The Red Claw's Daughter

I can’t see. Nothing. I awaken and I can’t see an Arien thing. Not even a hint of light. Where the fuck am I? I try to move and find my wrists bound, ankles too. Gravity pulls at my limbs and I know I am upright. I know I’ve been ridiculously drunk before but this is the strangest predicaments to awaken to.

Using my ears and I can hear the sound of a critter a chittering and the distant sound of metal scraping against metal. Iron if I am not mistaken and I am rarely wrong when it comes to such things. I was nurtured for listening after all. Reality then hits like the rat’s shield slamming into my skull and I gasp for air. It’s stagnant. Old. There’s something in my mouth and I choke trying to spit it out.

Tower.

Panic sets in and I find myself struggling to breathe. I’m cold. Freezing and my arms feel like they’ve been torn from my sockets. How long have I been here? A day? Maybe two? My head hurts and I have a hangover from hell.

As time passes I refuse to face reality or any of the food that is brought to me. With the darkness it is easy to slip into the memories. I remember a little bird telling me about this. I told him I was afraid. He said it wouldn’t happen to me. That it was different now. He was wrong.

….

Tonight I danced. I know. Not a big deal right? Everyone dances every now and then. Good wine, good food and good company and it was bound to happen eventually.

But me? I have not danced since my Bethrothed died. Conscious choice. I just.. couldn’t. Not if I could never dance with him again. That was how we met you see, when he asked me to dance. And we had been dancing together ever since till the day he died.

But tonight, against all odds, I did. I wanted to. I think.. that meant I was.. am finally are able to move on. Right? It felt good, for one night to feel totally free from it all. The pain and the agony of feeling it always there, pressing against my chest, clawing at me and dragging me under was gone. Completely. It was like walking on air. To feel free like that.

I was lighter than air, swirling my skirts about as I spun around on the heels of my beautiful shoes in a beautiful Tubori styled dress that exposed more skin that was entirely proper. I remember laughing freely and as I spun about from one turn, I came colliding in against a new dance partner, the fox.

After the dancing. I vaguely recall kissing. Lots of it. Five? Six people? It all blurs together except one; the murderous fox. I remember the sugar cubes and the hemp and the wine and the ale, the games and the flesh. And then, getting dragged from them in a sudden slam of reality. The feeling returned again, the pressing, the clawing and the slow squeezing against my heart. I barely remember it. Walking. The chains. The indignities imposed on me.

…..

My mind delves back further, to the night we met. The moment our eyes collided, it felt like the whole world would be pulled apart if for just a second I looked away. And so I didn’t, and neither did you. Your mouth moved and you asked me to dance, but I truly I didn’t hear the words as we came together in to dance in a way that the Tubori are known for down at the Taverns on the docks.

My wrist upon your shoulder, and fingers curled about your nape. Your arm wrapped around my waist in a firm hold. Less than an inch between us, we danced as one. It wasn’t a slow romantic dance, but one of the hips, and small quick steps. It was hot, and sweaty, with skirts flared around my knees with each quick twist and turn. There were sweeping dips, and pressing hips. It was perfect. I didn’t have to think. You anticipated my moves and I yours. And that is how it always was. You were my life. And then you were gone. I am lost without you.