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deathsmajestyLiliana woke with a start, gasping for breath. Something fell into her mouth, cool against her skin. She reached for her face and felt the softness of the Chain Veil on it, the burnished gold worked so fine that it felt like silk under her fingers, not metal. With a groan, she pulled it off and opened eyes that felt thick and gummy. "Wah--wat--"
"Here, Mistress." Her steward was at her side, offering her a bottle of water. "Please, drink slowly."
Liliana took the bottle, frowning at the layer of dust on it. She tried to speak, but the only sound that came out was a rough groaning sound, one that seemed like it should come from one of herdarlings minions' throats rather than her own. She took the bottle and drank, one slow sip after another. Half the bottle was gone before her throat felt like she could make sounds again. "What...happened? Why was I wearing the Chain Veil? What happened? Where's Josu?"
"You were recovering from your burns, Mistress," her steward explained gently. "And one night you got up and placed the Chain Veil on. You...seemed to be communicating with something while you wore it."
They both glanced down at the veil, where it lay innocently on her purple coverlet, catching the light. "You refused to take it off. And then one day, you 'walked away. And did not return until yesterday evening."
"How long?" she asked and eyed him. "You are speaking much better than when I left."
"Five months," her steward replied. "And thank you, Mistress. I practiced while you were away, to better be able to assist you when you returned. I regret to inform you that your other servitors have fallen back to bones and dust."
By this point, Liliana couldn't even be upset anymore when she discovered that something bizarre had happened and she had missed weeks or even months. But this...this was weird for other reasons. She'd lost time to the Chain Veil before, but never gone Planeswalking while wearing it. And she had not a single memory to go with it. It was all just...blank. "I see," she said. "And Josu?"
"Has missed you very much, my lady," the steward assured her. "And is quite well."
"Excellent," she said. "A bath. Draw me a hot bath and then something hearty for dinner."
Her steward hesitated. "Regrettably, Mistress, the only food in the house is that for Josu. The rest has long since spoiled while you were away."
Blast. Fair. The important thing was that Josu had been taken care of. "Just a bath then," she said. "And then I shall see about fetching myself something to eat from town."
The steward nodded. "Of course, my lady. Will that be all for now?"
"Yes," she said. Then, "Wait." The ghoul paused, turning back towards her and she leaned over and took his hand. "Thank you," she said softly. "For taking care of everything - especially Jesu - in my absence."
Her steward's leathery face made expressions and emoting difficult, but something about it seemed to soften, perhaps even smile. "My honor, Mistress," he assured her, then bowed and left.
[Establishy]
"Here, Mistress." Her steward was at her side, offering her a bottle of water. "Please, drink slowly."
Liliana took the bottle, frowning at the layer of dust on it. She tried to speak, but the only sound that came out was a rough groaning sound, one that seemed like it should come from one of her
"You were recovering from your burns, Mistress," her steward explained gently. "And one night you got up and placed the Chain Veil on. You...seemed to be communicating with something while you wore it."
They both glanced down at the veil, where it lay innocently on her purple coverlet, catching the light. "You refused to take it off. And then one day, you 'walked away. And did not return until yesterday evening."
"How long?" she asked and eyed him. "You are speaking much better than when I left."
"Five months," her steward replied. "And thank you, Mistress. I practiced while you were away, to better be able to assist you when you returned. I regret to inform you that your other servitors have fallen back to bones and dust."
By this point, Liliana couldn't even be upset anymore when she discovered that something bizarre had happened and she had missed weeks or even months. But this...this was weird for other reasons. She'd lost time to the Chain Veil before, but never gone Planeswalking while wearing it. And she had not a single memory to go with it. It was all just...blank. "I see," she said. "And Josu?"
"Has missed you very much, my lady," the steward assured her. "And is quite well."
"Excellent," she said. "A bath. Draw me a hot bath and then something hearty for dinner."
Her steward hesitated. "Regrettably, Mistress, the only food in the house is that for Josu. The rest has long since spoiled while you were away."
Blast. Fair. The important thing was that Josu had been taken care of. "Just a bath then," she said. "And then I shall see about fetching myself something to eat from town."
The steward nodded. "Of course, my lady. Will that be all for now?"
"Yes," she said. Then, "Wait." The ghoul paused, turning back towards her and she leaned over and took his hand. "Thank you," she said softly. "For taking care of everything - especially Jesu - in my absence."
Her steward's leathery face made expressions and emoting difficult, but something about it seemed to soften, perhaps even smile. "My honor, Mistress," he assured her, then bowed and left.
[Establishy]
