It had been almost 2 years now, 2 years since the incident of Ernesta losing her hearing in her left ear. Immediately after that her whole life changed, and she always tried to keep a positive outlook on things, but sometimes the sadness revisits her mind and she wallows in it for some time.
Having a small obsession on trying to find a cure, it was the only thing that kept her sadness away. The smallest of hope, what if. The two words drumming in her mind, almost constantly. The only way to distract herself or appease it, to spar or to obsess over a cure.
A warm summer's day Ernesta overheard mutter from an unknown source that a consumption and use of Rubyflower could bring back her hearing. Obviously not being educated in medicine, Ernesta saw this as an opportunity, a way out. Something to fix herself, to make her whole again.
So she sought out the stuff, in all its forms. Plant based, liquid based, even in tea. And consumed it on a daily for around a week. With a plan in mind, to test her hearing at the end of the week to see if there was any, at all improvements.
On the seventh day, Ernesta perched herself on the edge of her bed. Peering down at her hands, she was in her night attire, a simple white gown. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes. Hoping, holding onto this hope so tight, her eyelids squeezed shut as if she was silently praying.
Slowly she reached her hand up to her left side, and clicked. Bile formed at the back of her throat, a metallic taste in her mouth. Shaking her head, multiple times, her hair falling into her face .
" No, I'm just- imagining things. Yes. It worked. I'm fixed - It… It did work "
She mouthed quietly to herself as silent tears slipped down her cheeks.
" It. Worked. "
she said loudly, her fingers clicking repetitively, one after the other, and another and another. Raising her palm to press against her mouth, stifling choked sobs from escaping her lips.
Almost in defeat her body slumped into the side of her bed, her other hand hitting at the floor angrily. Her cheeks grew pink from the blood rushing to her face, pulling her knees up to her chest and burying her face into her legs.
" I'm not fixed, nothing worked. Nothing will ever work. "
And it escaped, a silent cry to her. A loud sob to anyone else, but muffled to her hearing, her voice was strained and broken and she breathed deeply. Her hands grabbing at her hair as she tried to comprehend the realisation, that she couldn't be cured, her hearing was truly gone.
Eleanore traversed the hallway of the d'Vaud home. It was a day like any other, which had offered the young woman nothing exciting, nothing unusual. Her destination had always been Ernestas room. They were close, practically sisters.
The ginger d'Vaud paused somewhere along the wall upon hearing Ernestas cry. Frantically, she rushed towards her sisters room in fear of what might be. The pained wailing tortured her ears, and she feared the worst.
"Erny!" Eleanore called as she burst into the room, almost tripping over her skirts in the terrified moment. It was there that Elly was greeted by her cousin slouched crying besides her bed.
"Ernesta! What is wrong? What has happened?"
"I am broken.. I can not fix it..My hearing- It's.. It's.."
Eleanore frowned. She made her way toward her cousin, and settled down besides her. Her arms wrapped around the womans shoulders with ease; she was a tad larger than her kin.
Elly pulled the blonde closer, held her to her chest as she muttered some soothing words.
"Erny, my sweet, sweet Erny. You are not broken. You are Ailor, and not one Ailor is perfect. Your ailment is what sets you apart from the others; it makes you unique."
"Look at how you have flourished, adapted."
"Ernesta, there is not a thing wrong with you."
Ernesta's lips shut tightly, as the tears trickled down her face. Her body jutting at the sharp inhales. Her sight clouded from the tears bubbling within them.
"I just don't want people to think I'm broken, vulnerable. Needing taken care of. "
"No one thinks like that, Erny. You are the strongest person I know. No one coddles you, no one feels your are vulnerable. If they did? You show them different. Hold your head high; stand proudly. Show them that whether you lack hearing, sight, strength.. Whatever it is, show them that you will strive to be your best with what you have."
Burying her face into the body of her kin, she inhaled and sobbed for another few moments. Until it was just the sound of her stuttered sniffing, her hands almost clinging to Eleanore in the embrace, she hadn't shown anyone this side of her before.
But somehow she felt at ease in the arms of her younger cousin, a small weight had begun to lift off her shoulders.
OOC:
This was a joint collaboration with @SnugglyKittens
Based around Ernesta d'Vaud including her kin Eleanore d'Vaud.
