"Burn it or keep it, I have little use for this," Rivienne's soft voice was heavy with a vexation that had not surfaced to paint her features. The dress worn had been peeled away from her rounded shoulder, tugged against the curvature of her frame, until it pooled around her feet. Anabelle watched, unable to peel her gaze away as the fabric was now handed to her. It was rich, beautiful and now an accursed item that hinted at unsavory events. The midlander knew what had taken place; Rivienne's body spoke volumes of it.
"I am sorry, I should have warned you, m'lady," the small voice was saturated with apologies that barely registered to the Elezen. Guilt ridden, she crumbled the dress and pressed it against her frame whilst following Rivienne to the stairs, where the bedroom and bath were located. For a while, dead air was shared between them and the shame began to carve its way deep into Anabelle's heart.
"About what?" The question broke their stagnant silence once they reached the top step and turned to face the bed chambers. Here, candle light illuminates the space and adds a soft caress of amber that touched every crevice of the space before them.
"About his curious hands, he has a tendency to getting physical. I should have told you to expect it. I just didn't.. think he would.." Anabelle answered with a lingering sentence, unsure if the two of them were on the same page. Apparently, the maid knew little about the issue regarding her family and that of her lecherous lord. Perhaps it was best she was left ignorant to such knowledge.
"A man that sends a dress like this to a woman he has never met -- needless to say, I knew what game and role I would be playing tonight. I didn't enjoy it and he didn't get far." Her sharp tone cut through her and made the maid look down at her feet. Rivienne sensed something amiss and glanced past her shoulder while gathering a fresh tunic to wear, considering she was still rather cool from the snow that had fallen upon her.
"You have fallen victim to his advances?" The unabashed question gave her a silent reply, but it was etched across the woman's features. Anabelle was flushed and ashamed, to the point that eye contact appeared to be impossible. Her slender fingers crushed the red fabric of the dress in her hands and she appeared to tremble slightly the moment Rivienne turned to face her entirely. The tunic was disregarded.
With the light at her back, the Elezen towered the woman of smaller stature, who turned her cheek away. The frigid touch, of calloused fingers, fell to the curve of her jawline, guiding her to face forward. Golden eyes looked over the woman's features and, with the little light which was provided, spotted the trails of her tears, now marring her blushed cheeks.
"I wouldn't desire that on anyone, I am sorry!" Anabelle's voice, now becoming a broken crescendo, was muffled when Rivienne suddenly wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her into her breast. There was no clear emotion in the eyes of the huntress, who simply stared at the crown of golden hair that spilled against her. Gingerly was her embrace, allowing the woman to simply release a sorrow that she had kept within.
"I will give you a chance to open the door to your freedom, to escape his wandering eyes and greedy hands. There is no need for you to explain to me why this has not been done already, but this is an opportunity I present to you only once. You must take it." Rivienne's hands took a hold of Anabelle's shoulders and gently pulled her back so their eyes could meet.
The maid was scared, that much was obvious, but she nods slowly in understanding. Rivienne, who barely trusts anyone, was giving this woman a chance to stand at her side and leave the man she swore to serve. If Anabelle were to betray her, she would certainly pay a heavy price.
"How?" She manages to speak while wiping her face of those saline rivers. Curious, blue eyes, sought to find the answer in the golden depths that stared down at her. Instead, she got a smile, beautiful but painted with cruelty that made her shrink some in the woman's arms.
"You will have your own mission to carry out, and I will provide you with all the tools to accomplish to set yourself free. But that will come after I have finished my task, and only then." A thumb brushed at Anabelle's cheek, drying away a tear that filled the basin of her eyes. The woman appeared relieved, though shame painted her face red.
"For now, get sleep. I am awaiting something the morning, I don't wish for them to be alarmed if you are teary eyed when opening the door."
"I am sorry, I should have warned you, m'lady," the small voice was saturated with apologies that barely registered to the Elezen. Guilt ridden, she crumbled the dress and pressed it against her frame whilst following Rivienne to the stairs, where the bedroom and bath were located. For a while, dead air was shared between them and the shame began to carve its way deep into Anabelle's heart.
"About what?" The question broke their stagnant silence once they reached the top step and turned to face the bed chambers. Here, candle light illuminates the space and adds a soft caress of amber that touched every crevice of the space before them.
"About his curious hands, he has a tendency to getting physical. I should have told you to expect it. I just didn't.. think he would.." Anabelle answered with a lingering sentence, unsure if the two of them were on the same page. Apparently, the maid knew little about the issue regarding her family and that of her lecherous lord. Perhaps it was best she was left ignorant to such knowledge.
"A man that sends a dress like this to a woman he has never met -- needless to say, I knew what game and role I would be playing tonight. I didn't enjoy it and he didn't get far." Her sharp tone cut through her and made the maid look down at her feet. Rivienne sensed something amiss and glanced past her shoulder while gathering a fresh tunic to wear, considering she was still rather cool from the snow that had fallen upon her.
"You have fallen victim to his advances?" The unabashed question gave her a silent reply, but it was etched across the woman's features. Anabelle was flushed and ashamed, to the point that eye contact appeared to be impossible. Her slender fingers crushed the red fabric of the dress in her hands and she appeared to tremble slightly the moment Rivienne turned to face her entirely. The tunic was disregarded.
With the light at her back, the Elezen towered the woman of smaller stature, who turned her cheek away. The frigid touch, of calloused fingers, fell to the curve of her jawline, guiding her to face forward. Golden eyes looked over the woman's features and, with the little light which was provided, spotted the trails of her tears, now marring her blushed cheeks.
"I wouldn't desire that on anyone, I am sorry!" Anabelle's voice, now becoming a broken crescendo, was muffled when Rivienne suddenly wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her into her breast. There was no clear emotion in the eyes of the huntress, who simply stared at the crown of golden hair that spilled against her. Gingerly was her embrace, allowing the woman to simply release a sorrow that she had kept within.
It felt as if she had been standing there for an entire bell and a half.
But, she finally spoke when the soft weeping had diminished from the woman in her arms.
But, she finally spoke when the soft weeping had diminished from the woman in her arms.
"I will give you a chance to open the door to your freedom, to escape his wandering eyes and greedy hands. There is no need for you to explain to me why this has not been done already, but this is an opportunity I present to you only once. You must take it." Rivienne's hands took a hold of Anabelle's shoulders and gently pulled her back so their eyes could meet.
The maid was scared, that much was obvious, but she nods slowly in understanding. Rivienne, who barely trusts anyone, was giving this woman a chance to stand at her side and leave the man she swore to serve. If Anabelle were to betray her, she would certainly pay a heavy price.
"How?" She manages to speak while wiping her face of those saline rivers. Curious, blue eyes, sought to find the answer in the golden depths that stared down at her. Instead, she got a smile, beautiful but painted with cruelty that made her shrink some in the woman's arms.
"You will have your own mission to carry out, and I will provide you with all the tools to accomplish to set yourself free. But that will come after I have finished my task, and only then." A thumb brushed at Anabelle's cheek, drying away a tear that filled the basin of her eyes. The woman appeared relieved, though shame painted her face red.
"For now, get sleep. I am awaiting something the morning, I don't wish for them to be alarmed if you are teary eyed when opening the door."
![[Image: jqza5eX.png]](http://i.imgur.com/jqza5eX.png)
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.â€
Rivienne Delacroux ♚ Bowmaiden's Tumblr
