The Anthology of Erythis Firestorm
Five
Sub-Tags: [Erythis][Katsin][Viletta][Melathara][Lilliana][Kainn][Sparring][Romance]
The smell of roasted boar filled the dining hall with an almost tangible smell: one that would make even someone who had just eaten a tad hungry. There were potatoes, and fruit, and wine. Servants were bringing in various dishes from the kitchen in haste. Candles were lit, the chair at the head of the table sitting in wait for its master. Katsin Firestorm, in formal dress attire, made his way to his throne and sat, his betrothed taking the seat at his left. To his right, the heiress, Erythis Firestorm, sat gracefully as her two siblings filled the rest of the table. The Firestorm twins mirrored each other, framed by long, silky, scarlet colored hair. Their younger sibling, sitting upright and eager to eat, had shorter, soft blonde hair. She leaned and pulled a flank of meat onto her plate, digging in long before the others. In her innocence, the young Lilliana didn't understand the significance of what was going around her.
Bride-to-be, Viletta Sunlancer, was dressed in a long, black gown. The lines dipped into her cleavage and left little to the imagination. She was bold, and provocative. And everyone, save for Katsin, looked almost a little uncomfortable. The dark-skinned beauty downed her wine with the prowess of a warrior, beckoning the servants over to demand more of them.
"I see you've made yourself at home." Calmly, Erythis regarded Viletta with a cordial nod, floating a bowl of fruit over to her by use of her magic. She retrieved a bright red apple and bit into it heartily.
"Katsin." Viletta looked to her future husband and gave something of a pout. "My meat is cold, will you go heat it up for me?"
"Certainly, my dear." He waved one of the servants over, but his beloved stayed his hand.
"Will you do it, please? You know how I like it." Katsin laughed and brushed over her shoulder with his hand affectionately.
"Your wish is my command." He rose with her plate, heading into the kitchen. This time, both of the Firestorm twins looked absolutely appalled. Erythis looked to her sister, and Melathara returned the same general expression. It was clear almost immediately that they didn't like her.
"So-...Lady Sunlancer. How do you-..." Erythis was silenced by Viletta, who pressed a finger to her lips.
"Be quiet. You're ruining the..., ambiance." The redheaded heiress blinked with confusion, her head tilting on its side.
"The...ambiance? I beg your pardon?" This time, she was met with a firm, 'shhhh.' Before she had another chance to respond, Katsin had returned. For the rest of the dinner, the Firestorm girls were silent. Lilliana finished first and scampered off to go and play. Erythis and Melathara, however, ate slowly and observed. Katsin was smitten. The way he looked at her, and held her hand- it was almost sickening. How could their brother fall for someone so...rude?
"So!" Viletta rose her voice and startled the girls, who had apparently dazed out whilst listening to the two lovebirds go on and on. "Our wedding must be simplyspectacular. The talk of the town! Make sure you girls bring dates- unless of course, no one wishes to accompany you. In which case, I suppose you'll just have to go at it alone." Her voice trailed off into some bazaar sing-song tone.
"Oh, don't worry, my dear. The girls will have little trouble finding strong-armed men to accompany them. After all, they are the fairest in the land." Viletta gave him a wiry look. "Except for you, of course." He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, and she giggled somewhat impishly.
"Oh, but of course! And in my wedding dress, I will have no competition." Erythis had heard enough. She rose and smoothed out the sides of her own, more modest black dress.
"Brother, may I be excused?" Katsin nodded, but he wasn't looking at his dearest sibling. His eyes were on Viletta, and her dress. "Yes, of course. Go ahead, Ery." With something of a frown, the heiress made her way for the stairs leading up to the top floor of the manor. However, she soon felt a tug from her twin, who had followed along behind her.
"What are we going to do about this?" Erythis turned, looking to Melathara and giving a soft sigh.
"About Viletta? I don't think there's anything we can do. He chose her. You see how he looks at her."
"We have to do something. He's our brother! We can't just let him marry some..., some...- whatever she is!"
"Believe me, I don't like her any more than you do. I'm not even exactly sure why, it's just..." Melathara cut her off.
"Something about her." The two twins nodded in agreement and parted ways, heading into their now-separate bed chambers.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As thoughts of the tanned beauty finally started to evaporate from Erythis' mind, she began to wonder about her own appearance. Sitting in front of her vanity and looking upon herself, she couldn't help but wonder if Viletta was onto something. If someone with such a foul personality could win over a man by presenting herself in such a way, would she be able to do the same thing? Fabric fell from her body, leaving behind a tight, corset-like bodice of deep purple. It clung to her skin, plumes of thinner, whimsy silk flowing out in a short skirt. As she sat, she reached into a drawer and pulled out some black stockings, sliding them up over her slender legs and to the very middle of her thighs. Her feet found their way into some black boots- and once again, she marveled at herself in the mirror. She had never attempted to dress in a manner to attract a man, and she was unsure as to whether her current ensemble would be any effective. From her dresser, she procured a small perfume bottle and gave herself a spritz: a scent that almost made her smell sugary sweet, like cinnamon and honey. With a few bangles on her wrist, she walked down the stairs to bottom floor of the manner and, in the middle of the night, departed Felo'Danil and made way for the capitol.
When she arrived at the tavern, it was bustling. For a moment, the heiress wondered what her brother would think about her drinking with commoners. In that moment, she hardly cared. Her adventurous spirit outweighed logic. She had the barkeep fetch her one of the sweeter meads, deciding to try something besides her usual pinot noir. It was rich, and smelled just like her: honey sweet. Though as she sat and drank, and the others went about their points of business and conversation, no one seemed to notice her. She wondered if, perhaps, it was her youth that would cause men to stray. Or perhaps, her attempt at wearing sultry attire had been misplaced. After getting tired of listening to the same ramblings, she slid from the bar-stool and made her way out back.
The streets were dark, save from the glow of the lanterns and the various crystals worn into the walls. The sky, swirling with traces of the arcane, was a deep purple-blue and painted with shimmering stars. Erythis stared at it, wondering, wishing. It wasn't that she wanted to find her suitor- no, that wasn't it. But she wanted a date to that dreadful wedding, just so she could prove to Viletta that she was just as woman as she was.
"Hey." She was startled by a voice. A man's voice. She turned to her side, looking to its source. There beside her stood man: tall, dressed in black, with long, silvery hair.
"Hi-..." For a moment, the heiress felt a pang of shyness. The man stared at her with piercing eyes of bright sapphire, and she could feel him looking at her- staring, even. "How..., how are-"
"Were you as bored by the conversation in there as I was?" He leaned over the railing nearby, drawing from a cigarette. Erythis was intrigued: she knew about them, but had never seen anyone smoke.
"Not..., bored, per say. Maybe a little..., cramped? I like the fresh air."
"A woman like you doesn't belong in a place like that." He threw the bud down onto the ground, snuffing it out with a stomp of one of his black, leather boots. His darkened vest, sleeveless, was tight against his chest and entirely form-fitting. The very sight of it made the Firestorm woman feel faint. Could it be- was she attracted to him?
"To be honest, I really don't. I just wanted to get away from home, you know? See what's it's like to roam around the streets at night. Try and have a good time."
"Dressed like that, though? You're going to find yourself harassed by the local scum. I suppose noble girl's aren't supposed to be out late at night."
"I'm not-"
"It's in the way you carry yourself. It's as obvious as the time of day. And don't feel too bad, because I'm just like you. I don't belong in there either. Or anywhere, around here. My years of confinement at home didn't sit well with me. I prefer to move around." Erythis wasn't sure what to say. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. "What do you do?"
"What do I-..."
"Magic?" He snapped his fingers, a few sparks of the arcane shooting off around them with a flash.
"Yes, actually. I've been newly enlisted within the magistry." He laughed at her, then.
"A part of the magistrate, are we? Too many rules, for my taste."
"I don't always follow the rules."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really."
"Sure you don't." He snickered. Was he mocking her? She held a hand, palm upwards at her side. The sorceress conjured a small ball of fire, which flickered and churned in the air above it.
"I prefer pyromancy, and that's entirely frowned upon."
"Alright, Red. Red hair, red fire, red spirit. Show me what you've got then." The sorceress raised an eyebrow at him, staring in confusion, until she began to feel a chill creep up her spine. Ice was forming at her feet, freezing her in place.
"Hey! What are you doing?" She fidgeted, squirming in place.
"Fight me."
"Here!? Are you daft? We're in the middle of the city!"
"Behind a tavern. Are you just going to let yourself freeze?" Scoffing, the magistrix began to glow with a dim red aura, her body temperature heating. The ice began to melt and she freed herself, sidestepping.
"I'm not going to hurt you. You're insane."
"How do you know if you're any good if you never test your strength?" Swiftly, a slice of arcane soared through the air, slicing against her cheek and leaving behind a shallow cut in its wake.
"Ow! Hey! Stop it!" And another. The cuts weren't deep, but blood did pool from them and drip, slowly, along her alabaster skin. Finally, she gave in, firing of a quick lash of fire at her newfound opponent. He moved swiftly out of the way and laughed.
"Missed me!" Shards of ice flew from his hand and she ducked away this time, disappearing for a moment. The man looked disoriented as he tried to find her, and then suddenly let out a hiss as a fireball collided with his back. She had appeared behind him, bouncing a ball of fire on her palm like it was a toy ball. It burnt into the woven fabric of his vest, leaving a hole in its wake. It had burnt his skin, but not too severely.
"Not that time!" This time, he was the one to disappear. She turned, expecting him to pull the same trick. But instead of launching an assault, the man had appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her midsection, tight in a way as to hold her in place. Her heart was pounding. She squirmed, at first, and then stilled.
"What's your name, dollface?"
"Tell me yours first." She tried to seem composed and refrain from stuttering, which she barely accomplished. She felt feverish, and it was making her both intrigued and uncomfortable.
"Kainn."
"Just..., Kainn?"
"That's all you get until you tell me yours."
"I'll tell you mine if you let me go, Sir Kainn." He laughed at her.
"Sir Kainn? I don't think so. Try again."
"...You said you were of noble blood?"
"You can be of noble blood and disregard those petty titles."
"Kainn. Let me go?" She was sweating a little, now. She could feel his breath on her neck. She felt his hand then, on her face. It rose up to her cheek, a finger sliding against her skin and picking up several droplets of blood.
"I'm sorry, about the scratch. Your face is far too pretty for it. It's not deep, it'll heal in a few days." She fell silent, unsure of what to say. "Relax, will you? You're very tense. Don't get me wrong, I think that you wiggling around against me is incredibly, sexy- however..." She jerked from him, then, and he let her go. She turned, facing him in a huff.
"If you want to know my name, I have a favor to ask you."
"What's the favor?"
"You have to agree to it first."
"...I have to agree to it without knowing what it is?"
"Do you want to know my name, or not?"
"You're quite the little spitfire when you get rolling, aren't you?" She frowned, and he flashed a broad grin. "I accept your terms."
"My name is Erythis."
"Just Erythis?"
"So long as you are just Kainn."
"What's the favor, dollface?"
"Erythis."
"Whatever. What is it?"
"You're not much of a gentleman, are you?" Her eyes narrowed a bit. She felt a strange faux-anger that she had never quite experienced before. "I need..., someone to accompany to my brother's wedding-"
"Oh, no. No no no. I don't do those big noble parties."
"You agreed to my terms!"
"Alright, alright. But I don't have a good track record with weddings." She raised an eyebrow. "A story for another time. When is this..., 'wedding,' of his?"
"The night after tomorrow."
"Well, I suppose I do enjoy dressing like a dapper gentleman."
"You're a little strange, aren't you?"
"And you're not?"
"Don't insult me!" The two of them bickered, and eventually, Erythis shook her head dismissively. "I'll need to meet with you tomorrow to go over the details."
"Fine. Maybe we'll have another little brawl. I promise not to aim for the face next time- and I'll go easy on you. Let you win so you can build up your confidence."
"I am a perfectly skilled opponent, thank you!"
"Talk is cheap, doll. You'll have to prove it."
"Fine! I will!" She raised her voice, huffing. She turned on her heel, walking down the stairs. "At the gardens, in front of the gate."
"Goodbye, Erythis."
"Goodbye, Kainn." She walked down the street, fuming. But as she got to the corner, she felt the need to look back and see him one last time. To her dismay, he had already disappeared into the night.
~*~*~*~*~
He waited, and waited, and waited some more. The man named Kainn, dressed in his newly-repaired black vest of mageweave, stood in the gardens with a stoic expression. Eventually, Erythis Firestorm, the heiress of Felo'Danil, emerged from nearby bushes, dressed in crimson silk robes. "You're late."
"I'm sorry. I got held up at home-..., I hope that's okay. I made it as fast as I could."
"I don't like waiting around, dollface. I don't appreciate it. Not one bit."
"...Look, I said I was sorry."
"Is that supposed to give me an hour of my time back? I'm doing you a favor, the least you could do is not be so late."
"You don't have to be such a jerk about it!" He turned his back to her and, coldly, began to walk away. "Hey, wait!" She set a hand on his shoulder, and he jerked away. "But-...we had an agreement." He turned, slowly, and looked at her. She looked at him back, blinking rapidly as he stared.
"Am I making you angry?" He scoffed at her.
"...A little, yeah. You waited all this time, so I know you wanted to see me."
"You know why I really came?"
"To hold up to your end of the agreement?"
"Yesterday, I had to restrain every muscle in my body from pinning you down and tearing off those tights with my teeth." For a moment, Erythis was speechless. She had never heard such language used towards her. For whatever reason, her face flushed.
"...I-..."
"I wanted to see if I still liked you outside of those streetwalker clothes. And just so you're aware, you still look ravishing." Ravishing? That was also a new one. She stammered a few jumbled syllables and turned her back, embarrassed.
"Then..., why are you so mad?" He set a hand on her arm and forced her to turn, staring at her.
"Just..., be quiet." He set his hand along her jaw and tilted her head up, making her look at him. Into those bright blue eyes.
"What-.." In his eyes she gazed. And then, they were closed. And so was hers. His lips pressed against hers with firm deliberation, claiming them. A mixture of heat, want, and angst hit her violently. Was this what she had been waiting for, all this time? She felt her body give in. Her thoughts all melded into one, and became indistinguishable. She couldn't think, and felt as if she couldn't breath. She kissed him over, and over, and over again- breathing in his air, smelling him, tasting him. Only one word was present then, a single syllable. A name:
Kainn.
As thoughts of the tanned beauty finally started to evaporate from Erythis' mind, she began to wonder about her own appearance. Sitting in front of her vanity and looking upon herself, she couldn't help but wonder if Viletta was onto something. If someone with such a foul personality could win over a man by presenting herself in such a way, would she be able to do the same thing? Fabric fell from her body, leaving behind a tight, corset-like bodice of deep purple. It clung to her skin, plumes of thinner, whimsy silk flowing out in a short skirt. As she sat, she reached into a drawer and pulled out some black stockings, sliding them up over her slender legs and to the very middle of her thighs. Her feet found their way into some black boots- and once again, she marveled at herself in the mirror. She had never attempted to dress in a manner to attract a man, and she was unsure as to whether her current ensemble would be any effective. From her dresser, she procured a small perfume bottle and gave herself a spritz: a scent that almost made her smell sugary sweet, like cinnamon and honey. With a few bangles on her wrist, she walked down the stairs to bottom floor of the manner and, in the middle of the night, departed Felo'Danil and made way for the capitol.
When she arrived at the tavern, it was bustling. For a moment, the heiress wondered what her brother would think about her drinking with commoners. In that moment, she hardly cared. Her adventurous spirit outweighed logic. She had the barkeep fetch her one of the sweeter meads, deciding to try something besides her usual pinot noir. It was rich, and smelled just like her: honey sweet. Though as she sat and drank, and the others went about their points of business and conversation, no one seemed to notice her. She wondered if, perhaps, it was her youth that would cause men to stray. Or perhaps, her attempt at wearing sultry attire had been misplaced. After getting tired of listening to the same ramblings, she slid from the bar-stool and made her way out back.
The streets were dark, save from the glow of the lanterns and the various crystals worn into the walls. The sky, swirling with traces of the arcane, was a deep purple-blue and painted with shimmering stars. Erythis stared at it, wondering, wishing. It wasn't that she wanted to find her suitor- no, that wasn't it. But she wanted a date to that dreadful wedding, just so she could prove to Viletta that she was just as woman as she was.
"Hey." She was startled by a voice. A man's voice. She turned to her side, looking to its source. There beside her stood man: tall, dressed in black, with long, silvery hair.
"Hi-..." For a moment, the heiress felt a pang of shyness. The man stared at her with piercing eyes of bright sapphire, and she could feel him looking at her- staring, even. "How..., how are-"
"Were you as bored by the conversation in there as I was?" He leaned over the railing nearby, drawing from a cigarette. Erythis was intrigued: she knew about them, but had never seen anyone smoke.
"Not..., bored, per say. Maybe a little..., cramped? I like the fresh air."
"A woman like you doesn't belong in a place like that." He threw the bud down onto the ground, snuffing it out with a stomp of one of his black, leather boots. His darkened vest, sleeveless, was tight against his chest and entirely form-fitting. The very sight of it made the Firestorm woman feel faint. Could it be- was she attracted to him?
"To be honest, I really don't. I just wanted to get away from home, you know? See what's it's like to roam around the streets at night. Try and have a good time."
"Dressed like that, though? You're going to find yourself harassed by the local scum. I suppose noble girl's aren't supposed to be out late at night."
"I'm not-"
"It's in the way you carry yourself. It's as obvious as the time of day. And don't feel too bad, because I'm just like you. I don't belong in there either. Or anywhere, around here. My years of confinement at home didn't sit well with me. I prefer to move around." Erythis wasn't sure what to say. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. "What do you do?"
"What do I-..."
"Magic?" He snapped his fingers, a few sparks of the arcane shooting off around them with a flash.
"Yes, actually. I've been newly enlisted within the magistry." He laughed at her, then.
"A part of the magistrate, are we? Too many rules, for my taste."
"I don't always follow the rules."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really."
"Sure you don't." He snickered. Was he mocking her? She held a hand, palm upwards at her side. The sorceress conjured a small ball of fire, which flickered and churned in the air above it.
"I prefer pyromancy, and that's entirely frowned upon."
"Alright, Red. Red hair, red fire, red spirit. Show me what you've got then." The sorceress raised an eyebrow at him, staring in confusion, until she began to feel a chill creep up her spine. Ice was forming at her feet, freezing her in place.
"Hey! What are you doing?" She fidgeted, squirming in place.
"Fight me."
"Here!? Are you daft? We're in the middle of the city!"
"Behind a tavern. Are you just going to let yourself freeze?" Scoffing, the magistrix began to glow with a dim red aura, her body temperature heating. The ice began to melt and she freed herself, sidestepping.
"I'm not going to hurt you. You're insane."
"How do you know if you're any good if you never test your strength?" Swiftly, a slice of arcane soared through the air, slicing against her cheek and leaving behind a shallow cut in its wake.
"Ow! Hey! Stop it!" And another. The cuts weren't deep, but blood did pool from them and drip, slowly, along her alabaster skin. Finally, she gave in, firing of a quick lash of fire at her newfound opponent. He moved swiftly out of the way and laughed.
"Missed me!" Shards of ice flew from his hand and she ducked away this time, disappearing for a moment. The man looked disoriented as he tried to find her, and then suddenly let out a hiss as a fireball collided with his back. She had appeared behind him, bouncing a ball of fire on her palm like it was a toy ball. It burnt into the woven fabric of his vest, leaving a hole in its wake. It had burnt his skin, but not too severely.
"Not that time!" This time, he was the one to disappear. She turned, expecting him to pull the same trick. But instead of launching an assault, the man had appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her midsection, tight in a way as to hold her in place. Her heart was pounding. She squirmed, at first, and then stilled.
"What's your name, dollface?"
"Tell me yours first." She tried to seem composed and refrain from stuttering, which she barely accomplished. She felt feverish, and it was making her both intrigued and uncomfortable.
"Kainn."
"Just..., Kainn?"
"That's all you get until you tell me yours."
"I'll tell you mine if you let me go, Sir Kainn." He laughed at her.
"Sir Kainn? I don't think so. Try again."
"...You said you were of noble blood?"
"You can be of noble blood and disregard those petty titles."
"Kainn. Let me go?" She was sweating a little, now. She could feel his breath on her neck. She felt his hand then, on her face. It rose up to her cheek, a finger sliding against her skin and picking up several droplets of blood.
"I'm sorry, about the scratch. Your face is far too pretty for it. It's not deep, it'll heal in a few days." She fell silent, unsure of what to say. "Relax, will you? You're very tense. Don't get me wrong, I think that you wiggling around against me is incredibly, sexy- however..." She jerked from him, then, and he let her go. She turned, facing him in a huff.
"If you want to know my name, I have a favor to ask you."
"What's the favor?"
"You have to agree to it first."
"...I have to agree to it without knowing what it is?"
"Do you want to know my name, or not?"
"You're quite the little spitfire when you get rolling, aren't you?" She frowned, and he flashed a broad grin. "I accept your terms."
"My name is Erythis."
"Just Erythis?"
"So long as you are just Kainn."
"What's the favor, dollface?"
"Erythis."
"Whatever. What is it?"
"You're not much of a gentleman, are you?" Her eyes narrowed a bit. She felt a strange faux-anger that she had never quite experienced before. "I need..., someone to accompany to my brother's wedding-"
"Oh, no. No no no. I don't do those big noble parties."
"You agreed to my terms!"
"Alright, alright. But I don't have a good track record with weddings." She raised an eyebrow. "A story for another time. When is this..., 'wedding,' of his?"
"The night after tomorrow."
"Well, I suppose I do enjoy dressing like a dapper gentleman."
"You're a little strange, aren't you?"
"And you're not?"
"Don't insult me!" The two of them bickered, and eventually, Erythis shook her head dismissively. "I'll need to meet with you tomorrow to go over the details."
"Fine. Maybe we'll have another little brawl. I promise not to aim for the face next time- and I'll go easy on you. Let you win so you can build up your confidence."
"I am a perfectly skilled opponent, thank you!"
"Talk is cheap, doll. You'll have to prove it."
"Fine! I will!" She raised her voice, huffing. She turned on her heel, walking down the stairs. "At the gardens, in front of the gate."
"Goodbye, Erythis."
"Goodbye, Kainn." She walked down the street, fuming. But as she got to the corner, she felt the need to look back and see him one last time. To her dismay, he had already disappeared into the night.
~*~*~*~*~
He waited, and waited, and waited some more. The man named Kainn, dressed in his newly-repaired black vest of mageweave, stood in the gardens with a stoic expression. Eventually, Erythis Firestorm, the heiress of Felo'Danil, emerged from nearby bushes, dressed in crimson silk robes. "You're late."
"I'm sorry. I got held up at home-..., I hope that's okay. I made it as fast as I could."
"I don't like waiting around, dollface. I don't appreciate it. Not one bit."
"...Look, I said I was sorry."
"Is that supposed to give me an hour of my time back? I'm doing you a favor, the least you could do is not be so late."
"You don't have to be such a jerk about it!" He turned his back to her and, coldly, began to walk away. "Hey, wait!" She set a hand on his shoulder, and he jerked away. "But-...we had an agreement." He turned, slowly, and looked at her. She looked at him back, blinking rapidly as he stared.
"Am I making you angry?" He scoffed at her.
"...A little, yeah. You waited all this time, so I know you wanted to see me."
"You know why I really came?"
"To hold up to your end of the agreement?"
"Yesterday, I had to restrain every muscle in my body from pinning you down and tearing off those tights with my teeth." For a moment, Erythis was speechless. She had never heard such language used towards her. For whatever reason, her face flushed.
"...I-..."
"I wanted to see if I still liked you outside of those streetwalker clothes. And just so you're aware, you still look ravishing." Ravishing? That was also a new one. She stammered a few jumbled syllables and turned her back, embarrassed.
"Then..., why are you so mad?" He set a hand on her arm and forced her to turn, staring at her.
"Just..., be quiet." He set his hand along her jaw and tilted her head up, making her look at him. Into those bright blue eyes.
"What-.." In his eyes she gazed. And then, they were closed. And so was hers. His lips pressed against hers with firm deliberation, claiming them. A mixture of heat, want, and angst hit her violently. Was this what she had been waiting for, all this time? She felt her body give in. Her thoughts all melded into one, and became indistinguishable. She couldn't think, and felt as if she couldn't breath. She kissed him over, and over, and over again- breathing in his air, smelling him, tasting him. Only one word was present then, a single syllable. A name:
Kainn.
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