Pots
Born of blood, and risen from ash...
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2018
Lithe fingers slid between folds of thick, red wool, the scratchy texture of the fabric in sharp contrast to soft skin. They clenched, scrunching the cheap cloak with a barely audible crunching – like walking on freshly-fallen snow. There was a tension in the woman, fleetingly relieved by the discomfort of the grip. Lydia's fine brow was creased in a light scowl at the feeling of the peasant wool. No matter how long she was forced to face the new circumstances of her existence, she could not forget what had once known. She pictured in the cloak's place, the luxurious fabrics of her past. Hand-woven, soaked with a fortune of exotic dyes and made of countless strands of silk so velvety smooth that they had slid over her body like liquid, as utterly comfortable as nudity. She remembered the sensation wistfully, her breath catching in her chest.
She remembered it all, the grandeur that had been hers - the grandeur of what she had been. Burned into her soul, her identity. She longed for the decadence and luxury she had fattened herself on. Ruby wines, almost syrupy with grape sweetness, emanating herbal, jammy bouquets. The cool weight of her clinking jewelry, heavy with dense, glimmering gold, clasped tightly to her skin as a priceless reminder of her majesty. Food - oh, the food - she had feasted on only the finest. Suckling pig, skin golden and buttery, basted with heather honey, the most exquisite breeds pillaged from the midderlands. The produce of far-reaching lands, gathered daily to service her most tenuous whims. And of course, more than just the grandeur, she remembered the power. The domination of all creatures and peoples that had succumbed to her ever-expanding dominion. She could hear the stamping of countless iron forms, in perfect lock-step, echoing throughout the ornate halls built as monuments to her grandeur. She remembered the wicked demons, malicious and sorcerous in their own right, but their devious manners subsumed into the purpose of her empowerment, as even these otherworldly creatures had come to know her as their mistress. Rivers of blood and tears had flowed in her name, and she had bathed in them without remorse - indeed, she had been euphoric as she had sunk ever-deeper into the evils of her vainglory.
All of it gone, and the scents and sights of her past that had danced before her violet eyes were blown away in the warm evening breeze. Her armies battered into submission, her towers crumbling and her image cursed throughout the realms as a thing both sinful and powerless. She had been defeated, and as the rampaging last crusade of the last countries not yet submitted to her had cleaved through her territories, the fear she had inspired, evaporated. The treacherous had begun to connive, demonic entities reverting to their instinctive rebelliousness. She had been forced to steal herself away, the indignity of being smuggled from the very seat of her power. Her entourage, slowly peeling away as her admonishments and plotting had fallen on slowly-deafer ears, till finally she woke one cold morning and found herself alone. Her tremendous magical potential had stayed the assassin's blades, but had not stayed their feet. A dark empress had little claim over her people's loyalties, instead they felt the burn of their many scars earned in her service. Now, even that was gone. She could not explain it but the writhing powers that had coursed through her had abandoned her, a last betrayal that left her numb and vulnerable. The charms she had cast on herself still had effect, and her physique remained untouched; the remnants of her magic still marking the world. She could no longer touch and change the world with the ease of a god plucking at the strings of reality. It was as though she was still part of the world, but had lost her language to communicate with it. She was hollow…
Worse, she reflected bitterly as she walked on, her timeless grace evident still even wrapped in cheap fabrics and as she did her fruitless utmost to blend her statuesque beauty in with the commoners who drowned out her surroundings with their ape-like simplicity. She had inflicted many cruelties, many careless slights, in the arrogance of her dominance. There were many powerful beings that would be thrilled by the opportunity to exact savage revenge. Many who would delight in seeing the depths of her despair. She slunk through the gathering gloom of eve, picking up the pace in an attempt to reach a settlement to provide her the slightest hint of security in for one more impotent night. This looming forest would only prove to be trouble come night. She tasted something in the air, there was an itching in the faint whispers of sorcery still in her. A threatening feeling, and her helplessness had her proud blood coursing hot with fury.
She remembered it all, the grandeur that had been hers - the grandeur of what she had been. Burned into her soul, her identity. She longed for the decadence and luxury she had fattened herself on. Ruby wines, almost syrupy with grape sweetness, emanating herbal, jammy bouquets. The cool weight of her clinking jewelry, heavy with dense, glimmering gold, clasped tightly to her skin as a priceless reminder of her majesty. Food - oh, the food - she had feasted on only the finest. Suckling pig, skin golden and buttery, basted with heather honey, the most exquisite breeds pillaged from the midderlands. The produce of far-reaching lands, gathered daily to service her most tenuous whims. And of course, more than just the grandeur, she remembered the power. The domination of all creatures and peoples that had succumbed to her ever-expanding dominion. She could hear the stamping of countless iron forms, in perfect lock-step, echoing throughout the ornate halls built as monuments to her grandeur. She remembered the wicked demons, malicious and sorcerous in their own right, but their devious manners subsumed into the purpose of her empowerment, as even these otherworldly creatures had come to know her as their mistress. Rivers of blood and tears had flowed in her name, and she had bathed in them without remorse - indeed, she had been euphoric as she had sunk ever-deeper into the evils of her vainglory.
All of it gone, and the scents and sights of her past that had danced before her violet eyes were blown away in the warm evening breeze. Her armies battered into submission, her towers crumbling and her image cursed throughout the realms as a thing both sinful and powerless. She had been defeated, and as the rampaging last crusade of the last countries not yet submitted to her had cleaved through her territories, the fear she had inspired, evaporated. The treacherous had begun to connive, demonic entities reverting to their instinctive rebelliousness. She had been forced to steal herself away, the indignity of being smuggled from the very seat of her power. Her entourage, slowly peeling away as her admonishments and plotting had fallen on slowly-deafer ears, till finally she woke one cold morning and found herself alone. Her tremendous magical potential had stayed the assassin's blades, but had not stayed their feet. A dark empress had little claim over her people's loyalties, instead they felt the burn of their many scars earned in her service. Now, even that was gone. She could not explain it but the writhing powers that had coursed through her had abandoned her, a last betrayal that left her numb and vulnerable. The charms she had cast on herself still had effect, and her physique remained untouched; the remnants of her magic still marking the world. She could no longer touch and change the world with the ease of a god plucking at the strings of reality. It was as though she was still part of the world, but had lost her language to communicate with it. She was hollow…
Worse, she reflected bitterly as she walked on, her timeless grace evident still even wrapped in cheap fabrics and as she did her fruitless utmost to blend her statuesque beauty in with the commoners who drowned out her surroundings with their ape-like simplicity. She had inflicted many cruelties, many careless slights, in the arrogance of her dominance. There were many powerful beings that would be thrilled by the opportunity to exact savage revenge. Many who would delight in seeing the depths of her despair. She slunk through the gathering gloom of eve, picking up the pace in an attempt to reach a settlement to provide her the slightest hint of security in for one more impotent night. This looming forest would only prove to be trouble come night. She tasted something in the air, there was an itching in the faint whispers of sorcery still in her. A threatening feeling, and her helplessness had her proud blood coursing hot with fury.