Words Written Light

Malide: Witchling

Elide

She had seen her in Morath from the corner of her eyes, not warranting more than the glance as she was nothing more than a witch. Leader of the thirteen, but still only a witch. 

This time was different, it was the first time they stood face to face to each other, forced to acknowledge one another's existence. Elide was in the witches room, cleaning the fireplace like any timid housekeeper like her would, scanning the room for any hints to escape. Money bags littered the floor, surely she wouldn't miss one or two of them. Still, she hesitated to bring them to her pockets, as if payment would be required and from what she knew of this witch it very well might be. 

The white haired goddess slipped into the room just then, making Elide jump with surprise. Eyes wide, she looked up at her with the distinct thought, Dear gods, look at her rack.

Manon's face, even then she knew her name it was like a poison here, was blank until she blinked away the statement and fury crossed her features. She growled, "What are you doing here." Iron claws hesitant to burst from her hands but evidently did. 

Afraid of what might happen, or at least playing the part of being so, she stuttered. "C-cleaning the fireplace."

A snarl escaped Manon's curled lips as she stepped closer. "Liar, are you a spy?" but she didn't wait for an answer before hooking a curved nail beneath her chin, making it nearly impossible for the human girl to talk. Instead she stared, not at her face but the too familiar words printed neatly on her wrist. 

Noticing the lack of response and all but gaping from Elide, Manon turned her arm, nail piercing into skin, trailing blood onto her pale white hand. She didn't flinch and Manon only read her wrist before taking away her hand, much to Elide's relief, and putting her nail on her tongue. It trailed down over the blood, Eyes closed in either wonder or thought Elide didn't know. She had heard of people, especially immortals, killing human soulmates, so she definitely wouldn't be a first. On the other hand, as much as she was already living in hell she couldn't die, not yet. 

Elide pulled away, ready for a quick death when Manon chuckled. A sound that scared her more than the thought of death, her eyes flung open in confusion. 

Manon's voice was light when she spoke. "Care to read your arm aloud, witchling."

It wasn't a question but an order, as if she suddenly had that sort of power over her. The order wasn't what took her by surprise. "Witchling?"

Her head nodded to Elide's arm once more in clear indication that nothing would happen until the words were released into the world. Obliging like the servant she had learned to play, she lifted her hand, reading over the words for the first time. "You really don't mean-" She asked, mortified at having to read the words out loud.  Manon glared so she took in a deep breathe and read them in as monotone as she could muster. "Holy fuck she's hotter than fucking Hellas." 

A smirk appeared lightly on Manon's face, as if taking pride in the crude words. Annoyed at this fact, she tried to think of something, anything else but it only made things worse. "Do you know what this means?" She asked. "I'm going to have to wear long sleeves all the time and hide it from everyone. Especially Vernon. If anyone finds out, holy gods I don't even know what will happen."

The smirk fell from her face and Manon looked at her as if she were thick. "Nothing's going to happen to you, you say the words your one of us."

"What?" Because the words didn't make sense. "Because of the tattoo?"

Manon laughed, running a declawed thumb over the spot she previously punctured on the girls neck. "No, because your blood runs blue."

Not knowing why, she felt the sudden urge to cry. She didn't know what to say, she could only repeat those words and it would be true. She would be one of them, a witch. Might even get a wyvern and a chance to ride. She could be free. 

She could never return. 

Manon was waiting but she had nothing to give her. There was no response worthy of this news so she settled for something weak and possibly the only thing she would be able to choke out. "I'll think about it."

Annoyance flashed across Manon's face. "Think about it all you like, but you can't turn away from the fact. Accept it. It makes you strong, a beast. It makes you immortal."

Elide thought of her parents, not knowing what could have become of them. She didn't know either of them to have blue blood. Hellas, they were both dead. Died in a land where magic still existed so where did this come from. How had this come to course through her body. "I should get going."

She made to leave but Manon's, arm reached out blocking her path and ultimately keeping her from leaving the room. "It's late, you're frazzled, you can't risk getting caught. You're sleeping in here tonight."

"What?" 

Manon rolled her eyes, tossing the blanket off her bed, soon followed by a pillow, onto the floor in front of the fireplace she had just been pretending to be cleaning. "So," She continued absentmindedly as she made up an appropriate sleeping space for her. "How do I know your not a spy?"

Thinking they were past this, Elide didn't respond right away. "My Uncle never taught me to read, I've been locked in a tower since I was like... seven. I have no motive to do anything but be free."

Nodding, Manon continued. "You should really learn but you're not getting anywhere with that leg of yours. I can get you some salve but until magic returns there's not much that can be done. If you so choose, a small wyvern could likely be your method of transportation." She turned back to Elide, having finished making the bed, and nodded once more. "Ready for bed?"

Elide was looking at her tattoo. "I don't understand though, you're a girl."

Manon's eyes were trained on her curiously. "Yeah, I am. I was going to kill you before finding out about your heritage."

"You're just not what I was expecting."

Tossing her clothes on the ground as she peeled them off her skin Manon remarked. "I'm so much better." Before crawling onto her own bed with only a light sheet to cover her. 

"Goodnight." She said waiting for Elide to crawl into her own bed before blowing out the candle. 

It took a while to fall asleep, ultimately dragged by the thought that 'she was a blueblood', 'she could be free' and  'Manon sleeps naked'.