A tale of two sisters [M] [Archived]

[Medievarad]

"I got no idea," Shria answered, audibly shivering. "It's just a tale to keep kids from wandering too far off.. It's just supposed to be a goddamn tale," she started, before murmuring a defeated. "The bllack garden has no exit. Only an entrance."

[DragonSong]

"You don't think-" Zahra cleared her throat and swallowed nervously. "You don't think...I pissed off the White Woman and she...put us here?"

But- it was just a story! Right?

[Medievarad]

Shria shook her head. "I don't know, sis," she answered with a soft shiver to her voice. "Let's just.. Follow the horses' instinct?"

[DragonSong]

Zahra nodded, going quiet again.

[Medievarad]

It seemed like the horses were growing more and more restless underneath their riders. And suddenly, a bright white lit up.

And a female figure, clad in a white, silk dress approached the two slowly.

Shria's eyes went wide in panick and she tried to usher her horse to turn around and run away, but she found herself paralysed, trembling in fear as sweat slowly trickled down her forehead.

[DragonSong]

Zahra couldn't even gasp, her breath catching in her throat as she shrank back from the light, her horses spooking and jerking their heads in shock.

[Medievarad]

"I am.. Desdemona," a soft, compelling yet hissing whisper sounded in their head as the woman approached the two. "The white lady. You heathens have defiled my garden.."

[DragonSong]

Zahra's horse skittered backward, the gelding she was leading clashing into her side as the animals began to panic in earnest.

[Medievarad]

"Mere children," Desdemona sighed as she approached. The closer she got, the more apparent it was she was undead, the right side of her face was slowly rotting away, revealing the teeth behind the rotten skin of her cheek among other things. And the white lady seemed to take exception to Zahra's horses and just like that, both the horses were completely paralysed.

"You have entered my domain. This means your souls are now mine." Shria swallowed thickly and managed to pull a knife out with shivering hand. "You wont.. Get mine if I die now.. I promise you my soul.. If you let me and my sister live.. And let us leave.. This place."

[DragonSong]

"No!" Zahra finally managed to find her voice. "No, please- it was an accident, we got lost!"

[Medievarad]

Desdemona watched Shria with due interest. This mortal was gambling her own afterlife for the sake of another. Intruiging.

Desdemona glanced at Zahra again. "You are still defiling my gardens. Be it lost or not. Your accomplice drives a good bargain. Your lives in against her afterlife." A soft chuckle emenated from the ghastly creature.

[DragonSong]

"No," Zahra repeated, voice very small.

[Medievarad]

"Do you have a better bargain then?" Desdemona inquired with a soft chuckle.

Shria glanced at Zahra. "It's for the best, sis.. Survive at any cost, right?"

[DragonSong]

"N-no! Wait, please..." She cast around desperately for something, anything. "What if- what if we could give you o-other souls?"

[Medievarad]

Desdemona let out a soft, haunting laughter. "And you carry those around with you here?" She asked with the same gentle, yet threatening voice.

[DragonSong]

"No...but- we could bring them to you."

[Medievarad]

Desdemona let out a loud, bellowing and oh so menacing laughter. "Do you think I would fall for such a cheap trick? Leave and never return again? You mortals are full of lies and deceit, for something as pitiful as your own lives."

Shria glanced at Zahra, before back at the white lady. "The offer is still her soul, I have not heard any better offers," Desdemona concluded as she gestured at Shria, who looked very pale and kept very silent.

[DragonSong]

"No!" Zahra spoke without thinking. "Keep- keep my soul as collateral. You can do that, right? To make sure we come back with more."

[Medievarad]

Shria looked at Zahra. "You want to involve innocent people, sis?" She asked, frowning, her voice still trembling. She was prepared to sacrifice her afterlife if it meant the safety of her sister here and now.

[DragonSong]

"They...wouldn't have to be innocent."