The rain hurt. It might as well have been hail, winds sweeping across the dead gardens of Allar.
He might have well have lost his legs, unable to move, trembling and wet. But the rains hid his tears, and his trembling could have been blamed on the chill.
Bastard. Killer. False Hope.
The words struck him like a clawed bast.
Ignorant. Stupid. A Curse.
He shivered, sniffing back the suffocating snot until he was hiccuping so hard, it hurt. It always did. He couldn't help himself as he hugged his arms around him, hugged his arms around it, the pathetic book so worn from use that pages were falling out, and the leather binding was near as thin as it's pages.
At least most of the blood had gone, the gash on his head thinning as it clotted with time, on it's own. Even the blood from his nose finally subsided, it staining him lightly, from where his hunched body shielded it's run off from the rain.
How....? How had it all happened? How... could this curse have followed for so long? How could it know, from what blood his father had bled and his mother..
He winced, not wanting to think about it and lowered his head to sulk. But it was starting to hurt to cry, his head was pounding and each rumble of thunder made him jump.
And then he saw it.. something strange and misted in the rain. It glowed eerily, like the hummed lights safe behind windows in a storm.
He didn't want to move.. but his feet were moving, so worn through toes were nearly poking out of them, and mud easily soaked him to the bone.
The temperature was forgotten, his breath coming out in long streams of white that were snuffed out by the winds and the ever falling rain. He wasn't sure what it was he was looking for, or why he even remained here. He should have been dead. He, of all creatures, never should have survived the war.
He used the back of his forearm to wipe back chapping tears and tickling rain, but his eyes were already too puffy to tell. And when he stepped on it, he couldn't have known how the creature had him tricked; for the tinkling crack beneath him had him looking down- right into the hallows, right past time- It had him looking down, swept up into a dark magic...
Never to look back again.
His vision cut, and he slipped himself, tripping as he caught an arm against a lamp, now lamed as whatever rains followed him from the past came howling out and doused the oils. He could smell it though, the fresh scent of the smokes rising up from the dieing flame. And his hand burned, and he yanked it back, realizing the tingling pricks were from the waxen oils now drying to his burned skin. He winced, nursing his hand and blinking back tears.
And then he lifted his gaze to witness his world had changed. For he was no longer out there, in the wreckage.. the place of the damned. But he was inside.. somewhere.. and it was grand.
He heard footprints, echoing throughout the chamber and he stepped away, tucking low tot he shadows untilt he voices stopped and were away. Somewhere had been there, they'd say. Check over here. It can not ruin the day. The guests are already here.
He was dizzy, still trembling and wet yet inside.. there was no more rain. Too bad he was already soaked to the bone. His eyes followed around him, whenever he was left alone, and he paused a moment to draw in a sudden breath of surprise.
"The Hall of Mirrors." He nearly fell into one, fingers brushing against the polished edges, the perfectly shaped massive frames until he was on the floor with no strength to keep him, and shivering, breathing in heavy, great gulps.
"No.... It... It can't be..."
It must've been a dream. This place was dead to the world. It had never been in his. Ever since he was old enough to remember.. well, anything, he knew the haunting tales about the Hall of Mirrors, and the curse behind it...
and what tales had surmounted long after the years of his father's death.
He never knew the man, just in tales. They were of wonder, fear... and he knew not how to digest it. A man so grand, so powerful, yet feared by so many... The Grand Duke who single handedly nearly wiped out the entire population of mages in just over a decade.... A man who lead to the poverty stricken life ont he road... The sickness, the dizziness... and the forebode.
The Hall of Mirrors. He swallowed hard and finally turned to the one nearest himself- but what he saw made his heart sink and his blood chill....
For despite looking deep into the mirror pane....
It was empty.. nothing reached back- even as he touched a wet had to it's surface. And for it....
The young man screamed.
"Who screamed!"
Minerva barked to the servants, looking a little alarmed and angry.
The scream had made her jolt and it had ruined her whole hairstyle. Now, there was a curl that curled the wrong way and everything was ruined. She would find this screamer and give her a good smack across the face! How dare they! Of course she looked fine. Her hair a mass of red curls, the tight dress that pushed her boobs to her chin. It was an event and she'd gotten ready for it with the intention of snagging herself a husband.
Or rather, her father had invited her here and gave her a dress to do just that.
He needed funds. He needed soldiers and he would use at least one of his useless daughters for exactly that.
Minerva stormed through the halls, demanding to know which direction a scream came from. Her foot falls were loud and clicked, showed in dainty heels that hurt her feet but looked lovely when her skirts swished just right. Finally, one last person. So keen on her anger, maybe five minutes had passed and then...
"Wha..." She frowned, arms folded over her chest a curl trailing over her shoulder to hang over her arm, "What do you think you're doing!" She barked, stomping over and grabbing the boys wrist. Man? Minerva frowned and dragged him along down the hall way, what a rude servant. Through the halls she dragged him, the out of place curl unwilling to stay behind her shoulder. "You've ruined my hair!" She walked into a study of some sort and dragged him in under she threw down his wrist.
"Now explain..." Minerva finally looked at him, dripping wet, ratty clothing, had it even been raining? "Yourself?" She collected herself before she lifted her chin, hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently.
It was too easy for her to drag him away. He felt.. unconnected here, even his legs gave and he just moved, as easily as the wind, but clumsy as rocks. By the time they were away from the mirror hall and both drawn into a study, (which she'd find the door was open, but the pair were alone...), Hope still hadn't collected himself, and the rush of the run had him whoozy. He tried to look at her, tried to look around but everything looked distorted, he was seeing double and...
his eyes fluttered close and he fell forward, right into the fancy lady who seemed to radiate with light.
A squeal of surprise and Minerva curled her arms around his chest, blinking widely and ...
"Hey!" Her knees were bent slightly and she was doing her best to stay upright with the stranger in her arms, "Hey," A nudge of her shoulder, "Wake up! Boy!" Oh no. Oh no.
He was dead!
"Hey!" She screeched before she looked around, panic making her throat and chest tight. "Someone!" She called towards the door, "I require help!" Another screech, angry, how dare this... This rat fall on her! A look down at his face and she blushed heavily, his cheek was pressed to her chest and he was making her cold and his water was dripping onto her.
"I demand help in here!" She growled loudly, looking over her shoulder.
Nothing.
Snarling, Minerva curled her arms under his and shifted his head so it was over her shoulder before she shuffled towards a chaise where she dumped him onto it unceremoniously. Why was there no one around here? A disgusted look at the front of her dress, soaked. Then a disgusted look to the boy and she nudged him with her foot, raising it so she wouldn't have to bend and poke him with her fingers. "Boy?" She frowned, looking at him before she went and sat on a chair.
Couldn't exactly leave him alone in here. So she sat, arms crossed over her chest and she just glared at him, occasionally shifting to keep herself comfortable.
He made a soft noise before stirring, groaning as he blinked and stared up into a very surreal room, with a surreal looking woman set amongst a very surreal and furnished room. He wondered why she was off centered, then he realized he was laying down, and he moved to make an effort to sit up, but was soon clutching his head after he did so- it feeling heavy, and he- dizzy.
Ah!
Awake!
Minerva frowned at him before she quickly stood up, frowning down at him with her hands on her hips and her elbows out. A point at him and she poked his chest with her fingertip, "Who are you, how did you get in here and why did you fall on me!"
He let out a gasp when she poked him, as if it were the most painful thing in the world as he winced and cringed away from her. By her stance, he knew she was upset but... what was she saying? He was having quite the time focusing.
Another frown and she crouched down, balancing carefully on her heels.
"Boy," She started looking up at him, frowning for a moment when he looked familiar but... Not. "Are you ill? Did you hit your head?"
He was holding his head as if it,might fall,off. He trembled.
"Where... Where am I?"
"How do you not know where you are," Minerva snapped, trying to fix the curl that just would not stop slipping over her shoulder. She hated it. Made her look like her mother. Finally she sighed and leaned forward slightly from her crouch.
"You're in the Grand Duke's Palace," And he was handsome and she did need to make people jealous. A purse of her lips and she looked him up and down, ratty state of being that he was, "And you're not even dressed for a party!"
"The Grand Duke's palace!?"
That had him falling off his chair.
Minerva's blue eyes went wide and her hands shot out like she was going to help him from falling but... How do you pitch yourself out of a chair?!
"Calm yourself, boy!" She demanded, flushed with anger, "Yes! The Palace. What's wrong with you!"
He jerked away from her touch, trembling, shaking and fearful of her. It was no act, the truth was in his gaze.
"I.. what...h-hhow..? Are.. are you sure... the.." he licke dhis lips. "The palace?
" How had this even happened!? Was this some sort of a dream? It had to be. He had to wake up. But what could he do to trigger it? To break his sleeping spell and wake up back in reality?
Minerva reeled back her had and slapped the boy, her palm stung and she stared down at him after she finally stood up.
"Collect yourself!" She hissed at him, "you're in the Palace! I found you in the creepy hallway and now you're here! Who are you!"
"Creepy... hallway?" he still didn't understand, and was a hot mess- literally. He could thank his fathers for, inspite of the fact he was soaked to the bone and his hair a mess in every which direction, he was as handsome as ever. Though perhaps more akin to his mother (as his father was not known to have such expressive eyes,) his deep jade colors eyes showed much- especially his worry, his fears, and his confusion.
"I'm still confused I..." he shook his head, and when she asked his name, he hesitated only for a moment because he was just as a loss to what this all was.
"Hope... My name is Hope." And he grew quiet, closing his eyes, trying to remember something, anything, as he grabbed fistfuls of his hair and just gripped onto them.
Minerva made a face.
Hope.
A look at him, a slow raise of her eyebrow and she pursed her lips. "That's a terrible name for a boy," She looked him up and down again, reaching forward to push his face from his face and found herself staring into his eyes. A moment to freeze and her breath caught in her throat, her thumb traced his cheek bone and she tried to fix his hair, kneeling in front of him before she sighed.
Her hands rested on his in his hair and she smoothed her hands over his fingers.
"Well, Hope," She stated, frowning and chewing on her lip, "We should get you cleaned up." At least he was handsome. So, Hope had that going for her. Minerva stood up, leaning forward and pressing her hands to his shoulders. "Get up, Hope, You're handsome and I need an escort to make potentials husbands jealous," A grin and she tapped his shoulders, "C'mon!"
Hope's mind was all cloudy and he winced each time she touched him, flinching back some, especially when she tried to look into his eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked, but the reply he got wasn't what he expected. His face skewed as he questioned, "I don't... understand." Husband? Handsome? Jealousy? Wait.. what!?
Minerva didn't ignore the wincing.
Made her want to touch him more just because he was annoying and she got a bit of her dress wet.
"We're going to clean you up," She said slowly, perhaps he was stupid?
"And you're going to be on my arm. And since you're handsome, rich nobles will want me if they think you're my escort and then I'll have a wealthy husband." Really now, what was so hard to undrstand about this, "Now get up, we need to... Put clothing on you that isn't falling apart."
He was still not sure how he got himself into this but all he could sputter as she ushered him about was, "But.. but.. I'm wearing clothes!"
he was definitely not proving his case against her thinking him 'simple'.
"You look like a beggar!" Minerva grumbled, tugging and pushing him along.
It didn't take long to get him to a room and demand that the maids do something with him. Anything. 'Make him look like a prince,' she said before she slammed the doors shut and left him in there. It wasn't long before she pulled the doors open, impatient and with her hands on her hips, frowned, waiting for her escort to look as fine as his face did.
And of course she walked in on him when his pants were down, just wearing simply underpants, and no shirt fastened so....
She got a lot to see than what she may have been bargaining for!
Minerva just stared.
Eyes wide for a moment before she walked into the room, closed the door and turned around.
"It's been five minutes! Why aren't you dressed!" Arms crossed over her chest, she glared down at the floor, eyes open because she knew if they were closed shed just see him and his... Mostly... Oh dear. Minerva was almost as red as her hair and no doubt her ears were bright red. "Get dressed faster, I wanted to dance!"
The servants apologized profusely- as did Hope. But he still didn't understand what was going on.
"His clothing was so wet, we had to tear it from his body."
And if Hope wasn't red faced when Minerva walked in on him...
The fact they just openly said they tore off his clothes, practically, had him red to his ears.
Tear it...
Minerva took a peek over her shoulder before she whipped back around.
Good. He was blushing too.
Hands balled at her sides, she tapped her foot impatiently while they went about dressing him quickly. Efficient at least. Sure this wasn't her home but... Still, she was more important than they were and she got a tap on her shoulder.
"Miss?"
Minerva turned around, still red and frowned at Hope.
Then she blinked a few times and frowned more.
"You look like..." A frown, "Very familiar." Stalking to him, reached up to fix his hair, slowly drying in the warm room, making sure it was dashing looking. A moment spent too long with her fingers in his hair and staring at his face and... It was a pity the boy was a beggar lost in the castle.
"Come along," She said holding out a hand, "Have you ever been in the palace before?" She inquired, an eyebrow lifted curiously.
Hope was afraid to move. Not only were the clothing confining, but there were many layers of them. And they were so pristine, a lot finer than anything he had ever worn- so he was afraid to move in them, lest he find himself at some god awful surmounting debt because, he could only guess, these clothes were just being lent to him.
But when Minerva fussed over him, and moved to pull him along, he could only stumble after her as he shook his head.
"This is the first time I've ever been here.." And he desperately wished to know just how he had even gotten there to begin with! The Grand Duke's palace..
and it wasn't even in ruins...
What was going on!?
A heavy sigh and Minerva tugged him along, frowning.
"Can't you walk?" She hissed, glaring at him, mostly speaking to herself because dammit, she wanted to look pretty and if she had a handsome man on her arm then she'd look even better. Another tug and she pulled him down hallways and corridors, turning around and fixing his coat and fixing his hair again.
"Come along," She hissed again, patting his hand and then froze, "You can dance, right?" Another frown and a glance at him.
His feet were dragging less as they moved along. And at her query, he blinked and looked at her, a tad confused.
"Dance?"
Sure he had danced before....
But were nobles dances much different than what he'd been accustomed too? Not that he had done much dancing in his time....
Even unsure, he still followed her.
"Where are we going?"
But then he began to hear the music, and something about it....
It distracted him. It was familiar and something felt oddly... right about this.
Minerva made sure her hand was tucked into his elbow while she led him along. "We are going to find me a nice rich husband," she confirmed, looking at Hope before she shuffled along faster. She'd been announced earlier, if briefly, and now it was just dancing and conversing.
Going into the large room with Hope at her side she turned to him, put his hands on her waist and frowned at him. "Well? Dance!"
"Ah!" Hope screamed as he stumbled into Minerva's arms, not realizing they had fallen into a position to dance. He hadn't meant to be so ignorant of her, or his surroundings, but he was still trying to figure out what was going on and-
There were so many people.. the music was so loud, the place was so big and ornate and undestroyed...
But at her urging, he stumbled, and found himself falling into her, barely collecting his balance as he inadvertently caught her in a dance like dip, their faces but inches apart.
An angry snarl came out of her and this boy was lucky he'd caught her!
Minerva frowned up at him, arms curled around his shoulders before she blinked at him owlishly and let her hands fall to his biceps. She waited patiently until they were upright again and she fixed her hair and ignored the blush on her cheeks. Hope had lovely eyes. Oddly green. That shade some family was known for.
She couldn't put her finger on which family it was.
Still, she fixed her dress, tugged her gloves and fixed Hope's shirt. "You can dance, right?" She rose an eyebrow, voice clipped.
She wasn't the only one blushing. He shook his head, but nodded, then made a face.
"I.. I'm not sure I... there's.. there's so many people here. And.. and they're looking at us." He turned shamefully away. what had he been dragged into?
Minerva froze, her hand going to his chin to turn it towards her.
"Of course they're looking at us," She puffed out her chest slightly, casting glances around at the various people that were looking at them before she threw her shoulders back and brushed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm beautiful and you're handsome," A simple shrug and she sighed, "Fine, fine. We'll get a beverage, grab a snack and then dance. How about that?"
He looked at her with uncertainty.
"If... if that is what you wish." Because as he looked around, he was becoming dizzier by the minute. What was this place? Why was it so familiar? How could it be so pristine? Unblemished by war? And this music....
As he moved to walk with her, he began to stumble and caught himself on her as they neared a (thankfully) less crowded wall.
"I.. I can't... This place.. this music." He was beginning to feel sick.
Was he... Touched?
Minerva puffed out her cheeks but..
She wasn't a monster. Gently her hand moved to his cheek and she sighed and tugged on his elbow, moving to a balcony before opening it. It had been locked, obviously closed for a reason but... What did she care? After taking Hope outside to the rail she closed the door, frowning at the clicking noise and moved to stand beside him.
"Or we could take a breath outside. I didn't think the music was that terrible," She said softly, reaching a hand up to press it to his forehead, a thing she recalled her mother doing to her when she had been young and feeling ill.
When she'd touch him, he was sweaty and looked something awful. He tugged at the layers of clothing.
"I.. I think I need to sit down."
A frown and she looked to a bench.
It was a nice balcony, obviously meant to be used during such occasions. Gently, Minerva guided him to it and sat him down, kneeling in front of him. Real concern on her face, "You're not going to throw up are you? Please, do it over the balcony if you do, I don't want to stand around with it," She frowned before she stood up and pushed a hand through his hair, looking around.
"What's wrong?"
It was too much. The world was bubbling away from him, the music spinning, screeching in his ears until he felt her touch him and his eyes rolled back as he passed out against her side.
Oh no.
Minerva squealed when he pressed against her and she prepared for the worst and...
Oh.
She looked over to him, breath in her throat before she realized he'd ... Passed out.
"Hope?" She gave his shoulder a nudge and looked around before she gently removed herself from his side. "Hey?" Another nudge before she got up and went to the door to get some help only... "Locked?!" She squealed, enraged, her foot stomped to the ground and she banged on the door. Nothing. Great! Just great!
This was all his fault!
The music was too loud and Minerva growled.
Great.
Slowly she moved over to Hope, lifting his head and shoulders and putting them on her lap. At least the dress wasn't too uncomfortable. Surely someone will notice her missing. Surely. Minerva glared up at the sky, idly running her fingers through Hope's hair. Angry. Irritated. This was her one (of two maybe ) chances to find herself her own husband otherwise... A frown and she sighed, looking down at Hope before she pinched his cheek.
Minerva wasn't sure how much more bored she could be, but the serene feeling of being outside, the stars in the sky, she soon found herself asleep with the soft muffled music playing in her dreams.
He could see it. The explosion of red bleeding to green that cried out in hollowed mercy that shattered the rock foundations of everything. Past, present, future. It was all chewed up, visions that racked through his head and hit him straight to the core. And there was so much blood, so much death, so much stillness that when a face lifted from the darkness, eyes glowing red and deep it had him sitting up, screaming and clinging to the woman whom had fallen nearly asleep beside him.
The scream startled her awake and she gave a shrill scream of her own. Minerva jerked from her almost sleep, eyes wide, gasping. "What!" She yelled, sitting up and looking at Hope, blue eyes wide, "what! Are you okay?! Remember! Throw up off the balcony!"
Hope grabbed the woman and nearly shook her, eyes wide and skin so white with fright.
Then he jerked away, eyes looking all over as he trembled and sobbed out the words, "What.. what just happened? Where are we..? What is this? I.."
And then he heard the music and pause dto turn, staring back at the decadently glowing world inside the grand palace's ball room, dancing alive to music. It.. it seemed so real. Like the words from a fantasy book coming to life.
Minerva stared at Hope with wide blue eyes.
"What?" A shake of her head and she looked around, why was he so scared? "You're at the Palace?" A question because... He'd just been awake. And... "You're sick, I think, and fell asleep...?" A tilt of her head and she cleared her throat, "And the door is locked. So, we can't get back in." Another frown and she shifted away from Hope, giving him a weary look.
"Why? Why is all of this so... Odd to you?"
Hope held onto his head as if it might fall off, and held up a hand to motion silence. He groaned.
"I feel.. heavy..." He didn't want to open his eyes, for fear he'd fall under the same spell as before. But he was beginning to recall just how he had ended up on the balcony. But even before that..
He still had no idea what was going on.
"And the palace... you keep saying we're at the Grand Duke's palace... but the palace.. the palace was in ruins..."
Didn't she know? Hadn't the war effected her? It had scarred the whole country side!
He was insane.
Minerva frowned slightly, a little disappointed at that fact. He was so cute, too. Still, they were locked on the balcony together and unless someone noticed the pair out here they'd be stick here together for a while.
"Well, maybe you had a bad dream," to be kind, she kept her voice low. Minerva pushed her hair from her shoulder and smoothed her hand up and down his back. If she was mean to him now he'd probably stab her with a buckle or something. What a way to die. Stabbed with a buckle and thrown off a balcony. Terribly unfair.
"As it is, you're at the Grand Duke's Palace and we're trapped on a balcony, which is very much not finding me a husband." She pouted, glaring off to the side. That was all she really wanted out of this and right now it was the farthest thing from her reach.
"No.. No, no!" he shook his head, eyes still very wide. Still very green.
"This.. this has to be the dream. I... I never saw this place ever... ever.. not... destroyed." And he looked around, still in awe of all of it's opulence, it's grace and paused a moment to hear...
The familiar song coming from inside the ball room.
If Minerva was speaking, it had long since been forgotten, as he stood up, and slowly made his way towards the door, as if in a trance and rested a hand against the frame, and looked at the door, as if he could see through it and ....
afte ra time, softly began to hum to the tune, before gently singing the words unknown to most, but known to him, nearly inaudible, before the song faded away, and changed to something entirely different, and a lot more upbeat. A song meant for dancing.
He blinked, his trance seeming broken as he looked at the door with a frown.
Minerva leaned away from Hope, looking concerned. Eyebrows drawn together in her concern and she reached out a hand in an effort to calm him but he got up and wandered away and she just... Got up and followed him.
Was he humming? Why was he humming?
"You're a good singer," Minerva said after the fact, leaning in close so she could hear him, "What song is that?" He seemed like he needed to be sort of calm, so she curled her arm around his and smiled at him, "You should teach it to me while we wait for someone to open the door. Surely they'll notice I'm missing."
He didn't look at her. He was looking at his feet.
"It was my father's song.... He wrote it. Before I was born."
His fathers song.
Minerva glanced at the locked door and gnawed on her bottom lip. Just who was his father that they played the song here?
"Did... You make up the words?" She asked, voice quiet. Hope seemed so sad now and she moved her hand to his back. Why was this soaking wet boy making her feel so bad for him?
Hope stiffened at her touch and turned around. For a moment, he might have looked like his father, were his eyes not so large, and not so full of emotions. And his father... at this year in the world, was much older in comparison and Hope..
Hope was meant to be a babe, and perhaps, still was, somewhere inside this castle. But that idea hadn't even crossed his mind. He was just too confused with the entire scenario of just being... HERE of all places, when heknew, had grown up, recalling the ruins of the palace.
Hope shook his head as soon as he realized Minvera asked him a question.
"No," he told her softly, and looked down at his shoes. How expensive were these clothing. He itched his side. "I... I don't think I should be here."