach her destination.
She was just a few yards away when someone knocked her over yet again, and this time her bag fell open to scatter her tarot cards in the dirt. Cursing softly, she bent to pick them up, only to drop them again at the sight of the topmost card.
The three of pentacles. A symbol of collaboration, dedication, and overcoming challenges. Auri stared at the card, lips curled in a sneer.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Was the Lady of Crows laughing at her expense right about now?
Swiping the cards from the dirt, Auri shoved them back into her bag and kept going. Only to pause again after a few steps.
So much for being mere symbols on cardpaper. She was so close now. Why second guess herself? Stubbornly, she forced herself to close the distance to the carriages.
"Afternoon, ma'am. Will you be boarding with us today?"
Lips parted and formed shapes to speak, only for words to fail her. Come on, what the hells was wrong? It was time to go home!
...go home to what? An empty house and a silent cemetery, where her only real company was that of a dog who spent most of his day sleeping on plush cushions?
She was used to her solitude. She crafted it. Her resolve had never wavered before. Why now?
Traces of the seething shadows played along the back of her mind. They'd not seen the last of them, had they? They were sure to show again, with their many eyes and gnashing teeth and stolen faces. If she left now, she was sure to see them again sooner rather than later.
Fingers curled around nothing, beckoning to the shade beneath the closest carriage. The darkness shifted and began to coalesce in her palm, taking the shape of a long blade. She let it go before it could fully materialize.
"Shadows are not just there to darken the reaches of your nightmares, Auri. They're there to shade you on a hot, sunny day. They are what shroud the sky so the stars may come out to play. They can conceal you from those who mean you harm."
She couldn't go her entire life afraid of the shadows. If she returned home now, she might never get the chance to conquer that fear of the dark. If she couldn't escape them, perhaps she could learn how to use them.
"Ah, apologies, but no. Do you happen to offer any sort of delivery service? I have some things I need to have sent home."
