Author Topic: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela  (Read 3844 times)

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« on: August 01, 2008, 04:22:31 PM »

It all begins somewhere

Please sir. .please stop! I beg you..- the begging of the old woman was cut short by a violent backhand to her face, her brittle body flew back across the room, a wooden chair breaking as she lands sideways on it. The blue robe was stained with blood. Around them was chaos, the shadows of the torches carried by the men were not enough to catch sight of the lone girl hidden under a bed. Search well! We cannae let one escape! barked a greasy voice that grew closer as it spoke, fat hairy hands dropped to the floor beside her, she had to bite her lip to the blood to not scream. Heavy breathing, heartbeat, then silence, the man got up and walked away again. The hospice had been found and revealed to the village. It made sense suddently, the bad crops, the heavy rains, the thin cattle. Witches! Of course, the source of all their problems was but at hand's reach to destroy.

It took a few days and it was over, the mob gathered and hiked the hidden path through the forest of pine till they reached the dilapidated building. An old woman greeted them by the grace of Hala, a smile to her lips, her hands shaking by the old age. She had faith, and that is all she had. A few arrows flew from the woods, one dug deeply into the ear of a torch bearer, grand-pa was always a good shot but a poor runner. They caught up to him quickly and dragged him back so he could burn as well, the old couple begged and prayed but none to avail, a man in a long trench coat followed behind the group, calm and cold. He pointed an accusing finger to the old woman in tears and muttered his judgment. Her husband stood by her, kissing her and praying with her. A crossbow shot to the neck and he turned quiet, forever. The woman keeled and waited, in quiet prayers. All would be well.. till they found the doll. A simple rag doll with hazelnut hair, they were not alone here. Look for the child, find her, bring the spawn of the devil before me.

That's when the begging began and ended shortly after, as the smoke filled the house a few moments later, the girl was already running, deep into the wood, as the wolf howled to Old Night a complaint that iced the heart of all. The air was still and heavy, mists billowing about. What a beautiful barovian night.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2008, 04:56:43 PM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2008, 01:46:07 PM »

Surviving

She was thirteen, she was young. No where to go but forward. The village nearby was out of question so then she followed the road away from it. Winter had just ended, the ground was soggy and damp, even the road was a mess. Her eyes were dry, anger powered she kept on walking till she collapsed from exhaustion. In her cotton nightgown she laid on the side of the road as if dead, covered in mud to the knees and barefoot. There she laid facing the sky, cloudless and sprinkled with stars as Old night came again to swallow up day. There she thought, she would die, under the same sky where she was born. She closed her eyes, listening to her breath, her heart beat, to the night.

Later she woke up, a warm fire, a warm blanket, a friendly figure. The old man made her eat soup she could not refuse, he was old but not as much as grand-pa. He asked her questions and she refused to answer save for when he asked if she had somewhere to go, she said no. He spoke of his family, of a farm. She didn't reply but did not refuse, in the morning he made her ride on his donkey and they made their way back to his little farm. Without a word she joined his family, working at the farm, eating with them, loving people, good people but one day two years later, she was gone.

The road called to her again, blanket of stars for a bed and hard ground for a mattress. She feared the wild animals but she avoided them to the best of her skills. Dirty, always so dirty, she hated her own scent of sweat and moss, she would wash in streams but her old leather suit stunk of everything she would touch. Two more years went by, walking the roads, sneaking into homes at night to steal some clothing and food, coins if they had any. Barovians were poor people, their money didn't felt right in her pocket. There had got to be a better life.

Lights in the night, she moved closer, a city, she had come close to Vallaki again but this time she would stay. The city, she would find more money there, richer people to steal from or perhaps even find a job that would not bore her. Outlanders everywhere, elves and halfings so alien to her. she even thought she saw a caliban. Noisy kind she thought, but they were.. rich! Well.. that's exciting.

« Last Edit: June 07, 2009, 04:08:28 AM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2008, 02:18:27 PM »

Lost of the first innocence

Before long she had found work, first they gave her a test then a questioning, it was easy to reply all they wanted to hear. The day had come and go and before long, she was in her new home. She had never had a room to herself so when Daciana pointed out the one that would be hers, she felt suspicious. The first nights she would not sleep there, a deserted hospice in the slums made her feel more at ease, even tho it was where she had to take a life. For the first time in her life, she would not run. He came stumbling, grumbling, mad and twitching. She would not pay him mind for he might have been insane but when he jumped on her, she could not step back. He was a beast, half rat half human. She had heard of neuri but never seen one. And his body changed and morphed as he wailed on her, bones cracking, skin stretching. She would have screamed but no one would have heard her.

So then she drew, by luck or fate, a silver blade found in a sewer drain. She could barely use the rapier but she did anyway, slashing deeply into the furry flesh of the man, the beast till he moved no more. And there it changed back, dead bones cracking, dead skin stretching, that's when she screamed. At her feet laid a dead man, his blood on her hands and face. She dragged the body to the nearby man hole and kicked him in. The blood stained her clothes so badly that she threw them in with it. The rest of the night was a bit fuzzy from there on.

The nights after that she would sleep in her room below Tigan's. She could hear patrons laugh and sing till late in the night but it was comforting to not be alone anymore. Alone in a crowd she felt. But then there was Ashan. At first he had been work, guiding and instructing as he requested for he was an outlander with the desire to fit in, somewhat. Dye your hair, find a wife and grow some turnips, she had replied in all seriousness. How else would you want to fit in? Barovia was a land of simple people with simple lives. He aspired to better and she said that the best to do was to live happy for as long as you can, before something horrible would come take it away. Barovia is a horrible and dark land he would say in retrospective but Stela wondered how he could smile at all if it was true, for sure he would smile each time he would see her, curiously.
« Last Edit: August 25, 2008, 12:55:22 PM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2008, 01:17:35 PM »


As the season changes
The work was simple and easy to get up to par with the other members. There were limits to the lie that could be told so she decided on simple half truth, to become tangled with lies in her line of work would be soon discovered. Such a bad reputation her new family had but she thought to herself that the fall came from individual's mistakes and weak upper management. The members of the R.V.T needed a iron hand to guide them but it was lacking. She had to discipline herself while dealing with outlanders at first, some barely humans but when it came to calibans, she was afraid at first. She knew stories and heard and seen them, but to engage in a conversation was far fetched to her. She did anyways because she needed to, she found one that would work with her and she was delighted to hear his sense of humor, it denoted intelligence.

Discipline herself was after all, everything she had. Whom else would train her and tell her how to act, the door stood at arm's reach and only she could open it. And so she did, striving and sweating for her work. As time went on, she saw the fall of the first captain, Vladu had acted with stupidity and put his own interest before the family's and he was now paying the price, so was the family. Even she ended up in the dungeon of the city to answer to the lie she was made to tell. She felt foolish to have obeyed so blindly but now she selected her words carefully as she answered the man in power. She was a proud Barovian to begin with, city guards should be worked with and not against, she would make a point of it once she was freed. It would not be so simple but time would make it happen.

And there was Ashan, again. They would meet more often as time went on, they had an arrangement, slowly she had come to let her guard down around him, laughing even as they enjoyed their time together, the arrangement turned into friendship. For the first time in her life she was actually comforted by the presence of another. She had to keep her emotions in check but for now it was a good feeling. She had found her place and she was slowly carving it to fit her shape. Outside winter was coming again, cold wind and dancing leaves of fall.
« Last Edit: August 25, 2008, 01:24:51 PM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2008, 04:56:25 PM »

Training

Mind and body she had trained. Under the instruction of her trainer, she preferred that word to master, for she had none than herself. At first it was to survive, one cannot simply stab things with a blade hoping they would die, she needed to be able and ready. It was done in great secret, for she couldn't tell from here who was friend or foe, even in her new found family where her reputation was growing well as dependable. It was best to walk the line and never step out of it, at least not where anyone could see you and trust that there's always someone to watch or hear you so act in consequences.

She had won most of the sparring against him using ingenuity, her strength was not enough to take down a grown man, usually by choking him in a way or another. There was more to it than fighting, mind game and tests of wits but also endurance of the body. She would face all of those, drinking knowledge from his lips. She surprised him when she called him by his true name, she was smart and inquisitive, making use of those resources around her. Life had taken an interesting turn for the least. She had yet to hear much praises from the upper management but since there was no captain to order her around, she could do about anything she wished, her and her Daciana's ideas matched properly in execution of projects.

In all honesty she never smiled or laughed much, nothing really ever tickled her fancy, most outlanders were strangers and ignorant, arrogant. Almost all of them drank, a lot, she could see how low and pathetic they felt in this land, so they drank. She had respect for the few that made something out of their life, she found very little use for lazy and beggars. Walk the line, don't step out of it. As she told Rane the smith much later, to be true to Barovian origins would make her a horrible woman but if walking hand in hand with them made her a traitor to her blood. She had to remain as neutral as possible.

And then came the second kill, some outlander woman was harassing Ashan and called out Stela as a whore. She followed them into the woods where Ashan planned to beat her into a pulp for being annoying. She was only to watch but then the girl ran and attacked Ashan in self defense. There was a the moment! She followed the girl into the church where a militia attacked her, Stela appeared behind threateningly, warned her to not move but there she did. The arrow flew pass the militia into the girl's neck where she dropped like a rock. One of the light carrier came and healed her back, removing the arrow from her throat, but then she ran again! And so Stela followed. One arrow was all needed, piercing the pale woman's throat once more. She scooped up the meager purse and pocketed it. Probably the only retribution she would get for her service. Coins in her pocket, this time it felt right. In the service of the Count, well something like that.




Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2008, 04:45:32 PM »


Nightmares

It knows no beauty, no kindness
It knows no love, no peace
Where it's heart should be, a void


As months went by, she had carved herself a nice little hole into society's most known, to a certain degree. She avoided upper Barovian classes like vermin avoid light. All this business with the outlanders made her akin to a traitor to her blood but she didn't felt such treason, she was using them to do work she offered to all and reselling them their own hardship. They had money, so much money. Where did it call came from she wasn't too sure. She knew of the ruins surrounding the area, had seen them out of curiosity but would never dare attempt going there alone. It was far too dangerous and the power displayed by the outlanders that accompanied her, scared her to some extend. The power of the clerics and magic users was great and frightening. They could level barovia if they wished it so. In the end she spent most of her time in town or in the outskirts where most of her clients lurked.

But when exhaustion took her body, she had to rest, again and again, the nightmares would come. Not of past wrong doing or simple illusions created by the mind. But a fear that was cultivated and fed by a creature of darkness. It was a somewhat greed and curiosity that had led her to investigate for the mad man but it led her directly into a trap. The creature of nightmare fed into her fear, burning buildings and cages with no locks, no escape, sometimes she heard the calling of the witch, screaming for her blood to shed. But she did not fear this as much anymore, through the nightmares she pin pointed her fright to being trapped, targeted with no escape, the flame as well but who wouldn't be. She would wake up screaming and scratching at her skin. Down in the basement of Tigan's rest where her room was. She had another member lock the door for her, so if she was possessed she would be trapped in. She would find a way out of this mess sooner or later.

A skilled killer on the loose was not a good idea, on that subject she had grown marvelously. She now trekked woodland and cityscape without a sound, unseen, her eyes now well used to spotting targets that would be trying to hide, not as well as some but none the less. She had killed once while being a snake and deep down she urged for another opportunity. Her master spoke of purpose and mission, what was hers. That, she had yet to discover it.

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2008, 05:48:13 PM »

Crossing the threshold

She was born under the sky, under the bright stars of the Barovian night. She was poor, she had nothing. Poor crops and cursed land turned their farm to ashes, so her father took his pregnant wife along on the road with him. When the time came, he found her a spot a bit away from the road, he helped the child to life, in those empty hands of his. They had nothing, the new mother was sick and bleeding. A light in the wood guided them to an hospice, there they would care for them, he thought. Promising to be back soon with the help of his brother, he left to never be seen again. The mother died a few days later of blood loss. The child became orphan.

The rest was history, until now.

There was no saying no, on the pathway to a greater purpose. Morals and self serving attitude had no place to be. She took what was offered and in return it shaped her for a better use. A star student, a precious gem. The new snake shedded her skin once more for a new one, sleek and wet of blood. The scent, the taste in the air, it made her head turn like a strong wine. Later while starring at a roaring fire, she pondered on the events of the last night, how once more she had became a snake, a viper. The feelings she had then felt, she couldn't pin point them at the time but now she understood, surprised even, that it was jealousy that had helped ease her blade into the man's neck, the lubricant to her steel.

She had nothing, even now. Money was useless and her lover, only that, flesh and comfort. Was there love? Not so much, but it made her happy well enough. She had done well, too well perhaps, an odd feeling was churning her stomach, it was not guilt but worry. The dark men as they spoke to her, she looked on and it was as if she was 8 again, a snotty child with freakles and fears. In matter of experience she was novice before the masters, but all had the same red stains on their hands. They had made the choice, yesterday or years ago. Only the best survives, only the best leads. Starring on to the flame, she saw a furtive movement, perhaps someone above was trying to warn her, but it was too late...

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2008, 12:39:59 AM »

An odd pairing

First was business, she knew well enough how to handle people, twist their own words, use them against them. Which sweetness to murmur to their ears, which string to pull and pluck for the right tone. Everyone of the individuals that populated the outskirts, or the city for that matter, had a weakness that was begging to be used against them. For her greatest earning. While Stela was not made of stone nor wood, she knew the value of keeping her feelings in check, ever since she had let her thoughts drift toward the like of the tall barbarian that struck her fancy, odd white hair, eyes to match and tall like no man she had ever met, ever since then, she had felt guilt toward those whom had hopes in her. After all, themselves could not give in to the lusts that life offered. Work was a priority for most of those around her. But none the less, she had given in, at first convincing herself that she could make good use of him, she tasted love and flesh, to her greatest pleasure.

But as time went on, she realized the tad mistake, while she enjoyed all that the flesh offered, there was too much left to hazard, to the uncertain. She knew right away her lover of the moment would be resistant to her authority and even reticent to obey her orders, which turned out true to her greatest dismay. Something else inside of her probed at her lack of seriousness and she found herself closing her door to her lover, leaving him to sleep in another room, away from her. He hadn't said anything yet on the subject, but she was avoiding it. Too many thoughts danced in her mind, without the foggiest idea what to make of them.

She who lived all her life without the desire to love or be loved, her who now couldn't afford to do so at this point in time, she found herself deeply attracted to another, uninvolved. It was an irritating train of thought but came an occasion hard to pass, she could test herself once more, take in the training she had been lacking in the past few months and perhaps reach out to the touch she had been desiring in the past few weeks. Trying to figure out how to juggle her new found job description and feelings. Once the deed was done, she found herself even more confused than at first, most of the goals had been fulfilled, the taste of the blood from her nose in her mouth felt satisfying of a good training session, but the part about her feelings was as dark as before in matter of deciding.

Blindly she went on, work was demanding of her time and mind.

« Last Edit: October 22, 2008, 03:48:02 AM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2008, 08:33:57 AM »

In the eye of the storm

The underbelly grows, growls and stretches it's shadowy tendrils across the world. To no limit is it's extend, unseen, unknown, unheard. Deeper even than the Red Vardo, whom are looked down as rejects, greedy fools, deeper even than the calibans and their wretched self. This underworld is everywhere, and mostly where you would less suspect it. How vile is the one, who would please himself in such an organization where blood is a daily occurrence, and pity is upon the one who would attempt to leave. Once in, there is no way out, save for one perhaps. Once you have been chosen, you are one of them, one of these tendril of shadow.

What if this poor Barovian girl had been chosen, among so many with lesser talent, hand picked, hand raised, brain washed and tainted from the start. As if stirring from a long and bloody dream, she sat before the extend of the mess and weep, upon herself and upon her sins. Yet she did not felt remorse over the kill itself, she was slowly building a wall against it, wishing to forget it altogether. But she knew all too well that she would be soon called upon to perform another task. A refusal would mean death, an acceptance would mean digging the hole even deeper. She had seen the ones, the hollow and empty ones, who's veins now ran with the blood of their victims. She would not become one of them, she refused it, and the price for this refusal would be death.

Unless..

Cursed you be and your revenge! she yelled at the mirror, she knew too well how such a meeting would carry out, as for the others they might just slay her once she turns her back. Cursed you be.. she murmured to herself, palms cold on her warm stomach, while she suspected the worst, she was trying to atone for her deeds, so much to think, so much to realize. Her death was coming, she had to prepare and focus. Winning was all that mattered, freedom and innocence.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2008, 02:03:16 PM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #9 on: December 21, 2008, 05:19:35 PM »
Musing of snake

Boredom, such a dangerous state of mind, for each and one. Stela mused over the past few months of her life, was it truly -her- life that she was living? She knew well it was all a lie. She lived because it was the will of others. For the greater purpose of a master plan that was yet unknown to her. Perhaps it was even Ezra's plan, the bitch of the mist, the one who's hand had delivered death to her only family. The bleeding bitch had not been merciful to this Barovian child but Stela felt that she had little choice in the saying. Same was for her trainer, she figured she was about at the same level of knowledge as him, yet he was still her master in the grand scheme. Even after he gave her freedom, she remained. A mix of feeling between loyalty and fright had kept her grounded to him.

A man, her only escape, this one she felt for. Love, loyalty, passion, respect. She had chosen him by her own will, won him over with her own strength and kept him by sheer will power. She dared hoping she could keep control over this relationship, but it was not long before it all went out of her hands. Curse and ethereal plans, she could only obey and follow, do her best, as usual, if she wished to survive. They often spoke of a child together, if she was strong enough, perhaps she would be free someday and carry out this blessing. Just one in her life, she would be satisfied.

Boredom, outlanders as bland as a clear sky, conflict came and went as quickly, most had no balls or were of no challenge went it came time to deal with it. She felt her skills were wasted. Then suddenly, she started looking around, her eyes opened like they never did before, and she began searching for targets. One by one, she examined them, the weak, the challenging. She began to build plans of her own. Her trained mind races with situations but never she dared applying them. She feared killing, in a sense, she knew how, she knew well how to. It was easy when you knew the right way. Yet, life and death at the tip of her fingers still had it's uneasiness about it. A cold sensation would soon overcome her, and more plans spruced to her mind, she watched the preys and toyed with them. Waiting.


Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2009, 12:55:56 AM »

Love me hard


And the blood still trickled in her mouth from her nose and she laughed, spitting out a blog of bloody mucus on the wall of the abandoned building. The bed was dusty and creaking, the sheets eaten by moths and the pillows nibbled by rats and now it reeked of sex, blood and alcohol. The big hairy man handed her a bottle of whiskey and they drank together. She was sticky from sweat and the blood gave a nasty feel to her body, she would wash later and they would probably have sex again in the waterfall, it was a cycle, a very wonderful one. She had never felt so alive since... since a long time.

They fought without restraints, without rules and they fought dirty. It was a testimony to the life she led. Live hard, die young, but live, gods be damned, live! From a fire into another, she had a thicker skin than first appearances would lead on. She had finally came to term with what she was, her skills made her deadly, her emotions made her weak, it was something to work on. She was not the shivering tearful girl who dumped a body in the lake, tied to a shield so it would never surface again. She was cold but not yet focused, not like the masters were, she dreaded becoming such but chances were she would never see the day.

The family, the Vardo, a joke, a waste of her time. She considered giving it all up often, she could find another way of living that suited more her personality, she could hardly put on a face like some of those fops who lived double lives. The city, she felt trapped into it, it was no longer a forest of stones, it was a labyrinth of bleh. She had an idea, perhaps. Things were in movements. While they laid together in silence, she suddently felt like crying, she never cried.

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2009, 12:20:06 PM »
Without a trace
You remember past events, while in your head, a sentence repeats itself over and over "What did I do wrong?"


Thus we are born anew.

For only death purifies the worthy.

Only those that have met death know the nature of our mission.


As the man in black took the body away, Stela searched her heart for emotions, oddly enough, she found none. No pinch, no rumble, not a whisper of guilt. Her entourage of red and black merchants had been wishing his death for a long time, it had become an everyday saying. She had her plans already prepared, wait a few days, a week at the most before sending members looking for him. When they found nothing, there would be an open bounty for the return of his gear and no one would think much of it beyond that.

She felt no fear concerning her lack of emotions, remember how angered she had been at first, used by her master, her innocence shaped to become a tool of revenge, now had subsisted and nothing remained. She found pride in what she had done, but also she heed a self warning, it had been easy. Not every target would be so, she had to prepare and train some more, always stronger and more focused. Her plans were coming along fine.

« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 10:38:54 AM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #12 on: April 06, 2009, 11:00:38 AM »

Fear

If one's bank account and pockets are busting at the seams with gold,
does that alone make one rich? Does one think they can buy salvation, or buy off the Mists of Death?
excerpt of a sermon by Warden Nell Ward

She recalled the nightmares, the putrid stench of burning flesh, the blood curling screams of her family. But now it had all quieted up. When she slept beside her man, all was quiet but once alone in the dark, she felt ever so lonely, she felt nothing beyond that. The thin line between fear and brightness was a question on her mind at this time, all these things she refused to do, refused to allow to happen, why such things. It would be so easy to make the disturbance in her world disappear the way she knew the best, the easiest and the hardest at the same time, murder.

That single thought used to turn her stomach and she recalled vomiting and crying over her training but it had subsided with time and experience. Now she pondered each and one visage that came to her mind, plans of actions were drawn in the blank sheet of her thoughts : each and one plan more perfect than the other, down to the simplest detail. It would be so easy to get out of bed now and do it. No one would ever know. As it should be.

But something stopped her, again she asked herself : was it fear? was it that she knew something unconsciously and it was for the best to avoid that path? In the old days of the Vardo, it would have been done in a sloppy manner, the threat of pointed finger still remained even with their efforts to erase such stains on their names, it would be such for a long time. No it was for the best to let them sweat and fear, let them fear, let them strike first. Let them try.

Soon enough it would be all over with, she told herself again. Another delay, another betrayal, she should have killed her as well but she didn't care to slay three more, maybe only the blue bard would disappear in a whisper one night, punish the treacherous whore. She knew better than put on a big show, they would get caught sooner or later and the Vardo would look ridicule for it. The Outskirts were a hard way of life for all. Amen.

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2009, 07:13:12 PM »

Luck

“I've been lucky. I'll be lucky again.”
Bette Davis 1908-1989

Perhaps she had been trusting too much into her skills, perhaps she actually WAS that good. It mattered little, that night, she nearly lost it all. Timing had been so perfect, the prey she hunted was to head to his room, rest, and there would be the perfect occasion to strike. She felt no emotion per usual, she was a tool, a blade now, she felt. Every steps were always the same for most targets. Acquire visual, follow to a secluded area, make sure no one is watching or coming, strike, disappear, like a well oiled machine. How could she have ever considered a supernatural event to come and ruin all of her efforts. A strange mist rose in the quiet inn room as Stela hurried to clean up the blood that trickled on the floor. Before she could say or do a thing, a spell charmed her mind and she became a all-you-can-eat buffet, defenseless. Her time had yet to come, horror grabbed her by the stomach, squeezing tighter and tighter, she thought she would die even. Nothing came to her mind, she actually laughed later with regret, that you don't see your life flashing before your eyes.

She felt betrayed by fate, was she not meant to be on top of things? Director of her own destiny? A painful yet discrete wake up call, that it was. She felt weakened but once her mind was free again, it went back on track. Clean up, disappear, clean up, disappear. Nothing else mattered until the job was over. She knew the vampire was only teasing, an addicted blood whore. She would later try to take Stela in as a lover/blood bag. Of course it would never happen, nonetheless, she promised a talk later, hurrying out, leaving behind a trail of her own blood, as if she hadn't seen it. For a moment, the whole event was impossible to even consider. It hadn't happened.

Was it luck? Should an assassin rely on luck? At least they should be thankful, she did not die that night. But it was not over yet, the vampire knew who she was, it could be denied but the Old Ones would know. Cocky, cocky, she had been. A job for the Vardo, a waste of her skills. When the boss demoted her, she felt a pinch, but her thoughts steered her toward glee. Less time spent in the Outskirts, less work to do and less responsabilities while she retained her previous power.

Things had calmed, then a storm had quickly showed it's nose. Another name was carved into her mind. The familiar steps came to her lips again, murder was in her blades, ready, waiting. Luck had it that her man choosed that time to question her life, her secrets. The tears she finally shedded for the first time in ten years only made her realize one thing: She was not the girl she once was and never will be again.
« Last Edit: June 07, 2009, 04:30:21 AM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #14 on: June 07, 2009, 04:33:22 AM »
// updated the erased post

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2009, 05:27:46 PM »
Death

Alone, screaming. She was left with only her own tears, her own anger, sadness. The only feelings she still had in her heart, and the more she screamed, the more they left her, empty like a shell. To her chest she clutched the two charred bones that remained of her lover, under her the mud was disturbed by her kicking and punching, a giant scar was left into the land that day, not only in the material sense, beside the charred patch of grass, the spirit of the land, the weave itself, was crying for the loss of the shaman.

The rain came, mixing in with her tears, she had nothing. At that very moment, any shred of remaining illusion that was her power, had gone away. Closing in was the sorrowful snorting of a bear that followed his nose. The magic touched animal felt his master but could not find him, only did he find his mate, reeking of his scent. Beltzer sat beside her and nudged her with his powerful snout, not to avail, she refused to move. Where's my angry human? he seemed to say, but Stela laid in a heap, dead silent. The wet bear laid beside her, mourning, but still braving the rain to keep her warm. She smelled so much like his master.

Come morning, the rain had gone away, a smoky fire was drying the little wet wood she would throw at it. Beltzer dragged back a doe, still warm, still twitching. He felt he should care for his master's mate. She was the one who would bring him honey and pet him too, also, she made his angry human calmer. But she did not hear him, not like Huntsekker did before. He nudged the doe at Stela, who looked his way a moment then to the doe. A swift knife in hand, she stabbed the twitching animal and it stopped, finally. She removed the bloodied knife and continued what she was doing. The bear licked his snout and watched her again some more. Knife on bone, she was carving the second femur into a snake, slowly and with great care. The shape was there, now she was adding little rings for the scales, she would soon switched to a steel needle for smaller details.

The first femur she'd kept it's shape, washed it, boiled it. Was now ivory white. She would bury that one, even if that's all she would bury, he would lay in the ground he loved so much. With his spirits of stone and earth. Once she was done with the bone snake, she placed them together and turned to the doe. She was hungry now and the bear had little patience when food was so close and yet so far. She carved out a large chunk and left it to the bear and turned to the fire to cook her own. But then she looked again and the fat Beltzer wouldn't touch the meat, instead he had turned and yelled out to the woods. Stela didn't understood, but after a moment, a fatter, bigger bear lumbered out of the bushes, a tiny cub padding along behind her. Danger, she thought, but her sense of preservation failed to engage, she just sat there, bloody meat in hand. The female bear spotted the woman and quickly got to her hind legs and let out a dominating growl to scare off the woman, but still she didn't budge. Beltzer turned to his mate and in their own language, tried to make her understand, but she would not have it. She kept on screaming at the woman who just sat there, head low. Eat me, she thought in vague despair. Sniff sniff she looked up, the small cub was licking the blood from her hand, yearning for the piece of meat she still held. She opened her palm and allowed him to eat it, she even laughed through her tears because the soft tongue was tickling her. The cub climbed over her lap and licked her face, the salty tears tasted delicious.

She raised her hands and petted the small creature and whispered to his ear. Baruk... The two parents watched on, mute with sorrow.


Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #16 on: June 18, 2009, 01:07:32 AM »

Silence


In a flash of metal, the crunching noise of a bone, there was blood. A lot of it. The hole dug in the ground received the donation of flesh and blood as if expecting it. Stela dropped to a knee, left hand missing the fourth finger, linked to the heart they used to say. Doing this was more than symbolic, she was truly burying her heart with him. She swore she would. Blood kept on flowing from the wound but she didn't care, she could have died and it wouldn't have mattered. Here she was in the place they swore their life to one another, under the standing stones along the old Svalich road, they both bled here, they both loved here. And now they laid together, buried with blood and dirt.

She couldn't stand the bleeding anymore, she felt numb. A potion well applied stanched the flow and she bandaged herself quickly, she'd have to learn how to use her dagger like this again. The bleached bone and the warm finger laid together, she couldn't stop starring at it, like in a trance. In the end, we are nothing, she thought while pushing the dirt back in it's hole. Silence, not a word was spoken, even the family of bears who followed her were quiet. All three were touched by the nature of the place, the mother even, calmed and allowed her cub near the woman again.

Do you like honey little Baruk? she turned and smiled to him, she always kept a bottle of honey in her bag, he loved it. The smile was more of a twitch, she poured the sticky liquid in her palm and allowed the bear to lick it clean, something is wrong. Why can't I shake this off, breath. He's dead, finally. The smile went away, she looked on coldly while the bear finished. Another skin shed, love had come and gone. Now, she felt it no longer. All that was left was anger. It would soon go away too. Then she could focus on all the other pesky emotions that made her so weak. She'd come to accept it, she was a tool, a damned tool of life and death.

Who decides who is to live and who is to die? asked the vistana

            I do. she should have replied.

She walked away - the bears in tow, they refused to leave her side. She didn't mind.  She looked back at the stones and blew a kiss, a last one. There they would lay together for the ages to come. She turned and walked away.

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard

Nefensis

  • MIA
  • Dark Power
  • ******
  • Posts: 7170
  • Gaming wench )0(
Re: Barovian girl ~ Story of Stela
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2009, 12:12:44 PM »

Life goes on ?

What appeared to be a few centuries, was only a few weeks. Like a daze, she walked through the day, trying hopelessly to carry on her duty as a Vardo, she managed to destroy over a year of work and loyalties. Her once family was now turning it's back on her and the members within it looked upon her with revulsion as she wept for her lost one. Empty words of compassion and a knife to the back, she was shown the door rather quickly, with no other motive that she was unstable. Who wouldn't be, after all.

She had hoped Dragos would see through her but he didn't. Something in that man had changed, broke. Where she once saw a student with potential, a friend, an ally, was now an enemy, threat. The betrayal of her own flesh was a painful stab to her already mangled pride. Her own master had warned her to take another student but she wouldn't, not yet anyway. She needed something to focus. She picked up alchemy because it was easy, it came to her rather naturally, too easily. Fleeting, her thoughts turned to each and one of her remaining friends, how many of them were true. She had been blind to think she was on top of things. Suddenly her life seemed so insignificant. Everything she had worked for had amounted to nothing, or so it felt.

She had betrayed Thomas, she'd hope to gain something from that and then again, nothing. The amount of treasure that wretch had accumulated was soothing to her frustration but nothing more. Then again.. the look on Nell's face was precious. Pain, did she finally fell how she did. Did she finally understood? All those empty words of compassion, who would have them for her now. The Ezrite would never look to a widow with the same eyes again. That night, Stela slept finally.

Then there was Samuel. Old friend, old flame in the heart of a teenager. He had lost his fiancée a few weeks prior to Huntsekker's death. Stela was the one to find her mangled body, that night she drank till she passed out, the sight of Violeta's blood painting the street and her members hanging off the wall like putrid decorations had given her a shock.

She, like him, was now wading through day and night time like in a goalless fog. Unlike others, he really knew how she felt, a life cut short. She looked at him, surrounded by friends and yet he could have not been there. He looked like an empty shell and she saw herself, to her own fright. Is this how she would end? The assassin in her gave a jerk, like a wild horse, the woman shook herself and her step became firmer. She walked over to the man and held out a silvery blue chain to him, something she had promised to find for him, for his fiancée. He took the necklace and something changed in him. He watched the young girl walk away and his own legs followed her.

They spoke at length that night, Stela kept pushing him, pressing the right buttons, tugging the right strings, but he would not strike her. She had half hoped he would. In the end, he kissed her, made her his and when morning came, he didn't let go of her then either.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2009, 12:15:23 PM by Nefensis »

Stela Cojocaru - barovian snake
Crina Ovidiu - barovian guard