Auria__.azriel

Fear Of The Unknown

Auria talked to herself.

After living alone for centuries with only her thoughts for company, it becomes a defense mechanism. She had to either break the silence or let it drive her mad. Though in a way she had gone mad still. For here she was, talking to the walls.

"This place is so much bigger than it was." she said weakly "I hate it."

She felt so small looking up at the ceiling from the cold marble floor, her back pressed to the wall. She asked that same ceiling, "How dare you grow so much without me? Though I guess I should be grateful you're still here."

"You could have been rubble.."

"ash..."

"...just like him..."

Then she fell silent, letting the wave of heartache wash over her. She could have dealt with all the discomfort and loneliness. After all, she had done it for more than five thousand years. All that time she had hoped to come back, but she'd never wanted to think about coming back to be without Oryn. When the male who had awakened her -Thesan- had introduced himself as High Lord, her heart had sunk like a boulder in the river. Oryn was dead.

"People are dust." She recited the lesson she'd learned over lifetimes. "People are dust."

Deep down, she knew this would happen. Too much time had passed, and with it wars and illnesses. Part of her had accepted it. But for it to be real, to have him gone. The Red Palace felt hollow without her lover in it.

"At least you left me Sysy." Auria sighed with a grin. "She's a tough piece of dust, that one."

Her old friend had promised to see her in the morning, to give her a tour and talk to her about what she'd missed while she was gone. She'd told her to rest, but Auria couldn't rest.

It was all so familiar but so, so off. The humming of magic under her skin was so strong now that it seemed to be making up for all those years of absence. One thing was the same though. Everyone in the palace looked at her strangely, whispering to each other after she walked by. She didn't need fae hearing to know they were talking about her.

Leaning her head back, she let the tears roll down her cheeks. She was feeling too much. She was confused and heartbroken, relieved to be back yet so lost.

Then a strange sensation made her jump. She put both hands on the floor to ground herself as a feeling of comfort washed over her as if someone were taking her in their arms and holding her there. It was weird in the most wonderful of ways.

"What in the-" Her heart felt like it would burst out her chest and she could feel her nerves buzz in the silence.

"Hello?" She said tentatively

A feeling of surprise came from the other side and, after what felt like ages, a voice answered.

"Hello"

Auria gasped and put up her mental walls instantly. It'd sounded like it came from inside her mind. She hadn't expected anyone to answer back. Plus, that voice. It was like nothing she'd heard before. Goosebumps spread through her skin as the echo of it bounced in her head. It was definitely male, deep and calm. It'd nearly left her breathless.

She could barely form a coherent thought. Why was there someone in her head? Stars, she'd forgotten how much she hated that. She didn't reach out again, hoping whoever had answered her would just disappear. Instead, she sat and stared ahead, mumbling whatever thought came to her head as any sort of sleep continued to elude her.

---

Auria groaned as she was woken up by someone knocking on the door. She barely had time to prop herself up when the door burst open and the sound of footsteps and a cane reached her ears.