Private Tales Roses and Rust

[Gannis]

"Yeah," said Gannis, putting his hand on the door.

His conversation with Larka about the dangers of shifting could wait until later.

An insistent pressure on the door conveyed that they were coming inside. Sister Aysel certainly had some interesting views on the process.

"At least we're still standing. What the fuck is that thing following Mirren?"

 

[Larka]

Florian did try to keep the door between him and Gannis, but it was clear that he was no match for the seasoned venari. Or any warrior. He lacked the strength and the determination to try and push back against someone stronger than him. The door opened completely and Florian stepped aside.

He nervously looked away, unable to meet Gannis’ or Larka’s fierce gold gaze, gooseflesh appearing on his forearms as the translucent white hairs rose in anticipation.

“W-well, I-I was hope-hoping y-you c-c-could—“

“You know more than you’re sharing!” Larka hissed out, bending over for a moment, panting hard as if she had just sprinted for miles. She gritted her teeth. Lifted up her head to glare at Florian. “The only reason why the townspeople haven’t killed her is because they can’t, can they? And you knew that.” She accused.

“Well, I haven’t tried to kill her so… I can’t say if that’s… true or not.” Florian’s tongue stumbled out hesitantly. He glanced over to Gannis. “Please, let’s not do this on my front porch. Let’s go back into my office. I can tell that… well, I can’t explain the apparition but, it’s not like I’ve ever seen it.” Florian took a deep, heavy breath. “Did… either of you… catch what it looked like? Could you see it with your… unique eyes?”

Larka shivered, closing her eyes for a moment due to the way he said the last two words. It left a bad taste in her mouth. When she looked back at Florian, a different sort of sick could be felt in her gut.

In the man’s eyes, there was something there that Larka knew was bad. Lust. She had witnessed it in other’s, had vowed to never experience such a thing and to only ever honor the teachings of the conclave. But in Florian’s eyes, there it was, a shimmer, brief but clear as night and day. Larka bit her lower lip, stepping up the porch’s steps, resisting the itch to place a hand on her dagger.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

Gannis had little patience for requests for privacy. Pain crawled up his spine and settled behind his eyes. The temporary shift still had its effects on him, even if he was more accustomed to it than Larka.

He missed what Larka saw, already looking past Florian towards the study. He didn't let Florian march off without him. There could have been a loaded crossbow or some manner of dangerous item back there.

"Crack open a shutter and keep an eye for the girl. Or the thing," Gannis growled at Larka.

He placed a hand on florian's shoulder, keeping close as they retreated deeper into the house. Larka was still close enough to join the conversation.

"Caught more than we'd have liked," Gannis admitted. "Now spill everything you know."

 

[Larka]

Larka nodded her head at Gannis’ instructions, heading off into a corner section of the house. It would have been an excellent spot to gather guests if it wasn’t cluttered with knickknacks and dusty books and dull canvases of ugly landscapes. Larka noticed a cobweb underneath a side table, but her golden gaze was focused on the two windows on the adjacent walls. A good vantage point, and as Gannis wanted, she cracked a peephole in each one.

Florian on the other hand flinched at Gannis’ rough hand on his shoulder, a terrifying grip that caused the man to resist the urge to flee. He cleared his throat as they walked down that narrow hallway, entering his office which seemed to have only grown messier since they were last there.

“Well, I don’t know much, I was thinking you two would understand this better.” Florian said with a nervous laugh at the end. He was back at his desk, ruffling through parchment and books and whatever other junk there was. “I mean, there’s just so many possibilities. And I’ve never seen it but…” he glanced at Gannis, a shiver going down his spine.

It had just occurred to him that he currently had two monsters in his home.

“I do have some assumptions. I grew up on a legend.” Florian paused. “Gallica has prospered because of a deal made long ago. I know you’re busy so I won’t go into all the trivial details, but the roses here are special. They treat many illnesses, of the chest, the gut, the stomach, the throat, and even the eyes. Even the mind can be cured, or, so many say.” Another nervous titter of laughter, but looking back at the venari’ s face, Florian remembered that he promised to skip to what was only necessary.

“The legend goes that to appease the god that granted the medicinal rose, as well as have profitable harvests and be protected from blights and what-have-you, that a offering must be given. I’m sure you’ve heard of plenty of backwater towns offering virgin brides to their demise in a dangerous mountain or wood. Barbaric, really. In this day and age, unneeded. My father stopped that tradition of sending a girl to her death every fifteen years.” Florian rubbed at the back of his neck. “The legend never said anything about rust, though, so… it could be something entirely different, perhaps?”

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

Gannis let out a slow sigh. Of course there was more. He should have picked up on that earlier. He was the venator here and his mistake could have cost them both dearly. The rust all across the town should have been enough to take more care, but the next obvious lead had been Mirren.

She had been the next obvious lead because that is where he had been sent.

A deal with a god. One that went back generations. No common monster. Not something that could be brought down with steel. How naive of him.

It wasn't a forest spirit, no dryad or fae. It certainly wasn't a dragon. From the behaviour of the creature he had to place this in the category of restless spirits.

"How, exactly, was the sacrifice supposed to be made? Where...were they to be taken. That thing seemed awfully keen to protect Mirren, pretty attached. I'd say whatever that thing is, it's decided on its sacrifice without you."

 

[Larka]

Another nervous titter came from Florian and for some reason he continued to search around his desk, picking things up to look at them but to say nothing further. Sweat began to bead along his brow, even along the patches of rust on his skin.

“Well. Funny thing is, and I suppose I should have told you but it ended so long ago it just never came up, I mean, it’s such a curious thing really and if i was superstitious I’d consider it, but we all know that…” Florian rambled for a bit more, coming up with more and more justifications. Finally, he took in a deep breath, his face having gone red from all the talking.

“So yes, well, Mirren’s family was one of the families that would offer up their girls. The Olmeda, Duran and Lanza families are, well, I guess you can say that their ancestors weren’t treated too kindly back in the day. So it was expected that they would do it. They’re outsiders. I’m sure you’ve noticed with how far away Mirren lives. The same can be said for the Duran and Lanza households, just at different places in Gallica.” Florian paused.

“My father would know more about the old traditions. He’s the one who stopped them almost fifty years ago.” Florian looked finally into Gannis’ eyes. “If you’re willing to come upstairs… he can’t move anymore.”

---

Larka continued keeping watch, face pale and green, lips turning chapped and dull. It was hard to keep her eyes open. In her peripheral she caught sight of it: a harvestmen spider, walking up along the sill of the window, it’s spindly legs as thick as one strand of hair. Without thinking, Larka snatched it and shoved it into her mouth, chewing quickly and swallowing, looking like a guilty dog that had just dug up the garden.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

“Well. Funny thing is, and I suppose I should have told you...

Gannis did not see the funny side. If a slight narrowing of the eyes could have done so, this look would have flayed the skin from Florian's bones.

Fifty years was a long time. They must have grown complacent and assumed that there was no real curse. There were many creatures to which fifty years was the blink of an eye.

"Let's see if he has anything to say then," Gannis replied.

If there was a location, would he dare visit? Was there really a chance of the creature coming for them again if they were to where the other sacrifices had been dropped off. If Mirren was who it wanted, why hadn't it taken her before?

Gannis was convincing himself to do something reckless again.

"Larka, shout if you see anything weird going on out there."

 

[Larka]

“Understood!” Larka called back to Gannis, looking over her shoulder before sighing in relief. It seemed he hadn’t caught her. Good. She turned her head back to the windows, her stomach growling regardless.

---

Florian led Gannis upstairs. Every step creaked, the narrow staircase seeming to heave under the two men’s weight. Upstairs was sparse compared to downstairs. Nothing was on the walls, there were no stack of books or useless pieces of furniture taking of space. Upstairs there were only two rooms, and Florian opened the door on the right.

“Gannis, this is my father, Valerian. I’ll wake him up.”

The old man looked ancient, his skin crinkled and paper-thin. The translucent pale skin showed all of his blue veins, the ones under his eyes or his neck or his bare forearms. While asleep, his mouth was wide open, showcasing a few yellowed teeth and pink gums. His tongue was dry and covered in white, but yet a single line of drool was dripping down one cheek covered in liver spots.

There was no signs of rust on him, but then again, underneath the thin blanket, one could see that Valerian’s body stopped at the middle of his thighs. No knees, no calves, no feet.

“The rust affected him quite quickly. Whereas everyone else could still move around, it got inside of him somehow. Ruined his feet. The doctor suggested we cut above his knees to keep the injection from spreading. It worked.” Florian went over to his father, picked up a vial of lilac liquid and then poured it into the old man’s gaping mouth.

Soon enough, the elder was sputtering and coughing, voice and breath hoarse and uneven.

“Florian.” He whispered, wincing as he spoke, his pale eyes adjusting to the fading light in the room.

“His mind is undamaged.” Florian said, looking back at Gannis. “Knows what day of the week it is better than I do.” A half smile appeared, one that didn’t reach his eyes. He looked back down at his father. “I have someone here to help us with the curse. He wants to know about the old tradition, the one you ended.” Valerian coughed but said nothing. “The tradition with sending in the young women.”

“I know what you speak of.” Valerian said and grunted. “It’s not something I wish to share.”

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

As they went up the creaking steps, Gannis realised he had curled his fists tightly closed. When he forced his hands open, he found his nails had drawn blood.

He knew from the scent that there was someone old and decrepit beyond the door. Florian likely kept the old man good and clean, but nothing would hide that smell. At least he could not smell any trace of sepsis.

"You've lost your legs, your entire town will lose worse," Gannis growled. "Might just be able to save them. Or do you not give a shit about them cos you'll be dead soon?"

It was blunt, but he wasn't in the mood for gentle negotiations. Gannis wouldn't have been even at the best of times.

 

[Larka]

A harsh bark of a laugh ripped through the air, the old man’s shuddering body wheezing with bitter indignation. It wasn’t long before he was hacking up a wet cough, echoing all around the room. When he had finished, he slowly brought his glassy gaze over to Gannis, looking him over.

“You look closer to death’s door than me,” another cough overtook his body, this one longer than the last. “The old tradition was a pile of shit. Every fifteen years, find a girl old enough to send into that forest. Had to be unblemished. If she wasn’t, you’d hear screaming that night and then you’d need to send in another way to keep it’s wrath at bay.” There was a pause from the old man. “You’d teach the girl a song to sing while she went into the forest. That song was supposed to be how she entered.” There was a sigh that came from him then.

“Wasn’t fair the same families had to keep giving up their kids. None of the other families were willing to give up their kids. Not that I blamed them, it wasn’t an honor to send your kid off to whatever monsters live in that wood. So I ended it. Wolves were probably getting to them anyways. This rust is just a small price to pay for no blood spilt.”

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

"The song..." Gannis muttered.

What has the curse done to Mirren's voice? Even thinking of it made his stomach turn.

Thinking back to the melted ward, Gannis knew that he didn't have the skills to take on this curse head on. They needed to work around it, or within the confines of whatever agreement had been made.

"What do you think?" he asked Florian. "Why Mirren? Why did you send us to her?

"It wants her, so why hasn't it just taken her?"

Maybe those weren't within the pact it had set itself, so it simply let its will be known. Gannis had never dealt with anything so powerful. Ten years of rust. He was starting to think they wouldn't keep Mirren out of its clutches.

 

[Larka]

While Valerian’s eyes darkened, Florian looked over at Gannis with guilty eyes. His palms were clammy and sweat began beading up around his forehead and upper lip. It was quite stuffy in the room, the window shut and barred, prolonged decay causing the air to be stiff like wilting roses.

“Well, you heard her voice, it’s… strange to say the least. And she has no rust on her but her parents are covered in it.” He then glanced over to his elderly father. “Can’t we just give Mirren to the… to… it? Maybe send her off and—“

“Mirren won’t do.” Valerian shook his head, his hands shaking as well as he slowly forced his gnarled fingers to make loose fists. “I’m sure she was ruined like her mother.” He said vehemently, venom laced in his words. “Fuckin piece of shit.”

“What do you mean ‘ruined?’ Who? Was he—“

“I forced him into marrying Seneca once he admitted to his crime— it was beneficial for her. No way someone from here would willingly marry an Olmeda, especially a tarnished one..” Valerian brought his disgusted gaze over to Florian, snorting. “The rust covered their entire house after one night. The first one to suffer was that bastard. It stopped his hands and fingers from working. Seneca and Mirren were fine. Weeks later, Seneca started having the rust appear as well. I was the third.” Valerian sighed. “This was two… three, years ago?”

“I don’t care.” Florian said suddenly, his voice raising. “Any girl will do, right? Then we find whoever fits the description and end this curse! We can send Mirren in first, you don’t seem to have proof about anything you said, and if it won’t take her then we grab another. One girl for the benefit of the whole town is worth it! We could be saving hundreds!”

“I once thought the same thing.” Valerian muttered. He opened his mouth to say more, but he was cut off.

“Gannis!” Larka shouted from downstairs, an edge in her voice. “Gannis, they’re here!”

Immediately after, the sound of wooden boards cracking and breaking could be heard as the house shook.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

"Florian, you stay here and be quiet," Gannis muttered.

He had started to entertain the notion of punching the man in the nose to end his histerics. Gannis had needed clear and concise accounts of everything that led up until this moment.

It was clear to him, that whichever side of the argument they sat on that the men in power in this town were entirely too certain of their own decisions and plans.

It wasn't uncommon that a man was the source at the core of any curse or infestation. Nature was content to run its course until some daft cunt built a bridge over a nest of vodnik.

"Coming right here or just in the town again?" Gannis asked as he rushed back down the stairs.

 

[Larka]

Larka’s eyes, still dull from her exhaustion, were wide open, her hips parted slightly as she began stepping away from the door.

“They’re here! Here.” Larka said, the dagger Gannis had given her was already poised to stab at whatever was ramming into the door. The hum of rust could be heard reverberating outside of the house, the walls still shaking as little flecks of rust began burrowing their way through the minuscule cracks.

The boards heaved under the force as something kept ramming at the door. Larka gritted her teeth when she heard a crunch. The house seemed to wail, a cacophony of ruin as the rust began to even seep through the floorboards. Larka, ever the acrobat, leaped and grabbed onto the staircase, for the first time being eye level with Gannis.

“Are there windows upstairs? We can scale the roof, get a good vantage point?” Her gaze was brought up to the top of the stairs, seeing Florian. He was staring right at her, a mixture of emotions in his eyes. This time, Larka repressed her shiver. She had bigger things to worry about.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

"Oi out there!" Gannis cried out.

He was already grabbing something to brace against the door.

"Get a look out the windows up there," he hissed, "but don't draw its attention."

It was able to fling those shards of rust with reasonable accuracy. If she opened the wooden shutters she would make a fine target.

"Keep something close with the scent of Kitty on it," he added quickly. "If you have to shift again you might be able to remember to follow that."

He kicked away a pillar of rust that tried to snatch at him. Bracing the door wasn't going to help for long.

"Stop this and tell us what the fuck you want!" he shouted, drawing his sword and backing towards the stairs.

 

[Larka]

Larka nodded her head, swinging a leg over the railing and began to run up the stairs. She was quick, ducking underneath Florian’s outstretched arm and going to a window. Her bare feet took pause at the shutters as she brought her hair towards her face. Many venari tended to keep their hair short, but Larka, especially with her smell only increasing when she shifted and otherwise being extraordinarily human, her hair helped to carry scent.

And besides, no matter what, she’d always find Kitty.

She opened the shutters, bending down low to peer forward, seeing the front yard. There was Mirren, whether alive or not was hard to tell as she limply was held in the rust-monster’s hands. She couldn’t see what was barreling at the door so she—

Larka felt large yet sweaty hands grabbed a fistful of her hair at the pace of her crown, another hand was grabbing at the back of her neck.

“Have you been fucked?” Larka cringed at Florian’s raspy whisper so close to her ear.

“Of course not, now get back before you get hurt—“ she yelped in shock as he flung her with ease out the window. Larka really needed to gain some weight. But right now she focused on twisting her body so she wouldn’t roll off the roof.

Down below, Gannis would hear a ephemeral whisper, it would repeat the same words over and over. “Give it back.” A mixture of a voice that sounded like Mirren’s haunted tone but one that reeked of soured magic.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

"Give it back? Give what back? Tell me and maybe-"

He was cut off by Larka's yelp. He saw the shadow. He heard the thump of her coming down.

It took the span of two heartbeats to tralise what Florian had done, what had been thinking.

"You absolute cunt of a man," Gannis growled. He made a deep growl of frustration at the back of his throat.

And he chose a drastic course of action.

Gannis walked forwards calmly and opened the door. He wanted the creature's focus on him, not his charge.

"Come on," he said, showing that he didn't hold a sword. He didn't know if it could even recognise that.

"What do you want?"

 

[Larka]

Gannis would be met with a creature of rust, twisted and malformed, but somehow it would resemble the shape of a small bear. It had cartoonishly long claws but they would have been weak if not for the magic that bound the rust together. The rust shifted like sand being churned.

Behind the rust beast stood the monster itself, holding Mirren tightly to it’s chest.

Whether it was because Gannis was calm or for a different reason entirely, the rust bear stepped aside, lumping and clumsily as if it’s limbs were cheap stilts. The monster stepped forward, coming towards Gannis in a unbothered cadence. He laid Mirren, limp yet still breathing on the porch steps.

“Give it back.” It intoned again.

Larka was able to stop sliding down the wooden roof, the bottoms of her bare feet getting sliced up and full of slivers in the process. The dagger was still in her hand as she got on her hands and knees. Perhaps stupidly she didn’t shift, not yet, but really she was nervous. Her energy was low, her body acting as if she had starved for days despite her last meal only being eight or so hours ago.

This time she didn’t shout Gannis’ name, hoping he would hear her traveling over his head— and hopefully only he would hear.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

Larka hadn't come tumbling down from the roof. She was armed only with a knife up there, so he still wanted to keep any attention away from her.

It was the resilience of the beast that was the problem. Gannis was a quick study. He was certain he could survive the rust for long enough to strike again, but it wouldn't achieve anything.

"Keep nice and still Larka," he said quietly. Though he hoped that if Florian went after her he would get a knife to the gullet.

Gannis slowly lowered himself to one knee. He placed the back of his hand to Mirren's cheek. She was still breathing, and not too hot or cold.

"What do you want back?" Gannis asked, tone even as he tried not to provoke the creature.

 

[Larka]

Larka listened to her venator, not moving, but preparing. She could faintly see the outline of the rust monster, yet she had no idea about what exactly what was going on. Was Mirren dead? Something else?

“Broken. Give it back.” Was the only thing the beast could say. Larka’s brows narrowed, trying to think about what it could be suggesting. She stayed quiet even though she wanted to speak. Of course, the calm quiet of the situation ended enough, with Florian pounding on the broken window sill.

“Take the girl up here!” He shouted.

There was a heavy pause, pregnant with primordial need. With Mirren still resting at the foot of the step, the rust monster launched itself upward, tendrils of rust snaking out towards Larka. The foster hissed under her breath, shifting to the first degree and then second degree of the transformation, needing extra speed and agility to dodge the rust.

Without hesitating, she jumped off the roof, her bare feet healing quickly.

“What’s wrong with Mirren?” She asked.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

"Don't know," he said through clenched teeth. His hand flexed and it took every ounce of strength to keep it away from his sword.

Gannis stepped over Mirren and directly towards the beast.

"Call that thing off!" He cried out. "We'll look after Mirren. Make her better."

Gannis lifted his chin and tilted his head to one side. There was a crazed look in his eye as he stared down a fiend that had already bested them both.

"Touch Larka and I promise I'll find a fucking way to end your existence in the worst possible way."

Practically, it was a hollow threat. Yet every syllable was hammered home with ironclad intent.

 

[Larka]

The rust paused, Larka still crouched low and prepare to evade if need be. Veins were popping up underneath her pale skin. Her gold eyes looked over at Mirren, still breathing yet not awake. Was she unconscious? Had magic been used to put her to sleep?

The restless spirit looked back at Gannis, without any sort of expression. It pointed at Larka. “Give her to me.”

“No!” Larka snarled, looking over at Gannis in plight before she quickly looked up at the empty window. Where was the bastard that had thrown her out a window? The fear was evident on her face that she might actually be given to this monster— if not for Gannis facing the monster head on.

The monster regarded the threat, the rust vibrating through it’s plethora of holes.

“Give it back.” A hum could be heard. It was then that Larka realized the hum was from when they first encountered this thing. The rust hummed. Deep and baritone, much like Mirren’s unusual voice; so unusual is was strange for any sort of woman to have such raspiness, nevertheless a child.

“Her voice? You want her voice?” Larka ventured, unsure why Florian would have offered her when her voice was nothing like Mirren.

“Give it back. Sing.” The humming increased, causing the foster to wince at the frequency, causing her to bring her hands up to cover her ears although it hardly helped.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

Her voice?

Gannis was dropped to a knee by the sound alone. The strength of magic in the air, riding on the thrum of building sound, made his skin itch.

He thought for a moment of all the Venari who had perished meeting a beast for the first time. How many of his kind had been killed by leshy before they had learned the techniques to hunt one?

In a rare philosophical moment - as he struggled to fight the pain - he thought of how humanity was made. They lived short lives, and built upon everything that had been made through the sacrifice of the last generation. Perhaps more like ants than elves.

He stumbled back towards Mirren, dropping beside her. Gannis placed a hand under her head and gently rolled her up to a seated position.

"Come on girl, wake up, sing," he pleaded.

 

[Larka]

Mirren’s head lolled to the side. Despite Gannis’s pleas, Mirren’s nose didn’t even twitch much less her eyes opening. Larka looked around, see that monster standing and staring at them. His beast that he had go after Larka was nearby as well but did nothing.

All eyes seemed to be on Gannis. No, all eyes were on Gannis, but it was the fact that all the dangerous ones were on him that made Larka nervous.

Larka bit her lower lip, her brows coming down low. She couldn’t stand by and let it all fall onto Gannis’ shoulders. As the saying went: we all lift together.

The small foster looked around, body still hunched over from that humming, vision a bit blurry if she turned her head too fast. But she saw what could hopefully be a solution: a small well. Darting over to the small well, Larka pressed her palms hard against the heavy wooden lid. Grunting, with a strong heave, she was able to push the lid off. Little by little, she’d take a deep breath and her muscles would strain, granting her a few inches here and there.

When the lid was off enough for her to take that bucket and plunge it into the cool water she did so before running back to Mirren and Gannis, cold water sloshing over the sides and practically drenching her tunic.

“Gannis!” Was the only warning she offered before she splashed the rest of the water onto Mirren.

Gannis

 

[Gannis]

The monster had been watching Gannis, but at the sight of Mirren running back the construct of rust started to close in on her.

Turning his head sharply, he saw what Larka was doing. It was, he immediately decided, some of the quickest thinking he had seen from a foster.

He stood suddenly and shouted: "This might wake her! Bring it back!"

Water splashed across Mirren's face. Rust reared back in the shape of a limb, but held its strike.

Mirren coughed as Gannis took another step forwards.

"Get her singing," he muttered out of the side of his mouth at Larka. He advanced, holding his left arm forwards, palm open. His right wanted the sword but he didn't want to see aggressive, just to put himself between Larka and the rust.

That sound continued, reverberating through his chest. There was a magic he didn't understand in the air. He might well have been passing Mirren back over to the beast, but it hadn't hurt her yet. It might buy a little time and he was convinced that hurting Mirren was not going to break any curses.