Tunes News of the Countess returning spread like fire and as she stepped into her childhood home a group some of whom had known Enheduanna since she was a little girl greeted her. One notable face was the family cook, who was always fussing at the Countess in her youth for overeating and spending too much coin on sugary sweets. After a moment of idle chatting, the Countess inquired about the whereabouts of her parents and after getting her answer she headed off. It was roughly midday when the ship had arrived and the Countess should have known where they were at this hour, though there was a possibility that they were sharing lunch, something her parents often did as part of their ritual aiming to spend a little bit of their workday together. After wandering through the third level she finally spotted them, sitting across from one another outside of a little cafe, Kal, her mother still wearing the outfit she always wore while training the soldiers and house guards and her father, Hadad in his more relaxed style. As soon as her mother saw her, the giant Eronidas nearly knocked the table over as they stood in a hurry rushing over to their only daughter, “My little bramble. It’s been too long.” “Hello Mother.~ It truly has, hasn't it?” The still sitting Eronidas continued finishing their sandwich and wiping their mouth before speaking, “Duanna, Nice to see you. I hope you didn’t come to harass the chef. You already caused the poor man distress.” “And hello to you Father..and no..I didn’t bother the chef any when I visited the home.” The Countess was quickly embraced, tiny droplets of water formed in the corner of Duanna’s eyes. She’d missed her parents, she’d not seen them in over a year and there had been so much that had happened since then. They stood for a moment both of them trying to lift the other in some way to show whose love was stronger before separating with the both of them a bit flushed and smiling. Laughing still, the Countess moved to sit alongside her mother, nearly beaming looking between Kal and her father that sat across from them. “How have things been here? All is well I’m assuming?” “For the most part, we’ve been well. Aside from missing our three younger kids. We keep ourselves busy with our day work.” Finally, while joining her parents and ordering herself a bite to her the trio started chatting, the Countess telling her parentss of the Holy City finally spilling the beans about her partner, the Urlan that has stolen her heart. “I’ve uh..there’s something else..I’ve met someone..an Urlan. His name’s Tarlok..He’s..the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. He treats me like a Goddess and..he even went to Akurgal to get his approval.” With a slightly raised tone,“At least he’s not completely without sense. I’m hoping there are no issues that occurred.” Kal just squeezes her husband’s arm, the edge of their lips tightening, “Dear, Tone.” Duanna couldn’t help but smile, her father just as gruff as ever and her mother, despite her rougher outward appearance being the more accepting and warm one. The Countess chuckled, shaking her head a bit preceding to tell them of how the two had met. The troubles the Urlan had within the State Metropolitan, his trial and everything not holding back a single detail. “ He’s..a blessing from Da’amu I swear to it. I love him..A lot..He makes me feel..so special and loved. I want you two to meet him.” “I am glad at least he managed to turn his life around after such a thing. I’m open to meeting him one of these days. You already know what our schedules are like with our workdays.” “We’ll make time. He’s important to me, Father. I’m sure you’ll both love him when you meet him.” The trio finished their meal chatting a little before her parents headed back to work. Duanna stood for a moment watching them move off, Kal heading back to the training yard while her father went back to the Lyceum where he aimed to pick up his studies right where he’d left off. After they both left the Countess wandered through the level. She’d spend her childhood in this place, running about the streets of the levels. It’s been a while since she’d been back, she missed everything about this place, the busy streets of each level, the smells, the sounds..all of it. The Countess spent an hour or two on the 3rd level before heading for the 4th, aiming to do some shopping before she headed home with a few parcels and bags in her arms. As the Countess reentered the home, she was greeted once again by a gaggle before sending them off aiming to head to her old room to her surprise it hadn’t changed much. Setting her purchases to the side she flopped back onto her circular bed glancing around at the room she’d not been in in years. Duanna started to drift off into an oddly restful sleep before she heard the chattering and clanking of her parents' arrival home. Rousing herself from her nap joining them and her eldest brother who’d heard of his baby sister's visit. The group spent the evening chatting, eating and gossiping, sharing stories with her eldest brother about their two other siblings. Assuring him that Aaro was still the same romantic poet that he’d left as and that Akurgal was still teaching Giru’s lessons at the temple in Regalia. After a few hours of this and saying their goodnights and goodbyes they all went their own ways. Duanna had told her kin that she planned on visiting Nidintu at the Necropolon outside the city first thing the next morning. The Countess hadn’t seen the old Abru in a while and just as she missed her family she too missed the woman who’d taught her nearly everything she knew about being an Abru. It didn’t take long at all to arrive at the Necropolon, yet again being greeted by a gaggle of folks welcoming the Godborn home. Having a quick chat before she aimed to head to the center of the little city searching for Nini, her beloved tutor. And of course, as she came upon the old Abru’s home she spotted her. Nidintu was standing hunched over a mortar and pestle, muttering softly to herself and to the herbs she was grinding up, her robe which he always wore draped over her shoulders with her faintly glowing bramble vine lantern propped up against the table she was working over. Duanna grew up under this woman’s guidance, learning every little detail about what it took to be an Abru. Nini was like a parent to the Godborn. Speaking in a low tone, Duanna alerted the woman to her presence. “I see Da’amu hasn’t taken you from us yet.” With a soft jingle of her earrings, Nini looked up from her work and smiled, setting the pestle down beside the mortar and taking the smallest of steps toward Duanna. With soft shakes of her head, “Dear, it would take a mountain for the Death mother to take me away when there’s so much to teach.” “Nini…I..I’ve missed you. And I wanted to tell you I’ve met someone. An Urlan, Tarlok. He’s the greatest gift I’ve ever received. But..Regalia..it’s tainted..poisoned by so many things. So many people have let themselves be taken, losing themselves to the Venom..” “My dear, I’m proud you have found someone to take care of you, but I feel as though the capital city has caused you to lose a piece of your faith and heritage.” “I..feel you’re right Nini, can..you help me?” Nidintu nodded and the pair trudged off through the Necropolon, leaving out of a vine-covered gateway through the south end of town heading into the woods that splayed out before the two. They wandered, idly chatting about this and that before stopping at a stream. They’d been there several times before, this was always where Nini took Enheduanna to pray, to practice her magic and teach her about the Beyond and their Goddess. Nidintu turned, pulling a small vial from somewhere in her little Abru bag she always carried. “Sit..and here..take this.” Nidintu unscrewed the dropper, filling it and Duanna settled herself on the ground, allowing her mentor to empty the contents of the dropper into her mouth, quickly swallowing the bitter clear liquid. Nidintu started chanting, their bramble tattoos on their neck glowing and their voice echoing off the trees as they pulled out a small bundle of herbs, rosemary and a few wildflowers. Nini lit the end of the bundle, blowing into it for a moment before smoke was steadily rolling out of the bundle. The Countess had heard these words her mentor uttered countless times before though it had been so long they were almost like new to her. “Fear not death, for the hour of your doom is set and none may escape it.” It didn’t take long for the drugs to kick in, fades to eerie green, the trees and even the stones seem to decay along with everything around her aside from the Countess and her clothing. Duanna blinked a few times, it had been years since she’d done this. Her hearts seemed to be pounding, threatening to burst free of her body before she spotted the brambles. They kept growing, intertwining and tangling among themselves as they started to form an archway. Flowers growing and rapidly decaying before they stopped and a quick flash of blinding light caused the Countess to clinch her eyes shut for a brief moment. Before her was now a gate, an aged rusted gate with an insignia in the center three bright green rings wrapping around one another forming a symbol the Eronidas knew well. The Insignia of her mother, the Master of Death, Da’amu. Enheduanna’s eyes widened, though she remained still as the gate started opening, emitting a high pitched creak in the process. The first part of the Goddess Duanna spotted was her feet, stepping out of the eerie green haze that seemed to be floating out of the gateway. The Countess quickly averted her eyes, looking to the ground below her as she heard Da’amu fully step out of the Beyond. “I hope my spirits have guided you well, my daughter.” “H-hello Mother..” “My daughter, you are from the shell of death that comes from my being. I expected much more than just an Abru who offers blessings and seances into my realm. You did one thing right and that was separating yourself from those sullied populace in the sewers, but you have failed to act after you did. I trapped my fathers to progress things in our race to stop the stagnation and proceeded to guide our people with visions to greatness. Our people are now divided by petty cultural differences to which you have the power and the position to connect them and remove these barriers. The stones have been laid, are you keen enough to follow them?” And as fast as she’d appeared not waiting or seeming to want a response, the Goddess stepped back into the gate and vanished. The world rushed back to Enheduanna, leaving her mind racing and finding Nini sitting now right across from her, her own eyes had shut and she’d sat the burning bundle of herbs between them which had nearly burned completely. After a few more moments of silence, the two chatted as they gathered themselves and headed back. Duanna didn’t wait any longer, leaving the Necropolon and heading back to Regalia replaying the events in the forest over and over, planning..replaying what her Goddess Mother told her until she stepped foot back in the Holy City. Created to @NoctisUmbra for helping me out with the dialog!
