Warning
Mentions of cannibalism
Description of dead bodies
Rasism
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The path under her feets feels unnatural , unevenness and with the occasional cracking of sticks made it feel foreign . The forest and its paths so alien from the forest behind her home from what she remembered of the few times she had the courage to go and forage in it .
Her home …
No , she needs to think of something else . Something else like her …
Even in their first meeting she had stolen her breath out of her lungs with no mercy . Even dirtied , exhausted and clothed in rags , she was still the most gorgeous woman she had ever laid eyes on . She had looked like someone who had walked out of a masterpiece inspired by a great and old epic of a heroine praised for great beauty , maybe even a goddess . Vasilisa just haven't been able to take her eyes off her ever since she first saw her . Her eyes a tranquilizing green , changing color playfully with the light . So bright and lush just like ivy in spring , and yet there was that depth and intelligence to them , as if staring into a deep well not truly knowing who or what lives in it . Her curly locks moving in an intricate dance every time she took a step were like rich fields of mature wheat just before harvest . Her walk elegant like a leaf dancing in the winds . And her smooth and sweet like milk and honey voice always a pleasure to hear , so sweet and intoxicating it was that it might rival the seren themselfs .
Her whole presence was like a princess from a storybook come alive , no . If anything , those books and paintings don't do her justice .
She would have kept thinking about that god like beauty if not for the stench of iron and the foul odor associated with toilets and barns hitting her face like someone had punched her . Before her eyes it wasn't any better with the corpse lying around in their own blood and excrement , the look of horror stuck on their face like honey to hair . And judging from the lack of some of the bodies , the chort were ready at work . Probably cleaning , butchering and ugh … cooking the bodies already . She could only be thankful they were kind enough to cook them somewhere else , otherwise the scent of cooked flesh would have made her sick . The irony of getting sick from cooked meat wasn't lost to her , it might have even gotten a chuckle out of her if not for the tense situation .
The situation here demanding for her to do a job . The job of protecting this child and herself from the dangers this man might pose , even at the cost of her life . Because the alternative would be worse , so much worse . So she will be strong , for both of them .
I will go grab the mules , Vasilisa search the bodies and take what you can and you child , look at what we have . - What had before sounded as just a deceptive old man trying to seem grandfatherly now carried the threat of a predator , a very deceptive , dangerous and sadistic predator . Was his tactic of putting distance a way to make her drop her guard ?
His soft steps in the direction of the mule's tracks were enough to slightly startel her, the stress must be going to her . After making sure to keep an eye on the child and to tell her not to touch anything sharp if she finds it she started to search the corpses .
She first kicked the body closest to herself to see if it was really dead or not . After getting no response she knelt down to look at what might be on the body . The blood on its neck from what looks to be the killing blow has already started to hardened not too much yet of course , just enough to be sticky like honey . The scent of blood would undeniably cling to her hands for days after this , yet she didn't mind . She didn't even need to butcher the body after getting what she wanted , for a difference of the times she helped in the butchering of other animals when trying to satisfy that hunger for flesh and blood of hers . And the temptation of how sweet this blood might be on her tongue was not lost , but now is not the time to eat . She has a child to look after . That child ...
What was the girl's name again ? Doesn't matter she can ask later . And also check on her and where she was , she had lost her exact location but did knew she was close . She would have heard light steps too far away for comfort otherwise .
She continues searching the body . And for her efforts she finds a knife , five silver grivna and around a dozen bronze ones , all shapes different from the ones she knew but there was no mistaking it . He must have traveled a lot if that's how his finances looked . And yet his life ended here , serves him right for getting into slavery . At the end of her search and leaving enough clothes on the body so as to not traumatize the child , she finally took his belt , after all a dead person has no use for it .
After about three bodies she heard crying coming from one of the wagons . Praying to Morana that no impure dead have awoken yet , she took the knife out and with careful and silent steps started to walk to the source of the wailing . Between herself and the child she is much more likely to survive , being an adult and all . Well that and also her ace in the sleeve should it be needed . Just as she took the final step to the wailing .
One look was enough to find who it was . The little girl was crying over an unevenly colored charcoal smudged and blood stained rag . A rag she was holding close to her chest like one would a family member about to die or even already dead but unaccepting the end of that person's life . She knows , she did the same when her grandma died . And she also remembers what the adults did even when still grieving back then .
So she took a step forward and another and yet another , until she was before the same wagon as the little girl in mourning . She took a seat next to her at around a hand distance away . Just because she might want to console her doesn't mean the girl will feel the same . The almost nonexistent sound of wood aching under her weight and the light rocking of the wagon seem to have been enough to get the younger one out of her sadness long enough to comprehend the body to her right . The look of question in those red puffy eyes still having tears and snot running as if a waterfall was enough of a reason for Vasilisa to answer . Not to mention the difficulty of speaking while sobbing and having your breath uncooperatively trying to still continue with the wail .
Can I keep you company ? - The small and uncertain nod she was given after several seconds of waiting broke her heart .She felt a weight settle in her chest , only a small amount of the sadness the child was undeniable feeling . So for a while they stayed seated on a wagon , just like earlier today except they were free . With their wardens' corpses on their feet .
And so they stood that way . Two girls , one far from coming to age and another who might have come of age but was still a child inside . Both sitting on a wagon , around them the scent of blood and other in the air where earlier today there was flowers of spring . On the path where rather than green the earth has been colored a now dirty dark on the once blood free path , and around them men that just yesterday ago seemed unkillable were now only corpses left . The quietness broken only by quiet sobs might have been unnerving , but for them at that moment it wasn't .
Uncertain but wanting to finally break the silence the younger took a deep breath , and started to talk .
Why ? Why are you so kind to me ? - Was the poor child mistreated so badly as to not expect help from her fellow people ? No wait , that actually makes sense . There are only four ways to become a slave . So the child either lost her community or didn't have one to start with .
- Is there a reason needed to be kind to a grieving child ? - Vasilisa would have thought that she had succeeded in calming the child somewhat , if not for the crying to renew startling her .
- Anything I can do to help ?!?! Maybe I can help clean the cloth ?!? - The shakiness and panic in her voice was probably heard , but there is a crying child before her . The priorities are clear .
- No ! - She might have shoveled herself deeper in the problem . - The blood ruined it ! Now it will be useless ! - Stopping to take a breath the next words to come out of her mouth were in a quiet and truly heartbreaking voice , not because of emotions but for the lack of their display . - Now she is truly dead . - With those words she shrank even tighter into a ball as if trying to emulate an egg . The string around Vasilisa's heart was being tightent and tightent .
It was like looking into a mirror , another soul who had lost what was most precious to them . The largest difference being where Vasilisa only had the memories this child had another thing to remember her home by . With determination in her heart she opened her mouth and spoke .
- It can be fixed . So would you let me help you ? - The quiet just starting song of the swallow nearby was heard . A prophet of the promise that will come .
You promise ? - The swallow song was getting closer and closer , louder and louder and finally …
I do . - They were here . A truly gigantic flock of swallow , enough to even cover the sun for a few moments . Both of them looked up . Shaken to their soul , because this . This is them laid bare before Rugiaevit eyes to see , and for them to keep their word .
Wow , someone must have made a very big promise . Maybe even one that will change the word for so many swallows to be flying back to Rugiaevit that quickly . - Vasilisa's voice was still shaking from awe at this mythological scene .
Do you think it was us ? - The curiosity that only a child can possess was adorable , especially on one such child that had gone through Rod knows what . And really you can't even fault her for thinking what she does , such are mortals . Wanting to leave their mark in the history of the word .
- Probably a few of them were from us , the rest however … probably some tsar . Or maybe Devana finally overthrew her father . - The small and cute laugh that she got was like a hundred little bells all singing in a happy tune , it made warmth course through Vasilisa's body . It was nice to feel this simple happiness again .
The noise of branches cracking and bushes rustling took their attention to find where it came from . Their ears lead them to the kaldun , leading the mules back . And judging from the lack of leashes his chorts are helping . No wonder he was so calm , with his lackeys here if worst comes to worst he has an army at beck and call . Suddenly a chill runs down her spine at the realization . She was assured in her capabilities to take down mortal men , maybe even warriors head on . But knowers ? It's like playing cards with a rusalka , just because they might play to amuse themselves does by no means guarantee the mortal is safe even and if they win .
She takes to strain her eyes hoping to catch at least a small glimpse of where they were , she would have wondered why they had hidden themself so thoroughly if not for the diverse group of people they were here . And just how many people might be from "unions" between the living and the dead like herself , capable of sneaking a peek in Chenobog's domain .
She could catch small "ripples" in the fabric of the word , enough that she knew if she stared for too long her head would start to hurt from learning a secret not fully meant for her . But she presevies , for both herself and the child on her side .
- Done yet with the corpses ? - There was a little space before he continued , maybe to see how many corpses were still clothed , she couldn't know having not moved her gaze . - Guess not . Well , we still have time . - Had Vasilisa taken her eyes off the chores she would have seen the quiet amusement and curiosity towards the cloth in Slavica's hands , and maybe Slavica's own glare of feral possessiveness toward the very same cloth directed towards Svetlen's eyes .
The silence would have continued if not for the old man crouching down and starting to take whatever was possible from the corpses . It was enough to make the two girls start to move as well . And so in roughly nine fingers they were done , even with the heavy and tense atmosphere . So they took towards the rest of the group , roads not as alien and wrong as before but still alien . The walk was thankfully shorter than she had thought it would be .
And after around two fingers they were finally here . Things haven't changed too much in their absence , and with no dead bodies a fight probably hasn't broken out . She lets her eyes roam on the group , the fire starting group seem to still have trouble starting a fire , judging from the frankly ridiculous amount of firewood right next to them and with no smoke coming out .
- The fire is still not ready ? - And it seems the old man noticed too .And had it not been for having her attention she probably would have missed the next part . As he suddenly lifted his hand and snapped his finger while casting a zagovor . - Ogun ! And done . Now we're only missing dinner . -
With his nonchalant at using a zagovor and speaking it so loud for everyone to hear he would have you believe magic is something so common as to not even think of using it and possibly teaching others by accident . People have been corrupted by less power than this zagovor . And Vasilisa is not so pure as to be untempted for its power , especially here with those people . So while committing the secret of the word to memory she heard the cries of outrage from the before mentioned fire starting group .
You mean to tell me you could have done this from the start ! Why not just do it before you departed ? - The unique pronunciation of his word only somewhat similar to the scarred samodiva quickly pointed to who it was that was talking , well that and being an adult man's voice . Because it's funnier to see you struggle . - The answer really shouldn't have been surprising and it largely didn't , but there was a small part of her that didn't anticipate it . She really needed a better read on this asshole's charather if only to be able to predict him somewhat .
Out of the corner of her eyes she noticed a small body move to the fire , and judging from the wet clothes and hair it was for warmth . And the knife wielding samodiva got closer to Vasilisa who quickly took out the knife to give back , only to be ignored .
- Why is the child wet ? - Vasilisa said out loud to be heard and maybe answered .
- She tried to catch fish , it didn't go as planned . - While saying this Marya she thinks was her name , climbed in the wagon and started to search for something . Vasilisa's intuition and understanding of this redhead were whispering that she was searching for clothes in the child size .
- It's good we finally have a fire then ? - Just because word aren't a strong suit of Vasilisa doesn't mean she can be rude and stop the conversation , her grandma thought her better than that .
- Yes . - The stoney and unmoving face had creeped her once upon a time , now however it had a familiarity she appreciated . The next sound to come from those lips was one of triumph , with a little smile she has seen on cats who have just caught a bird . And in her hand were non-bloodstained clothes at around the child's size . - Now a comb .I don't know about psoglav culture but i woudnt recommend combs from corpses , they only bring misfortune . - Likho was already on their tail , no need to call for more of their attention or even wrath .
- It's vulkglav … - The tone of her voice had suddenly changed from friendly to cold and hostile . One look at her face was enough to know she had offended her somehow , but how ?
- Aren't psoglav and vulkglav practically the same thing ? Psoglav is an insult . So don't use it . - After saying this she stood with the clothes and a long piece of blanket in her hand and went to the child .
Then made said child follow her into the forest , and after having what she might have deemed as far enough stopped . She then lifted the blanket in what was probably an attempt to save a little of the girl's modesty , especially with several men around . Then a few moments later she hears some gibberish too far away to decipher . And a few moments then the older one of the two moves her head until it was as on in the exact same direction like a shoulder of her-
- Does anyone have any levels in a cooking class ? - She would have continued to watch over and make sure everything is okay for the child and her new maybe friend , if not for the fact no one else seems to know how to cook judging by the lack of answers .
- Yes ! I'm coming to you ! - Guess she is gonna show them what someone with 65 levels in [Cook] is capable of .
The ground was still somewhat foreign but she can learn to live here .