HOME | DD

Description
.a f r a i l e x i s t e n c e.

I s e u l t
CHAPTER TWENTYSIX
face of death

I slept so deeply that night, so deeply that when I did feel myself begin to awaken, I was completely paralyzed. I have no other way to explain it. I could feel everything around me, it was so cold...but I must have been sweating, because I was damp on my back. I tried to move my arms and legs, to open my eyes even, but I just couldn't. I felt as though I were trapped in a corpse. But my breathing was steady, despite how my heart rate was increasing. It was tormenting. I wanted to scream, to lash out and move about, but I couldn't. I began to feel extremely claustrophobic, and I wanted it to end.

Not sure how long that went on, but I must have fallen fully asleep at some point, because I did awaken for real, finally. I sat up, my head pounding from a serious headache, glancing at my hands as I extended and retracted my fingers, reminding myself I'm alive.
Soon after I brought my hands to my temples, rubbing them with the balls of my fingers, letting a low groan escape my tired lips.

"I apologize, Iseult."

I jumped up in surprise to the low voice, immediately glancing around to where it came from, spotting Vicente sitting at the table with a book in hand, as always.
"Yeah, sitting there while I'm sleeping isn't creepy at all." I grumbled as I relaxed and rubbed the temples more, before smiling a bit "Why are you sorry anyway?"

"For the headache, and the trouble you had sleeping. I took too much blood from you, I'm sorry."

I waved him off with one hand "Nothing I can't handle." I thought for a moment of all the times I've taken a boot to the head, all the times I've been beaten, all the nights I had laid awake, groaning at the broken bones and oozing wounds, having a split lip and a gashed open forehead.
I thought of when I was thrown in prison for killing Steffan, how the guards beat me within an inch of my life, then threw me in a prison to be at the mercy of my cell mate.
Didn't work out so well for them, obviously.

I snapped back to reality, and glanced over at Vicente, who was trying painstakingly to read my mind I could tell, but he gave up and closed his book. He then stood and walked over to me, handing me a medium sized red bottle saying "Drink this, it's a healing potion. It will help with any cell damage and blood reproduction."
I fondled the bottle in my hand, glancing up at him suspiciously. I had heard of these common drinks, but never had I ever had one.
I popped the cork and threw it somewhere, then downed the drink, expecting it to be disgusting, but it tasted...good.
It was tart, almost like a lemon but not quite so sour. It had a bit of sweetness too, like honey, or maybe Vanilla and Orange...I'm not sure. It was good.

I felt my headache melt away immediately after the bottle was drained, and I let a sigh of relief exhale from my lips, Vicente looking at me curiously. "Thanks," I said "That stuff is amazing."
He smiled a bit "I am not bad at alchemy, after 300 years of practice." He chuckled.

"Remember, you wanted to go hunting today." He said with a smirk "Are you sure you're up for it?"
I got up immediately, a determined look on my face "Hell yeah I am."
"Good." he said with a smile.

I got up and changed, after he left of course. My clothes were as usual, a long sleeved, but free flowing black shirt with a waist cincher belt, some dark leggings, boots, and of course my holster for my dagger, the bow and arrows over my shoulders.

I got a glance of myself in the mirror, seeing the person I was looked much different than the girl that arrived here. I remember seeing a skeletal girl, pale to the point of almost being translucent, ribs and hip bones jutting out, eyes sunken in and dark, as well as my hair being stringy and thin, lacking any sheen at all dressed in tattered furs and skins of animals. Her eyes said fear, and lacked any human emotion at all. Only instinct, and the desire to die. Those two don't usually go hand in hand.

Now I see a girl, still pale in complexion, but having a healthy fullness to her face, no longer looking like a walking dead. Her eyes actually look pale green again, instead of a milky, fogged up version of a sort of green. She had a natural reddish color to her lips, instead of lips that were colorless. Her hair was shiny, thicker, and healthy. And much longer, it had grown to be to my lower back now. My body was shapely, looking more like a woman than skin hanging on my bones.

I felt satisfied with my more healthy appearance, and nodded as I walked out, feeling pleased.
As soon as I walked through the doorway, I felt a chill roll down my spine, the hair on my neck standing on end, my pupils dilating.

I turned my face slowly, seeing that only about 2 yards from me stood the shadowy figure of Lucien Lachance, his cloak shrouding his face, making him look like nothing more than a shadow wraith in the dim firelight.

"Hello...Iseult." He purred carefully, and I felt myself shiver a bit.
He was definitely a killer. He just oozes it, being a cold blooded killer. Did this man even have a soul? If he did, I couldn't see it. So he either has an empty, black space where his heart should be, or he's just highly good at hiding it.

"Lachance." I mumbled, suppressing my fear of him flawlessly.

He chuckled smoothly, which made me physically tremble, my cover blown. So much for being flawlessly fake.
"It's good to see you've filled out." he said, and at first I was offended, but said nothing. "You have definitely got more muscle tone now, you look about ready to fulfill a contract. You've been in this recovery stage for a while now." He took a few steps over to me, and I felt frozen where I was, physically unable to move anything but my eyes.
He towered over me, as most people did. I was a mere 5 foot 3 inches, and this man stood at probably 6'2 at least. Or maybe he just intimidated me that much.

He lifted his hand up to me, and I closed my eyes, ready for him to snap my neck, but instead he touched the spot where Vicente sank his teeth. When I opened my eyes to peer up at him, I saw an expression pass over his face. I couldn't say what it was for sure, but it almost looked angry, if only for a moment before it disappeared into nothing.

"I see you've been offering services to dear Valtieri." He said coolly "Careful, Iseult. Your blood belongs to Sithis now."
Sithis, the Night Mother. I didn't think much of this religious stuff, I was here for the family...not Sithis.
"I'll keep that in mind, Speaker."
He smiled a bit at that, pulling back his hood, and for the first time I could get a good look at him, well as good as possible in this dull night.
He didn't look much different from the first day I saw him. He had hard features, and hard brown eyes, black hair pulled back and hanging loosely, a slight smile always present on his face. It was as though he always knew something that I didn't, that nobody knows, and he revels in this knowledge, and the fact that I can't know it.
He kept staring at my face, which made me feel uneasy in the silence.
"Is there something you need from me, Speaker?" I said, my voice shaky, and I looked down in shame, realizing how pathetic I must have sounded.

"Yes, in fact. I have sent Vicente contracts for you to fulfill, if you think you're ready...that is."
I stood up straight, looking up at him attentively "Yes, of course I'm ready." I said, almost excited.
How sick of me...I realize that each contract means at least one person to die by my hand. Why should I feel this way? Is it the killing I desire? Or is it the approval from him, and from Vicente that I desire? I have no way to know.

"Good, Iseult. Then I'm sure you won't mind forfeitting your hunt today. There are always deer for you to kill, but a contract...well...taking the life of a human is much more appealing, don't you agree?" He purred quietly, and I looked him dead in the eyes, mimicking his constant stare.
"Sure...if you say so Lu-Speaker!" I corrected myself, and he laughed lightly. "Oh, little Breton. You can call me Lucien. I promise I won't sever your spine for that."
For that.
I guess he's willing to do it if I did something else to displease him.
"Alright, Mr.Lachance." I said uneasily, still feeling odd, and he laughed again.

Vicente appeared silently, standing near us, peering quietly. I'm not sure where he came from, but all I knew is that he was there, a slightly disappointed look on his face.
"Ahh Vicente." Lucien said, turning his face to him, his all-knowing eyes narrowed coldly at the vampire, "Have we not spoken about this? Feeding on family members is not something we support."
"True, but it is also not prohibited." Vicente replied politely, and I could see he wasn't intimidated by Lucien. At least not visibly so.
"Mm, you make a valid point Valtieri. But she has been in recovery, she needs all the strength she can get for her next contract. For Sithis…" his voice was almost threatening, and I sensed some sort of strange…vibe between them. Like this was something more, something more than just the Dark Brotherhood frowning upon this, like it was personal. This angered me slightly. Lucien may have recruited me, but he doesn't know me. He has no right to try to intimidate Vicente like that.
"With all due respect," I cut in, and they both looked at me, Vicente obviously surprised with me speaking up, and Lucien still holding the glare he had given to my mentor.
"I told him to take my blood. He tried to convince me not too, but he needed it. His face was sinking into his skull."
Lucien sneered, and I realized how harsh that sounded.
"He…he tried to change my mind." I stammered now "But I didn't let him."
I felt a lump of fear grow in my throat, but I held my ground as the Speaker stared at me silently, trying his best to read me. He was probably doing it flawlessly.

"Alright." He finally said, breaking the piercing silence "Just so long as you can fulfill these contracts, then there is nothing to be concerned about." He didn't have his usual slight smile, oh no. There was something icy about his words, something I couldn't describe. It was so strange…how little I understood about these characters.

He handed some papers to Vicente, giving him a deep look in the eyes, as if trying to communicate something, and I felt so out of the loop.
"Vicente will explain these contracts to you. I will be following your…progress." He finally turned his face back to me "Good day, Iseult, Valtiere." He pulled his hood back over his head, and walked away. As soon as he was out of the fire light, he seemed to disappear, as silently as he appeared.

If death had a face, it would certainly be that man.

Description
.a f r a i l e x i s t e n c e.

I s e u l t
CHAPTER TWENTYSIX
face of death

I slept so deeply that night, so deeply that when I did feel myself begin to awaken, I was completely paralyzed. I have no other way to explain it. I could feel everything around me, it was so cold...but I must have been sweating, because I was damp on my back. I tried to move my arms and legs, to open my eyes even, but I just couldn't. I felt as though I were trapped in a corpse. But my breathing was steady, despite how my heart rate was increasing. It was tormenting. I wanted to scream, to lash out and move about, but I couldn't. I began to feel extremely claustrophobic, and I wanted it to end.

Not sure how long that went on, but I must have fallen fully asleep at some point, because I did awaken for real, finally. I sat up, my head pounding from a serious headache, glancing at my hands as I extended and retracted my fingers, reminding myself I'm alive.
Soon after I brought my hands to my temples, rubbing them with the balls of my fingers, letting a low groan escape my tired lips.

"I apologize, Iseult."

I jumped up in surprise to the low voice, immediately glancing around to where it came from, spotting Vicente sitting at the table with a book in hand, as always.
"Yeah, sitting there while I'm sleeping isn't creepy at all." I grumbled as I relaxed and rubbed the temples more, before smiling a bit "Why are you sorry anyway?"

"For the headache, and the trouble you had sleeping. I took too much blood from you, I'm sorry."

I waved him off with one hand "Nothing I can't handle." I thought for a moment of all the times I've taken a boot to the head, all the times I've been beaten, all the nights I had laid awake, groaning at the broken bones and oozing wounds, having a split lip and a gashed open forehead.
I thought of when I was thrown in prison for killing Steffan, how the guards beat me within an inch of my life, then threw me in a prison to be at the mercy of my cell mate.
Didn't work out so well for them, obviously.

I snapped back to reality, and glanced over at Vicente, who was trying painstakingly to read my mind I could tell, but he gave up and closed his book. He then stood and walked over to me, handing me a medium sized red bottle saying "Drink this, it's a healing potion. It will help with any cell damage and blood reproduction."
I fondled the bottle in my hand, glancing up at him suspiciously. I had heard of these common drinks, but never had I ever had one.
I popped the cork and threw it somewhere, then downed the drink, expecting it to be disgusting, but it tasted...good.
It was tart, almost like a lemon but not quite so sour. It had a bit of sweetness too, like honey, or maybe Vanilla and Orange...I'm not sure. It was good.

I felt my headache melt away immediately after the bottle was drained, and I let a sigh of relief exhale from my lips, Vicente looking at me curiously. "Thanks," I said "That stuff is amazing."
He smiled a bit "I am not bad at alchemy, after 300 years of practice." He chuckled.

"Remember, you wanted to go hunting today." He said with a smirk "Are you sure you're up for it?"
I got up immediately, a determined look on my face "Hell yeah I am."
"Good." he said with a smile.

I got up and changed, after he left of course. My clothes were as usual, a long sleeved, but free flowing black shirt with a waist cincher belt, some dark leggings, boots, and of course my holster for my dagger, the bow and arrows over my shoulders.

I got a glance of myself in the mirror, seeing the person I was looked much different than the girl that arrived here. I remember seeing a skeletal girl, pale to the point of almost being translucent, ribs and hip bones jutting out, eyes sunken in and dark, as well as my hair being stringy and thin, lacking any sheen at all dressed in tattered furs and skins of animals. Her eyes said fear, and lacked any human emotion at all. Only instinct, and the desire to die. Those two don't usually go hand in hand.

Now I see a girl, still pale in complexion, but having a healthy fullness to her face, no longer looking like a walking dead. Her eyes actually look pale green again, instead of a milky, fogged up version of a sort of green. She had a natural reddish color to her lips, instead of lips that were colorless. Her hair was shiny, thicker, and healthy. And much longer, it had grown to be to my lower back now. My body was shapely, looking more like a woman than skin hanging on my bones.

I felt satisfied with my more healthy appearance, and nodded as I walked out, feeling pleased.
As soon as I walked through the doorway, I felt a chill roll down my spine, the hair on my neck standing on end, my pupils dilating.

I turned my face slowly, seeing that only about 2 yards from me stood the shadowy figure of Lucien Lachance, his cloak shrouding his face, making him look like nothing more than a shadow wraith in the dim firelight.

"Hello...Iseult." He purred carefully, and I felt myself shiver a bit.
He was definitely a killer. He just oozes it, being a cold blooded killer. Did this man even have a soul? If he did, I couldn't see it. So he either has an empty, black space where his heart should be, or he's just highly good at hiding it.

"Lachance." I mumbled, suppressing my fear of him flawlessly.

He chuckled smoothly, which made me physically tremble, my cover blown. So much for being flawlessly fake.
"It's good to see you've filled out." he said, and at first I was offended, but said nothing. "You have definitely got more muscle tone now, you look about ready to fulfill a contract. You've been in this recovery stage for a while now." He took a few steps over to me, and I felt frozen where I was, physically unable to move anything but my eyes.
He towered over me, as most people did. I was a mere 5 foot 3 inches, and this man stood at probably 6'2 at least. Or maybe he just intimidated me that much.

He lifted his hand up to me, and I closed my eyes, ready for him to snap my neck, but instead he touched the spot where Vicente sank his teeth. When I opened my eyes to peer up at him, I saw an expression pass over his face. I couldn't say what it was for sure, but it almost looked angry, if only for a moment before it disappeared into nothing.

"I see you've been offering services to dear Valtieri." He said coolly "Careful, Iseult. Your blood belongs to Sithis now."
Sithis, the Night Mother. I didn't think much of this religious stuff, I was here for the family...not Sithis.
"I'll keep that in mind, Speaker."
He smiled a bit at that, pulling back his hood, and for the first time I could get a good look at him, well as good as possible in this dull night.
He didn't look much different from the first day I saw him. He had hard features, and hard brown eyes, black hair pulled back and hanging loosely, a slight smile always present on his face. It was as though he always knew something that I didn't, that nobody knows, and he revels in this knowledge, and the fact that I can't know it.
He kept staring at my face, which made me feel uneasy in the silence.
"Is there something you need from me, Speaker?" I said, my voice shaky, and I looked down in shame, realizing how pathetic I must have sounded.

"Yes, in fact. I have sent Vicente contracts for you to fulfill, if you think you're ready...that is."
I stood up straight, looking up at him attentively "Yes, of course I'm ready." I said, almost excited.
How sick of me...I realize that each contract means at least one person to die by my hand. Why should I feel this way? Is it the killing I desire? Or is it the approval from him, and from Vicente that I desire? I have no way to know.

"Good, Iseult. Then I'm sure you won't mind forfeitting your hunt today. There are always deer for you to kill, but a contract...well...taking the life of a human is much more appealing, don't you agree?" He purred quietly, and I looked him dead in the eyes, mimicking his constant stare.
"Sure...if you say so Lu-Speaker!" I corrected myself, and he laughed lightly. "Oh, little Breton. You can call me Lucien. I promise I won't sever your spine for that."
For that.
I guess he's willing to do it if I did something else to displease him.
"Alright, Mr.Lachance." I said uneasily, still feeling odd, and he laughed again.

Vicente appeared silently, standing near us, peering quietly. I'm not sure where he came from, but all I knew is that he was there, a slightly disappointed look on his face.
"Ahh Vicente." Lucien said, turning his face to him, his all-knowing eyes narrowed coldly at the vampire, "Have we not spoken about this? Feeding on family members is not something we support."
"True, but it is also not prohibited." Vicente replied politely, and I could see he wasn't intimidated by Lucien. At least not visibly so.
"Mm, you make a valid point Valtieri. But she has been in recovery, she needs all the strength she can get for her next contract. For Sithis…" his voice was almost threatening, and I sensed some sort of strange…vibe between them. Like this was something more, something more than just the Dark Brotherhood frowning upon this, like it was personal. This angered me slightly. Lucien may have recruited me, but he doesn't know me. He has no right to try to intimidate Vicente like that.
"With all due respect," I cut in, and they both looked at me, Vicente obviously surprised with me speaking up, and Lucien still holding the glare he had given to my mentor.
"I told him to take my blood. He tried to convince me not too, but he needed it. His face was sinking into his skull."
Lucien sneered, and I realized how harsh that sounded.
"He…he tried to change my mind." I stammered now "But I didn't let him."
I felt a lump of fear grow in my throat, but I held my ground as the Speaker stared at me silently, trying his best to read me. He was probably doing it flawlessly.

"Alright." He finally said, breaking the piercing silence "Just so long as you can fulfill these contracts, then there is nothing to be concerned about." He didn't have his usual slight smile, oh no. There was something icy about his words, something I couldn't describe. It was so strange…how little I understood about these characters.

He handed some papers to Vicente, giving him a deep look in the eyes, as if trying to communicate something, and I felt so out of the loop.
"Vicente will explain these contracts to you. I will be following your…progress." He finally turned his face back to me "Good day, Iseult, Valtiere." He pulled his hood back over his head, and walked away. As soon as he was out of the fire light, he seemed to disappear, as silently as he appeared.

If death had a face, it would certainly be that man.