Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Wed Apr 4, 2018 12:20 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Larka held her, and this time, she didn't push Larka away. She just cried, the feeling of euphoria dissolving into a tidal wave of despair. Celeste was adrift in a storming ocean of emotions, drowning her with no ray of hope. For the moment, she couldn't answer her wife, for she didn't quite know how to put it into words. It was always the words, things she had not used for so long, that tripped her up in all communications.
There was so much to be afraid of, so much to worry about. Would things ever go back to being the same as before? Could this addiction to this unknown thing be kicked? Cold turkey didn't seem to work as she went crawling back to it. Her powers spiked with her emotions, and thus she was always fearful of how any little thing that sets her off could be disastrous for so many people. Too many lives were at stake, more than she could comprehend.
Gripping onto her wife, burying her head, Reika being squished until she got up and darted off the bed, Celeste wailed into her wife's chest.
"Fear and death. One slip, others die." With the muddled mind, she couldn't convey the fact that this substance actually takes her powers away temporarily. If she were in a clear state, perhaps she'd begin to think of ways to dilute it enough to lessen her connection to her powers, yet not enough for the debilitating effects upon her mind. Yet, this wouldn't come to her for a long while yet.
"No power, no need strength. No more strong, please!" This babbled nonsense in between wailing continued like this for hours. It tore Larka up inside, unsure of what to do to help her wife beyond just holding her and whispering encouragement. Surely, even in this warmth of love and compassion from the reaver, there would pain to follow soon? The elf was still painfully thin, but her wounds had healed up nicely by now, only random small splotches of yellow from the last beating remained. Yet, there were other, hidden injuries she had inflicted herself that Larka had not yet noticed. Patches of blue and purple around her ribs where she had thrown herself against furniture deliberately while Larka was away.
When finally quieted down, Celeste lay her head in Larka's lap, staring off into nothingness as the lack of emotion settled over her. No longer feeling like she was drowning under the negative emotions, she felt like a chasm had opened underneath and swallowed everything up. Idly, she scratched at her side, her shirt dislodging itself and revealing a small tip of the bruises. If Larka couldn't see them, she could definitely feel the raised tender skin. Reika jumped back on the bed and curled against Celeste's stomach, cat napping under her hand.
Author: Larka, Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:01 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Larka frowned when Celeste started to push back against her, that wasn't normal for the elf to do. But when Celeste spoke, slurring and grumbling Larka stopped, that was even less like Celeste. Celeste continued to speak, questioning why Larka was getting to make decisions for her. But the comment about Larka taking the Reaver solution was a hard blow to Larka, but Celeste wasn't wrong, if Larka didn't drink the solution properly she could and would die from not having it.
Larka leaned back away from Celeste as she continued before Celeste burst into tears and Larka moved closer again and wrapped her arm around Celeste after setting the water down.
”Celeste, my love, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make decisions for you, I only wished to help the best I can. But you're right, it's hard for someone like me to tell you what you can and can't drink considering what I have to drink each month.” She spoke hugged Celeste tight to her if allowed.
”Why don't you want to be strong, Celeste?” Larka asked before she could stop herself.
”Know that I will love you no matter what, but why? You seemed to be doing so well, what drove you to take that stuff?” Perhaps in all of Larka's attempts to take care of Celeste and help her wife recover Larka had gone too far and maybe had smothered Celeste with too much love and attention. It was Larka's thinking that the more she showed Celeste that she was there for her the better, but perhaps she taken things too far and now Celeste wasn't feeling independent enough for what she was used to. Perhaps this was Celeste's way of trying to get Larka to back off a little and give her some space? Or, perhaps, Larka was still thinking thing in the wrong way and Celeste was doing this for other reasons that she had no idea on.
All she could do was hold into Celeste until pushed away. While Larka was always one to put a brave face on, more so when she was around Celeste at the moment to do show to Celeste that things would be okay, deep down it was heartbreaking for Larka to see Celeste like this. Larka when she was away from their home on jobs would sometimes cry into her pillow at night until she fell asleep. She was terrified that Celeste wouldn't be the same woman she had been when they married. But Larka, deep down and in a place she refused to accept, knew that there was a good chance that Celeste wouldn't fully go back to what she was like before being captured.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 12:12 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Reika, while helpful, was enjoying the attention she was receiving. The low purr rumbled through Celeste’s hand, the vibrations feeling quite nice to the dulled mind. As the plate of breakfast placed on the nightstand sat, it saturated the air with delicious aromas. Despite Larka’s efforts, the elf continued staring off at that pale light. Feeling crowded, Reika jumped to the opposite side of Celeste, burying her head under the new hand.
Her wife refused to give up, however, and tried to get Celeste to drink water. For all she knew, it was infused with something to take away her high! The elf began pushing at Larka.
”Who’er you, ‘o tell me wha’ I need?” she grumbled, slurring her words.
”I ‘appen to like this.” While Celeste had difficulties getting drunk, and managed to keep her words relatively straight regardless of how intoxicated she became, this was something different.
It numbed her senses, her magic felt so weak, almost non-existent. Even her ability to control her own body was lessened.
”Seri… Seriously, Larka. ‘Ow you get to make my decisions? I’m an adult. You take that reaver shtuff! At least, this ‘on’t kill me if I don’t use it.” Yes, it was a massive strike on the poor woman, words that sober Celeste would regret. Tears burst forth from the elf.
”I’m tired of being strong, all the gods damned time!”
Author: Larka, Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 11:59 AM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
They had taken a trip to the city the day before and had made a few purchases to help with Celeste's nightmares. At the same time Larka had left her sword with a smithy to have some work done on it, not only a sharpening, but she wanted the linking cables that made up the whip sword looked at as well. Last thing she needed was in the middle of a fight was a cable snapping and flinging half her sword away and making it useless at the same time. She had had to explain how the unique sword worked to the smithy first since he hadn't worked on that kind of weapon before, but, while Larka was a little nervous, she trusted the smith to do a good job and have her sword ready in another day or two.
Larka had got up that morning before Celeste as normal and had went upstairs to make some breakfast. But first, Kyu had decided to wanted to play so the Reaver had take some time to play with the growing wolf puppy. After that Larka had got the food cooking and by the time it was done was wondering where Celetse was, maybe sleeping in a bit? Larka shrugged it off for now and quickly ate her meal before taking Celeste's plate downstairs for her.
”Time to wake up, sleepy head, I have breakfast for you.” Larka spoke as she carefully walked down the stairs with the plate in her hand. However the look she got from Celeste, who was sitting there still and petting Reika, unnerved Larka to the point she stopped in her tracks.
”Celeste?” Larka questioned stepping closer while setting the plate down on the nightstand and sitting in the bed to look at Celeste.
”Celeste, what's wrong?” Larka asked reaching out to put a hand on Celeste's shoulder.
When Celeste didn't react really and only kept staring off into nothing Larka looked at her eyes closer. She knew that look, she had had itself in the past and had seen it some of the other Reavers; Celeste had taken something, something strong.
”Celeste! Celeste, what did you take?!” Larka spoke, shaking Celeste by the shoulder.
”Reika, what did she take?” Larka asked the feline who was helpful enough to push the bottle over to Larka with her nose. Larka took it and opened it and sniffed the contents and instantly drew away, wow that was strong!
Setting the bottle aside Larka ran upstairs and came back with a cup of water. Sitting on the bed again in front of Celeste she held it to Celeste's lips.
”Celeste, please drink.” Larka pleaded thinking water might dilute whatever it was that was now in Celeste's body. Whether that worked or not Larka pulled Celeste to her.
”Come back to me, Celeste, please. You didn't need that shit, you're stronger than that.” Larka spoke into her wife's ear as she held her close.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Fri Feb 2, 2018 4:01 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
After taking a single bite of the eggs, Celeste pushed at the rest with her fork as she slowly chewed.Thanks to the light, she had a splitting headache that seemed to grow by the minute, but she was getting better. At least she could be up here for some time and not be secluded all day long in the darkness. She shrugged in response to the question of help.
"We'd have to ask around, I guess. Nothing that time can't heal though, right?" To be fair, Larka was doing a lot for her now. With her current condition, Celeste was finding it difficult to think beyond the here and now.
Yesterday, they had stopped by an apothecary and received some helpful tip to help with nightmares. Drops of lavender oil on the pillow, lavender infused sticks that release the sweet fragrance through the house, along with other herbs and such. Celeste had even made a purchase of something else while there while Larka was looking into a professional sharpening on her weapon, or at least that's what Celeste had assumed.
Today, she took some of the vile substance she had purchased. The effects were immediate. Everything became fuzzy in her mind, but she was relaxed in euphoria. Celeste was sitting in bed, her back against the wall as she stared into the darkened room. One hand lazed upon Reika, absently scratching her. Larka came downstairs to check on Celeste who had not been up to even consume breakfast. She merely briefly looked at Larka, gave an odd smile, and went back to staring at the one thing giving off a minor light.
Author: Larka, Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:32 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Celeste yelled stop but Larka stayed close and kept whispering soothing words until Celeste calmed a little realizing that it had been a dream. She wrapped her arms around Larka who pulled her tight and just held on until Celeste's tears started to slow. Neither of them said a thing, silence between them wasn't uncommon, they didn't always need to say anything to know what the other was thinking.
But after a while Larka was well could smell the food that was burning upstairs as Celeste commented on it.
”Don't worry about it, food can be replaced, you can't.” Larka replied kissing Celeste's cheek with a grin as Celeste spoke to the two fuzzballs that were after her to feel better. Larka smiled and gave her wife another quick kiss before starting to get up, gently pulling Celeste with her.
”Come, I'll get you something to eat.” Larka commented heading up the stairs holding onto Celeste's hand.
Ya, the eggs and bacon were burnt but that was fine. Larka pulled the pan off the stove and set it aside to cool before opening a window to let the smoke and smell out. She got another pan and some more eggs and bacon and started to cook again. She cooked in silence the bacon and then the eggs, allowing each feline and canine some bacon as well, before setting the meal down to eat. After a moment Larka spoke.
”Is there anything more I can do to help, Celeste?” She questioned.
”I want to do more, but I don't know what to do to help you with your nightmares.” Aside from what she already had been doing of course, which was being there for Celeste when she was woken up by them. But Larka wanted to do more, her love for Celeste was obvious, and she'd do anything Celeste asked at this point if it meant helping the elf get back to her old self. Or at least as close as was possible now.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Mon Dec 4, 2017 10:39 AM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Another opening of the eyes, another sleep cycle broken to the sound of approaching boots pounding against stone. They echo in the darkness, rattling against her drums. Three men entered the small cave, glaring down at the scaressly clad elf before them, with her matted, knotted hair, and filthy upkeep that would take hours to completely scrub off.
Taunting, laughing, jeering, the men found tormenting their prisoner to be more entertaining than merely forgetting her existence. She must remain alive, but their cousins never mentioned whether or not she needed to be whole. Never did she give in to their voices, trying to keep herself small and hidden away from them. This enticed their wrath. Boots pounded into her body. Elf curled up into the fetal position, trying to roll into the stone for escape and relief.
One man forced her to stand, pressing her against the wall. Immediately, she began to retaliate, pushing and clawing, scratching and doing everything she could to drive them off.Celeste began to shudder and screamed out, pushing on the warm body gently pressing against her.
"Stop! Stop!" Larka's soothing voice slowly pulled her to her senses. The elf burst into tears as she wrapped her arms around Larka, holding her close.
"Ma vhenan, ma vhenan," she whispered, sounding very relieved. It seemed to take forever, but the tears finally slowed, and Celeste calmed, yet remained silent saved for ragged, after crying gasps.
If it wasn't for the stench of charred, burned food, Celeste would have been content to stay where she was as she pulled her mind back from the darkest recesses fraught with terrible memories. She wrinkled her nose.
"Did I make breakfast burn?" She was about to roll over when she realized the pets were practically under her. A soft, half chuckle came forth.
"I'm fine, girls. Really. Thank you all."
Author: Larka, Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 1:14 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
The crying had done Larka some good and the sleep that followed, cuddled to her wife, had been that much better for her. Larka had woken first as normal and while she laid there for a bit snuggled to Celeste, sadly nature had taken her from the bed. Afterwards Larka had splashed some cold water on her face to wake up a little more and then had gone to the kitchen to get some breakfast going. She got the little fire stove going and let that heat up with some carefully cracked some eggs. Larka was no great cook, but when it came to the basics she had learned well enough, eggs weren't too hard to fry and bacon just needed to be flipped now and then.
Kyu was at her feet looking up, tail wagging so Larka snuck the wolf pup some bacon with a grin as she thought she heard some footsteps from downstairs. Ah, Celeste was up, good. But then everything changed, as she heard Celeste yelp before the noise of her falling down the stairs.
”Celeste!” Larka dropped what she was doing and ran to the stairs and carefully made her way down to find Celeste in a heap curled into a ball tears in her eyes.
Larka dropped to her knees next to Celeste and reached out to carefully put her hand on Celeste's shoulder.
”Celeste, are you okay?” Larka asked, not realizing what Celeste was going through mentally, and not wanting to move Celeste in case something was broken. What she did figure was that Celeste had tossed a curtain open without checking that it was bright out and got too much light too fast and had been blinded momentarily.
Kyu came down the stairs and joined Reika in licking at any exposed skin that she could, protective both pets were despite how young they were. Larka dropped down a little further to the floor and once making sure that nothing was broken with Celeste, carefully draped herself protectively across Celeste's balled up form, shielding Celeste from the outside.
”I'm here, my love, I'm here, always.” Larka whispered and just stayed close until Celeste seemed herself.
Breakfast would burn upstairs, but that was a small price to pay, Larka could start that over again afterwards.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 1:12 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
All she had ever known… Excitement… Was there no other way to recieve the excitement of fighting without excessive danger of loosing a life? Safer jobs, less travel? Her mind was a whirlwind of turning thoughts as she had an inkling of an idea. Before she could even further the thought, Larka launched into a tale of how she had met a goddess.
Larka had died fighting some orcs after loosing her mind from the Reaver powers. The goddess saved Larka, but it had left a lasting impression upon her. This time, it was Larka burying her face in Celeste's chest sobbing her eyes out. It was all she could do to hold her and soothe her, giving Larka the time she needed to cry. The Reaver hardly cried, and tears have purifying effects when falling. Larka needed this. Yet, after a very satisfying session of lover's embrace and now emotional turmoil, the two fell asleep in each others arms once more.
~~
When Celeste woke, she was alone in her bed with the exception of a curled up Reika in the bend of her knees. After stretching, Celeste crawled out of bed and pulled on some clean clothing. With a smile of what had happened last night, similar to the one she had the day after she slept with Larka the first time, Celeste opened the door and went to open the curtains.
Except, she didn't check to see what time of day it was or if it was safe. Instantly, she was blinded. She yelped and went to take a step backwards, missed the fact that the stairs started just behind her and fell down them herself. She lay in a heap, refusing to move as her entire body screamed at her. It was the first time it recieved such abuse since escaping the drow, and the memories flooding her mind was all just reminders of the terrible time she endured.
Celeste held her head, curled up on herself, trying to make herself small as she recieved kick after kick to her back. Even with Reika licking any availible skin she could, Celeste was trapped and could only hear the laughter of the men above her, feel their boots with the force behind it to jerk her body.
"Stop…" she whispered, knowing it never did any good to beg them, plead with them. Tears streamed down her face as they insulted her once again.
Author: Larka, Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 10:54 AM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
"You have nothing to be sorry for, my love. You have been through so much, we'll get over it together, I promise. I fell back onto an old habit that you helped me break years ago, it was a moment of weakness on my part, I won't let it happen again, I promise." Larka replied pulling Celeste close as her wife started to nuzzle against her chest.
Like Celeste Larka's thoughts were only for Celeste and what they had been through in their lives and how much she loved the elf. So when the kiss started Larka fell into it with no hesitation, adding her passion to Celeste's in the loving kiss. They turned deeper as hands started to roam around each other, Celeste hadn't forgotten Larka's curves and Larka hadn't forgotten any of Celeste's either. This was right, this was perfect.
They were curled against each other at the end, relaxed and enjoying the after glow from what they had just done. As Celeste's one hand traced Larka's scars, Larka held the other one in her own hand just breathing in Celeste's scent as best a human nose could. At Celeste's questions Larka buried her own face into Celeste a little more as she replied, speaking just loud enough to be heard, there was no reason to speak any louder.
"The excitement it brought us? It's really all I have ever known." Except for those two years that Celeste knew about but now was not a time for such thoughts.
"I have thought the same, what if I had never found you? I need you as well, my love. Even before, what if you didn't come home? I think it's time I look into jobs that are safer and less travel." She paused a moment to think.
"I never did tell you how I met Angela, did I?" Larka asked.
"I was out in the plains and was ambushed by some orcs. I killed as many as I could, but there was too many." It was the same when she had lost her first wife and kids.
"Angela was watching but I was mortally wounded, my Reaver powers kicked into max and I went insane as I killed the remaining few orcs. Angela saved me, brought me back to life." She pulled Celeste a little closer.
"Celeste, I was terrified, I was terrified of dying, not just because I would never find you, but because I wasn't ready to die. I've always been cavalier with life after what happened with Lilith, but, faced with it there and then, I was terrified. It's why I do odd jobs for Angela, I owe her my life after all."She wrapped her arm around Celeste and buried her face into her wife's chest this time.
"I don't want to go through any of that again, Celeste, I can't. It will break me, I know it." Her breathing had picked up but was ragged now that she was sobbing.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 2:19 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Oh that wonderful bosom. Tear streaked and still with difficulties breathing, Celeste buried her face in Larka's cleavage, filling her nostrils with her wife's scent. She pressed herself against her as best as she could.
"But it is! It is my fault! Elf threw things, screamed at you, push you away! For what!? Ir abelas, ir abelas!" she whispered. No matter how much Larka reeked of booze, there was no better place in the world to be than buried in Larka's chest.
Celeste began to nuzzle. There were no active thoughts racing through her head, no terrible memory conflicting her mind. Only her love for her wife filled her, the regret she felt for pushing Larka away. Lifting her head, the elf planted her lips on Larka's own. What started out as apologetic kisses turned slowly into deep passionate kisses of desire. Even Celeste's hands began to roam as they once did. This felt right.
~~
Everything felt relaxed, her mind having melted in sanguine pleasure. Celeste was curled against Lakra, content and at peace. She would be happy to continue laying like this for eternity, this feeling in this moment forever. A hand idly traced one of the many scars on Larka's skin with a light frown. Her wife was marked so heavily compared to her own body. Or was. She now sported a few terrible fresh scars, evidence of the terrible acts that she endured.
Before enduring the last two years, they led such dangerous lives. Larka was still leading it to provide for them. Granted, it was lucrative, but surely there were safer was to earn coin that did not risk their lives? However, look at what she was wanting; to get back into the shape she was before, not this pathetic weak version.
"Why do we lead dangerous lives? what would happen if you never came home? I need you, ma vhenan."
Author: Larka, Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2017 12:28 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Larka didn't dream, didn't anything aside from lay in the bed unconscious in her passed out sleep state. So she wasn't aware that Celeste was in the bed with her, or the pets. It took some time but eventually the heat from Celeste's body against hers and Kyu snuggled in close as well, but Larka started to rouse slowly from her sleep.
Her own head pounded and she was glad for the darkness of the basement they were in when she started to blink her eyes open. Her mind started to wake up as well, as painful as her head was at the moment, and it was then she started to feel the weight and heat against her back, and the fuzzy thing that was the wolf pup curled up at her front.
Despite her pounding head Larka knew it was Celeste curled up against her and then realized what had happened the night before. She had gotten stupidly drunk, thankfully she hadn't found a woman to lay with, staggered her way back home. As her mind woke up more she realized that she was rather stiff and in some pain through the hung over haze of her mind, she had fallen down the stairs.
But, worst of all, she had fallen off the wagon and got drunk last night, and now Celeste was cuddled up to her and probably blaming herself, if Larka knew her wife as well as she thought she did. Kyu's eyes opened and when she saw that Larka was awake the young wolf licked at her face and stood up, tail wagging. Larka managed a smile and petted the wolf pup as she sighed.
Without disturbing Celeste too much Larka got herself turned around, which put her arm under her, but she was used to it now. Larka leaned forward to cuddle back to Celeste again, pressing her forehead to hers.
”Celeste, I'm sorry.” Larka spoke, not sure if Celeste was even awake.
”It, it's not your fault, Celeste, I fell off the wagon, a moment of weakness.” She felt tears in her eyes as she started to sob.
”I love you, I will be there for your, always.” Larka continued pulling her Celeste closer wrapping their legs together.
”We'll get through this, I know we will, we're both strong, we can do this, together.” She buried her own face now in Celeste's shoulder.
”I'm sorry you had to see me like this.”
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2017 10:36 AM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Maybe she could surprise Larka with a meal? Unlike herself who can live off of fruits and breads more often, Larka thrived on meat. Having lived with Larka for so long, all forms of animal have become more prominent in her diet. Yet, she liked to think she added more fruits and vegetables in Larka's eating habits. However, all thoughts were interrupted by whimpers and pawing at fabric and wood alike.
Celeste went to investigate and Kyu barked at her. She was at the door to Celeste's makeshift bedroom.
"What's wrong Kyu? Something down there?" Curious, the elf pulled back the curtains and opened the door. Kyu rushed past her with a happy yip, with Reika hot on her heels. According to Reika, this was
her space while Kyu ruled the living room. However, she was not above sharing, she quite loved playing with anyone willing to play. The elf descended into the darkness, her eyes easily adjusting with each slow blink. There was someone in her bed that she can hardly stand to even sit upon. If it wasn't for Larka putting her in bed if she passes out elsewhere, Celeste wouldn't have spent much time in those blankets.
When she got to the bed, Celeste saw Larka's bruised body. Her heart crushed upon seeing it, further still when the stench of alcohol reached her nostrils. Larka, her wife, resorted to drinking, and it was Celeste's fault. Kyu was doing her best to rouse the woman by licking any exposed flesh.
"Oh, Larka…" she breathed as she crawled onto the soft bed, wrapping herself against Larka's back and pressed her forehead into her hair. Carefully, her hand caressed Larka's arm as she held her wife close. Tears jumped into her eyes, stinging them as they fought to escape.
To top it all off, her head began pounding again. Celeste couldn't hold it anymore. The pain, the emotional self depreciation that raged through her, Celeste began crying. It wasn't soft and undisruptive. These were crocodile tears with loud sobs to accompany them, the kind that caused gasping for air in the middle of calming down. She couldn't tell Larka how sorry she was. Even the need for those leaves which she failed to obtain the night before was becoming more pressing, yet unable to be communicated. As she laid there, crying into Larka, Celeste pressed herself even tighter against her drunk, sleeping wife.
'Hold me! Tell me it's okay! Ir abelas, ar lath ma Larka. Just wake up and hold me!'
Author: Larka, Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 10:29 AM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
When Celeste screamed Larka winced and flinched away when the pottery shattered from being thrown. She yelled again that she needed it and threw another jar across the room, and Larka tried to grab her and reassure her that she'd get more of the plant. But Larka was pushed away roughly and she watched as stomped back to her room and slammed the door. She was still screaming as she went down and all Larka could do was stand there bewildered for a moment, while Kyu stood at her leg. The wolf puppy whimpered and looked up to Larka who had tears in her eyes.
Larka had flopped onto the couch and had silently cried herself to sleep with Kyu cuddled next to her. But some time in the night Larka had woken up and had gotten up and started to leave.
”Stay here, Kyu.” She instructed the puppy as she quietly left the house, a bottle in her hand.
What she had been doing was a bit of a blur as Larka staggered her way back to the house again. She had fallen off the wagon rather hard after she had left the house after Celeste's outburst. Was she really capable of helping Celeste recover? The outburst and her inability to console her wife had triggered a wave of negative thoughts in the Reaver and so she had started to drink.
But now she was back at the house again and got through the door, she wasn't as drunk as she had been but she was still not her normal sober self.
”K, Kyu?” Larka called for the wolf but she didn't come. Maybe she was downstairs with Celeste? Larka eyed the door down the stairs for a minute.
”I, I ssssould check on her.” Larka slurred to herself as she made her way to the door and opened it.
She got the first step alright but then stepped wrong and fell down the rest of the stairs and made an awful lot of noise doing down the rest of the water. But drunk Larka was pain immune Larka and since she hadn't knocked herself out cold from the fall she managed to push herself back up and drag herself into the empty bed.
”Where is, Celeste?” She asked no one, but the bed was comfy and smelled like Celeste enough that Larka soon found herself curled up and in it asleep. Evidence of her fall easy to see.
Meanwhile Celeste and the pets came back, unaware that Larka was already inside. After Kyu was finished with her water she had scented Larka when they came in. So she went to the curtains and door and started to paw, scratch and whimper, her little tail wagging as she looked to Celeste and barked, wanting in.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Thu Nov 9, 2017 3:32 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
It was a tentative hope, yet it was the only thing she had to hold on to. Let her hold onto it for as long as she possibly could. Celeste seemed to have swallowed what Larka had said. When the leafy goodness was denied her, the elf gave a frustrated scream as she lashed out, knocking several jars of spices and herbs off their shelf. Glass and clay shattered, sending the contents scattering across the floor.
”Elf needs it now!” She grabbed another jar and threw it across the room, finding that she quite liked the sound of the shattering glass. Nothing was actually helping though. The fact that she had a raging migraine was one of her triggering factors. Larka tried to get close and reassure her, but Celeste just pushed her away roughly. Stomping, Celeste returned to her room, slamming the door behind her, each footstep audible upon the stairs, her screams echoing through the house.
~~
Time passed. The tiger and storm wolf were quickly the best of friends, though it was clear that they had each chosen one wife as their own regardless of who they were intended for. Kyu was loyal to Larka, and they deliberately left the cat at home to bond with Celeste. Reika didn't mind, she was content with staying with her. While she could not seem to wake her elf up as often as she wanted, the kitten busied herself by playing with toys they had purchased her, or playing with a sleeping hand that absently batted at the kitten paws.
When Celeste had finally woken this time, there was something different about the elf. It was still a few hours before the light of day would shine upon the land. Silently, she got dressed, patted her thigh and walked up the stairs. With Reika in her wake, Celeste exited her little hiding hole and greeted Kyu.
”Morning, da'len fen. Come out with me?” Now accompanied by both pets, the elf left the house and did some light stretches.
This wasn't a dream, it couldn't be. The leaves were helping her when she had headaches, but she ultimately knew that they were not going to be good in the long run. Something had to be done, and it would start with going back to her daily routine.
”Won't be gone long. Come, come.” Together, they started with a nice jog. Each step sent familiar vibrations through her body, her hair whipping in the air. The tiger and wolf were hot on her heels. With a laugh, Celeste sped up.
Almost two hours later, the crack of dawn visible in the now rosy sky, the elf came back into the house breathless. Her first stop was the kitchen where she downed several glasses of water. Grabbing the biggest bowl she could find, Celeste filled it and gave the pets well deserved hydration as well.
”You two did well!”
Author: Larka, Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 10:32 AM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Larka listened carefully to Celeste's story of her sister, staying close as she did, hand over on the wolf puppy scratching the little one behind the ears. They were twins, and Larka smiled at the name that Celeste used for her sister, it was a childhood nickname by the sound of it, and still, despite how it sounded Larka wasn't putting the clues together that she had. She already had met 'Lirie' but she was engrossed with the story that Celeste was telling that that was all she was thinking and focusing on.
Celeste spoke of how her sister sang and played the flute, but then she grew quiet for some time. Larka said nothing in that time giving Celeste the times he needed to collect her thoughts, Larka had guessed at the start that this story wasn't all happy and good time. Larka was able to understand Celeste's somewhat broken speech; Lirie had come back wounded and then was banished for being too weak, by their own parents no less, and they locked Celeste up to keep her from helping her sister. Their parents ignoring Celeste's screams and pleas to help her twin.
Larka felt Celeste start to shake and the tiger cub try and get away but Celeste was holding on too hard. Larka had an idea that Celeste was lost in her memories again, back in that time, and she moved as Celeste screamed out. She reached out and wrapped pulled Celeste close and hugged her tight.
”Celeste, Celeste, come back to me, love, come back, I'm here for you.” Larka spoke softly into Celeste's ear as she held her, and it calmed Celeste down and Celeste continued.
She explained how she had hid that part of her life from herself, and Larka frowned, they both had such hardships in their lives, and yet Celeste, until now, had never told Larka any of this. But she knew that her sister was alive, having met her the day she had disappeared, and had wanted Lirie to meet her and Larka at the tavern so that Lirie and Larka could meet. But that had never happened as Celeste had been taken that same day.
Celeste sobbed and it was all Larka could do but to allow Celeste that chance to grieve, but she got Celeste to go to the kitchen anyway. Larka carefully cleaned the fresh wounds and with Celeste's help, got them bandaged up. At the question Larka thought for a moment then nodded.
”I think so. You are twins and you share a bond that few other siblings do. She would know you were gone when we didn't show up at the pub, and my own friends are still looking for you until the message I sent them gets there. Chances are they have ran into each other and may know to come looking for you here. Even if she isn't in these lands, I know she's looking for you, Celeste. It'll be months yet before my message gets to anyone there, but once it does chances are they can Lirie where you are.” Larka explained with a smile and said confidently. Between the two of them they had a lot of friends in her homeland, including the well known Zhana who had even more reach.
However, when Celeste asked where her 'lake gift' was, Larka blinked. That lake weed Celeste had eaten? Larka hadn't brought any of it with her and she hadn't seen Celeste with any either, so this may not be a good thing.
”We didn't bring any back with us, Celeste.” The change in Celeste's demeanour was almost instant and Larka moved closer to Celeste to hold her close.
”Relax, love, we can go and get more. Or, if you can get the water to bring some to the edge of the water, I can run down and get it for you.”
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 5:44 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Celeste frowned. She had never spoken of her sister to Larka before? Where to start? All stories start at the beginning.
”Rare are Elvish twins. Born we were at leaves change. Clan believes twins are stronger, more magical. Close eye on us, all our lives. Every child raise by community, taught together, trained together. Weapons, tracking, hunting. Teach them all, same thing. Puberty meant pull out star pupils for key roles. Lirie…” It came out as “Leerie”, a child's pronunciation of her sister's name ever since she could start speaking. For her, it was Cesty. Cute nicknames from a time long ended.
Even know, Celeste choked on the name, a word she had forbidden herself to dwell upon. A memory best locked away in her heart. She was gone and unable to soothe the little elf anymore. But she wasn't. Celeste saw her.
”Lirie was patrol chosen. Guard the clan. Elf… I… Should have been huntress. Best hunter, best archer. Hide her away, keep her with healers. Why? The 'Gift', they say.” She scoffed at the idea. Back then, she didn't know what they meant. Today, she didn't know how they knew.
”Elves give to community, community cares for elves. Way it always is. Life was easy, simple, laughing. She was beautiful. Played lovely flute, sang gorgeous songs. Loved to play for me. I danced for her. One day, Lirie went on patrol with senior member…” Celeste grew quiet, and took a long time before she could speak again. As she struggled with this, she clutched the little tiger closer.
”Lirie came back alone, near broken. Parents banish Lirie…. Too weak say elders. Keep Elf away from Lirie, lock her up. Ignore her screams, her pleas…”Celeste was shaking like a leaf, the kitten trying its best to get out of her arms now. Still, she held fast, the cat's claws gouging deeper, but she didn't notice. In her mind, she was back in the tiny room, door locked, window magically sealed, trapped. Her voice was hoarse from screaming for hours, eyes red and puffy from crying. She refused to eat for days, weeks until someone forced her to eat broth when she got violently sick.
”Lirie sent out to die! Alone! Slow, agonizing! Bleeding! Help her! Let me go to help her!” Larka pulled Celeste back, calmed her down. It was clear that Celeste was lost in her own memories.
”Hide Lirie from self, hide the pain. Never think, never speak. Elf saw Lirie that day, though. Day elf disappear. Begged Lirie to meet in town at pub. Went to take wife to pub. Meet the two, be happy.” Celeste let the kitten go who ran to the end of the couch, cleaning Celeste's blood off of its paws. She looked down at her arms, noticing the damage done, but looked at it like “oh, what's that?” as if she had no idea what to do.
”I miss Lirie…” Burying her face in her hands, Celeste began to sob.
Larka made her go to the kitchen where she cleaned Celeste's wounds off, and with Celeste's help, bandaged them neatly.
”Larka? Think Lirie came to find elf like wife?” It was a hopeful, innocent question. It was a question, that if not answered tactfully, could utterly break Celeste even farther.
”Where lake gift?” If Larka was to refuse the gift, or announce they had none, Celeste would instantly become aggressive.
Author: Larka, Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 9:26 AM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Larka sadly missed the anxiety on Celeste's face after she was informed how long she had been asleep for or Larka would have said something to try and help Celeste. Instead, she watched Celeste as the kitten was in her lap watched her. When the little tiger swiped at Celeste and the elf dodge it and then right away started to scratch at the kitten's ears Larka giggled again at the purring. She smiled while watching her wife with the kitten, Celeste had always been more of a feline lover while Larka liked her wolves. But when Celeste giggled, for the first time a long time, Larka had tears in her eyes even from such a simple gesture, it was adorable and it was something that broke through into her emotions again.
Larka then started to get her second surprise ready for Celeste. She ignored the kitten and wolf for now as both animals wanted attention from the women, while she placed the new ring onto Celeste's finger. She waited for Celeste's reaction, watching her hand shake before she suddenly jumped up sending the kitten sprawling to the floor while Kyu did the same from Larka's lap as Celeste almost jumped on her wife. Larka smiled into the watery eyes of Celeste as Celeste held her face and Larka was pulled into a long, loving kiss. The next thing Larka knew was that Celeste was crying into her chest and Larka wrapped her arm around Celeste as she spoke.
"I'll love you for eternity as well, Celeste." Larka replied with a smile, as the kitten decided to butt in between them making Celeste giggle again.
Celeste and Larka laid on the couch together, and Larka was happy to lay here for days, she was very comfortable.
"You are very welcome, ma vhenan." Larka answered placing a quick kiss on Celeste's nose. Kyu, not wanting to be outdone by the kitten, jumped up and cuddled up against Larka, and the Reaver's hand scratched the puppy's ears. Celeste spoke, calling Larka by her name, and then what she said made Larka's eyes widened a little. She referred to herself as 'I' instead of 'elf', something she had been doing since Larka had found her, assuming she had picked up the practice from what the drow had been calling her for two years. But to hear Celeste say what she did, Larka's eyes watered up again and she smiled wide, taking her hand from Kyu and placing it on Celeste's cheek again. She didn't say anything, didn't think she needed to, her face of happiness and the gestured was probably enough, but then Celeste spoke, asking if she had ever told Larka about her sister.
Larka looked surprised and shook her head.
"No, you haven't, I didn't know you had a sister." Funny thing was, Larka and Celeste's already knew each other, very, very well. Larka's hand went back to Kyu again and the puppy's tail wagged happily as she kept an eye on the tiger cub at the same time. Larka grinned, this would be interesting with the two little animals, more so when they were both fully grown, it wasn't like wolves and tigers were the smallest of their species. Larka looked back to Celeste again.
"So, tell me about this sister of yours." She said with a grin, very curious now, Celeste had never before mentioned that she had a sister.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 11:54 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
The elf found herself blushing as Larka scooted closer. Her chest seemed to cave in farther than normal as she breathed harder, her heart pounding against its boney cage. Any ghost of a smile faded at the news of how long she had slept. Alarmed, she looked at the window. Thirty hours? How could it have been a vast thirty compared to the mere few she had originally thought? If she thought these thirty was a but a handful of hours, how many months, moons, and years had she truly lost?
Sadly, beginning to loose herself to panic and anxiety, she had missed the rest of what Larka had said. Animal toes clicking on the floors, even as they multiplied, were quickly dismissed. It was a shame that Celeste missed another giggle, not that she was aiming for them like she once did, during this time. Tiny claws digging into her legs instantly drew Celeste's attention to the little fuzzball in her lap. As she struggled with broiling emotions suddenly defusing, the elf stared at the tiger cub as it was sniffing at her clothing.
Hesitantly, she lifted a hand to pet it when the kitten swiped at her. Dodging the paw, Celeste began to scratch it behind the ears, earning instant purring to vibrate her lap. It flopped itself down and pushed its head into her hand, reached out to grab her other wrist so it could gnaw on her. Slowly, the elf began to smile, a crack in her expressionless face. She picked up the kitten and held it up to her face, staring right into those big ice blue eyes. Pulling the kitten into a hug, Celeste gave her first genuine giggle as she felt the kitten start playing with her hair.
This time, Celeste did listen to every word, her smile wavering at the hinting at her time being held captive. Her vision slid to rest upon Larka's face, trying to piece together the puzzle she had been presented. It wasn't like Larka to be poking around something, was it? She frowned but held her hand in place, the kitten now on her lap and receiving absentminded attention with her free hand. All teeth and claw scratches were ignored for now.
Smooth, warm metal slid onto her finger, a familiar, almost completely forgotten weight upon her hand. A binding symbol of a promise, of love. Her hand began to shake as she stared at it, dumbfounded. Celeste remembered every detail, every loop of their names, the beautifully simple diamond. Everything seemed to crush her already frail frame, her vision blurred. The kitten was unceremoniously dropped to the floor as Celeste jumped up, Kyu scrambling as she practically jumped on Larka.
Hands were holding Larka's face as watery eyes studied the Reaver. Celeste pulled her into a deep long kiss, and when it finally broke, she hunched herself over so she could sob into Larka's chest.
”Ar lath ma, bellanaris.” They were tears of happiness, yet she was confused by the plethora of other emotions she couldn't name. Deciding she didn't want to be ignored anymore, the tiger found its way onto the couch and clawed her way in between the women. Giggling and sniffling, Celeste picked up the cub.
”Ma serannas, ma vhenan.” Repositioning themselves on the couch so they were laying together, and the kitten happily in Celeste's arms as it purred itself to sleep, Celeste pondered on the past.
”Larka? Elf… I…” She paused, her fractured mind trying to piece the difference between Elf and I. How long had she been referred to as simply “Elf”? Not you, not girl. Only ever elf.
”I ever tell you… about… my sister?”
Author: Larka, Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 9:04 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
The wolf puppy was happy to see Celeste, despite the short time knowing each other Kyu had taken a liking to Celeste.
Larka didn't notice Celeste there right away, but she had a small smile on her face all the same. She was dreaming though, a lot, and mostly about Celeste. Just having her wife back in her life was bringing Larka back to a place in her emotional state that she didn't feel like drinking as much. She dreamed for a little while of the pain and loss at losing another wife, another love, like she had before, and even a little of Lilith, her first wife, and what they had together with their kids. It time that turned to Celeste instead, and her holding a little boy in her lap, while Larka looked on happy as could be.
At some point Larka's mind took note that she wasn't alone and she started to come around, and she woke up but didn't open her eyes, knowing that Celeste was sitting close to her on the couch. Larka smiled wider and yawned as she slowly opened her eyes and looked to Celeste.
"Hm, I love waking up and the first thing I see is you." Larka said sleepily. She had a surprise, two in fact and the one was being very well behaved at the moment in fact, that she had planned for Celeste.
Larka stretched, the smile never leaving her face as she scooted closer to Celeste to cuddle again, resting her head on Celeste's right shoulder.
"You have been asleep for almost thirty hours, by the way." Larka informed, wanting Celeste to know so that each could keep track of her sleeping habits while they worked on getting her back to normal again.
"I went into the city and did a couple small jobs and some shopping. Kyu, go fetch please." Larka looked over to the little puppy who yipped and took off into another room.
"While I was shopping I got you a little something." Larka giggled as Kyu came scampering back into the room all puppy happy with a tiger cub right behind her, the little kitten chasing the slightly bigger puppy just as happily. Kyu came over to the couch and jumped up and the kitten followed and Larka scooped it up and gently placed it on Celeste's lap.
"I hope you like, I wanted to get you something to keep you company when we're not together. There's no name yet, I'm leaving that to you." Larka smiled, hoping that Celeste liked the little kitten.
After that settled down a little and with Kyu in her lap Larka continued.
"I have something else as well." She said and cuddled up again.
"I have a little something else, don't worry it doesn't move on its own and you don't need to feed it. I know you still some times think that all of this is a dream, or at least get caught up in memories from…" She let that hang for a moment.
"This is a little something, that I hope will help you keep grounded, when you feel like your going to fall into a dream or memory, you can look at it and hold it and know that this, what we are doing right now, is real. That you are free of them and we are together again and that I will always love you more than life itself."Larka reached over and gently took Celeste's hand and raised it up in front of her palm down, Larka leaned forward and kissed it and let, wanting her to leave it there. Larka then reached into her pocket for a second and then removed it, she was holding something but was hiding it until her hand was close to Celeste's hand again. Smoothly Larka slipped a brand new wedding ring, in an identical style to what she had before(Larka had the artist make it from her own memory), onto Celeste's ring finger. Larka then kissed her hand again and allowed Celeste to look at it.
"Our names are engraved on it, and I had them polish up mine as well." Larka held her hand out, her wedding was nice and shiny and cleaned, polished and perfect once again. She waited to see Celeste's reaction.
[OOC: Check your trades ;) hehe )
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 10:47 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Her hand felt oddly warm in Celeste's own, and soft despite the calluses from years of wielding weapons. A thumb gently caressed the back of the Reaver's hand as Celeste led them back the way she had ran. Following the path they had taken wasn't difficult, as the path she had carved in the grass was about as noticeable as a a panicked boar's through the forest. As they walked, Celeste was quite aware of the superiority she held when it came to vision in the dark. While she prayed that this truly was reality, she figured that regardless of real or dream, she should always ensure that Larka remained safe if she had the means to ensure it.
Inside the house, down the stairs, Celeste willed the water from the floors and out of the house. They stripped, and the elf idly wondered why they did that. Remove clothing to sleep, get dressed when awakened for the day, didn't it seem pointless? However, she could not deny the exotic feel of soft skin pressed upon her own once more, the tangled embrace, soft and warm and safe. Lovers slipped into bed, yet try as she might, poor Celeste could not get comfortable.
"Too soft…" she grumbled as she slipped out of the bed. After two years without even hay to lay upon, even wood was a bit soft compared to the hard stone ground found deep inside Mother Earth.
Entwined with her wife, on a more agreeable surface, the elf snuggled into Larka and fell into her deep, long slumber.
~~~
Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Celeste raised her arms and gave a might stretch, her body temporarily locking her muscles in place until everything relaxed and she crumpled in on herself. Rubbing her eyes one at a time, the elf looked around. Larka was no longer with her, the floor next to her far too cold to have left recently. How long had she been asleep this time? Surely, not long at all. Crawling over to a dresser, Celeste pulled out clean pants and a long sleeve blouse, both black.
As she dressed, the elf marveled at how different it felt to have clean, soft linen shifted against her skin, how it hugged her. Quite contrasting to the tattered clothing that hung off of her skeletal frame, ragged enough not to hold any heat or offer protection. While her hair was still somewhat clean, it was also quite knotted, yet no where near how terrible it had been when Larka took great care and expense to tend to and clean Celeste up. All she could do as her body was gently scrubbed, hair washed and brushed was take handfuls of water and watch it flow through her fingers.
Upstairs, Celeste peeked at the place where thick fabric kissed the wooden flooring, she was happy to note that it was still dark, hinting that not more than a few hours had passed. The elf quietly pulled back the curtain, the sound of tiny claws clicking on the floor greeted her. She knelt and scratched Kyu behind the ears with a smile.
"Grow strong, little fen." Even with just the candles, tiny flames that threatened to scorch her vision, Celeste spotted Larka on the couch, deep breathing suggested she was asleep. Softly padding her way to the kitchen, the elf found an entire loaf of bread and devoured it within minutes, barely taking the time to breathe.
Standing in front of Larka, she stood there in quiet contemplation. The Reaver looked so calm, so peaceful, that should this be nothing but a mere dream in a comatose state, she was committing every detail to memory to remember.
"What think the fen? Wake wife up?" she whispered to the pup, who had made her way back to her sleeping area after greeting the elf from emerging the hiding hole. Two years without any proper interaction with anyone, and Celeste had quite forgotten the proper way to do things, or rather, forgotten reasonings behind them. Awkwardly, Celeste sat next to Larka on the couch, her back rigid as her balled fists pressed against her knee caps. It was decided she would sit there until the woman woke up on her own.
Author: Larka, Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 11:16 AM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Larka just sat and cuddled the crying Celeste as long as was needed, pulling the elf into a kiss after a moment. But soon after it started Larka saw the water creeping towards them as Celeste's emotions and Larka's eyed widened a little. The water engulfed them both and Larka started to panic, she wasn't a good swimmer, and hadn't been even with two arms, so the fact that she was under the water, kind of, made her panic rise that little bit more.
But Celeste was quick to see what she was doing and push the water away and allow them each to take a deep breath. She apologized and removed herself from Larka's lap to stare out at the water, Larka watched her for a moment.
”It's alright, my love.” Larka replied, watching the elf carefully, and worriedly. Celeste stood and offered her hand to Larka, who took it and stood smiling at the suggestion of sleep, it was a good idea.
Together, hand in hand, they walked back to their little home, Larka being careful with her footsteps and trusting Celeste to be a guide in the growing dark. Once inside they went back downstairs together, Larka had no thought of sex, no, Celeste was still too fragile, mentally, for that, Larka would wait, wait until Celeste felt she was ready. Sex wasn't the most important thing right now anyway.
Downstairs, both women stripped and cuddled in the bed, but Celeste found it too soft. Larka giggled lightly, Celeste was really the only women to get a real giggle out of the mercenary. After a moment they were on the floor instead cuddled up, Larka was fine with it, but she knew that it was likely because Celeste had slept for so long on stone floors that anything soft was too unfamiliar to her at this point. It just wasn't possible for Larka to fathom what Celeste had been through in those two years.
The night drifted on and both fell into a fast sleep.
It was Larka too wake first, always, Celeste would sleep yet another almost a full day before waking. Her sleep cycle was long, it was twelve hours later already and it was day outside, yet she would not see any of this most likely.
Larka carefully slipped away, not wanting to wake her wife, though she knew she'd have to work at it anyway. She carefully got back upstairs not allowing any light into the basement and got dressed again. It was a nice day outside and Kyu scampered over and Larka knelt down and hugged the growing wolf puppy close.
”Good morning, Kyu. Want to come to town with me? I have shopping to do and some work to take care of.” The ruined covered puppy licked her face and her little tail wagged happily in agreement.
Larka grabbed her things and headed out the door to the city, she had a special idea, two in fact, in mind that would, hopefully, give Celeste a psychical anchor in reality. Some things that would be special and that she could hold and know that everything was going to be alright, even if Larka wasn't around at that time.
It was the full day later and Larka was back home again, Celeste was still asleep. Larka dropped her gear, she was tired having been all around the city and doing a job and then getting a mage to teleport her back to the city again from a part of the desert. Kyu ran inside and Larka got the puppy some meat to eat before finding a place on the couch to sit down. It was already dark when she had walked in and some candles were glowing softly, just enough for her to see by. But it didn't take too long for the tired Reaver to fall asleep on the couch.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Mon Oct 9, 2017 5:12 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
When the crazy personality began to emerge, Celeste had learned it was hard to imagine any substance to her hallucinations, where it was easy to imagine them wrapping their one arm around you as you cry in the dark, curled in the fetal position. As this was a harsh reality for her, Celeste had made it a habit to straddle her wife if she doubted her presence, until she began to ignore all visions of anyone. This is what she did now, shifting until she was straddling Larka, arms wrapped around her as she cried into her neck. Larka was real, unwavering in her solidity, bearing more evidence to Larka's words.
She had finally quieted down when Larka moved to look at Celeste. The proclamation of their love enduring made her smile weakly moments before she was pulled into a kiss. So many emotions filled her. Love, disbelief, and lust. How this was such a pleasant dream, for what else could this be? She was still trapped down there, still lost to the dark. Celeste had snapped, trapped in an endless sleep, and dreams of being free with her wife. Even in her crazed mind, all of this made more sense than this being reality.
How long had she been fighting to even rest as she was in such pain? When was the last time she had sleep? The questions were a constant reminder at the back of her mind as she reveled in the love and affection from her wife. Sadly, the lake being pulled upon by her emotions, water steadily reaching out for the pair, swirling around them, engulfing them completely. Larka went from affection to panic underneath her, and Celeste opened her eyes, realized what she had done and pushed the water away, both of them gasping for air.
"Ir abelas, ma vhenan." Celeste whispered, slipping off of her wife to stare into the lake. Once before they had this problem, where she was too free with her magic to actually enjoy time with Larka once the ability awoke in the elf. Her blinking slowed down considerably, her magic beginning to take a toll upon her once more. The elf stood, and held a hand out to Larka.
"Go home, together. Sleep." Even the food that Larka had for her was forgotten by this point.
Author: Larka, Posted: Sat Oct 7, 2017 2:30 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
As Larka settled down next to her wife, she was a little surprised when Celeste snuggled up close, that hadn't happened yet since they were reunited. Add in that Celeste was now wiping some of the tears from Larka's cheeks and the Reaver smiled as she asked about the greens that Celeste was eating. Larka's heart though, filled with warmth at the sudden expression of affection, to feel that again from the woman she loved nearly made Larka cry again. But she sat up with Celeste and watched the water and then the seaweed, or whatever, was in Celeste's hand, a gift from the sea, she called it and ate it, saying that the lightning stopped. Larka smiled, that meant that her headaches were relieved by the greens then, that was a good start, at least Larka hoped so.
Celeste curled back up against Larka who put her arm around her again and pulled her close, it was times like this that Larka hated not having her left arm. Not when she was fighting, not when having sex, all that could be done with one arm, but, being able to wrap both arms around Celeste in a full hug, well, Larka missed being able to do that, felt like the hug in this case wasn't as close as it could be. But that was her own demon to worry about, and she wasn't about to say anything when Celeste was going through so much worse at the moment.
Celeste shuddered in Larka's arm and made a stifled cry and Larka squeezed her close, wondering what memory she had dredged up to cause that.
"I'm here, it's okay." Larka soothed as Celeste started to explain more of how she had been caught two years ago. Twin?! Wait, Celeste had a twin! Larka had no idea, Celeste had never mentioned anything about siblings before.
"You aren't weak, Celeste, I know you, are you strong." Larka spoke, but Celeste pushed on with the telling and Larka listened, saving the twin questions for a little later.
Larka had learned the day that she had found Celeste that she had been taken as punishment for what their friend Zhana had been doing, digging into the earth for material for her forging. But the idea that they knew of the Reaver elixir was a little unnerving for Larka, who had worn on her life to guard how to make it with her life, unless she truly intended to start a new Reaver clan somewhere. They beat Celeste for it, but she hadn't cracked, which only proved that Celeste was stronger than she now may have believed. But her mood swung back to crying as she burrowed further into Larka while shuddering from the memories.
Larka pulled Celeste close, shifting their positions a little so that Celeste was sitting in Larka's lap facing her, their fronts facing each other and Larka held tight as she heard what Celeste was saying.
"You are awake, my love, I'm here, this is no dream. And you are not some elf, you are Celeste, my love, my wife, and your own being at the same time. But you can cry as much as you need to, I'm here for you." Larka spoke as soothingly as she could, trying to figure out a way to break Celeste's habit of referring to herself as 'elf' when she spoke, her hand on the back of Celeste's head hugging her close. She pulled back after a little while once Celeste had calmed some to meet Celeste's eyes placing her hand on the elf's cheek with a smile.
"Var lath vir suledin, ma vhenan." Larka spoke and leaned forward to kiss Celeste deeply.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 3:29 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Larka had found her, not that Celeste was hiding from her. The elf gave her a smile before putting a fresh leaf in her mouth. To not have her head pounding had a tremendous impact on her behavior and mental state. Her smile faded as she contemplated Larka's words of telling the woman how to help her. It was hard to talk to her if not even Celeste could put to words what she felt. Not to mention that while Larka had not changed in the last two years, it was painfully obvious how much Celeste had.
This, in and of itself, was putting a damper on her mood, so when Larka draped her arm over her, Celeste turned and snuggled into the woman and her warmth. Only, she saw the tears in Larka's eyes, causing the elf to frown. Had she been the cause of it? She reached up and wiped them away about the same time she asked about the leaves. Seemingly excited, Celeste sat up and held a hand out to the lake. A single tendril of water lifted and reached out to the water mage's hand. When it retreated, a fresh, wet fern like seaweed lay in her hand.
Akin to a child, Celeste held it out for Larka to see.
"Gift from sea." Her answer alone only proved she had no idea what it was, just that it was given to her and she ate it.
"Lightning stop." In her explanation of relief, Celeste curled back up into Larka, feeling safe and warm. Why had she left this woman in the first place? Slowly, she trudged through her memories, shuddering with the most recent ones. While she had been healed from her most recent torture wounds, her body remembered the pain quite well, quite unsuccessfully stiffing the cry as a boot came flying in, causing such a loud crack that her rib had broken.
"Day disappeared… Learned twin alive. Excited to tell you. Ir abelas, ma vhenan. Elf was weak." With her broken, crazy speech, Celeste managed to recall her own excitement when she had found that her twin sister was still alive after so many years of believing she was gone. Celeste had so wanted to share it with Larka and introduce the pair, but she was weak, caught unawares and allowed herself to get kidnapped. Larka tried to sooth the elf, but Celeste had to push forward. For so long she wanted to talk to someone, to let Larka know what had happened.
"Elf knew. Drow say elf was punishment. Elf not mad at Zhana. Never was. Drow knew Reaver elixir. Beat elf for information. Elf stay silent, no share. Beating always got worse." She tried to burrow further into Larka, shuddering with each punch she recalled, each kick, begging once more for it all to end.
"Elf afraid… Don't want to wake up. Larka!" Oh the fear of waking up and finding out that this was all a dream.
"Ir sominari… Banal ghilas. Banal ghilas!" Celeste clutched Larka close, her fear palpable as she began to cry into her wife.
Author: Larka, Posted: Tue Oct 3, 2017 8:44 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
[OOC: Also, Celeste and I have given each other Gmod for the whole thread :)]
The water on the floor, it was there because Celeste had been in pain and was lashing out, Larka couldn't see in the dark that her wife was still sweating. So she also couldn't see when the water lashed out at her until she heard it for what it was, but too slow to dodge it. The water stuck Larka and the Reaver was forced back a step into the water, just managing to keep hold of the food she had in her hand, which was now soaked as well like the the rest of her. In that distraction Celeste was up, up the stairs and out the door into the dusk light outside.
Larka was stunned for a moment and very upset at this outburst, she only wanted to help! Whatever Celeste had been through for the two years she was captive Larka could never understand, and, with Celeste being as she was, Larka may not ever get to even know what happened. Turning Larka headed up the stairs and set the food down before heading outside to run after Celeste, guessing where she had done.
Celeste was sleeping a lot, but she was mostly sleeping during the day and awake at night, so they were trying to get her sleeping back on track to a normal cycle. Larka got sleep where she could but she wondered how long she could keep this up. She loved Celeste, and believed herself capable of doing whatever was needed for as long as it took to get Celeste back to normal. The idea that that may not be possible didn't even enter her mind at all. One thing that was really upsetting Larka, however, was that the whole time they had been back together, even though Celeste had been unconscious for most of it, it almost felt to Larka like Celeste didn't know her. She didn't react like Celeste used to, didn't talk like her, it didn't seem that Celeste knew that Larka was her wife. Whether that was true or not, Larka was feeling it deep down, but her love for the elf woman was stronger than those thoughts so she remained here to help Celeste recover.
Larka found Celeste laying on her belly in the sand looking into the water and the Reaver walked up carefully, though she made her presence known as not to spook Celeste. Larka, already wet anyway, got down on her knees and then onto her belly as well next to Celeste, on Celeste's left side, and looked to her for a moment and then to the water.
"I want to help you, Celeste, but you need to tell me how sometimes." She reached out and gently placed her arm around the elf she loved so deeply.
"I love you, and I'm here for you, please, let me help." She had some tears in her eyes, the outburst had upset her a lot more than she realized, but she had a slight puzzled look when she saw that Celeste was eating something.
"What, is that?" Larka asked curiously of Celeste, where had she got it and what was it?
The human knew the next few weeks, maybe months, would be hard, but she would never abandon Celeste because of what had happened to her and what she was like right now. But it didn't matter, Larka was here to stay and help, whether Celeste liked it or not.
Author: CelesteJN, Posted: Tue Oct 3, 2017 1:05 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
Most of the trip to their new home was spent in sweet unconsciousness, forcing Larka to find a way to transport her sleeping wife. Waking hours were spent muttering to herself, believing this all to be a dream. She must have finally fallen into an unending sleep, blessed with vivid falsities. Her wife was close by, fresh air filled her lungs, and there was no more abuse.
By the time they made it to the quaint little building, Celeste was getting worse. She had a massive headache nothing seemed to cure, jittery, and unexplainably sweaty. In the little downstairs room, dark and quiet, she lay shivering in her bed. They were trying to reset her sleeping schedule, and Larka did manage to get some sleep in as the elf still had extremely long sleeping spells. With whatever was wrong with her escalating by the day, Celeste had thrown a piece of cloth over the bottled starlight, plunging the room into further darkness.
Upstairs, she could hear the main door opening and closed, then the door to her little room opened and closed. Heavy footfalls descended the gently lighted stairs. She could hear when Larka's feet stepped into the layer of water covering the floor. Celeste herself pressed her forehead heavily against a wall, eyes squeezed shut. Even she was soaked from head to toe, evidence of her lashing out with pain using water, and the fact that her sweating still hasn't abated.
Water lashed out a Larka as Celeste threw a hand behind her, trying to shoo her wife away as she was asked how she was doing, yelling in frustration. The action had her nearly fall on her ass, eyes widening in surprise as she desperately grasped at the wall with a groan.
"Lighting strikes… Brain split two." she whined. Unable to fix her pain, the splitting skull, Celeste stood suddenly and began to run very unstably. Up the dimly lit stairs, Celeste threw open the door, pushed past the dark blankets, hissing at the dusky light.
Undeterred, the elf ran out of the house, not even thinking as to where she was going. She just ran, trying to get away from her own inner turmoil. Larka couldn't understand! Stumbling, Celeste fell to her knees into wet sand having reached the shore of the lake. Doubling in on herself, her face practically between her knees, Celeste pressed her hands against her temples. It was useless!
Water reached out, flowing around Celeste's legs, trying to soothe her. When it receded back to the lake, a fern like seaweed was left in its wake before her. Self absorbed as she was, she hadn't realized it was there. The water reached out, lifted the leafy greens and touched Celeste's nose with it. Blinking with confusion, the elf took the leaves in hand, watching the water trickle back to the lake. She stared at the greens, to the lake and back to the greens. It was unwise to ignore a gift from the waters. Hesitantly, she began to chew on the leaves.
There was a near instantaneous effect. The pain was dialed down, no longer as harsh as it was, her brain no longer felt like it was being split in two or spinning round and round her skull. Everything felt like it was all settling down. With a sigh of relief, Celeste stretched out on her belly, stared at the water as she continued to chew and reached out for the water. She let her fingers feel the cool water… bliss…
Author: Larka, Posted: Mon Oct 2, 2017 7:43 PM, Post Subject: All that I'm Living For[P,R at times]
[OOC: For anyone following along, this thread will take place over a long period, like months, of in game time!]
Situated not too far from the shore of Kirika Lake stood a quaint little house. It was nothing fancy, but it just looked warm and welcoming, cozy in fact, from the outside. It had only one floor, two bedrooms inside and a kitchen and sitting area with comfy furniture to sit on. It was in fact a gift from the Goddess Angela, to the couple that lived there, a place to call their own in these foreign lands.
Inside it was rather spartan at the moment as far as decoration or personal touches went. There was a scattering of persona items here and there, some leather amour and a sword belt with two blades on it tossed aside. A little wolf puppy was playing as well with a toy she had found somewhere, but she was being as quiet as she could while doing so. In one of the back storage rooms was a large stock of really good booze from Angela herself, and medical supplies, all good stuff. It was a gift from the Goddess for Larka's help with her family, even though she had done that in return for Angela saving her life that time. There had even been a thank you note from Angela for Larka when Larka and Celeste had first arrived. Larka would make it a point to thank the Goddess directly when she could.
The oddest thing, however, were the hanging sheets and blankets that were strung up haphazardly. Curtain rods had been hammered into the wall with little thought as to appearance and then double up on again to add strength and with all the fabric hanging off of them, all of it black and thick, it made for a squared area that someone could walk into. Inside of that little area it was almost totally dark and it was clear that attempts were made to make sure that as little light as possible got in. Also, it wasn't against a wall, in fact there was a door there that led to the basement of the house.
Upon opening the door it was pitch black inside, almost. Upon each stair leading downwards was a small jar that contained fireflies that allowed the night blind Larka to see where the stairs were on her way down. Downstairs was another bed and was where Celeste was staying for now, in the dark since her eyes were far too light sensitive to upstairs. Plus a few other issues the married couple were working on.
In the few days they had been here, aside from the addition Larka did to the door upstairs, everything that had been done really was down here to make Celeste was comfortable as possible. Larka was tired, and it showed, though she was trying to hide it. She was spending as much time as she could with Celeste, while at the same time working to make money and getting what little sleep here and there she could.
Carefully stepping down into the dark room Larka took a second for her eyes to adjust somewhat to the dark as she called out in a quiet voice to her wife somewhere in the dark.
”Ghilas dennar, ma vhenan?” Larka asked, wondering how Celeste was doing, Larka had some food with her as well.
