I'm Sorry, Evelynn Can't Play Right Now

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene returned to the palace a few hours later, or perhaps it was days, for Evelynn it certainly must have seemed like it was, laying on the ground in a puddle of her own warmth. Such a thing would have been a pathetic sight, even for one of the slaves. When Nemene returned she found nothing and no one near Evelynn's room, no slaves, no guards, no pets.

This was not unusual. Even in her sickness Evelynn had been a prideful creature, allowing only Nemene to aid her in well...pretty much anything.

The surprise came to Nemene when she opened the doors to her sisters room, and found the girl on the floor crying. No, that word was not strong enough. Evelynn had ceased crying long ago, her tears had tried up, what remained of her voice had stopped functioning completely, and heavy breaths flowed in and out of her. Were it have been any other person besides Evelynn Nemene would have killed the girl right then and there, put the sick puppy out of its misery.

She didn't need an explanation of what had happened. She didn't need Evelynn to tell her what had occurred.

Nemene had felt the anguish through the bond, the sorrow, the sadness. She had not realized that it would be something like this, something so very humiliating, something to break her sister even further. It was simply too perfect.

The Queen of Rattatak wandered over to her sister, slow methodical steps. Through the bond there was no sympathy, only pity.

“Oh Evelynn.” Nemene said collapsing at her sisters side onto her knee's and scooping the girls head into her lap. “I am so very sorry.”

She sounded completely and entirely genuine. Slowly she began to pet her sister. “I should have been here, I should have-”

Nemene cut herself off as Evelynn folded her face into her lap.

Much too perfect.

 

[Louise]

Evelynn was lost.

Useless.

Time ceased to exist as the broken blonde woman simply lay upon the ground and wept. Her existence became shame and despair and in that moment she knew that she was truly weak, she was born weak and she would die weak. Power and strength were made to elude the girl at every turn. One step forward, two steps backs.

Nothing.

She did not deserve the gift of life.

After an eternity Nemene returned. Had she been a woman with any pride remaining she would have desperately shooed her bond sister away but it was beyond evident that there was no pride left.

Child.

The same old words screeched throughout her mind as if Silent Sister needed reminding. She might not have even noticed Nemene if it wasn't for that overwhelming sense of pity that accompanied her new low. With her head now being cradled the girl merely lay there and trembled. There were no words.

WEAK.

It was unsure how long exactly Evelynn merely lay there in a state of anguish, she could not tell you how long she lay there barely managing to breathe but emotional exhaustion finally took her. Unconsciousness came.

A pity it was not death.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene sat on her knee's with her sisters head in her lap. She slowly and smoothly petted the girls hair, pity rushing from her through the bond. She wanted to make Evelynn feel better, she wanted to build her up again, whether Nemene would tear her down again was unknown, but for now she simply sat and petted the girl in a soothing motion.

Her lips parted to speak, but then she thought better of it.

Instead she shook her head, and began to sing a soft lullaby. A small tune that had been taught to her by her nurse maid, one that she had sung during the slaughter of her first house, one that Moridin had always found rather pleasing. She tweeted her little song at Evelynn, a remorseful sad little lullaby.


Days later things had not been improved. Evelynn had not thought a single thing to her, had not spoken, had barely even moved. The blonde woman was positively catatonic, only really moving about when she was forced to. Through the bond Nemene found a shell, not her sister, but simply an empty vessel. Days dragged on, a refusal to eat and drink caused an IV to be inserted into the Silent Sisters arm.

She was being forcefully kept alive now.

On the third day Nemene had had enough, she waltzed into Evelynns room with a fiery burning passion. Her sister would recover, she would get better, she would not sulk and cry for the rest of her time and she certainly would not die.

Certainly not.

She broke into the room with a loud clang of doors smashing against limestone. The Queen of Rattatak raging through them, returning from her daily meetings to find Evelynn obviously still sitting in bed, a small tube attached to her arm slowly sustaining her with nutrients. Nemene raised and arm, using the force to grip the tube and tear it from Evelynn's arm.

She tossed the machine to the side with a loud clatter, then she screamed.

“WAKE UP!” She doubted Evelynn was truly asleep, but the words had a double meaning.

 

[Louise]

The girl had shut down.

She had given up, death by apathy had become her choice as a new low point came to be in her pitiful existence. The mute simply no longer cared, even when they had to insert the IV into her arm she merely stared at the walls and let them get on with it. What could she do to stop them?

She was nothing.

Through the bond Evelynn sent emptiness, her signature was hollow and felt as if it was sitting on the very edge of extinction and naturally Nemene couldn't stand for this forever.

Like a vicious storm her sister came crashing into her chambers almost taking the door off of its hinges, her lifeline was torn out of her arm and sent flying off to the side. Yet the mute barely reacted. Looking up, those dark hollows of eyes seemed to stare straight through the other woman. What was she going to do? Enrage her better? Hurt her? What did it matter? Not even Nemene could help her now.

For the first time in what felt like forever Evelynn spoke.

Go away.

[member="Nemene Talith"]

 

[Lira Dajenn]

“Do you really think I’ll allow you to sit and mope about? Do you think I’ll allow you to waste away into nothing because you had a little accident?” her voice was outrageously angry, she was fuming at her sister now, almost seething in fact. Her anger was similar to that of what she had felt when they had been in prison, a cold undying rage.

She would not allow her sister to sit here and die.

Nemene walked over to her sisters bed, sitting down next to her and grabbing her chin with her right hand. She jerked Her sisters head up so that their eyes met. Orange blaze looking into cold gray. She squeezed her sisters face, scowling. “A year. An entire Year.”

She paused for a second, rage still building in her.

“I have spent an entire year caring for you, loving you, ensuring your survival. You will not throw that away. You will try! You will get better. You will recover, and you will beat this.” Her voice was pure cold rage.
[member="Evelynn"]

 

[Louise]

Oh yes.

Tough love.

She continued to stare through Nemene rather than at her, even when the woman grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look into those blazing eyes. Evelynn's gaze in return was devoid of all life, she didn't rise to her sister's rage, she didn't react to it, she just stared.

Of course, she couldn't fault Nemene. For entire duration of her illness bond sister had been there for her, loving, caring, making sure her every need was met and yet for once guilt did not rise. Her sister's tactics to spur her into living were failing.

You've wasted your time.

The limp girl could barely summon the fire to argue with Nemene, no matter how great her sister's fury was. Evelynn lay at the very bottom of her own personal pit of despair. She would need more than a pep talk to drag her out of it.

Kill me, Nemene.

Oh dear.

[member="Nemene Talith"]

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemenes eyes popped open in surprise and horror, the suns in her eyes showing fully as she stared at Evelynn. For a minute or two she did not know how to react. She sat and stared at Evelynn for a few moments, simply unable to comprehend what her sister was asking her to do. It was so incomprehensible, so stupid, and so Evelynn.

She dropped her sisters chin.

Then Nemene seemed to simply sit on the edge of the bed for the longest time, contemplating what to do, where to go next.

A single hard jerk brought up Nemenes hand. She smacked her sister as hard as she possibly could. Fury burned through her like never before. As the blonde woman reeled from the strike Nemene grabbed her by the throat, her right hand shoving itself beneath Evelynn's chin and bringing up the broken woman against the headboard, pinning her in place with one hard strike.

“Listen you selfish, ignorant, naïve little schutta.” Insults likely weren't going to help at this point. “I will not end the life of my own sister. I will not end the life of my bond mate. I will not end the life of the only thing I have ever cared about besides myself.”

Okay she was getting a little better now.

“You are the Beast Tamer of the Cauldron, you are the Queen of Rattatak, you are Sister to Nemene Athaem Talith. You will Live!” Her words were a strong powerful urging, emotion poured through them, hatred, anger, a twinge of fear. Nemene poured it all through the bond, her entire emotional pallet and open slate as she pinned Evelynn against the headboard.

Her words became strangled, her voice cutting off as tears formed in her eyes. “Whether you like it, or not.”
[member="Evelynn"]

 

[Louise]

Well, that was that train halted for a moment.

Of course, then Nemene responded in the only way she knew how in these difficult situation. The good old smack. Evelynn's head whipped violently to the side in response and she offered no resistance against her sister's aggression, well, as if she could at any rate?

Insults. Refusal. Words. Words. Words.

Perhaps now the feeble girl would relent, perhaps now there would be guilt, perhaps you need to get your head out of the clouds. Despite flurry of emotions bombarding her senses Evelynn's dead-eyed stare continued. Complete apathy.

What about tomorrow?

Her telepathic voice was devoid of all life, even the usual chill was missing.

What about next week? Next month? What about years from now when you've thrown away all of your goals and ambitions, thrown away your family legacy because you had to stay back to wipe your crippled decrepit sister's behind? Will you still care?

A pause.

Will you really? Or will you come to resent me, loathe me, wishing that all those years ago you had just ended it all right here, right now?

[member="Nemene Talith"]

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene held her sister in place by the throat, a low angry growl escaped her lips. No, she would not have this from her sister, she would not have her wallow in self pity and hypothetical situations, it would not be like this. The Queen of Rattatak would not have it, could not have it. She frowned slightly, and then relaxed her grip on her sisters throat.

She did not let go, but she ceased choking her at least.

“That will not happen.” Nemene simply said as though it was a fact.

She let go of Evelynn completely and slid off of the bed, standing before her sister for a brief moment before turning around and showing her back to the woman. Nemene was confident in herself and her abilities, always had been. She felt no true remorse for what she had done to her sister, the poison had done its job perfectly for a year, and it would continue to do so for the next ten.

For now however, Evelynn would need to be weened off the venom and allowed the heal. She came to this decision before facing her sister again. “Your legs will heal. Your sickness will be dispersed, and your mind will recover from the things you have suffered.”

She frowned slightly, then looked down at the blonde.

“I have no just been waiting on you hand and foot for the past year. I've been working on a way to cure you Evelynn. You will not stay this way forever. I made you that promise and I intend to keep it.” The filth of the lie fell from Nemene all too easily. "You will be better, but i need time, and so do you."
[member="Evelynn"]

 

[Louise]

Evelynn was almost disappointed when her sister finally let go. If only she had squeezed harder, if only she had choked her good and proper, perhaps even broken her neck, there was no doubt that Nemene had the strength to snap her scrawny little neck with one hand.

A pity.

The Silent Sister no longer believed that she would be getting better. Hope had long since faded. She had seen her own future and it was nothing but this, this weakness, this helplessness. Her existence was a mockery and the rest of her life would be spent trying to clear the hurdles of humiliation. What did strength feel like? Evelynn had long since forgotten.

She sank limply against the headboard, holding absolutely no faith in this cure. This was the fate she had resigned herself to and if Nemene wouldn't put her out of her misery then perhaps...

...no.

Leave me.

[member="Nemene Talith"]

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene stared at her sister again, for a time she remained silent, a running theme through this conversation. Evelynn had bewildered and stunned her multiple times, she simply did not know how to react, how to respond to such ridiculous notions. Her sister was not well, mentally and physically, that much was clear to the Queen of Rattatak.

She frowned slightly, then spoke.

“Sister. I will not stand for this.” Slowly she waved her arm. A purple sheen raced over her iris' and suddenly the force sprang to life around her. It was hardly strong or powerful, in fact next to the strength that Evelynn exuded in her beast taming it was an ant carrying a leaf, but it was enough to accomplish her goal.

Far faster than she could have achieved by hand Evelynn's bindings shot out from beneath the bed. Hard leather straps gripped and wrapped themselves around Evelynn's wrists, like snakes moving in for the constricting kill. They went taught almost immediately, stretching her arms so she could not move.

Her legs remained untouched of course.

The sheen crossed over Evelynns eyes once more, a pillow moved itself beneath Evelynn's legs, propping them up for better and faster healing. “I will return when your mood is less foul...perhaps then we can talk.”

Nemene turned about taking careful steps, for the first time in over a year she felt true fear. Was she losing control?
[member="Evelynn"]

 

[Louise]

Almost as if she could have read those half-hearted intentions her bindings came out to play. Her bindings. Multi-purpose, even beyond their bedroom antics. It wasn't as if she even needed them, Evelynn had become a prisoner of her own body. There wasn't going to be a second leap, not for a while yet.

But how hard would it be, just to to get a blade. A few precise slashes. Nemene would come running of course, would her sister make it in time? Of course she would. Until this foul mood (as she had so succinctly put it) had passed the brunette would never stray too far.

With her arms pulled taut the mute's head drooped down, and like broken furniture she remained.

---

He had come to her seeking advice regarding the Verinth.

Nemene would likely be the better sister to approach regarding the creations, but between the two women which would you rather go to?

The Silent Sister was ambushed by a bout of loneliness.

He was a slave that worked in the bestiary, so that had put him at a conversational advantage. A few queries. A piece of advice. Of course it wasn't the beginnings of some kind of twisted romantic comedy, no, it was company. A distraction. Initially the man had been nervous, petrified of the tiny mute creature that lay before him, hilarious when you observed it from afar but the Queens had put the hard work into their grisly reputations. Illness be damned.

He became more comfortable around her and she in turn requested that he return, so they could discuss more aspects of Rattatak's fauna. Stimulating discussion reigned. Talk of beasts, and her own art of taming them For the first time in forever Evelynn laughed, and Nemene was left in the dark.

[member="Nemene Talith"]

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene had of course felt the joy in Evelynn through the bond they shared. She had assumed that it was due to a book, or perhaps a trick of one of her pets, the thought of a slave entertaining her sister had never occurred to her in the slightest. Such a thing was absolutely abhorrent to her. There was only one way a slave could provide entertainment.

She arrived at her sisters rooms shortly after the slave had departed.

The Queen of Rattatak swept into her sisters room with all her usual fervor and and hustle, sweeping int the room with quick practiced steps and waltzing over to Evelynns bedside in a manner of seconds. Almost immediately she began to check over her, a nurse treating a patient. When she was satisfied Nemene straightened her back, looking down and studying her sister.

There was no novel around her, no datapad either...strange.

“Sister.” Nemene said in way of greeting “I felt something earlier.”

She hinted at the joy that Evelynn had earlier radiated, the mirth she had felt for a few seconds. In Evelynns current state such a thing was joyous news, but Nemene was suspicious of anything she did not control.
[member="Evelynn"]

 

[Louise]

These check-ups were normal, the were routine.

When you were a suicidal cripple you were bumped up pretty high on the priority list. They went through the motions in silence, Evelynn's lips a thin line of cynicism. The woman felt trapped, in chains that belonged to the disease for ravaging her body and mind and also to Nemene, who refused to end such a miserable existence.

Indeed?

This was a worry, Evelynn was finding comfort in somebody who wasn't her sister's presence. It wasn't as if Nemene was a jealous sort or anything.

I was conversing with a slave.

Her hostility wasn't hidden, poor Nemene. I'm sorry, what was that noise? It was me trying to choke back the laughter at such a ridiculous statement. Poor Nemene indeed.

Is that okay, Nemene? Must I get your permission first before I speak to anybody?

[member="Nemene Talith"]

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemenes eyes bulged open in surprise as Evelynn confronted her with a new bit of knowledge. Speaking to a slave? And deriving joy from it? Such a thing was impossible, unthinkable, inconceivable! She frowned, not quite understanding where this distaste of Evelynns was coming from and an edge of hurt entered Nemene voice as she replied to her sister.

“No...You don't need my permission.” As she spoke her back stiffened, and her face contorted slightly in a mix of sadness and insult, as if what Evelynn had said had actually hurt her.

Evelynn was not supposed to be a prisoner...well she was not supposed to feel like one anyway.

The Queen of Rattatak turned away from Evelynn, taking a few steps towards the door before stopping. She turned around and faced her sister for only a few seconds, staring at her with tears welling in her eyes, hardly noticeable at this distance but through the bond it would be easy to tell Nemene's emotions. “I'm glad you're feeling better.”

Then she rushed out of the room, not sobbing of course but instead straight backed and respectful.

The doors slammed shut behind her.

 

[Louise]

Oh dear.

Did Nemene have a faulty faucet somewhere behind those eyes? Evelynn actively rolled her eyes as she felt the edge of the waterworks threatening the terse interaction between the two. The Silent Sister of course was going down the road of the bitter ingrate, to be expected really, the symptoms of a debilitating disease would not only be physical but also emotional, and while there would be heaping spoonfuls of guilt later, it did not occur at that moment.

She lay there in silence as her sister left the scene, the IV that remained in the girl's arm showed that the will to live hadn't returned just quite yet.

Feeble eyelids fell shut, thankfully not for the last time.

---

“Pardon me for asking, my Queen but when did your affinity for creatures begin?”

Another day spent in the company of the slave. He had a name evidently. How about that? Slaves were apparently people. His name was Jonathan, and to his fellow slaves down in the bestiary he was Johnny but the Silent Sister would never be that casual with a slave.

Dry cracked lips formed into a thin smile.

His name was Chomp...

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene was of course more than aware of her sister spending so much time with the slave. She watched him enter Evelynn's room. She watched him leave, she watched him nearly all the time. There was pangs and waves of jealousy in her emotions, small trickles of emotions that this slave was doing what she could not, cheering up her sister.

She had him watched. Even in the Kennels where he was at “home” someone was watching him.

Her paranoia grew day by day as Evelynn spent more time with him.

As her paranoia grew, so did her jealousy.

She watched carefully as the man entered Evelynns room early morning one day, her eyes shifting slightly and watching as he swaggered through the double doors and towards the bed. The Queen of Rattatak bit her lip, then stomped off down the halls. This had to be corrected, it could not go on like this, it could not be allowed.

 

[Louise]

Naturally of course, the purpose of the slave was for more than just company.

He had become a game, her game. Evelynn wasn't stupid, she was crippled, she was weak but she wasn't stupid (although upon reflection allowing yourself to be poisoned for over a year is pretty darn stupid, but let's credit Nemene's smarts for that one). The Silent Sister of course could smell Talith's emotions in the air as if they were dung, left to ripen in harsh sun.

Jealousy, thick and sweet in the air as a mere slave could provide what Nemene could not. It was delicious.

This was her revenge. Oh, but Evelynn, your sister has been caring for you all this time! She would spit on that very notion. What the mute had wanted was mercy, was death and Nemene had refused that. Never underestimate the spite of a weathered weary woman.

So the sickly creature and the slave conversed, they laughed and played holochess. She showed him Merisi, let him stroke her marvellous plumage. Life returned to the girl, she no longer required the IV, she no longer wished to peter out into nothingness. Progress at least. Spiting her sister in this emotional fashion fed her, encouraged her. Her sickness had been somewhat subdued and her legs would perhaps someday heal.

There was hope there.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Then one day as Johnny returned to the slave Kennels beneath the palace he found them devoid. No slaves, no beasts, no masters, nothing. He walked through the eerily silent rooms, cages empty and bed made up. Everything seemed natural.

The Slave turned, walking down the hall towards his room.

Since him and Evelynn had bonded Johnny had been granted a larger room within the kennels. Not anything fancy, and it was really more of a closet, but it had an actual bed and walls which for the slaves of Rattatak may have been a mansion. He found the door to his room open. Cautiously the man stepped inside, his sandals scuffing the limestone floor slightly. He took another step, turning towards his bed.

There he found another Sister, though not the Silent one.

Nemene sat on the edge of the slaves bed, her legs crossed with a single knife besides her, a knife normally used for flaying fish. She stroked the hilt of the blade absent minded, only looking up from it when she saw Johnny enter the room.

Out of pure instinct the slave took a step back when Nemene looked at him, prey facing its predator.

“Hello.” Nemene said in a soothing tone as Johnny took another step back. “You and I have something to talk about.”

In an instant Nemene was upon the man. She pressed him against the far wall, moving across the tiny room in the blink of an eye. Johnny let out a loud gasp as he felt heat in his side, a knife slipping beneath his skin. The Queen of Rattatak began to peel flesh away from muscle and bone, Johnny's screams drowning out anything she might have said to him.


An hour later, covered in the blood of a Slave, Nemene found herself wandering the halls of the Palace. In her right hand was a mound of flesh, in her left the still dripping blade. A trail of blood was left behind her, the tail of the dress soaked with it and the knife leaving droplets.

She walked with a sort of apathetic purpose, climbing the stairs and ignoring anyone who might have been looking at her.

Some of the Sirens gave her quizzical looks, some of the Verinth began to lap up the trails of blood.

None of them approached her however.

Finally she reached the upper halls of the palace, and with a single step she took a turn into the antechamber of Evelynn's rooms. The blood trail behind her grew thinner as her steps became longer, and with a sweep of the blood covered knife and a hint of the Force Nemene pulled open the massive double doors.

Wood smashed against limestone, the doors nearly breaking as Nemene waltzed into the room without a word. She stopped at the foot of the bed, giving her sister only a second to realize what was going on. Then she tossed the flesh in her right hand between her sisters legs.

In the air it unfurled, and it landed perfectly upon the soft silk blankets, a familiar face.

Then Nemene turned on her heel and walked back towards the door, blood trailing behind her.

 

[Louise]

As a monstrosity took place, Evelynn slumbered peacefully. Rest would heal, and now she wanted to heal.

The doors crashed against the limestone, splintering slightly upon impact and startling the young woman awake. Ah, this was the confrontation to come. Oh, I've had enough, sister! You won't snub me for a common slave! But wait, there was blood. Too much blood. The sight of all that crimson pulled the girl from her sleepy state immediately.

Nemene?

Something landed upon the bed. Flesh. The mute's heart stopped. Nemene had already turned and was leaving.

It wasn't. It couldn't be. Of course it was.

NEMENE! STOP!

Rage built up inside the girl, rage and sorrow. Nemene would take everything she had until there was only her left, that was clear. The feeble girl's fists clenched and trembled, tears welling up in those eyes that had suffered so much. There was a surge in the dark side and through her sickly state there erupted a scream.

A scream of the Force. A scream that splintered wood and shattered every possession in that room that had the misfortune of being made from delicate materials. A little too late as Nemene had already left the room.

There was little thought for poor Johnny. He had been a tool, a pawn used in a game between sisters. A pawn now destroyed.

NEMENE!