"for the beauty of the rose, we also water the thorns."
Descendant of Loa lineage, Karliah Shango stems from masters of Haitian and the old Oyo Empire Vodou. After the nuclear wipe out, she finds herself thrown into leadership with little comprehe...
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Silence. A dreary, all too blunt answer the several people including the queen herself found anything far from comforting.
She could only stare, the aged skin of his face grew unfamiliar as life finally left his body. The tribal scars that littered his chest and cheeks grew indistinct, tears clouding her vision as if to shield her from the truth unfolding in front of her.
"Cheri mwen," her father's voice drawled, laced and dripping in sympathy. His hands squeezed her shoulders reassuringly, "He's in a better place now."
They'd gathered around Kweku Shango's lifeless body, miles underground in an all too-advanced, too-large bunker, far enough away from the self-created ruin of a planet that found itself void of life. A better place he most certainly was in. And yet, Karliah's chest grew heavy, overwhelmed with the selfish desire to have him in no place if it wasn't at her side.
The girl shook her head, silent tears passing her cheeks in a haste. Her fingernails pierced the meat of her palms, chest heaving as the thin white sheet was lifted and rested over her grandfather's face.
Her name echoed from her father's lips as she exited the room, storming down the crisp linoleum floors of the medical wing. Several doctors stammered in their step, slack-jawed as the lights flickered intensely, growing more and more aggressive before the bulbs shattered.
Any and all hum of conversation came to a sharp halt, the unease in their silence growing all too familiar. Their eyes followed their one and only red-faced, tear-ridden 'queen', marching out of the hall and retreating to the women's bathroom.
It was empty, and silence filled her ears with void once again. Her heart grew seconds away from beating out of her chest, her raw hands shaking as wracked gasps passed her lips. Gripping the sink, her knuckles growing white as she met the dreaded reflection of nothing more, nothing less than a child.
She stared back, brows drawing together as her teeth chattered, anger stirring within her. She hated it. Everything she'd grown to be, none of that to be what was expected of her. Not royalty, not control, nothing like the Loa and Gods that'd came before her.
No - they'd crowned a little girl. With nothing but her preeminent abilities and lineage to claim her heir to the throne.
The tear-stained reflection shattered within a matter of seconds, a whirlwind of energy overtaking everything within the room barely seconds after a guttural scream left her mouth. The marble of the sink crumbled under her harsh grip, glass and drywall clattering to the tile floor with a bang as the overhead lights blew out harshly, remnant sparks barely illuminating the now dark room.
Her shoulders fell, silence growing loud once more besides the crackling of the broken lights above her. Choked sobs emitted from her mouth, her red-rimmed eyes trailing over the now-disastrous ruin of a room, crumbled to pieces within mere seconds. Her cries were remnant of nothing more than a child that'd broken their toy, granted with much more power than they could handle.
The sudden feeling of a cool hand gripping her bicep snapped her from her daze, a hiccuped cry falling from her lips as she turned on her heel immediately, face to face with the leering figure of a familiar Loa.
His long, yellow nails grazed her arm as he pulled away slowly, a knowing smile reaching his red eyes.
The young girl sneered, "You took him," she croaked.
The figure only shrugged, his palms crossed over the head of the cane that rested in front of him. "Ah. But it was his time, no?"
She only stared at him, "He was a good man-"
"And now he rests in a good place. All men must go, Karliah." His heavy accent filled the debris ridden air.
Silence lingered between them for a moment, "You're a liar."
His red eyes beamed into her own, his gold tooth seemingly glowing as a hearty chuckle escaped his lips. "I lie?" he mused, beginning to trudge slowly around her.
"No. I deliver, mwen renmen anpil larenn," he spat with a roll of his tongue.
Anger surged through Karliah as she turned to face him, raising a hand to send the Loa backwards, only for her wrist to get caught in his grip. She winced as his nails dug into her flesh, his face nearing her own, every wrinkle and curve buried beneath the ashes on his face growing more apparent.
"Ah, ah, ah. You grow more and more like your grandmother everyday,"
Karliah ripped herself from his grip, chest heaving as tears streamed freely down her cheeks, "Fuck you,"
Legba raised a brow, "Watch your tongue, child."
The girl wiped at her cheeks, a weak sniffle emerging from her as she met his gaze once again. "Why are you here?"
The familiar smirk grew upon his lips once again as he approached her, "Hasn't your mother told you? Of the evil that grows near?"
Her brows knitted together in confusion, "What?"
He hummed, "A storm is headed your way, my dear," he stood inches away from her, "And it's got a pret-ty face," his chuckle filled the air.
Before another question could pass her parted lips, the door slammed open.
"Karliah? For God's sake." She turned to meet her mother's gaze as she rushed towards her, hurriedly stepping over the fallen ceiling tiles and glass.
The girl turned to see the Loa had vanished to no surprise, her attention falling back onto her exasperated mother as worry grew apparent on her face. "You can't just do things like this, Karliah. Your people are growing terrified of you with each time you have one of these - meltdowns,"
"They're not my people." she spat, making her way to the door, only before her mother took ahold of her wrist, gaining a gasp of pain from the girl.
Her mother's eyes fell to her wrist, her lips parting in awe as she observed the raw scratches from Legba's nails. She met her daughter's gaze, "Was Papa Legba here?" she asked, her tone growing stern.
Karliah attempted to pull away, but to no avail. "Answer me." her mother spat.
She pulled again, escaping her hold, "Why didn't you tell me?" she shouted.
A look of confusion laced the older woman's features, only to fade in realization. She propped her hands upon her hips, her gaze falling to the ground for a moment before scoffing. "You have bigger things to worry about than this - this folklore Legba's attempting to spew upon you,"
"What folklore?" Karliah hissed.
Footsteps approached from behind her. She looked over her shoulder to find her father's frame, shuffling into the dismembered room.
"Do you know how many people live in this shelter, Karliah?" her mother shouted, "Too goddamn many for you to behave the way you do."
"I didn't ask for any of this-"
"It's what you were granted! You're selfish, Karliah!"
"Stop!" her father's voice echoed throughout the room. His gaze grew cold as he stared at his wife, pulling Karliah away, "She's been through enough."
