Post by Madelia on Jul 30, 2009 21:38:35 GMT -5
( Characters featured: Madelia, Estee and Breathless )
The birds began to sing just outside of Madelia's bedroom window and the morning sun crept through the curtains. She was tossing and turning in her sleep again, which was not at all surprising to herself, considering that was how her entire week of sleep had been. She groaned as she turned to face the window, and rubbed the sleep away from her eyes.
"Mmnff." Mornings were never good for her. Fortunately on this particular morning, she was not alone and so therefore she did not have to experience the lingering, dull pangs of loneliness that often plagued her.
"Madelia! Sugar, where do you keep your tea?!" A familiar woman's voice echoed up the stairwell and into her room. With a small whimper of protest she lept out of the bed, not bothering to fix the sheets and plodded her way out the door and down the stairs into the living room.
A woman with banshee-like hair and brilliant fel-tained eyes stared right at her. The woman's skin was abnormally tan for a Sin'dorei, a testament to her long days spent in the sun. The rest of her features, however, implied something else...something...not healthy. There was a madness about her. Her pale, ghostly lips were curved into a smile. Not a sick, twisted grin...but a genuine smile. Despite appearances this woman was genuinely warm, but there was no doubting something was not right about her.
"Mornin', girl. Glad to see you're awake. How did you sleep?" The tall, slender elf made her way into the kitchen as she ran her skeletal fingers along the wall. Madelia lifted an eyebrow as she watched her move, wafting through like a spirit.
"Slept...okay, I guess. Thanks. How are you feeling, Estellias?" Madelia walked into the kitchen behind her, went into a cupboard and pulled out the bottle of sugar.
Estellias took the bottle and opened it up immediately, and began pouring it into her mug.
"Feelin' fine. Why?" She spun around quickly, her wispy-white hair moving as if it were under water.
"Any...memories cropping up lately? Any ideas on might've hap--" Madelia was cut off abruptly.
"No. Not today. Well, there was this one thing. A dream!" She moved her hand out, to act as though she were snatching something up dramatically. Her histrionics often times scared Madelia, and this was no exception...especially not this early in the morning.
"In my dream, dove, I was in Zul'drak. You know, that crazy troll place with the gods and the bats?" She did not wait for Madelia to respond. She just kept talking.
"Well, I was walking through a blinding blizzard. The snow was everywhere, and it was making walking difficult. I stopped by a deadened tree. It was more of a husk than a tree, the leaves were long gone and the bark was gray."
Estellias placed her mug down on the countertop.
"Beautiful tiles, my lady. They remind me of this man I used to know a long time ago that crafted such things. He was killed, though. Such a shame...what was his name again? Sa...Sath...no, no. That was not him." She shook her head, leaving Madelia standing in bafflement.
"Anyway, next to this tree was a ghost. But it wasn't a ghost, it was a...hm. A cat. But it wasn't a cat, either. It had the tail of a lion, the legs of a gryphon and the head of a...well, maybe it was a cat after all!"
Madelia shifted uneasily.
"Estee, you're rambling again." Madelia mumbled, still drowsy with sleep and unable to comprehend the woman. Her fingers fumbled for her glasses inside the cupboard drawer, and perched them neatly upon the bridge of her nose. Estee stopped speaking to inhale deeply, and left out of a boisterous laugh.
"Oh sugar, those things make you look like a girl in the stacks!"
Madelia furrowed at the brow, and stuck her tongue out.
"Well, it's not my fault that I cannot see as well as I used to. In any case, go on."
"...Right. Well, this lion was a ghost, and it approached me in this blinding blizzard. It stood atop a large slab of stone, and growled at me. I naturally attempted to soothe it - I have such a way with animals, just ask Sasha - and it began to speak!
You are the snow, the cat said. I didn't understand it at all, so I merely just asked it what it wanted. It approached me, or rather...she. I was completely...breathless. She was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."
A couple tears collected around the edges of her eyes, the soft wrinkles underneath becoming more noticeable as she crinkled her nose.
Madelia stifled a yawn and moved closer to the stove, where she carefully picked up the ivory tea kettle and poured herself a cup of tea.
"A...spirit-cat? A spirit cat came to you, said you were the snow, and then what?"
It was evident in her voice that she was just humoring Estee, as she always did. Estee had been "breaking" into her Dalaran residence like this for months now, ever since Tethicus and Elyza found her face-down in the mud in front of the ruins of Lordaeron. Elyza had wrapped her in a blanket and insisted they take her to Fairbreeze village, which Tethicus begrudgingly agreed to.
Since then, the ranger kept insisting that she could not remember a lick of her past and that her name was "Estellias." Madelia was smart enough to see past the lies and deception, despite how well-crafted they were. It started out innocently enough - the ranger would climb one of the trees in the garden and swoop in through a window. Then it progressed to asking for her own key, and eating all of Madelia's food when she was not paying attention.
"I am the snow." She repeated out loud as she twirled a strand of her ghastly hair in her twig-thin finger.
"What do you suppose that means, doll-face?" Estee murmured playfully as she licked her finger. Apparently she had been diving into the sugar bowl again with her bare hands - Madelia's pet peeve.
Estee put the sugar bowl down onto the counter and eyed Madelia up and down cautiously. Madelia merely offered a small shrug and shook her head.
"I don't know, Estee. I wish I did, but I just have no idea. Perhaps it was just...a dream? My dreams have been just awful lately, too. Of course they are all about Naxxaramas and not quite as random as yours, but...still." She ran her fingers through her rust-colored hair, and leaned against the counter.
"I know, sweetheart. I hear you scream in your sleep sometimes. You know I could always help you out with a tranquilizer, I have some in my bags..." The elf twirled around to look for her bag - she was being serious.
"No, no. I'm fine. No need for that, you horrid no-good ranger!" She smirked playfully and crossed her arms.
Estee picked up her bags from the counter and made her way for the door. Before turning the handle she turned her head back around to grin at Madelia.
"Well, thanks again for your lovely hospitality. Tell that sister of yours I said hi!"
She turned the handle of the door and stepped outside in a quick, fluid movement. The ranger was almost cat-like, the way she moved gracefully in a prowl. Her muscles were still well-toned beside the fact that she did not look "alive."
The comment slapped Madelia in the face. Say hello to her sister? Her sister was dead, and had been for months now. Estee knew this, right? She shook her head and turned around to put the dishes into the sink. It was going to be a long day, she could just tell.
Outside, Estee turned the corner to walk past the commerce district. She passed several Kirin Tor in their brilliant eggplant colored robes and hats, and grinned. Being outside made her...happy, spirited. As if she were in her natural element when she was outdoors. Turning another corner she was now standing next to statue of Antonidas. She peered up at the statue with her hands on her hips, taking it all in. She repeated this ritual on a daily basis. After she would leave Madelia's home she would walk past the Violet Citadel until she reached the memorial.
A deep purr emanated behind the statue. Lifting her wispy eyebrows curiously, she slowly approached the memorial.
"Hello? Is somethin' there?" She called out, her voice raspy.
"Hello, beautiful." The source of the purring was no longer a mystery as a large spectral cat-like beast approached from behind the statue's base. It stalked carefully towards the ranger, its head held high.
"We have some work to do this afternoon, you and I. Come with me." It rumbled. It appeared to be speaking to her with some form of telekinesis, as its mouth was not moving. She looked around quickly from side to side, to see if anyone else had noticed the animal. This area was always very crowded during this time of day, and surely someone else would have noticed the spirit-cat.
To her shock and amazement, no one did. She turned to look back at the cat, who was waiting patiently for her answer. She breathed a heavy sigh, and nodded.
"What would you have me do, then?"
The birds began to sing just outside of Madelia's bedroom window and the morning sun crept through the curtains. She was tossing and turning in her sleep again, which was not at all surprising to herself, considering that was how her entire week of sleep had been. She groaned as she turned to face the window, and rubbed the sleep away from her eyes.
"Mmnff." Mornings were never good for her. Fortunately on this particular morning, she was not alone and so therefore she did not have to experience the lingering, dull pangs of loneliness that often plagued her.
"Madelia! Sugar, where do you keep your tea?!" A familiar woman's voice echoed up the stairwell and into her room. With a small whimper of protest she lept out of the bed, not bothering to fix the sheets and plodded her way out the door and down the stairs into the living room.
A woman with banshee-like hair and brilliant fel-tained eyes stared right at her. The woman's skin was abnormally tan for a Sin'dorei, a testament to her long days spent in the sun. The rest of her features, however, implied something else...something...not healthy. There was a madness about her. Her pale, ghostly lips were curved into a smile. Not a sick, twisted grin...but a genuine smile. Despite appearances this woman was genuinely warm, but there was no doubting something was not right about her.
"Mornin', girl. Glad to see you're awake. How did you sleep?" The tall, slender elf made her way into the kitchen as she ran her skeletal fingers along the wall. Madelia lifted an eyebrow as she watched her move, wafting through like a spirit.
"Slept...okay, I guess. Thanks. How are you feeling, Estellias?" Madelia walked into the kitchen behind her, went into a cupboard and pulled out the bottle of sugar.
Estellias took the bottle and opened it up immediately, and began pouring it into her mug.
"Feelin' fine. Why?" She spun around quickly, her wispy-white hair moving as if it were under water.
"Any...memories cropping up lately? Any ideas on might've hap--" Madelia was cut off abruptly.
"No. Not today. Well, there was this one thing. A dream!" She moved her hand out, to act as though she were snatching something up dramatically. Her histrionics often times scared Madelia, and this was no exception...especially not this early in the morning.
"In my dream, dove, I was in Zul'drak. You know, that crazy troll place with the gods and the bats?" She did not wait for Madelia to respond. She just kept talking.
"Well, I was walking through a blinding blizzard. The snow was everywhere, and it was making walking difficult. I stopped by a deadened tree. It was more of a husk than a tree, the leaves were long gone and the bark was gray."
Estellias placed her mug down on the countertop.
"Beautiful tiles, my lady. They remind me of this man I used to know a long time ago that crafted such things. He was killed, though. Such a shame...what was his name again? Sa...Sath...no, no. That was not him." She shook her head, leaving Madelia standing in bafflement.
"Anyway, next to this tree was a ghost. But it wasn't a ghost, it was a...hm. A cat. But it wasn't a cat, either. It had the tail of a lion, the legs of a gryphon and the head of a...well, maybe it was a cat after all!"
Madelia shifted uneasily.
"Estee, you're rambling again." Madelia mumbled, still drowsy with sleep and unable to comprehend the woman. Her fingers fumbled for her glasses inside the cupboard drawer, and perched them neatly upon the bridge of her nose. Estee stopped speaking to inhale deeply, and left out of a boisterous laugh.
"Oh sugar, those things make you look like a girl in the stacks!"
Madelia furrowed at the brow, and stuck her tongue out.
"Well, it's not my fault that I cannot see as well as I used to. In any case, go on."
"...Right. Well, this lion was a ghost, and it approached me in this blinding blizzard. It stood atop a large slab of stone, and growled at me. I naturally attempted to soothe it - I have such a way with animals, just ask Sasha - and it began to speak!
You are the snow, the cat said. I didn't understand it at all, so I merely just asked it what it wanted. It approached me, or rather...she. I was completely...breathless. She was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."
A couple tears collected around the edges of her eyes, the soft wrinkles underneath becoming more noticeable as she crinkled her nose.
Madelia stifled a yawn and moved closer to the stove, where she carefully picked up the ivory tea kettle and poured herself a cup of tea.
"A...spirit-cat? A spirit cat came to you, said you were the snow, and then what?"
It was evident in her voice that she was just humoring Estee, as she always did. Estee had been "breaking" into her Dalaran residence like this for months now, ever since Tethicus and Elyza found her face-down in the mud in front of the ruins of Lordaeron. Elyza had wrapped her in a blanket and insisted they take her to Fairbreeze village, which Tethicus begrudgingly agreed to.
Since then, the ranger kept insisting that she could not remember a lick of her past and that her name was "Estellias." Madelia was smart enough to see past the lies and deception, despite how well-crafted they were. It started out innocently enough - the ranger would climb one of the trees in the garden and swoop in through a window. Then it progressed to asking for her own key, and eating all of Madelia's food when she was not paying attention.
"I am the snow." She repeated out loud as she twirled a strand of her ghastly hair in her twig-thin finger.
"What do you suppose that means, doll-face?" Estee murmured playfully as she licked her finger. Apparently she had been diving into the sugar bowl again with her bare hands - Madelia's pet peeve.
Estee put the sugar bowl down onto the counter and eyed Madelia up and down cautiously. Madelia merely offered a small shrug and shook her head.
"I don't know, Estee. I wish I did, but I just have no idea. Perhaps it was just...a dream? My dreams have been just awful lately, too. Of course they are all about Naxxaramas and not quite as random as yours, but...still." She ran her fingers through her rust-colored hair, and leaned against the counter.
"I know, sweetheart. I hear you scream in your sleep sometimes. You know I could always help you out with a tranquilizer, I have some in my bags..." The elf twirled around to look for her bag - she was being serious.
"No, no. I'm fine. No need for that, you horrid no-good ranger!" She smirked playfully and crossed her arms.
Estee picked up her bags from the counter and made her way for the door. Before turning the handle she turned her head back around to grin at Madelia.
"Well, thanks again for your lovely hospitality. Tell that sister of yours I said hi!"
She turned the handle of the door and stepped outside in a quick, fluid movement. The ranger was almost cat-like, the way she moved gracefully in a prowl. Her muscles were still well-toned beside the fact that she did not look "alive."
The comment slapped Madelia in the face. Say hello to her sister? Her sister was dead, and had been for months now. Estee knew this, right? She shook her head and turned around to put the dishes into the sink. It was going to be a long day, she could just tell.
Outside, Estee turned the corner to walk past the commerce district. She passed several Kirin Tor in their brilliant eggplant colored robes and hats, and grinned. Being outside made her...happy, spirited. As if she were in her natural element when she was outdoors. Turning another corner she was now standing next to statue of Antonidas. She peered up at the statue with her hands on her hips, taking it all in. She repeated this ritual on a daily basis. After she would leave Madelia's home she would walk past the Violet Citadel until she reached the memorial.
A deep purr emanated behind the statue. Lifting her wispy eyebrows curiously, she slowly approached the memorial.
"Hello? Is somethin' there?" She called out, her voice raspy.
"Hello, beautiful." The source of the purring was no longer a mystery as a large spectral cat-like beast approached from behind the statue's base. It stalked carefully towards the ranger, its head held high.
"We have some work to do this afternoon, you and I. Come with me." It rumbled. It appeared to be speaking to her with some form of telekinesis, as its mouth was not moving. She looked around quickly from side to side, to see if anyone else had noticed the animal. This area was always very crowded during this time of day, and surely someone else would have noticed the spirit-cat.
To her shock and amazement, no one did. She turned to look back at the cat, who was waiting patiently for her answer. She breathed a heavy sigh, and nodded.
"What would you have me do, then?"