Private Tales The Weight of the Past

[Aleric]

Aleric was shoved forward, stepping towards the door and poking his head out for just a brief second before he suddenly turned and cut back. His head shook. "I can't!"

He whisper yelled quietly as he gently tugged Lileas' hands. Squeezing her palms for a moment before he motioned towards the door. There was a chance he could slip into the hall and go the other way before Donnie got there, but it would be close.

Too close.

"Just-I'll hide." Just a hint of desperation entered his tone, and quickly he pulled back from Lileas and pressed himself as far into the shadows as he possibly could. As he did so, Donnie rounded the corner.

In his hand was a small bag, in the other was what appeared to be a cudgle just drawn from his belt. He saw Lileas, his eyes setting on her for a brief moment before he gazed around the little room.

"Who 'er you talken to?"​

He demanded with a stern voice.

 

[Lileas]

Lileas watched the shadows devour him, her heart pounding so hard in her chest that it sent her dizzy with fatigue. Her palms had been clammy, but by now they were sweating. Her head snapped toward Donnie as he spoke.. "Can't you hear the voices?..." she asked him with a frown. She was sick. Dark veins spread across her chest and climbed her neck like a trellis, her eyes were dark and her white blonde hair clung to her pale face. It wouldn't have been the first time she'd hallucinated.

Her gaze snagged on the weapon clutched in his fist, and then shifted to the bag he held in the other. Food, she hoped...

 

[Aleric]

Aleric froze, stilled his very breath. He tried his damndest to become a part of the wall. Even closing his eyes so they would not reflect any torchlight. Fingers clutched at the stone behind him hard enough to turn his knuckles white.

"Eh?" Donnie's voice carried through the small room.

The brutes head turned, first left and then right. His gaze seemed to narrow before finally he simply looked at Lileas and shook his head. "Don' know why he keeps you 'round."

He scoffed, and then threw the bag at the floor in front of Lileas. Spitting on it seconds later. "Probably just wants to fuck you."

Rage shot through Aleric in an instant, and it was all that he could do not to jump from the wall and stab Donnie in the throat. Lileas would see the brief tension flicker through the shadowed criminal, barely holding himself back. "One day, you'll fuck up bad enough that even 'he won't want you."

Donnie said with a cackle, and then turned to leave.

 

[Lileas]

Shame brought the colour back to her cheeks and she swallowed any urge she had to bite back at him. It never done her any good anyway, and she was weak enough as it was without dealing with repercussions. Besides, she couldn't risk Aleric involving himself she Donnie inevitably raised a hand to her.

Lileas was careful not to look to where Aleric stood, but she could see the difficulty he was having in ignoring the man. Her gaze fell to the splintered floor and her jaw remained tightly clenched, hoping Donnie would leave without any further insult..

 

[Aleric]

Donnie's guttural laugh echoed out as he began to walk away. The sound of his pudgy boots echoing down the hall, sounding further and further away. "Kress."

Aleric swore as he slowly stepped just a little bit from the shadows.

The anger on his face was now clear, and he couldn't help the burning desire for vengeance which took hold of him. Donnie had always been one of the worst of them, even before Aleric had gone to Harrowgate. Now it seemed he'd only gotten more cruel.

"You can't stay here, Lil." He said, his voice still a whisper. "I can't let you."

Not when there were even worse than Donnie still skulking about. Not when the thought of leaving her behind made his stomach ache and bile in his throat.

 

[Lileas]

Tension tumbled from her chest as she let loose the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. "You can, and you will." she answered in a hushed whisper, reaching a hand out toward him.

"We're survivors, remember?" she smiled, but it was weak and tired. "I'll be fine. I promise. I'll visit you as soon as I'm able to.." she assured him with as much conviction as she could muster.

 

[Aleric]

He gave her a look like he'd been chewing on coal.

It was clear that he did not like the idea of leaving her behind. She was right of course, there wasn't really anything that he could do. Not from everything that she'd described. But the idea of crawling out of here without Lileas alongside him made bile rise in his throat. "Lil..."

Aleric growled quietly.

There wasn't anything to argue about, not really. Even if he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder she would probably just slip away later and come back here. They didn't have an answer for the sickness that plagued her.

"I hate this." He said haplessly. Not entirely sure what else he could do.

 

[Lileas]

"Me too.." she whispered back with a soft, mirthless smile. She had tried every way she could possibly think of to get a hold of the tincture that aided her symptoms, but no healer would help her. She looked helplessly back at him.. "Please don't look at me like that."

"I'll be fine." she repeated, her head snapping toward the sound of creaking stairs.. "Please go before I can't keep that promise.." she whispered urgently.

 

[Aleric]

Worry and outright concern creased his face. He hated leaving her behind. He hated this place. He hated it all.

For a brief moment he thought about what Lileas had said days ago. How she'd spoken about him getting away, leaving the Gutters. How he'd argued this was home, that there was no other place to go. That the slums of Vel Anir was where he belonged. At the time he'd thought he was being honest, that he truly did want to stay where he had been born.

Standing there, unable to pull himself away, Aleric realized that all he really cared about was making sure Lileas was safe.

Making sure that the one person he had left was okay.

That was why he'd come back. Why he couldn't go. Why he felt like his feet even now we're bundled in heavy lead. His stomach turned at the thought of who that creak on the steps might be. Which specter from his past might be coming to haunt Lileas next. His fingers folded, and he reached out grabbing her in a tight embrace. "Okay."

He whispered into her hair, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before he broke away. Turning on his heel to slip back into the shadows.

 

[Lileas]

"Evening, little bird." the Robber spoke around the cigar he smoked, the scent of which caused her stomach to churn and her eyes to water, as always. He knew she hated it. His heavy boots strode slowly into the ramshackle room and he kicked a splintered plank of wood.

"You should get this place tidied up. Ain't exactly hospitable.." he muttered and came to stand in front of her, his hand grasping her chin to pull her eyes to his.

"You look like shit.." he huffed, drawing his thumb over her lips. Lileas tensed, praying that Aleric was gone. She didn't dare look to find out. "Need you back at work first thing, sweetheart." he winked. "Count your blessin's that I'm in a forgivin' mood.

He produced a small bottle. The same one he held over her every single day since she'd been brought back here. She reached toward it, but he snatched it away and tightened his grip on her face.

"Ah...What do we say?"

Lileas swallowed and cleared her throat. "Thank you, sir." she responded much to his amusement, and he offered the bottle to her once more as he let her go. How many times had she dreamt of stabbing him in the throat?

"Come see me in the morning, when you're lookin' better." he grunted, and turned to leave.

 

[Aleric]

He had to force himself to leave.

It hadn't been easy. Not when he'd caught a glimpse of the bastard in the shadows. Even after all these years he hadn't forgotten the Robbers face. The casual cruelty that he wore so proudly, the smug spark in his eyes when he lorded over his domain.

All of it was the same.

He was still the same stain on humanity that he had always been, and when Alaric had seen him from the shadows he'd wanted to do nothing more than come crashing down on his head. To end this all here and slit the bastards throat.

But it would've been a fools gambit. The Robbers boys would have defended him, and even if he'd managed to knife the bastard the others would have strung him up.

Plus, what would happen to Lileas after?

There was no telling, and without that answer, Aleric knew he could do nothing.

So it was with a soured stomach that the Hanged Man pulled himself back onto the streets of the Gutters. Rain softly patting down on his head as he swore to himself that he would free Lileas, that he would figure out a way to get them both out of this shit hole.

 

[Lileas]

The moment the Robber was gone, her pale eyes returned to the shadows where Aleric had been, her heart heavy with conflicting emotions. She had urged him to leave, to protect him, knowing the dire consequences that would befall him if he were discovered. But now, as she surveyed the empty shadows where he had sought refuge, a pang of loneliness gripped her. Her heart ached for him, a mix of emotions swirling within her. Gratitude and admiration intertwined with frustration and helplessness. She knew he wanted to protect her, to be her savior, but the reality of their situation loomed over them like a suffocating fog.

Tears welled in her eyes, their presence a testament to the overwhelming anguish that consumed her. She yearned for freedom, to break away from the clutches of the Robber, but the Robber's poison held her in its insidious grip. And without Aleric's safety, she feared the consequences of her escape.

The rain continued to pour, mingling with the tears that streamed down her cheeks. The world around her seemed to blur, the distant sounds of the Gutters melding into a cacophony of despair and hope. But within her, a fire burned, fueled by the unwavering friendship she shared with Aleric and the yearning for a life beyond the clutches of their tormentor.

With newfound determination, Lileas straightened her spine and wiped away her tears. She had a purpose now, a goal to strive for. The path ahead would be treacherous, filled with dangers and sacrifices, but she would not falter. For herself, for Aleric, and for all the stolen dreams that awaited them beyond the shadows, she would face the Robber head-on.

Lileas, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and determination, clutched the half-consumed little bottle tightly in her hand, and made her decision.

With resolute steps, she quickly dressed in her thieving attire, donning the familiar cloak that had become her second skin. Each movement was precise, calculated, as she prepared herself for the treacherous journey that awaited her outside the confines of the Robber's lair.

The rain fell relentlessly, its cold droplets drenching her as she slipped carefully onto the awning and down into the murky streets, her body reeling with pain. She navigated the dimly lit alleyways and shadowed corners, her senses heightened, ever watchful for any sign of danger. Through rain-soaked streets and forgotten alleyways, Lileas followed the faint trail in Aleric's wake. Her mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead, the unknown challenges that awaited them beyond the Gutters. But she pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on what little strength resided within her.

It was not long before Lileas closed the distance between herself and Aleric. Finally, she spotted him ahead, his figure silhouetted against the flickering street lanterns. She quickened her pace, calling out his name, her voice carried away by the howling wind.

"Aleric!"

 

[Aleric]

Aleric stopped almost instantly when he heard his name shouted in the streets.

He recognized the voice instantly, of course he did. A century locked in prison wouldn't have let him forget. Yet as he heard the shout he did not feel joy.

Instead panic struck him.

Why was she here? Why was she using his name out in the streets? Had something happened? Was she in danger? Was the Robber coming for her?

A thousand evil thoughts ran through his mind as he turned on his heel, the rain pelting him as his eyes searching through the tempest. He saw Lileas' silhouette through the din, running through the rain. The wind slashed at her clothes, throwing the end of her skirts back and forth. The cloak on her shoulders not nearly enough to keep her warm.

Without thinking he broke into a sprint.

There was no hesitation, no thinking, all that he cared about was making sure that she was okay, that she was safe.

Within the span of a heartbeat he reached her, nearly slipping on the wet muck of the roads. He caught himself, or perhaps it was more truthful to say that he caught her. His arms wrapped around Lileas in an embrace, drawing her in both to shield her from the rain and simply to once again feel the warmth of her presence. "Lil."

He said just loud enough to be heard of the rains.

"What are you doing here?" The Hanged Man asked, not able to keep the panic from his voice. "What's wrong? Are you okay?!"

 

[Lileas]

Lileas gasped as Aleric's arms enveloped her, offering shelter from the downpour and a sense of security amidst the chaos. She clung to him, her body trembling with a mixture of relief and exhaustion. The rain plastered her drenched hair against her forehead, strands clinging to her face.

"Aleric," she whispered, her voice strained yet filled with a sense of urgency. "I couldn't.. I just.." Her words came out in gasps, each breath heavy with a mix of fear and determination.

As she pulled away slightly, her eyes met his, the flickering light from the nearby streetlamp revealing the raw emotions etched upon her face. She took a moment to steady her breath as the rain continued to fall around them, and a sudden and unexpected surge of emotion consumed Lileas. It was as if an invisible force compelled her forward, guiding her actions in a moment that defied all logic and reason.

Without warning, Lileas leaned in, throwing her arms around his neck as she rose onto her tiptoes to press her lips to his. It was a kiss born from a whirlwind of emotions—relief, fear, love, and an unspoken understanding of the trials they faced. In that fleeting connection, time seemed to stand still, the world around them fading into insignificance.

 

[Aleric]

The rain was cold.

It cut down from the sky in a continued pour, clattering against the cobbles so loudly that it nearly drown out Lileas voice. He strained to hear her through the din, his fingers on her skin, the warmth of her like a light within an eternal abyss.

He held onto her, strained to listen, confusion flickering over his features as she trailed off. Eyes set on her, his lips parting as though he were about to speak...

Then she kissed him.

In a single instant the cold was forgotten. The terrible pinpricks of rain on his skin were gone. The howling wind might as well have never happened. In that second, the moment that Lileas lips met Aleric's, nothing else mattered.

All of the time he had been away from her, all the years in Harowgate, all the beatings, close calls, heists and jobs they'd ever pulled.

All of it was meaningless.

His fingers tightened on her, his arms pulled her closer, his lips furiously pressed against hers as he deepened the kiss. Aleric intent on enjoying the only thing that mattered while he still had it. Before somebody took what he had always really wanted.