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"Hope is the only thing stronger than fear."
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"Hope is the only thing stronger than fear."
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Taken by surprise was a good way to describe the majority of the events that the young Claith often encountered. The adopted noble could often be found hovering over her hand mirror after she'd been brought safely home following her attack. Her fingers had traced her bandaged neck, brushing so lightly across the wrappings that she couldn't feel it. Though, perhaps, that could just be numbing from her treatment for the Sanguine bites.
Recalling the events of her kidnapping had been a difficult task, especially the second time. The second being far worse than the first as she barely had any sense when she had first explained the capture. She hardly remember even telling it before she had explained to the Inquisitors she worked with, only first think of lying as still as stone upon her bed after she'd been rescued.
After several days of wandering and waiting, though, the young lady took back to the Regalian streets with confidence.
"Just a random occurrence," she told herself aloud as she changed her bandages. "Just a freak accident," she murmured as she flexed her wrapped fingers. Her hands shook nevertheless at the idea of thinking back to it.
The teeth sinking into her skin, claws dragging down her arms as an army of monsters crowded around her. If she couldn't handle swarms of people before, just the thought of being captured in a crowd was enough to get her gasping in panic now. When she ripped at her fresh bandages to tie them on, her memory jumped to the cry of tearing fabric as she was torn at by creatures of the night.
No, it was not a lovely though. The girl consistently reminded herself that it was just a little accident and would never occur again. Thus, after her days of fearing, her demeanor became stable once more. The ginger would happily float through the tavern once more with her giddy smiles and requests of tea from the friendly bartenders. She didn't fear the world and when someone requested help to find something, she happily accepted to show them the way.
Without a thought, Winifred stepped down the tavern stairs with the lost commoner just at her heels. Out of rushing habit, she strode forward in a natural quickness until a shout broke from a distance behind her.
"Could you slow a bit, my lady!" Upon turning, the Claith noted that the man had fallen rather far behind and she waited the few moments he took to stride besides her.
"Better now, sir?" She asked out of politeness, awfully pleased when she was given a toothy grin and nod. Once more their adventure through the side road continued, though only for a few moments.
"What's this?" He asked again, gesturing towards the small pool of water just down the steps by them. Statues of ever watching guardsmen circled its perimeter with lilypads dotting the water.
"This? Just a pool," commented Winifred as she drifted from her original path to adventure down the steps and land besides the water pool.
"A pool? You swim in this?" The man didn't appear too interested in the idea as he asked, in the opinion of Winifred, so she was glad to be able to laugh off the suggestion.
"No, no. Just for decorated." The two stood there several more moments, chatting of the pond. All fears didn't even blink in her head at the pleasant conversation.
"I like your bracelet, can I see it?" The man finally asked, breaking the topic. The girl turned her attention to her bangle resting around her wrist, her lips twisting into a faint frown. Unease filled her at the suggestion, though she decided to blame it on her attack the days before. Even saying that much to the questioning man.
"Ah, I see," he continued, thinking a moment. Winifred nodded and they spoke a moment more, the stranger remaining friendly as ever. There was no reason for the girl to be afraid- and then she was suddenly being knocked back to the ground as a fist slammed into her face.
Shock went through her mind as she collapsed into the cobbles under her, elbows scraping into the stone. Her eyes turned the size of saucers as fear dragged into her. Winifred turned her gaze up, words having no time to slip free before a boot met her head. In the split moment she had before sinking into the pooling darkness, she could only wonder why the vigilant guards could do nothing but watch the water besides her.
Recalling the events of her kidnapping had been a difficult task, especially the second time. The second being far worse than the first as she barely had any sense when she had first explained the capture. She hardly remember even telling it before she had explained to the Inquisitors she worked with, only first think of lying as still as stone upon her bed after she'd been rescued.
After several days of wandering and waiting, though, the young lady took back to the Regalian streets with confidence.
"Just a random occurrence," she told herself aloud as she changed her bandages. "Just a freak accident," she murmured as she flexed her wrapped fingers. Her hands shook nevertheless at the idea of thinking back to it.
The teeth sinking into her skin, claws dragging down her arms as an army of monsters crowded around her. If she couldn't handle swarms of people before, just the thought of being captured in a crowd was enough to get her gasping in panic now. When she ripped at her fresh bandages to tie them on, her memory jumped to the cry of tearing fabric as she was torn at by creatures of the night.
No, it was not a lovely though. The girl consistently reminded herself that it was just a little accident and would never occur again. Thus, after her days of fearing, her demeanor became stable once more. The ginger would happily float through the tavern once more with her giddy smiles and requests of tea from the friendly bartenders. She didn't fear the world and when someone requested help to find something, she happily accepted to show them the way.
Without a thought, Winifred stepped down the tavern stairs with the lost commoner just at her heels. Out of rushing habit, she strode forward in a natural quickness until a shout broke from a distance behind her.
"Could you slow a bit, my lady!" Upon turning, the Claith noted that the man had fallen rather far behind and she waited the few moments he took to stride besides her.
"Better now, sir?" She asked out of politeness, awfully pleased when she was given a toothy grin and nod. Once more their adventure through the side road continued, though only for a few moments.
"What's this?" He asked again, gesturing towards the small pool of water just down the steps by them. Statues of ever watching guardsmen circled its perimeter with lilypads dotting the water.
"This? Just a pool," commented Winifred as she drifted from her original path to adventure down the steps and land besides the water pool.
"A pool? You swim in this?" The man didn't appear too interested in the idea as he asked, in the opinion of Winifred, so she was glad to be able to laugh off the suggestion.
"No, no. Just for decorated." The two stood there several more moments, chatting of the pond. All fears didn't even blink in her head at the pleasant conversation.
"I like your bracelet, can I see it?" The man finally asked, breaking the topic. The girl turned her attention to her bangle resting around her wrist, her lips twisting into a faint frown. Unease filled her at the suggestion, though she decided to blame it on her attack the days before. Even saying that much to the questioning man.
"Ah, I see," he continued, thinking a moment. Winifred nodded and they spoke a moment more, the stranger remaining friendly as ever. There was no reason for the girl to be afraid- and then she was suddenly being knocked back to the ground as a fist slammed into her face.
Shock went through her mind as she collapsed into the cobbles under her, elbows scraping into the stone. Her eyes turned the size of saucers as fear dragged into her. Winifred turned her gaze up, words having no time to slip free before a boot met her head. In the split moment she had before sinking into the pooling darkness, she could only wonder why the vigilant guards could do nothing but watch the water besides her.
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Of course, the girl didn't recall how she had ended up in the wooded area just by the citadel when she awoke with a splitting headache and eyes refusing to open against the dim sunlight. No sense of time or day could appear to her in her confusion as she brought her palm against her head. An unintimidating growl of frustration escaped her as she looked about. Her arms prickled with goosebumps as she noted her bare arms, and then her stocking covered toes.
The barbarian that had attacked her apparently had wanted more then just her bangle, Winifred concluded after her notes of ripped off sleeves and missing shoes. A sigh of shame escaped her, but nevertheless she grabbed onto the tree she had been slumped against to drag herself to her feet.
"Why does this happened," she murmured in Leutz-Vixe. It was only when she gathered herself onto her feet that the severity of the situation hit her, but a sad laugh only bubbled free. "I help and I get beaten, is this is a sign of something." Her palm dragged across her cheeks to swipe the lose tears, causing an unintentional wince as she swiped the bruising on her face.
The girl leaned herself forwards to press her face against her palms as light as possible. She stood there a long moment, contemplating her recent mistakes until she had the nerve to face the world again- bruise faced or not. The young noble set her shoulders back with the smidge of self-confidence and pride she had left to march for the hospital in order to have her face checked, speaking beneath her breath as she went.
"I'm not a fool," she murmured in a tone as if she'd sworn. "I won't be taken advantage of, even if," she paused a moment to consider before glaring forwards. "Even if I have to be cruel, I'm no fool." Her shoulders slouched at her words. She wanted nothing less than to be a bully: to be the cruel lady in the room. She shook her head with a gentle sigh, no she can't do anything like that. She just had to be a bit smarter… that's all it took…
"Spirit protect my foolish self."
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