ButterflyBabyBlue
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I flinch as it comes down again, my arms buckling a little under the force. I can feel blood seeping through my clothes and onto the floor, but we've only just hit two hundred.
Outside, over the cracks, I hear Fintan, shouting something delightedly to whoever else is with him.
Suddenly, just as another lash hits, the tent flaps are thrown open. Immediately I jump to my feet, spinning to see who it is.
Fintan stands in the entrance to the tent, looking appalled. "What...?"
"Fintan, we're busy," I tell him. "Leave."
"No," he says firmly. "What have you done that deserves this kind of punishment?"
"I thought that you of all people would know, Fintan," I say drily. "I've done an awful lot in the past few days."
"But this, Caoilainn..." he trails off, looking to Sheik. I look over my shoulder, sending a warning glare in the chief's direction.
"She asked, Fintan," he says. "She was... insistent."
"Please, Fintan," I say. "This is humiliating. I don't want you to see this. Please leave."
He seems at war with himself, his emotions and logical thoughts duelling each other relentlessly.
I wait, blood dripping from me, for his response.
NayruGoddessOfWisdom likes this -
I lie in my tent for hours, cursing Melaina and Fintan and Leoni and Sheik over and over again without pause, occasionally thumping my fist against the ground in agitation.
I leave after a while, heading back to see my tree and it's remains. What is left of the base of the trunk is a mess; Melaina must have hit at odd angles. Nevertheless, the job done was a thorough one.
I kick it hard, grunting in frustration.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I whine, like a child throwing a tantrum. "Burn them all anyways."
I hit the ground hard, sitting resolutely in the tranquility. Finally I get up, having grown hungry, and scurry to the dining area.
I sit down, buttering some bread, when a familiar voice comes from over my shoulder.
"Have you calmed down, now, Caoilainn?" Sheik asks. I scowl as he sits down next to me.
"I guess so," I mutter, taking a bite.
"You realise that Melaina-"
"Don't want to talk about Melaina," I interrupt. "Five hundred, tomorrow morning, remember?"
"I'd hoped you'd forgotten about that," Sheik admits. "You don't have to-"
"Five hundred," I repeat. "And that's final."
-
Melaina's words hit me like a brick, and I shooot up, leaping over what remains of my tree to launch myself at Melaina. I grab her by her shirt, taking advantage of her surprise.
"You think I haven't lost things?!" I yell at her, ferocious. "I lost my family, I lost my identity, I lost the ability to grow up like a normal human and now, NOW I've lost the trust of all of my friends!"
Melaina stutters and stammers, words seeming to fail her at the moment.
"Caoilainn," Leoni starts, "Fintan is-"
"What you did just now," I snarl, "that was not okay. That tree held me up. I don't care if you don't understand that, I don't expect any of you to. That tree meant something; it stood for something."
Fintan, who has apparently arrived on the scene, begins his way over. His breathing is heavy, likely exhausted. I don't acknowledge him for now.
"Every time we came back here from some sort of mission," I continue, relentless. "That tree was where I went. Not to talk with anyone, or to take a rest. I came back here and I trained. And sometimes I came here in the freezing cold, and I continued to train."
I slacken my grip but don't let go. "I have more scars from the bark of that tree than any battle. And now it's gone. The most important thing to me. The last thing I had left."
I let go of her, glaring. "Thanks."
-
I pause in the act of eating a crust of bread when an enormous creaking sound turns everyone's attention away from their food.
"What was that?" Leoni asks nervously.
"Is someone cutting trees down?" another Sheikah asks.
I spring to my feet then, worry filling me. I turn and sprint from the large room, feet pounding hard against the grass.
I race into the forest, tripping occasionally in my haste. When I arrive to the site of the massive crashing noise, I'm far too late.
Melaina stands, trembling a little, with a wood axe in her arms. She stands where the base of my tree would have been, panting.
"What..." I can't formulate a sentence, my mouth going dry. "I..."
Melaina takes notice of me, turning to look me dead in the eye. I see no forgiveness in those amber orbs, only a desire for vengeance.
I fall to my knees, scratching them as they come into contact with branches and twigs and dry leaves. My hands reach for the trunk, and I run my fingers along it, unable to process what has happened.
"Why did you..?" I falter again, fighting back tears. I was not about to cry in front of Melaina, not now.
She stares back, impassive
-
I storm out of the tent, not waiting for Leoni to catch up. I'm so furious myself that I don't have the energy to think about him at the moment. He trails behind me a little, looking somewhat helpless. I leave him be for now, smacking my fist against a thin tree and feeling it tremor a little under the force.
Fintan was not interested. Just a blank slate, impenetrable. Admitting it is shameful, but it was a scary experience. Any response is better than none at all. And Melaina... Melaina was clearly in no mood for negotiations... Definitely not. Those two, at the moment, anyways, were impossible to convince.
There are only so many times I can say sorry and genuinely mean it. That apology had taken a lot from me, saying it in front of Melaina and Leoni as well as Fintan himself. And it had almost been brushed over, barely acknowledged. It made me furious.
Some of the younger Sheikah almost throw themselves out of reach of my glare, something I've grown used to over time. It's about the only thing that's right at the moment, the only thing keeping me in check.
"Caoilainn," Leoni speaks up, jogging to keep pace with me. "Anything we can do that might help?"
I consider replying, but then my stomach growls loudly, a reminder that I hadn't eaten for a long time.
It's answer enough for both of us.
-
"Thanks, I guess," I mumble, my eyes on the grass. "But what I did, the person I am... Those things ARE wrong. I know that you might still have feelings toward me or something of the sort, but there is no denying it."
Leoni tries to interject, a look of protest on his face. "But you're still-"
I cut him off with a shake of my head, springing to my feet. "Leoni, I could have killed Fintan."
"You didn't," he tries.
"I came close, and that's what's important. I nearly killed a friend. Fintan has done so much for me, for all of us, and then I just..."
I scrub a hand through my hair, frowning at the length, and sigh. "I need to talk to him. Want to come back with me?"
He nods, getting to his feet. I take off and he follows, both of us silent.
I'm likely the last person he wants to see, but it seems only right that I should pay him a visit. Resolute, I move quickly to the camp.
-
((Nayru, a thousand apologies for being such an AIRHEAD! Happy Birthday a million times over, my dearie.))
Guilt is still eating me up as I march to the outskirts of camp. The look on my face is all it takes to send people away with their eyes elsewhere.
I reach my tree, slumping against it and sinking to the ground. The still air has a calming effect, and I sit silently in the dwindling sunlight.
Finally, I decide to do what I know will help. Cupping a hand over my mouth to muffle the sound, I scream into my palms, rage coursing through me along with guilt and pain and regret.
But it feels good, so I don't stop.
-
I stabbed him. I stabbed Fintan. One minute he was standing before me, and the next he was curled up on the ground, blood seeping through his clothes. Sheik, moving like a blur to his side, Leoni's hands on my shoulders, and Melaina.... Oh, goddesses, Melaina's words won't stop ringing in my ears. The worst part is knowing she's entirely justified.
I sit for hours, long after Sheik has done as much as he can for Fintan. My hands clutch at my knees, my chin resting on them. I wish I could sink through the floor, far away from the camp.
"I knew coming back was a mistake," I say quietly, ashamed at the way my voice cracks.
Sheik turns to look at me, balanced on his haunches. He shakes his head slowly.
"All of this will be dealt with," he assures me. "We'll do what we have to."
"I could have killed him," I remind Sheik, bitterness seeping through every word. "I should be dead, Sheik."
"Everyone has the right to life, Caoilainn."
I say nothing in response, returning my attention to Fintan.
"He's never going to forgive me," I acknowledge after a few minutes of silence. "Melaina, she's furious."
"I know," Sheik replies. "But we can talk-"
"Talking isn't going to help this time!" I protest, my eyes stinging with tears that wouldn't come. "Do you honestly think they'll listen?"
Sheik falls silent, looking at Fintan, who stirs a little.
"Five hundred," I say suddenly. Sheik whips around, his expression sharp, but not enough to sway me.
"Caoilainn," he starts, "that's-"
"I deserve it!" I cut him off, angry at myself and at him for disagreeing. "Don't I?"
At that, he is unable to respond, his eyes softening. "I don't believe-"
"Well I do," I interrupt again. "Five hundred, the night before we next set off."
Sheik hangs his head, looking exhausted, and I nod firmly.
-
I take a deep breath to steady myself, my eyes drifting along each of my friends. They stare back impassively. Melaina's put her bow and arrow away, thankfully, and Sheik is by my side so I can breathe easy.
"I... I have a lot to explain," I say, my eyes going to the blindfold in my hands. I twist and pull at it nervously as I begin.
"I've never felt like I properly fit in within the Sheikah tribe," I start. "I was always by myself, I preferred being alone to practice fighting."
They nod in agreement, still looking wary.
"And when I put the pieces together, and figured out my biology... Well, it made sense at the time to just... leave."
"But that's-!" Melaina is cut off by Sheik's warning glare. I continue nervously.
"At first, I didn't want to join the demons. You have to know that. I was tortured. I tried to resist, but eventually I couldn't take it. And I was overcome."
Fintan straightens a little, a hand on his hips. I don't let it sway me.
"But while I was there, I felt... I felt like I could be myself, without any restraint. As soon as I conceded, I was treated so well and..."
I break off momentarily, reflecting on my brief stay in the demon territory.
"I felt like I was supposed to be there, I suppose. But... It was pointed out to me that the... well, the morals of the demons in command, weren't exactly appropriate."
Zelda nods at that, seeming as if she's somewhere else entirely.
"And so, I came back here. I didn't want to see you guys quite this early but... here you are. I just hope that you can forgive me, eventually. I know that what I've done is absolutely beyond betrayal, but..."
They seem accepting of my apology, apart from Melaina. I wait in trepidation for her questions.
"I don't understand," she says. "How can you just shift sides so easily? You move from demons to Sheikah so fluidly. I hate to be the one saying it but... How can we trust someone who treats other people like... like objects..?"
"I..." Faltering, I clench my blindfold tighter than ever. "I don't really know how to..."
Melaina waits expectantly, and I fidget under her intense gaze.
"I'm sorry," I say. "I just..."
"Would it be possible for me to speak to Caoilainn alone?" Fintan speaks up, his hand on Melaina's arm. "I have a few of my own questions..."
Sheik contemplates for a moment, and then nods. I give him a look of protest, but he takes me gently and firmly by the arm and guides me to where Fintan stands.
"Be wary, Fintan," is all Sheik says.
-
I make my way outside, in need of fresh air. Sault's words have shaken me even further, and I need a reprieve after all that's happened.
Ardaia's last words still ring in my ears, as I secure the blindfold around my eyes and begin walking quickly.
I stop and turn quite a few times, thinking of Sault and how terrified he and the others must feel. But if I'm to do this, then I can't help them. Not without endangering us all.
I keep walking, tripping over branches at times, but I never take the blindfold off. If it's the only way I'm to mourn Ardaia, then so be it.
Eventually, I have to stop and take a break from walking. I remove the blindfold, looking over my shoulders. Demon territory is far behind now, looming in the distance. I don't let it faze me, turning my back.
"Is this the right choice, then, Ardaia?" I ask no one in particular.
I want an answer, I want him to smile and point in the right direction. But he's long gone, and this is entirely my choice to make.
"Let's hope it is," I say, putting the blindfold on once more. I know for a fact that I'm not ready to face Fintan and the others and offer my help, but there is something I can do.
So I begin my long trek to the Sheikah camp in silence, feeling my way to my destination with a grimace.
-
I clench my fists, at war with myself. Ardaia has tensed next to me, his eyes darting back and forth between us. Melaina, an arrow nocked and ready, and Zelda -the goddess reborn herself came for me?- wait with Fintan, who watches me carefully.
"Caoilainn," Ardaia says quietly, "do you need me to-?"
"No," I interrupt him, taking his arm in one hand to stop him sending for others.
Melaina's grip on her bow is firm, but she looks distraught.
"Caoilainn, make your choice!" she cries.
"Quiet!" I snap. "Be quiet."
I take a deep breath, weighing out my options in my head. Ardaia continues to watch me warily, taking his arm away.
"We don't have much time, Caoilainn," Fintan speaks up. Ardaia glares at him, taking a step forward.
"Give her a chance to-!"
He doesn't finish his sentence, instead gasping in shock and pain. My eyes find Melaina, her hands shaking. The arrow is lodged in Ardaia's chest.
"I thought..." Melaina's eyes are wide. "I thought he was about to-"
"Ardaia!" I yell, rushing to steady him. He looks me square in the eye, his hand clutched to his chest.
"Make good choices," he says, and dips his head to kiss my forehead. He's dead before he hits the ground.
Zelda looks absolutely shocked, going to Melaina's side to try and calm her. Fintan can't seem to take his eyes away from Ardaia's corpse, the demons black blood seeping out onto the ground.
"Ardaia..." I repeat, unable to get my head around what's happened.
-
Ardaia lands on his bottom behind me, a grunt of pain coming in quick succession. I spin, knives pointed downwards.
"You're scarily good at this," Ardaia says with a laugh, and I hear him pull himself up.
Removing my blindfold, I find him standing close by, his hands on his hips.
"I bet you're tired," he says, he himself looking worn out.
I shrug, stretching my back and exhaling contentedly. "I like hard work."
"Well, would you be content with a walk to cool you down?" Ardaia offers. "It is getting a little dark, after all."
"Alright," I say, tying my blindfold around my waist with my sash. "And then we can have a go at this again."
Ardaia laughs, shaking his head. "There's adamance for you."
Ignoring him, I walk steadily with him out of the training area, out into the cool air.
I look up at the stars, and then narrow my eyes when I find an odd-looking shape on top of a piece of land jutting out over the demon's territory.
"Ardaia," I say hesitantly, "are those-?"
"Hylians," he finishes, his blue eyes alert.
-
I listen intently for the next noise, my eyes closed. The shifting of Ardaia's feet give him away, and I block his strike with my own sword, just as his comes down.
"You are getting the hang of this," he says, shifting so that I can't pinpoint where he is.
"This isn't what I'm used to at all," I remark. "Blindfolding is an unusual tactic."
"It works though," he replies. "You will sense people coming from miles away."
I make a 'hmph' sound in response, and narrowly miss getting sliced with Ardaia's blade. A small cut, enough to scar, but I ignore it for now.
"So what do you think, about Majora's plans?" Ardaia asks. I turn in his general direction, frowning underneath the red blindfold.
"Not much to think about, really, is there?" I reply. "What really matters is how the Hylians and Sheikah will react."
"The clone of the chosen hero has been reporting regularly enough," Ardaia says. "So we will be able to make a good guess as to what the Hylians will do next."
I nod, blocking another strike and tentatively lashing out with a kick. Ardaia grunts, then laughs.
"Good work."
-
I reappear in a swirl of black and red, landing squarely on my feet. I'm met with the dull walls of the demon settlement, and the guard that had been by my side this whole time. He smiles thinly at me, hands on his hips.
"You've impressed us," he says, affirming with a nod. His blue eyes are satisfied.
"Thank you," I say, dusting down my clothes. "I'm sorry about Blagdan."
"Don't worry about it," he shrugs it off, flicking his long red hair from his face. "We've suffered worse losses."
I nod my understanding. "Are you going to tell me your name now?"
"Do you deserve to know?" he asks with a grin. "I think you do. It's Ardaia."
"Ardaia," I repeat. "It's unusual."
"I could say the same to you."
Rolling my eyes, I tighten my sash. "So... What now?"
"You're wanted," Ardaia informs me. "Probably best to head straight to it."
I nod, seeing no point in delaying. Ardaia strides ahead of me, hair swishing, and I follow him along corridors lit by blue flame.
"I'm going to assume we're undeground?" I venture.
"You'd be right," Ardaia says. "Safest, if you ask me, and we can keep cool."
We arrive at a pair of double doors, heavily guarded. At first, the demon soldiers are hostile, lifting their weapons. But their eyes fall on Ardaia and they move back, granting us entry.
I step into the massive room, my eyes going straight for the person - or rather, the thing- seated in a gargantuan throne.
"Caoilainn," the demon next to the throne speaks, appearing possessed. "At last I have the satisfaction of laying witness to you."
Ardaia descends to one knee, and I follow his example, one fist on my chest while the other hits the ground.
"The satisfaction is mine... Majora."
-
I walk steadily, with a demon in front of me, behind me and another two at my sides. I can't see a thing thanks to the blindfold over my eyes, and my hands are tied behind my back, leading to a lot of stumbling as we climb stairs. I swear I can hear one of the guards chuckling.
We step outside, at least what feels like it, the temperature picking up immediately. I shift uncomfortably in my new clothes, black with a long red sash around my waist.
"We would have to be in the middle of Lanayru," the guard to my right complains. "The heat is ridiculous."
I make a 'hmph' sound in agreement. I falter when I feel something, or someone trying to contact me in some way. A message of some sort...? I'm about to investigate when whoever the guard is in front begins talking for the thousandth time, briefing me on our course of action.
"You must appear genuine," he says, "smile, maybe even laugh, if you think you're up to it."
I can feel his smile in his words, and I wish I could roll my eyes at him. "They wouldn't believe it was me if I did smile, actually."
Finally, just when I'm about to start conplaining, the guards stop. I bump into the one in front, stumbling back a step.
"Can you take this off of me now?" I ask irritably, gesturing vaguely to where the blindfold is. One of them comes from behind and begins unravelling the elaborate knot tied at the back of my head.
I open my eyes, and have to shield them against the sun. When I adjust, I find Blagdan waiting for us a little distance away. We walk over and he looks me up and down.
"Very nice," he says. "I assume you know what you are to do, then?"
"It's only been said about eighty times," I reply drily. Blagdan gives me a thin smile, then turns to begin walking again. I follow after a moment, taking in the drab scenery around me. After a moment, I spot a group of people some distance from us. Undoubtedly Fintan and the rest of the Hylians and Sheikah.
"Here we go," the guard to my right says, actually offering me a smile, though it doesn't seem all that genuine. His pale skin glows under the sun. "Now we'll see what you're capable of."
Rolling my shoulders, I let him accompany me, directly behind Blagdan.
"Hylians," he calls out, "Sheikah!"
The group approaches, all of them wary-looking. My guard moves me so that we stand to the forefront.
Melaina recognises me immediately despite my change in clothing, and some of the others let out sighs of relief. I just watch in silence, trying to smile and failing.
Fintan and Leoni approach, and we move at exactly the same pace. The silence is deafening, even with the harsh wind whipping my short strands of hair about.
"The shard," Blagdan requests simply. Leoni removes it from his pouch, and it gleams under the sun. Fintan moves in my direction, keeping his eye trained on Blagdan.
"On three," Fintan says, still approaching. My guard steps back to give him room.
"One..." Blagdan says. Leoni takes another step, as does Fintan.
"Two," Fintan continues, reaching out to me with one hand.
"Three," I finish, stepping forward and allowing Fintan to take me by the arm just as Blagdan takes the blade shard from Leoni.
Fintan pulls me back, and Leoni moves with us.
"Caoilainn," Fintan says as I'm brought away. "You'll be alright now."
I say nothing, just nodding. Fintan takes my arm and produces a knife. For a moment, I panic, but then I realise he's severing the ropes that bind my hands.
For a moment I'm comfortable, and then I hear the low whistle coming from the guard that had been assigned to me.
I whirl, whipping out the knife given to me earlier, and grab Fintan by the waist, spinning him so that I can place the knife at his neck.
Startled gasps come from the Hylians and the Sheikah, and Melaina looks as if she'll break down. Nobody moves.
"Did you think I was that idiotic?" Blagdan cries into the open air. Fintan tries to squirm from underneath my grip, grunting. I grab one of his arms, and twist it until he hisses in pain. The knife hasn't been lowered.
"Did you honestly believe you could get away with giving me a fake?" Blagdan continues. "Oh, you foolish children."
-
I don't even try to block out the noise anymore. My voice, raw and rasping, is not even close to the volume of those around me. The voices of my friends, of Sheik, and of Blagdan all circling around me, attacking from different angles.
"You can't be so reckless to run off and leave the rest of us to clean up your mess."
"A person who doesn't feel isn't a person at all."
"You're not worth as much to your friends as they are to you."
"You are a demon."
On and on it goes, and I feel the thwack of the belt Sheik used on my back. My parents' scream are in the midst of the accusing voices, sounding as real as they did on the day they were attacked.
"It's not real," I whisper, willing myself to believe that. I open my eyes, looking around at the demons that are perched in various locations in the cell. They don't stop their flawless imitations, instead raising their voices and drawing a scream of anguish from me.
After another hour, it becomes too much. I'm going to lose my mind.
"STOP!" I scream, my throat burning. "STOP!"
The shouting ceases, the demons watching me intently. Blagdan looks up at me from the other end of the room, immune to and unaffected by the ear-piercing accusations ringing through the air.
"What did you say?" he asks loudly.
"Stop," I repeat, going slack in my shackles. "Stop..."
"You're missing a key word," Blagdan says, a malicious smile on his cruel face.
My head snaps up at that, and I look indignantly at him, shaking my head.
"No," I say half-heartedly. "I refuse."
"Oh?" Blagdan lifts his hand and the demons start up again, the sounds filling the air.
"No!" I screech, losing it completely. "Stop them, stop!"
Blagdan simply brings his hand to his ear, expectant. It takes a moment, but eventually I can't take any more.
"Please," I say, though it's more of a sigh than anything. "Stop... please."
"That's better," Blagdan replies, sounding so sickeningly sweet I have to resist spitting at him.
My shackles vanish, and I drop some distance before one of the imitants swoops down to break the fall.
"You'll see that there is no use in resistance," Blagdan says simply. "If you comply, we'll get along just fine."
I shudder, unable to get rid of the sounds of those voices. I cast a glare at Blagdan, but it has no impact whatsoever.
"Let's get you fixed up," Blagdan says, just as my vision fades to nothingness. His voice come from a distance. "You two, take her to..."
-
I scream curses into the air after the next shock rattles my body, numbing me for a moment; the slew of words leaving me would be enough to raise the eyebrows of any Sheikah.
They're directed at Blagdan, at his guards, at all of the demons in this accursed place. I curse at them, I curse at my parents and at myself above all else.
I'm so dirty and unkempt now that I don't bother trying to shake my hair out of my face. It's been much too long since I've had water, I can feel it in the way my thoughts have become disjointed, and my vision seems distorted somehow.
"You mentioned your friends earlier," Blagdan speaks up, his guards parting as he approaches. Each of them holds an electrified weapon of some sort, confirming my suspicions of the demon's settlement being somewhere in Lanayru. The region, in the past, was supposedly a mass-producer of electrical products, the best of the best. I can now testify to that, unfortunately.
"And what of it?" I ask, letting my head hang.
"You're very keen to fight for them," Blagdan notes. "Very determined to resist for their benefit."
I frown, wary of his words despite my exhaustion.
"My question to you, Caoilainn, is this: would they fight this hard for you?"
I blink in surprise at that, my lips parting. "What do you...?"
"What I mean is that you're not worth as much to your friends as they are to you," Blagdan states matter-of-factly. "What I mean is that you should have given up a long time ago."
"Why do you think that?" I inquire, trying to keep my voice firm.
Blagdan begins walking about me in circles, his words coming from different angles as he speaks.
"You were never the favourite of anyone," he says, "not Fintan, not Melaina nor any of the other Sheikah."
"You don't know that," I reply weakly.
"Of course I do!" Blagdan replies. His guards watch impassively, their eyes on me. "It's one thing about you that I definitely know, Caoilainn."
He tugs at one of my shackles, jerking it so my head is turned to look at him.
"Who should love a person who won't love them back?" Blagdan asks, his tone accusing. "Not Leoni, or any of the other Hylians. You made no effort."
"Stop it," I growl at him. "You don't know anything."
"Ha!" Blagdan's laugh is cold, piercing my ears. "I know everything about you."
He positions himself so that he's right in front of me, and I do my best to meet his eyes.
"You're a stone-cold, emotionless girl," he tells me. "You don't care about anyone but yourself, and your 'friends' don't deserve that."
He pauses before speaking again, likely for dramatic effect, and it has exactly the effect he'd have hoped for.
"Whether your origins play a part in this or not, Caoilainn... you are a demon."
-
"Your friends are moving through Lanayru very swiftly, Caoilainn," Blagdan says, pacing in front of me. He's alone now, the two guards posted outside the cell door.
The pain in my arms has become so commonplace now that I simply ignore it, watching Blagdan with dull eyes.
"They'll have the shard in no time," he muses, his smug voice doing nothing to improve my temper. "And then they'll have to wait, because you and I have some talking to do, it seems."
"I'm not interested in talking to you," I inform him levelly.
"You've made that very clear," Blagdan says, his voice just as calm. "This would be far simpler if you chose to comply, of course. Regardless of the methods, we need you on our side."
"Good luck with that," I reply, managing to give him an embittered smile.
"We need the shards of that blade," Blagdan says, half to himself. "And right now you seem to be our best bet."
"Whatever your plan is, it's not going to work," I say determinedly. "And you'll never be able to make me work against my friends."
He pauses for a moment, appearing to make a mental note of something. He then moves quickly, and I yelp when he reaches up to grab a fistful of my hair and pull my head down to his level. I seethe in pain, squeezing my eyes shut. He slaps me across the jaw until I look at him.
"Listen to me, Caoilainn," he hisses, his eyes locked on mine. "By the time we're done with you in here you'll be begging, and I mean it, to work for us."
-
"I'm not... going to do... anything..."
My words leave me in between shuddering breaths and coughs. Blagdan frowns at me from where he sits, and his guards look up at me, seeming impatient. I test the shackles that leave me suspended above them, but they are firm as ever. I dangle there like a ragdoll, exhausted but still as stubborn as I was.
"Child, you are so-"
"Stop... calling me... a child," I interrupt Blagdan mid-sentence. He doesn't looked pleased to have been interrupted, but continues on as if I hadn't spoken.
"We have explained to you countless times now," he says, "your origins and your warped loyalties. If you would kindly refrain from being so arrogant, then we could take you down from there and get to setting our plans into action."
"I don't believe your stupid story," I retort, and spit at the ground to get my point across.That earns me a whack with my own belt, and I clench my teeth to stop from giving an audible reaction. "
"Are you absolutely sure?" Blagdan asks, standing up. "All the evidence points that way. Why you shut out emotions, why you'd always excelled in combat. And now, your violent outburst. Your parents' mysterious origins...."
"Shut up," I snap, and receive another lash. "My parents were loyal to the Sheikah."
"Which is why we had to eliminate them," Blagdan says. He shakes his head, tutting at me disapprovingly. "Honestly, I didn't expect you to be quite this stubborn, Caoilainn. And we have a very limited amount of time, too."
One of his guards walks to him, whispering something I can't hear. The other guards watches me while Blagdan mutters something in response. His belt is wrapped around his knuckles, my blood dripping from one end.
Blagdan nods, and the other guard approaches, drawing a pocketknife. I brace myself for a slash, but instead of feeling any pain, I hear the sounds of fabric tearing. When I open my eyes, my clothes have been torn to shreds, only a few mere strips of fabric still remaining.
The guard that had talked with Blagdan lifts a hand and I watch it glow red, squirming in my bonds in discomfort and panic. He approaches, and lifts his hand so he can place it on my abdomen. And when he does, the pain is awful.
A scream is ripped from me, my throat feeling like fire has blazed through it. His touch is like white-hot pokers, the tips of his fingers tracing harsh circles as I writhe in agony. But over my screams, I can still hear Blagdan's persistent voice.
"The sooner you come to terms with your situation,you insolent child," he says, "the easier this will be for both of us."
-
I wake bleary-eyed, my head pounding and my back aching. Blinking, I move to stand up and falter when I find my arm has been bound, chained to the filthy brick wall behind me.
Immediately I know I'm not safe. I reflect over recent events and then it hits me. I've been captured.
I look to the wall facing me. A locked door, with a barred window. I can't see a thing from where I stand, so I'm left to look at my cell, which is unclean to say the least.
I listen carefully, and hear soft footsteps approaching. Preparing myself, I wait for the door to open.
It swings open and I find myself faced with a tall demon, flanked by two guards. The one in the middle radiates authority, and is the one to approach me.
"Caoilainn," he says, bending so that he is at my height.
His head is knocked to the right as my fist clashes with his jaw. He growls, but it dissipates and he actually smiles. His guards spring into action, one of their hands glowing while the other raises a fist. But the demon in front of me dismisses them, turning back to me.
"My name is Blagdan," he introduces himself.
"I don't care," I hiss, my voice more ferocious than I myself feel.
"... And I'm rather well-known amongst my kind as a biological scientist."
I frown at that, the description sounding familiar. Wasn't this Blagdan the demon who'd tried...?
My thoughts are interrupted by one of the guards, the one whose hands are still glowing and at the ready.
"Sir," he says, "we're under pressure for time, as you're-"
"Yes, yes I know," Blagdan replies brusquely. He turns back to me, and I do my best to glare despite the pain in my head.
"Now, my dear Caoilainn," he says. "We have work to do!"
"For you?" I retort. "Never."
Blagdan's smile falters, but not for long. He gets to his feet, looking like he's almost about to rub his hands together with glee.
"Well then," he says, and a knot forms in my stomach with his next words, "it seems we'll have to convince you in some... other way."
-
"Don't you understand, Leoni?" I ask exasperatedly. I can feel myself growing agitated, snatching the arrow back. "I can't feel. I'm not able to."
He blinks back tears, heartbroken. I take a step back from him, refusing to meet his eye.
"You need to go," I tell him firmly. He shakes his head, adamant.
"I refuse to," he said.
"Then... Then I will," I say resolutely.
And with that I turn, leaving him alone as I race through the forest. I come to a halt when I spot Fintan, panting from exhaustion.
"Fintan..." I say, catching up to him. "Are you-?"
"You didn't answer my question," he interrupts. "Who are you, Caoilainn?"
I blink at his demand, my eyes drifting to his shoulder. My gaze turns to the bow next, another arrow already nocked. Suddenly repulsed, I drop it and take a step back.
"Who are you?' Fintan repeats.
"I don't... I don't know," I tell him, and I mean it. "I thought I knew everything there was to know about myself."
Fintan watches me carefully, grimacing through the pain in his shoulder. "I don't know either."
That is the last thing I want to hear. Fighting back a desperate plea for guidance, I rake my fingers through my hair and look about at our surroundings. Trees line the area behind me, and for a moment I consider...
"Don't run," Fintan warns. "You'll only cause more hassle if you do that."
I turn back to him, raising one eyebrow. "What did you say?"
"I'm not going to keep running after you," Fintan tells me. "So don't go off again."
"Oh?" I say, walking toward him. "You realise, Fintan, that you didn't have to come after me in the first place?"
"Are you that ungrateful?" Fintan asks, outraged.
And then there's a crack, and Fintan is on the ground and my knuckles are stinging. Pinned to the ground, Fintan's head lolls to one side, and I have to stop myself from punching again. The arrow I had nocked nearly pressing into his skin, I draw back. What had come over me?!
Suddenly wary of a noise behind me, I turn sharply and am met with a pair of bright eyes.
"Who's there?" I ask hesitantly, willing Fintan to get up. All I get from him is a soft groan.
Another noise comes from my right, and I find another pair of eyes watching... waiting.
"Caoilainn," the other one calls, with a reedy voice that sets me on edge.
"Wh-Who is that?" I ask, beginning to really worry. Fintan stirs, a grunt of pain following that.
"It's alright," the other one says, his voice deeper and just as terrifying. "We're not going to hurt you, child."
I back away, but they move with me. Fintan sits up, looking confused.
"Caoilainn...?" he asks, his tone puzzled.
"Fint-"
It's all I get out before hands are clasped over my eyes and mouth, and darkness swallows me whole.
-
"When I said that I didn't want to get invested into 'meaningless' things," I start, "I was talking about things that would get me hurt. People I get close to always seem to get hurt."
I stand up, eyes roaming the stars. "And so I decided to not get close to anyone. I've..."
"Yes?" Leoni prompts.
With a huff of breath I continue. "I've survived where other people should have. I don't know why, but I don't let myself forget that."
I move away from Leoni, warning him wordlessly to stay where he is.
"And that's why, Leoni, I-"
"Don't say it," he pleads, but I shove his words aside, shaking my head.
"That's why I can't be with you," I finish.
"Caoilainn," he starts. "Why-?"
"Please," I cut him off, backing away. "Please don't do this to me."
"But I-"
"Stop!" I yell, much too forcefully. "Stop, stop..."
Ashamed of myself for being so harsh and so unaccepting, I turn and flee once more, clasping my hands over my ears so I don't have to hear Leoni's heartbroken cries of my name.
My legs scream in protest, but I can't, and won't stop myself.
-
After chatting with a passing Goron I return to our camp in silence. Fintan and Melaina are a little ways off to the side, discussing something in hushed tones. They're so focused on their whispered conversation they don't notice me at all.
I make my way to where Leoni lies looking at the stars. He jumps, barely suppressing a startled yelp when I lean over him.
"Caoilainn!" he half-shouts. Before he can continue, I pull him up onto his feet and away from our camp until we're out of earshot.
"What you wrote in your notebook," I begin immediately. "I saw all of it."
"You were supposed to," Leoni says, not even feigning surprise.
"Well..." I trail off, not exactly sure what to say. I let out an exasperated sigh and Leoni speaks up.
"Caoilainn, do you still have feelings for me?" he asks.
"Feelings?" I snap back at him. "I got rid of them before we left the Sheikah camp. I made sure I was a blank slate."
Leoni seems disappointed, to say the least, but I need to make him see.
"This is the way I'm comfortable," I try to explain. "When I don't feel anything, I don't become invested in meaningless things."
"So our relationship was meaningless?" Leoni asks. I pause, taking in his sorrowful expression.
"No," I tell him. "No, no, that's not how I-"
"It's fine," he interrupts me. "You don't have to explain."
"Leoni," I repeat, cursing my bad choice in words. "What we had wasn't meaningless, it was-"
"A distraction from your work," he says, throwing my words back in my face. "I understand."
He turns his back, leaving for the camp. I call out to him but to no avail.
Feeling more guilty than ever, and more frustrated than ever, I run the opposite way, ignoring the shouts of the Goron's as I rush past, leaving their cavern behind. I try to convince myself my eyes are stinging because of the speed I'm moving at.
-
"I..." Fintan trails off, looking embarrassed. "It's just that I didn't want it to happen right now... Not while all of this is happening."
I frown at him, feeling bad but also seeing his point. Taking a breath, I place my hand on his shoulder.
"Fintan, I know that work is important to you, and it always has been. But sometimes a distraction can be good. Things like this, they always happen when you least expect it. They hit you like a ton of bricks."
He nods his understanding, still seeming hesitant. "But you see, I don't want to become-"
"Distracted," I finish. Again, he nods, cheeks turning red.
I walk back and forth for a moment, mulling over what to say next. I turn on my heel to face him again.
"Melaina really does like you," I tell him. "Even someone as emotionally vacant as I am can see it, so that definitely counts for something. I think... I think you should really consider this."
I turn my back again, giving him a moment to think.
"Leoni and I... we rushed into things," I say. "And I myself wasn't ready for a relationship like that. Being with Leoni made me realise I'd never learned to love anything, feel anything. Leoni loved, he got emotional. I wasn't ready."
I turn around then, making my way back to Fintan. He listens intently, eyebrows drawn into a crease.
"But you, Fintan," I continue. "You have the ability to love, and Melaina loves you just as much as you think she does, likely more than that. So I say go ahead."
Fintan takes it all in, smiling at last. "Alright, Caoilainn. Thank you."
"Don't mention it," I say, waving a hand. "I'm gonna stay here for a bit, you should probably eat something."
Fintan nods, jogging off back in the direction of the camp. I'm left alone with my thoughts, in the warmth of the Goron cavern.
I'd have to talk to Leoni eventually. What he'd written in his notebook was extremely hopeful, and blatantly obvious. I couldn't avoid him forever.
Establishing Hyrule
in Roleplaying
Posted
It takes me a moment to respond, my mind far away from the current predicament.
"Caoilainn," Sault repeats, snapping me out of my trance. Now is not the time for losing control of myself.
"I can get us out," I say, trying to gather myself. "I don't know how far I can bring us... A-and there are probably guards posted around the area, so..."
"It's okay," Bryarly says. "We'll be ready for it."
I nod distractedly. "Hands on me."
I wait until I'm sure I have everyone, and concentrate hard.
Before I can blink twice, we're outside in the humid air. And there are Demons everywhere.
"Everyone, split!" Fintan yells, and each of us dart off in different directions.
I'm immediately beset by a Demon Lord, with barely enough warning to lift my fists and absorb the shock of his attack.
However, I've come completely unarmed, and this Demon Lord has a curved sword and centuries of experience.
And despite my attempts at fending him off, it doesn't take long before I'm pinned to the ground, the Demon Lord sneering down at me.
I struggle as best as I can, but after a moment I freeze, immediately ceasing my fight. His sword is pointed precisely, hovering two inches from my eye.
"Please," I breathe. "P-please..."
I squeeze my eyes shut, and wince at his cackle.
"Now you'll see where denying us gets you," he says darkly.
I screech, writhing against his grip in agony, when searing cold penetrates the thin skin.
"STOP IT!" I beg, but he keeps at it, and I feel blood, spreading over my face. I spit it out as it reaches my lips, resisting the urge to retch.
My right eye is attacked next, and my begging falls on deaf ears. I try to open my left eye and... it's gone.
Oh goddesses, oh please no. I don't want to be blind.
And then it's over, and I'm left lying, blood all over my face and my sight gone.
I'm blind.