Tears trickling down her face, staining the blouse she wore with the faint red that glimmered within them. Failed again. How many tries had it been? How many chances? Too many to count.
Far away from the castle, a cloaked head lifted, almost as if scenting something in the wind. Gloved fingers briefly adjust the clasp that holds the cloak shut against the winter rains. A clasp with red stones.
Foolish Girl
How long had it been since she made this choice, since the first time she felt this hunger, the first time her fangs cut her lips because she hadn't fed recently? Too long to remember.
Got your heart torn open again
She had been so sure this time ... the personality, even his looks were so close to those of her love, lost so long ago. So sure it was him reborn ...
The one in the cloak begin walking northwards, towards the castle. Something was wrong ...
Foolish Girl
"How many times the fool?" Was that broken sound herself? Had she really fallen that far? ... guess so. She didn't feel like continuing, spending another century searching ... searching only to fail. But it hurt, it hurt so much to give up ...
Did the same fool thing again
The energy of the rite vibrated through the air around her, sending every inch of her skin a-tingle ... too much energy, proving yet again it had failed. Failed to find him, failed to awaken his memories ... Again, she had missed his reincarnation.
The cloak began to billow out as the walk quickly became a run, puffs of warm breath showing as white mist in the air, the winter wind sharp.
Foolish Girl
Fool once, fool thrice ... fool far too many times. And because of it, her heart was shattering now. Without a word, she stepped up from the circle, and started heading outside of the castle.
Your soul's torn in two
The wind was icey upon the battlements, but then, she'd stopped noticing the temperature a long time back. Her long hair, now black for centuries, whipped about her face, stinging her eyes and getting into her nose and mouth. She ignored it. A faint thought of the baby flickered through her mind ... but she ruthlessly shoved the thought aside. The baby wouldn't need her ... barely needed her now.
The hood of the cloak fell back, revealing the long expanse of orange hair ... and the blood-tinted tears that were falling down the female face. Breathing was painful, but she continued to run towards the castle, ignoring the stitch in her side, the burn of muscles driven beyond endurance. Almost there ... .
Foolish Girl
Silk whipped about her body, plastered to it by the rain ... her black hair was slick and clinging, soaked with the abundant winter rain. The stones of the battlement were cold beneath her bare feet, as chilled as her shattered heart. Just one more step ...
I'd hate to be you
The wind whistled in her ears ... but she no longer heard it. A strange peace had fallen upon her once she had taken that step. Indeed . . . the wind seemed to carress her, saying to her she was free now ...
The cloak was ripped away by the wind and rain, which also slicked orange bangs back from grief-filled red eyes. Too late ... knowing it was hopeless, arms still reached out to catch the falling shape of white silk and black hair, knowing ... .
Chi amna nie ... chi amna nie
They were not found until late morning, when the storm finally abated.
Oh, how tongues wagged in the village, speaking of the great sorceress Lina Inverse and the count's beautiful wife Leeni, how the sorceress had been crushed by the wife's fall. No one knew why Leeni had fallen.
Both women were buried, nearly side by side, in the royal cemetary. Both, in truth, under the wrong name.
Foolish Boy
The baby shifted, all youthful innocence and naivete ... the further from the truth, nothing could be. The baby dreamed, and in those dreams ...
Walking that path again
"Grandfather, I tire of this. I have walked the path of incarnation ceaselessly since that life ... and this time she was my mother, no less."
A gentle sound, of metal rings falling in a short sequence ... The other one also dreamed, staff in hand, just as the baby dreamed.
"Patience ... you know I've been more than grandfather to you, sometimes father, sometimes son, sometimes no relation at all ... "
"How can I be patient, knowing that she will not incarnate again any time soon, maybe never ..."
Foolish Boy
The baby whimpered softly in sleep, small hands waving about.
Missed her yet again
"She will return . . she's far too important to L-Sama to be allowed not to."
"I don't know, grandfather ... she has become very soul-weary, worn to a thread ... she may not be permitted to incarnate in this world again."
"And are the other three worlds any less stressful?"
"In soul-memories, yes."
Foolish Boy
Still asleep, small arms and legs began to wave wildly about, thrashing and tossing the small body.
Your heart's bleeding your life away
"I ... I don't think I could stand another life without her ..."
The faint jingle of the staff's rings again, almost impatient this time ... but also concerned.
"Don't give up hope yet ... I, myself, still search for my own, you, you simply need patience."
"I'm sorry, grandfather ..."
"You know that title's not accurate at all for this span of the cycle."
"I know, but that life is the one I remember you in the best."
" ... I still regret that ... I can never really repay what I did, nor atone for it ... "
" ... thank you."
Foolish Boy
An uneasy wail slipped from the baby, slowly rising in pitch until the child awoke and began bawling in earnest. In the other room, the nurse awoke from her slumber, and with a sigh, headed into the nursery. The sound of the nurse's staff, the rythmic jingle of the metal rings upon it, soothed the child somewhat. The wail faded into a demanding whimper, warning that the child would began crying again soon if not comforted.
You can't even for salvation pray
Humming an old, old lullaby, the nurse picked up the baby, rocking it gently to sooth the small one's nebulous fears and anxieties ... to let the child forget, just for a little while, the pain of it's ancient soul, once again bereft of the one loved most. A pain most familiar to the nurse.
Chi amna nie ... chi amna nie
The rite hadn't failed ... simply aimed a the wrong person, and the true subject had simply been to young to remember consciously what had been revealed and unleased. The undirected and balked energy had awakened all of them ... awoken them to who they had been when she had been truely alive, not ...
Foolish Children
Coming so close, yet so far
Foolish Children
You hitched yourselves to the wrong star
Foolish Children
So wrapped up in your own strife
Foolish Children
Maybe you'll do better in the next life
Do better in the next life
Do better in the next life
In the next life
Next life
Next life
Chi amna nie ... . chi amna nie ... chi . . nia
Now, if you're not ready to strangle me for this, or even if you are giggle it's time to reveal who was who. And I think I'll start with the one no one guessed correctly.
False Lina Inverse: Xellos Metallium
grin There was only one hint, but it was a key one, and it seems everyone missed it. Here's the specific line again.
Far away from the castle, a cloaked head lifted, almost as if scenting something in the wind. Gloved fingers briefly adjust the clasp that holds the cloak shut against the winter rains. A clasp with red stones.
And here's everyone else!
Countess Leeni: Lina Inverse, and as was guessed, she had become a vampire
Nurse/staffperson: Rezo
Baby: Zelgadis