Questions (completed)

[Ariah]

Ariah silently walked into the graveyard. She didn’t really have a reason to be here, except that she wanted to be here. Slowly she walked by the row of graves, reading name after name as she passed. How many vampires here died because of what had happened? Had it been painful or quick? She didn’t want to know. It was quiet. She didn’t like the quiet. The area strongly smelled of grave soil and ashes, and why not? It was a graveyard.

She glanced around and realized she had reached the end of the cemetery, to the one grave that stood out more than the others. The grave belonged to no other than King Logan. A breath escaped her; it was habit since vampires really didn’t need to breathe. She stared at the inscription, more questions running through her mind. What where you thinking just before you died? Were you hoping for everything to turn out for the best, hoping that your daughters would eventually get over their hate even when you knew it was hopeless?

This graveyard was so similar to the one at her mortal home. She had visited it recently, just to see if it was still there. It was. The names were fading, but she could still make them out as though they were newly carved. Who had made those gravestones? Who had made these? How many people cared anymore?

Overhead the moon shined dimly. Clouds were moving in and darkening the area. It would rain soon. If it was because of Ariah’s solemn mood she did not know, she simply knew the shower would be refreshing in many ways. Her eyes wandered from the gravestone up to the moon that was slowly disappearing from sight. A wind began to blow, bring the rain closer.

[Lestat]

I rode briskly on Obsidian, returning from my venture to the Vectra castle. As I rode, a familiar face caught the corner of my shadowed eye, one of our own warriors. I pulled the reins of my steed and slowed his gait, directing him into the location of the vampiress. As I reached the graveyards gate, I leaped off of my stallion and tied his reins to the small iron fence. I stroked his smooth, ebony coat and then turned and strode to through the small yard of memories...

...The memories, always they returned to me. They were happy memories, but they saddened me as those cheerful days would never return...at least, not for a long time. The good king had perished, and with him he took all of the beauty in Nullius. All that was left was hope, and this particular graveyard had always given me that vibe. Hope lived in the Ventana coven, the only ones left who posessed a heart. Lilith, even being raised in love and harmony, did not restrict her cruelty.

I shook those thoughts from my head as I approached the vampiress. She was a fresh face, one of our new warriors that I had not met beforehand. I stopped at the sight of the kings grave, and slightly bowed. My respect for him lived on, it always would. I gazed at that stone structure for a long time before turning my face and making eye contact with the warrior.

"I don't believe we've met. I am Lestat, Lord of Ventana. I believe you are one of our warriors...What is your name? And what brings you to the gaveyard?"

[Ariah]

Someone was approaching, on a horse at first. But then they dismounted and started walking towards her. It wasn’t hurried or rushed; it was steady, smooth, confident…. She looked over her shoulder as her hand went to the hilt of her sword. She couldn’t see at first because a simply structured grave blocked the view, but when she saw who it was her hand automatically dropped back to her side and her eyes returned to the fading moon once more.

Lestat’s stride did not change until he was next to her and staring at the grave stone. When he looked at her she returned his gaze and the moon disappeared from sight. He stated a few things, and then asked a couple of questions. She decided to respond in the order she had been spoken to. A small smile, almost a smirk came forth as she spoke, “We have not met, but I would know you anywhere. I am one of your warriors and my name is Ariah Knautia Rohm, but just call me Ariah.” She did not answer his last question right away and instead looked towards the gravestone once again. Questions, questions, so many questions. The smile grew slightly as if she found something funny before it slowly dropped away again.

Raindrops fell around her, and finally she opened her mouth to speak, “Questions bring me here. Questions that will not, and probably should not, be answered. Some things are better left as a secret, especially when the inquirer is simply curious.” Yes, that was undoubtedly one of her faults, curiosity. She loved to know things, even if they had nothing to do with her. However, secrecy was one of her greatest strengths as well. She could be tortured to near death and back, if possible, and never utter a word. Once again she allowed her red eyes to meet his shadowed ebony eyes.

[Lestat]

I returned the slight smile that I had noticed crawling across Ariah's lips. I was correct in my estimate that she was one of our warriors, and I felt at ease in her presence. She seemed so curious about a history that was so sad. I pondered for a moment, debating in my mind whether or not I should be the one to reveal such truths. I lifted my sight to rest on her face and held a meaningful gaze for a moment before speaking softly.

"Curiosity killed the cat, and satisfaction brought it back. There is nothing wrong with curiosity, provided it's not taken too far. Now, what is it you are wondering? If I know an answer maybe I can help to ease your inquiring mind..."

I knew that speaking of the past would open old wounds and probably cause the same pain it had done so many times beforehand, but I also knew that I would not keep my warriors in the dark on any information that they had a right to know. I simply was not going to hold anything back, I knew that I had to put it behind me, and rather than mourning over our loss, I believed that we should've been using it as a drive for determination...the means of war. I knelt by a nearby gravestone a picked up a rose that had been placed there, roses...they were the only flowers that grew in these lands now...and I placed its sweetness on the kings grave, as it should be...

[Ariah]

Ariah listened as a mouse scurried through the underbrush that was left of the plants… though most of it was gone by now. It was probably looking for something to eat or running back to whatever home it had left. Eventually it would die, like everything but the roses. He asked, so she planned on telling. She gave a sad smile and said, “No disrespect, sir, but I highly doubt you know what these people were thinking before they died.” Her voice was normal at the start but it grew quiet so that when she said ‘died’ her voice was a soft whisper.

The rain clouds moved faster and then seemed to stop when part of the worst was bearing down on the graves. Lightning flashed sometimes and thunder followed, always distant. The pattering sound of the falling water hitting the ground filled the air with its sound. Ariah didn’t move from where she was standing, did not seem to notice the rain at all in fact. Her eyes never left Lestat now, and she wasn’t really aware that she was staring. In all honesty she was studying him as he set the rose down on the King’s grave. A rose in all its beauty still pricked the hand that picked. Perhaps not those who were careful, but if a person who was not careful and chased after beauty, very little good would come out of it. Lestat moved like he was harmless, but she knew he could probably tear her to pieces without trouble at all if he had a reason to. She was suddenly very thankful her instincts led her to the Ventana instead of the Guerra. Betrayal? She never could betray this coven, never.

Ariah blinked and glanced around, only now realizing it was raining hard. She wasn’t worried about it though. Rain was supposed to bring life, and it would, once the butterfly was found and captured once more. In other places besides here rain nourished the lands and helped plants grow as much as the sun did. Too much sun and the plants would wither; too much rain and the plants would drown and rot. It was all balanced… but this place was chaotic.

[Lestat]

I glimpsed upwards at the opening sky. It began to pour raindrops all over the lands. I did not mind the rain and all that it represented, but how I wished that it could revive the plants of Nullius...I would even have appreciated weeds growing...though they never did. I switched my focus back to the warrior, and thought deeply about her final statement, and she was correct. I would not know what these fine vampires were pondering at that instant...but I believed that I had some idea...

"You are right, Ariah, I do not know for certain what the residents of Vectra would have been thinking. The only thing I can even say on the matter is...I would guess that king Logan would have been thinking of his daughters, and wishing them safety in these lands...he was probably hoping that the war would never begin in the first place..."

I looked soulfully into the eyes of our warrior, trying to read her expression. I truly believed, and always would, that the good kings final thoughts would have been of his daughters...they were his everything. I had never met a more caring father. I moved my obsidian eyes to view the rose that was being drowned in raindrops, like the king himself...it was resisting a force much more powerful than itself...Logan had known that his daughters would sooner or later begin to divide the lands...he just did not want to believe...

[Ariah]

Ariah blinked and then nodded at his words. It was what she had thought in the first place or something similar anyway. She didn’t say anything, nothing was needed. She kept her face blank, but not her eyes. She only kept her eyes blank when she was around enemies. Calmly her gaze continued to meet his as he searched for… something.

Eventually she walked past the gravestones and stepped up onto the fence that surrounded the yard. It was rough and would have easily torn the skin off of a tender foot, but because she never wore shoes the bottom of her feet were practically as rough as a blacksmith’s hands. As she stood there she lifted her head up to the rain and closed her eyes. She loved the feel of the rain as it poured down on her and the surrounding area. She did not care what others thought of her, and many thought she was free because of this, but there were so many translations for the word. Free. Humph, she certainly didn’t feel free. She felt as she always did, watched, constricted, people trying to control, or kill, her.

When she opened her eyes they were black. Throughout her life as a mortal she had been controlled. She was supposed to be a good young woman based on society and what people thought was proper. Here, she wasn’t being controlled. Honestly, she didn’t feel threatened in that perspective by her coven, but by the rest of the vampire society and she hated it. Only now that she was with the Ventana did she feel some sense of peace. Although, knowing this did not really calm her down, so her eyes remained black.

[Lestat]

I watched with a slight smile as the warrior stood up on the small iron fence that surrounded the graveyard, and delighted in the downfall that fell fast and heavy. She reminded me of a child at that moment, though not in an offensive way. I admired the innocence and joy she showed for something so simple and common. I strode toward where she was elevated, and noticed her eyes...black like mine.

To have pools the colour of ebony was a curse, so I believed. They seemed to attract bad omens, and brought pain and suffering to not just the one displaying those eyes, but also the ones they loved.

"What is it about the rain you enjoy so much?"

I asked softly, curiosity hinted in my voice. I glanced over at my steed while I awaited a reply, making certain that he was content. The stallion did not mind standing for long periods, and was excellent to rely on not run away. The rain began to pourdown heavier and Ariah seemed to appreciate that. Personally, I did not luxurate in heavy rain, and was getting ready to head back to the castle. I wondered what Audrina was engaging in...

[Ariah]

Lestat had joined her and was now talking, well, asking a question. Oddly, she felt obliged to answer. She jumped down so that she was standing beside him once more and spoke. As she talked her eyes lost some of the darkness and red began to show once more, “I’m not really sure to be honest. Several storms in a row killed my family. I later learned they had been summoned by a vampire. During the final storm he entered the house when I was the last one alive and he turned me.” Her eyes were half and half now, swirling black and red. “And rain reminds me of freedom. It is something I have not had much of, unfortunately. Not until I came to the Ventana.” Just hints of black, now, and those slowly faded as well.

Ariah noticed his glance back towards his stallion and a playful smile appeared, “You wish to go. I can’t say that I blame you. Most people don’t like heavy rain. But….” Her gaze rose towards the sky and shortly after the clouds began to dissipate slowly, until the moon shine brightly once more and the stars twinkled gently. When she gazed at him once more the smile was still there, “Might make your journey back a bit more comfortable.”

[Lestat]

As I gazed into the newly clear sky I was awestruck by the power that the vampiress contained. Simply with her thoughts she could change the weather...I had not seen that done before. A power like that would certainly be a huge benefit to her and I respected it. I looked at her with a strange expression on my facade and cleared my throat, still amazed.

"Why, thank you. That is quite an ability you posses there. It must convenient to change the weather on will...quite a privelage..."

I smiled gently, my astonishment still obvious. My powers were simple yet effective, heightened senses and fighting skills...they could not allow me to do amazing acts like the one I had just witnessed. I gestured to the vampiress that she should walk with me to Obsidian, and soon after we were both strolling over to where he stood. I reached him and instinctively stroked his soft, ebony coat. A soft whinny escaped his lips in gratitude. I turned my face so that I could say farewell to the warrior, my eyes still radiating the acknowledgement of her kind deed. With a soft tone, I voiced my farewell.

"Thank you for clearing the rain, Ariah...I am still awed by your amazing power...use it well. I shall probably see you back in the castle...until then, goodbye."

[Ariah]

“To be honest my lord, the rain would not have been here in the first place if not for me. My mood often seems to affect the weather.” Her smile had dimmed slightly. He was awed, that much was obvious and it was understandable. Usually vampires with so much power had a tendency to keep it discreet. Her sire had, and then he died, killed by a slayer. Her eyes dimmed slightly at that thought but she pushed it back and walked with him to his stallion, Obsidian.

He thanked her once more and said he would probably see her back at the castle before settling on goodbye. She smiled and nodded, “If I’m not dead before then, then yes. Goodbye, my lord.” She watched him mount Obsidian before riding off. She was getting hungry. It had been a little over a month since she last had human blood and it was starting to tell. Once Lestat was almost out of view she turned and started heading towards the human village. She would enter the next night, seeing how it would be dawn by the time she arrived. What worried her was that she was likely to be fighting slayers while she was still weak. That was what had killed her sire, fifty years ago.