Sarain Noire [KE]: Blood and Moonlight

[Zombie]

Sarain Noire [KE]: Blood and Moonlight - Part 1

The light wind blew red strands of hair into her face as she patrolled the area around Everthorne. The cool night air felt soothing to her skin, and she glanced up to the moon. She studied it for only a moment before continuing patrol.

It was quiet in Everthorne. The last person she had seen was Devlin as he left the Garden. She had observed this from her usual spot under the peach tree where she often attempted to remain at least a little bit out of sight. Overall, the whole evening had been quiet after they returned from Galehaven with the exception of the old crotchety man who insisted she was a vampire if she did not show her teeth.

Releasing a deep breath, she observed her surroundings and made her way through a few trees. She stopped in her tracks, keeping hidden behind a trunk and narrowed her eyes at what she saw.

On the outskirts of Everthorne, she had stumbled upon an ominous skeleton upon a black mare. The moon both highlighted and shadowed the visible bones. It was the one who led the others—the Ancient One. A shiver ran up her spine as she noted the direction he and his horse were facing. She knew she would have to act.

Pulling an arrow from her quiver, she steadied herself and aimed. The arrow sliced through the night air, and shot through a tear in the undead’s leather armor over the ribcage. The Ancient One reached through the torn area, pulling the single arrow out from his ribcage, snapping it in two with one hand.

She turned to run, hearing the horse gallop toward her. She felt his bony fingers in her hair and cried out in pain as he pulled her off the ground. Her body soared through the air, hitting the ground several feet away. Groaning, she tried to push herself up off the ground as the undead slide off his horse, pulling his weapon.

Managing to stand up, she turned to see the bone shiv in his hand. Turning away from him, she stumbled forward as she tried to run. He grabbed her roughly by her right shoulder, the bony fingers digging into her flesh, and shoving the shiv into the flesh of her left side, slicing downward before pulling it back out.

She cried out from the pain from the wound itself and the poison that now found its way into her body. Falling to her knees, she reached to touch the wound. The blood on her glove glistened in the moonlight. It was then as she saw her blood that she felt her knees leave the ground. Her breath was knocked out of her body as she was thrown against a tree, the bark cutting into her back. Her body fell to the ground once more and she tried to use her hands to push herself up before her head fell to the ground, her face resting on the cold grass.


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What is that tugging? Who keeps touching me? Stop.

Voices. Who is responding? Stop touching me.

Childbirth? Don’t speak of…

Her eyes fluttered open, blurry at first to the dimly lit room. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to focus.

“Sarain?”

It was a familiar voice that spoke her name. She mumbled out a response.

“How did you come to end up on the floor of the Aegis forest...with a mortal wound?” the familiar voice asked. She took her time to form a response as her mind began to adjust from her incident and why she was still alive.

[Zombie]

Sarain Noire [KE]: Blood and Moonlight - Part 2

Looking around Ismene’s room, she could only realize how feminine it was and realized she seemed out of place in it. She shrugged and lay down in the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Sarain rested her right hand gently over her left side where her wound was carefully stitched.

She thought about her conversation with Ismene. She had told her that life was full of unfair decisions. Life was complicated. And, she thought, the actions of others only raise questions. Gazing at where her hand rested, she could not stop the onslaught of questions.

It was a woman who she thought had called herself Des who had been the one to find her after the attack. It was Azrael who had bloodied his hands to keep her alive. Des had informed her that she had a hole in her stomach. It was a serious wound to have, and Sarain had shown the stitched flesh to Ismene.

For what reason was she still alive? Ismene was upset that she risked her life. It was Augren who informed Ismene that Sarain had performed her duty. It was Azrael who was not allowed into Everthorne who had stitched the wound himself. It was even Korthos who almost went against his nature because she had acted to lure an undead away and had been injured.

Tracing her fingers over the silver ankh hanging on a chain around her neck, she remembered what the priest had once said to her. “Every decision you have made has always led to some complication. For you, it will always be such. Just remember the reasons why you made that decision and you will be where should—caught in another complicated situation with more decisions.”

[Zombie]

Sarain Noire [KE]: Blood and Moonlight - Part 3

She carefully felt the stitches in her side. A shiver traversed her spine, and she drew in a deep breath. It was a wonder what an injury could do to a person.

Having been without bow and arrow as she recovered, she wondered if it had affected her skill at all. The undead would need to be handled with caution, but they would still need to be handled. Yet, Everthorne was still sending men to help the Avernians. Hopefully the effort would not be a waste.

Breathing in another deep breath, she smelled the scent of the peaches and apples which lingered in the air. It was possible that Ismene and Glorfindel’s wedding would be sooner than expected. At least by then the stitches would be out of her side, though it still meant she would have to wear a dress for the ceremony. It was not something she was looking forward to, but still she agreed to it for Ismene.

She thought of the Aratar meeting of the previous evening, and the question Augren had asked. Why was it she accepted the position in the Aratar? It had been during the time Ismene was poisoned that she was asked. She responded, “I was doing it already anyway.” She knew why she accepted.

Tracing her fingers lightly over the stitches again, she thought of the reason. It was because she would do anything to keep the others safe even if it meant sacrificing herself to whatever threatened the kingdom.