Off Tune

Artwork by exellero
Tesin Movahesh -- Queen of Night, the Child of Ambrosia -- stormed into Melody's bedroom...   And found one of her daughters inside.   Feral: "Mother! Knocking?"
Melody: "Yeah what the-- Oh fuck. What time is it?"   Tesin didn't say anything, she just raised an eyebrow, and kept her gaze steady. Melody looked at her comm unit, and groaned. She was a two hours late. She hopped out of bed, throwing the rest of the blankets over Feral, and tried to ignore the fact that she was standing in front of the Queen of Night in her underwear. She dressed in a flash, while Feral melted into the covers, and Tesin waited.   It was really hard to put on skinny jeans in this kind of situation, but Melody managed.   Melody: "Well... Let's go? Fourth Avenue, right?"   Tesin tossed something at Melody, which she barely caught. The second it hit her hand, she knew what it was. The Fifth Avenue Key.   Tesin: "I knocked. Two hours ago. And then I went looking for you... And then I gave up looking."
Melody: "You did it by yourself?"   Feral made a confused sound, and Tesin tilted her head.   Fuck.   Glasses.   Melody: "One second."   There was an awkward minute of shuffling, as Melody checked the nightstand, and then the floor, and then under the bed... And then under the covers. She found them tangled up in Feral's hair, pulled off in the moment and forgotten. And Tesin just kept... Waiting.   Melody shoved her glasses on, gaining that little bit of clarity, and noticed what was obscured before. Little cuts and blisters, all over Tesin's body. Some creature clearly bled blue on the Rambling Road, because it was still under Tesin's fingernails. There was also a small lump forming on her forehead, where she'd been hit in the face.   Melody: "Wow... Look, I'm really sorry--"
Tesin: "Alistair won't speak to me. Charon is feeding him with the River Styx."
Melody: "Yeah. I heard. But--"
Tesin: "We get one chance, Melody. The Scythe is the answer."
Melody: "I know."   Tesin let the silence hang, overwhelming them all like a shroud, and then she left. Melody released a breath she didn't know she was holding, and fell into bed. The Fifth Avenue Key felt like a lead weight in her hand.   Melody: "I'm such a bitch."
Feral: "I've never seen Mother angry like that before... Well, not when her sword wasn't drawn. Do you think she approves?"
Melody: "Of what? Us? Since when do you need her approval? You're the oldest one here! I met you before she was born!"   Feral rolled her eyes -- this was a recurring theme since Mother returned.   Feral: "The age of Mother's body has nothing to do with the age of her spirit."
Melody: "Yeah, yeah... What do you think I should do? She seems pretty pissed."   Feral shrugged, looking after her Mother. There was always a faint trail of energy as she passed through Night, and it was still there, glittering silver. Although Mother's expression showed anger, the aura was... Sad. Disappointed. Worried. A fear of being abandoned, and the anxiety of going into danger alone.   Feral: "Just show up, I think. She needs a friend. Someone capable to rely on."   It stung Feral that she couldn't be that person, but she knew the truth. The invasion had made it blatantly clear -- on the world stage which Mother walked, the Daughters of Night were weak. Melody nodded, her brow folded in self-loathing, and then she shot up from the bed.   Melody: "I'm going to apologize properly. And clean up those wounds... That head bump is going to swell."   Melody practically ran, and Feral smiled after her. Her brother's return to Ezorod had put everyone on edge... She could still see him, even from inside Melody's chambers, hovering above them like a smoldering god. But with Mother and Father working so hard, and Melody at their side...   Maybe everything would work out in the end.

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!