A Lady’s Laments
Lady Braena stood quietly at the edge of the forest, looking up at the castle. So many things had happened since she first crossed that bridge, the first time she looked into the depths of the moat. She had grown, changed, become more of a loner. She remembered how she had come to be at the castle in the first place.. Lady Braena closed her eyes and thought back..
Braena was, most recently, in service to Starla, the Goddess of Eternal Light, who sent her out on a mission to seek out and protect the one who finds trouble at every turn. Upon finding the one that she was instructed to protect, Braena tried her best to keep the girl safe, but the girl kept pushing her aside, frustrating Braena more than words can ever express. She took her frustrations back to Starla. Upon relaying information to the Goddess, Starla sent Braena back to the girl, insisting that she get closer, keep her safe. Braena returned to the Castle, finding the girl once more, in more trouble than before she had left, unsure of what to do to help her, she did the only thing she knew to do, try to get close to her. This worked, for a while until the girl got herself in more trouble. Braena returned to the Goddess, again, failing in her mission to keep this girl safe. The Goddess was quite inflamed, but did not hold Braena responsible, knowing that she had done her best. Braena spoke at length with the Goddess about continuing the mission to protect the girl, but the girl had turned towards the Darkness. Braena went back to the castle, on her own, spent time with the girl, her Darkness overpowering, making her weak.
Braena returned to the Goddess, begged her release from her service. Starla refused, telling Braena it would be her life… Starla and Braena fought, and it nearly was Braena’s life, but Braena was a bit stronger than Starla expected. She finally conceded, with Braena barely breathing as she was thrown from the Castle. Some say Braena’s faith and love for one kept her alive, but she has no idea how she managed to survive. She remembers only crawling away from Starla’s castle, bloody and battered.
Upon waking, Braena was quite disoriented, weak, weary, exhausted, and ill. She had lost a lot of blood in her sleep.. or unconsciousness.. whichever it was, she was left weak, but somehow she ended back at the Castle again. She gathered her strength, dusted off her cloak, wiped the blood from her face and hands, drug herself into the castle slowly, not letting anyone see the wounds upon her body, not allowing anyone close enough to feel the pain that seemingly radiated from her very soul. Once inside, she slowly healed, gathering some of her strength back, making some new friends, learning some truths about those that she thought were friends, and growing as a person.
Upon opening her eyes again, Lady Braena wiped a single tear from her eye, shook her head slightly, knowing now that she could not step foot upon that bridge again until she was stronger and able to see the face of the one who had caused her to leave in the first place… She knows this will hurt one special person in particular, but she will know that it is certainly for the best for the Lady to be complete once again before returning to her.
Lady Braena whispers a soft blessing and well wishes to the lovely pixie and slips back into the forest and away.
