Lady Veratt Cassalanter- A Brief History of a Short Life

The stinger

Shaka returned from a quest one day, and was not himself, he was addicted to pixie dust holding a large stinger, and obsessing over it, it was unnerving. He kept asking Nephthys to give him more dust, and pushing the stinger into himself, making him bleed. I took away the stinger from him, which caused him to go insane, tearing his room apart to find it. I tried to cure him with greater restoration, but my healing was ineffective, so I decided to take drastic measures. I held the stinger in my hand and pretended to burn it, whilst I slipped it into my sleeve to keep for further research. Brackir helped restrain Shaka as he lost it, screaming insults, crying, begging and pleading for me not to do it, but I was desperate to help him, and this was the only way to help. After he saw it "destroyed" he turned on me, shouting, and saying I was no longer family to him. I physically felt the world stop spinning as he said this. I couldn't be around the church, so I took off, wildshaping and taking off into the woods before finding a clearing to rest in, alone. I cried harder than I ever remembered, even on the night where I realised, I wouldn't see Ront again, I felt not only like a failure, but like the monster I was. Arithena was right, I was simply a cursed devil child, and everything I touched became poison. After a few hours I crept back in the shape of a deer and rested behind the gravestone of Ras, seeking comfort from his spirit and wishing he were back to make a sarcastic comment to cheer me up. I remember laying down on the grass and closing my eyes, letting the weight in my chest take over, and hoping it would just keep me forever.

The day after the stinger was destroyed, remember waking up beside the fire in the common room, wrapped up in blankets, surrounded by Brackir and Shaka both wearing worried expressions. I immediately tried to make myself look mere presentable whilst avoiding all eye contact, particularly with Shaka, as I knew I couldn't deal with the hatred he now had for me. But instead of assaulting me with pointed words, Shaka wrapped his arms around me and apologised, begging for forgiveness and telling me he was poisoned and how he knows I was trying to help. I couldn't speak, my throat was tight, and my eyes were hot with tears of relief, so I just hugged him back, and held him. We sat by the fire, huddled together under a pile of blankets while Brackir kept others away, so we could have our privacy. We talked for a long time, about his need for dust, how I felt like a different woman, an imposter, unable to reach out and touch life how I once used to, and he reassured me. He promised that the guild still valued me, and my family treasured me, that he still loved me as sister, and I felt the ache in my chest lessen.

When we were done, Shaka eft to deal with his daily business and Brackir re-joined me. I asked who brought me inside after I stupidly fell asleep out in the snow, and he told me it was him, of course it was. I thanked him for bringing me in and getting me warm, wanting to say more but feeling unable to. I had no true way of showing my gratitude, so retired to my room to fully rest as I felt weak and cold to the bone. I never did thank him for bringing me in and warming me up, beyond those simple words and a smile...which must have seemed rather threatening at the time. I should have told him the feelings I had, but I was scared he wouldn't accept them. I did not know his hose approach to this, and would he accept me as sincere after such a vehement objection to my betrothal? He almost died to give me my freedom, I doubt he would take my affections as a serious matter, so I kept quiet. I regret that now.