Into Oblivion

21

She sobbed heavily as she lay upon the cold limestone floor. Her tears froze upon her pale cheeks and with trembling fingers she gripped the tattered blanket and pulled it tighter across herself.

He's going to die... he's going to die and it's all my fault. If... if only I would have succumbed to Broga when he had first demanded. If... if I just... By the Nine... what have I gotten myself into? Elizabeth's mind raced as she could feel all the blame piling down upon her shoulders. The consequences of her actions were finally catching up to her as she had realized precisely what she has done My innocence... my purity... given away to a Daedra. My Gods, what have I done? Is this my punishment... for loving someone who was constructed to cause harm upon your people? Have I forsaken my family and Tamerial? Her mind became clouded and she could feel her heart beginning to freeze like the tears upon her cheeks. Was she truly in love with Xilivicus or was it just an excuse to go against the plans of her father and mother?

As she was trapped within the confinement of her thoughts, she began to hear thunderous footsteps leading up the grand stairs. Her heart seized and her head pivoted to look at the grand door. Broga had returned. Had he returned to boast of his latest kill? Had he returned to finish what he had started? Possibly, he had returned to finish her off as well! Petrified she was in the spot she laid. Her heart racing like a thunderstorm upon a shattering sea. Her eyes shifting wildly in hopes to find an escape route if essential.

The door had been pushed open and that gargantuan figure stalked into the room—but wait... that was not the Dremora. Velthada entered slowly with pitiful eyes. Her nails caressed past the stone walls as she called out; unsure, "... Elizabeth...?"

The Altmer lifted her heavy head with tears lingering in her eyes. Her rounded nose was as red as her heated cheeks. No words were needed between her and the spider. As those wide sapphire gems lifted and shone upon Velthada, she could feel her heart fall into darkness. The Spider sheltered a grimace as she raced over on her slender long jagged legs with a soft whisper, "Oh, Elizabeth! Who had done this to you?"

The maiden whimpered in embarrassment and as she lifted the base of her hand to her eyes she hissed lightly, "...B...B..."

Velthada's silver eyes flashed with lightning and she shook her head with a light Daedric cruse falling from those pouted black lips. She hurriedly lifted herself and shifted her eyes all around the room. She dashed to a cupboard and pulled open the aged doors soon finding a few accessories. She pulled out a mammoth black tunic and quickly made her way back to the Elven girl. The Spider slipped the tunic over the girl's head and pulled it down around her body.

She discarded of the tattered blanket and quickly fetched her undergarments. The tunic had appeared to be a dress upon the Elf for it belonged to the great black Dremora, Broga. Velthada fit the tunic to the girl's body and as she was sewing the neckline with her thread and one of the spines upon her attire, Elizabeth questioned, "... do you know... w-what happened to Xilivicus?"

Velthada's eyes iced over with isolation as she replayed the moments of torture that Broga had inflicted upon the Churl's body. She had seen how harsh his blows were and how Xilivicus looked so lifeless. The Spider-Daedra bowed her head and before she could answer, a guard rushed into the watch room. His face masked behind a helmet. His voice was harsh as he exclaimed, "Velthada... you are needed in the dungeons. Xilivicus has lost a great amount of blood. You must aid him back to health; Broga's Orders."

Elizabeth's heart shattered and she turned into a statue as the world around her began to fade to black. Her head slowly fell as she began to fear the worse. Velthada quickly rose and rushed to the door with a pale and rather terrified face. The Altmer stumbled to her feet and just as she was about to follow; Velthada turned and demanded, "Stay here, Elizabeth! You would be useless in the dungeons."