#tacianna

The night was like any other.  Dinner with the family, talking abouteveryone’s days, helping her little brother with his homework, any late nightchores...it was a steady rhythm for Tacianna, and she enjoyed it.  She loved her family dearly, even if her dayswith them were drawing to a close.  Sheneeded to go out on her own eventually, but until then, she’d enjoy thesegentle nights while she could.

Tacianna was working with her bow when her father satbeside her, watching her work.  “Tac, youknow you’ve gotten rather skilled with your bow.  I always worried when you were younger if itwas the right choice, but you’ve done so well with it.”  Tacianna couldn’t help but beam at thepraise.

“Of course! Like father, like daughter, right?” Her father just laughed and ruffled her hair.

“I suppose that’s true.  Now listen. Tomorrow when you go out hunting, I’ve heard some mention of some sabersnot far from our usual grounds.  If youwouldn’t mind…”“Checking out the area?”  Taciannafinished.  “Sure.  To the north-east of our grounds?”

“Close. North-west.  Perhaps a little morewest north-west.  Out towards the river.”  Tacianna tried to picture a mental map ofwhere he was talking about.

“Okay, I can do that.” Her father just smailed.

“Atta girl.  Nowdon’t stay up too long.”  Tacianna justgrinned again.

“I won’t.  Justgotta finish up and then I’ll head to bed.” They exchanged goodnights before he made his way to bed, leavingTacianna to finish her work in the quiet of the house.

She was exhausted though.  She wanted to push back, but she couldn’t.  She was going to die here, wasn’t she?  The one who had trained under her father since she was a child being bested by these things and failing to protect anyone.  With how her parents went, it only seemed fitting for her.

Rezalia wanted to fight, but it was hard to keep calling the energy to lash out against the creatures.  She wasn’t going to give up without a fight, but deep down, she accepted her fate. This would be her last stand.  But she’d do as much as she could before she went. She drew herself in, as if closing in on herself before she sprung.  “Die!” She snarled, aiming at the largest of the creatures.

Before her sword even made contact though, the creature surged back in pain.  Of course Rez couldn’t stop herself mid-swing, but the noise surprised her.  Still, her made contact and the creature howled out again before it dissipated.  What in blazes happened though?  Rez had no time to reevaluate her surroundings as the remaining creatures surged in, not wanting to let her get away. Fortunately, there were others that did.

“Corri, calm down,” Tacianna tried, but she knew it’d have little effect.  It’s how Corri operated.

“I’ll calm down when they free us!  We were wrongly put in here!”

“You assaulted one of the guards.”  Corri stopped pacing at that and gave her friend an incredulous look.

“Who’s side are you on?!”  At which Tacianna just laughed and leaned back against the wall.

“Yours of course.  But you still did that.”

“Fuck off.”  Tacianna laughed more at that, but Corri was starting to calm down.  Eventually Corri stopped her pacing and gave an exasperated sigh before she plopped down on the stone floor beside Tacianna.  They just sat in silence, both lost in their thoughts.  Tacianna absentminedly dug into her pocket and pulled out her pack of Mentats and downed two before offering them to Corri.  “We’re gonna get out of this, right?”

“Of course, Tac.”  Corri took one of them and swallowed it without a second thought.  “We’ve been in worse positions.”  More silence before Corri spoke again.  “When the guard comes by, I’ll distract and you grab his keys?”

“Stealing’s wrong.”

“So is putting us in here!”

“You still assaulted him.”