Feelings

“And this is our ballroom!” Risa said, arms spread, a proud grin.

The soldiers around offered bows as the two walked around.

Risa was giving Maria a tour.

A tour of the castle.

“We can hold up to a thousand guests!”

“What sort of entertainment do you have here?”

“Hmm… dramas, poetry showdown, music, and such?”

Maria rolled her eyes. Yes, she figured.

“I’ve been meaning to ask but- just how advanced are the other races?”

The two kept on walking.

Smooth floor- almost a little slippery even; the ball.

Wide ceiling and eight chandeliers. Two of those eight, particularly the two in the middle were really big, had multiple crystal-like small counterparts, and glistened like diamonds.

“How do you mean?” Risa asked.

“I mean, you don’t really seem all that advanced as a race. You don’t even have toilet paper and-” Maria paused as she realized what she was talking about.

“Not advanced…? We’re fairly advanced you know… I’d say more than humans at least…” She stopped, leaned closer. “What’s toilet paper again?”

Maria feigned a smile. “Never mind…”

***

They toured the whole castle.

This particular castle only had three floors and it wasn’t as big as the demon castle. And though the architecture was fairly similar, there were vast differences.

One, there wasn’t much to any darkness looming about.

Two, the ceilings were oddly higher. Upon asking, Risa explained that since their ancestors were dragons, they preferred higher grounds. Didn’t mean anything to Maria though.

And third, the demon castle of Nasth was more or less abandoned and had way too many secret corridors, or so Maria had heard. This place however, was not abandoned. As for secret passages and such, Maria wasn’t too sure.

“And finally, this is our training grounds!”

All this time Risa had showed Maria around, and was awfully excited.

“Any particular reason why you’re so physed?”

Risa cocked her head a bit. “I’m not sure of what you mean.”

“I mean, you’ve been awfully excited since morning. Showing me around, being all proud. Do you not get many visitors?”

“I do but-” A shrug. “They all suck up to me. You’re one of the few that don’t. Actually, I feel like sucking up to you.” She giggled, obviously indicating it being a joke.

How much of it was a joke though, Maria had her doubts. “Sure. I don’t see many soldiers here though.”

“Oh, they’re on vacation for the rest of the week.”

“How lax of you. We’re in midst of a war you know.”

The demons had gone back and the undead Queen had erected another great barrier.

All communication with the demons were down and sufficed to say, they were definitely preparing for an all-out war.

“I know. That’s why they’re being sent home. After all, who knows if they’ll ever see their families again or not.” Risa smiled, the sun behind her painted her in a warm light.

Yet-

Maria’s heart- wasn’t.

She didn’t feel the warmth.

Instead-

‘That’s right… if they die…’

That was the end.

She was a soldier and she was prepared for death.

She understood the meaning behind wanting to see one’s family one last time before dying. And she understood the regret of not having done so-

Yet- ‘Damn…’ Eyes slowly moistening up.

She didn’t mean to- yet the feelings came up.

Those haunting feelings of wanting to see her niece- seeing her grow up-

Her parents were dead. Her stepmother was shit. Her brother was even worse. Yet- her niece, that innocent child- Maria wanted to see her again.

She wanted to hear her voice again. She wanted to feel that warmth-

That touch-

That warmth-

Like an underwater volcano- everything erupted, making her want to lie down throwing fits, wailing-

‘Damn it!’ Teeth against teeth- a deep breath.

It all went away.

Suppressed.

Gone.

“You, okay?” Risa asked, a little concerned.

“I’m fine, why do you ask?” Maria answered. Blank.

Not a trace of emotion on her face, the tears refused to leak.

“Oh, nothing. Let’s go have some lunch?”

“Sure.”

***

Nothing really happened for the rest of the day.

Maria didn’t have any more feelings leaking out.

She just acted nice and normal.

Risa though-

Observed.

It was odd-

The Dragonborn only knew of the Owen noble for a handful of days- and yet for some reason, she could feel- she could feel that burning emotion when she saw it.

Risa knew that particular feeling… after all, she had people she could never meet again too. Someone she could never talk to again. Someone-

Therefore-

She understood it.

Feelings.

//***//

“You sure about that?” The voice resonated.

Dark room.

Not much in sight.

“Yes, sire; summoned with the sacrifice of almost a thousand.”

Two voices.

It was so dark, neither could see the other.

But they could feel-

Feel the presence of one another.

No, that wasn’t quite it.

It wasn’t a feeling- no. There was more- a more terrifying sensation-

Blood…

“Then, kill her, we must-” The voice commanded.

Silence-

Eerily silent halls-

Not a trace of sound-

Almost as though-

The world-

Was afraid.

“However, even among the heroes, she’s special. And thus, quite powerful. Besides, that wretched being has taken great interest in her… it would prove to be quite the disaster if we should dispose of her right now.”

“Hmmm….” A swirl of a glass… containing red liquid. “Very well-” His eyes glimmered faintly red. “However-” Fangs erupted in the darkness- as the red liquid went inside him…

“Once the matter is settled, I shall dispose of her personally.”

“Excellent-”

Laughter echoed-

Clouding the empty halls-

Of the palace-

-Of a thousand nights.