Loud sobs and high pitched cries echoed through her empty house, people could hear her faint and muffled cries as they passed by. "Vladdik!" was the only comprehensible word that belted through her cries. Her face was drowned in tears, deep purple patches discolored her severly saddened and once youthful face, and her eyes had become swollen orbs of blood shot red. Her long white hair had become matted and disheveled in the weeks after Vladdik's death. As she sat on her cold stone floor images of the dreadful night played before her eyes.
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She sat at the ultricle for days and even through the dark cold nights, holding the remnants of his robe close to her. Disbelieving what lay before her, pieces of his tattered robe and the broken bones of his skeletal minion, she sat waiting for him to return... waiting to become his wife. The undead seemed to pay her no mind as they staggered by and others just seemed to stare. If any had spoke to her, it went unnoticed, and no one dared to touch her. A few stray tears were all that trailed her face as she sat in shock, a state that grew more intense and severe as the days passed.
The sounds of twigs breaking, footsteps and robes flapping in the night's wind were all ignored by the young Tier'Dal. After the first two days she quit turning at ever set of footsteps that seemed to get close to her. These footsteps only dared to disappoint her the very same as all the rest had, so she refused to turn around. A cold hand rested upon Nanarie's bare shoulder. startled she smacked his hand from her as she backed away on her hands and knees, Her heart pounded and her breathing became heavy. Her eyes hadn't rested in days so her vision failed accuracy. All she saw was a blurred vision of a Tier'Dal jaluk standing before her. Her heart took the chance to see what it desired, "My Love!" she bellowed as she staggered to her feet. In an instant she had wrapped her slender arms about his back, gripping his shoulders tightly. Her lips parted in a delighted smile as she lifted her eyes to meet his. The upward arch of her smile, as deep as it was, turned to an even deeper frown as her crystal white eyes finally took in the true face of the man she held so tightly against her.
"Why, M'lady, Nanarie, tis a pleasure to see dos as well. Very pleased, in fact, to receive such a greeting from dos." he confessed as he brushed the hair from her eyes. Letting go she backed away slowly, shaking her head as her eyes forced her to see some one else.
"Nau... nau... dos can naut be.... dos were just.... he was just... " she slowly backed herself into a tree and her body slid to the cold damp ground.
"M'lady.." confused, he quickly knealt down before her and gripped her shoulders in concern. "Nanarie, are dos well? Why are dos even out here this night?" taking in her appearance he realized she had been out here longer than just that night, her hands were dirty, with mud under her fingernails and even dirt smudged her face. Her gown had dirt where her knees sat for days in the dirt and grass. He took his hand and lifted her chin to meet his worried eyes "How long have dos been here?"
The sound of his voice only saddened her more. She took her right hand and touched his face, grazing his cheek, his nose and even ran a finger across his lips, still not understanding that he wasn't who she thought him to be. Her mind, or was it her heart, had decieved her. He grabbed her hand and look deep within her confused eyes. "Nanarie, tell ussa what happened... what troubles dos so?"
"Ussa apologizes, M'Lord, Vitorio, but ussta thought dos were... were .."
"Who m'lady?"
Slowly she brought out the tattered piece of cloth she still clenched tightly in her fist, handing it reluctantly to Vitorio. He took the cloth and spread it with both hands, gazing upon the elegant designs of what looked to have been part of a robe. He looked to Nanarie questioningly and all she could do was look from his eyes to the ground... a tear making its escape. "Look,.." she said as she pulled a long chain that hung from her neck out of the front of her bodice. As the chain rose, it revealed a ring, she grasped the ring in her hand holding it to her heart for a moment then opening her palm to show the proof of their intentions for Vitorio to see. She "We were to meet here... to be wed." glanced at him without moving her head, knowing it would pain him to hear this. "But when ussta arrived here three eves ago this .." she tapped the cloth "and the bones, there" she gestured with her arm in the direction of the bones beside him "were all usstan found of him and his minion. It is proof that he was here. Mayhap, he was injured and returned to the house of necromancy." she said hopefully but not believing her own words. His eyes dropped to the ring, it was crafted of midnight gold, intricate designs were elegantly portrayed around the rings outer side. His heart ached in the confession that she chose to wed another, and he let out a agonizing breath.
Vitorio cupped her hand with his as a lump formed in his breath for what he was about to make her see.
"Nanarie, listen to ussa. Vladdik would naut leave dos here for days awaiting his return. Dos know that. Do dos really believe he would go back to the city for injuries when his heart intended to marry dos?"
"But he..."
"He is gone, Nanarie. Look around dos...what dos have found is proof that he is gone. The smell of death still lingers here. Dos smell it, do dos naut?"
"Ussta doubts he will be returning, ussta believes that if he could return he would naut have waited three eve's, m'lady"
"Let me take dos back into the city ...."
She snatched her hand from his and shook her head, disbelieving his every word.
"Leave ussa be!"
"Ussta will do nau such thing." he said as anger filled his voice.
At first she stepped back but he stepped forward and embraced her. Together they stood in silence, her hand still clenched the ring that hung from her neck as it was pressed between their bodies the other hand dangled at her side as it held the few pieces of cloth she found. Her cheek rested on his chest as she looked blankly out into the forest, her eyes catching a faint sparkle in the moonlight. She walked to it and knealt done and picked up the small metal object. Her eyes opened wide in shock as she took in the object in her hand. Tears began to stream down her cheek as she realized what she had found. She couldn't deny it now. It was the matching ring to the one she had secured to her neck. On the inside was an inscription that wouldn't let her deny who this ring was for. She placed the ring on the proper finger of her left hand and began to sob uncontrollably.
"Come Nanarie. Usstan will take dos home." He scooped her up, and cradled her in his arms as he carried her to her empty house.
He placed her in her bed, under her silky covers and waited for her to drift off to a peaceful slumber. When, after a day, of her not resting she requested him to leave her. He had refused her many previous requests, concerned of her well being. But after he saw she would do well on her own he felt he could no longer deny her of what she wished. With a bow he looked to her and said his farewell and walked out of her home.