Ivy
The incident in the parlour was a storm that ravaged the Idthraki clan.
In the months that followed, some members of the clan attempted to repair the damage, while others spent their time adjusting to the new normal.
The relationships between each of the Vampires had shifted, and some were hit harder than others.
That was what Leseldh found her doing when he knocked on her door one evening, almost three months after the events that set the storm raging. She looked up when the door opened and the sight of him brought a smile to her face, although it was hidden behind the pages of the book.
“I wondered if you’d like to accompany me to the theatre tonight?” Leseldh leaned against the doorframe and peered over at her.
His casual demeanour was a rarity, and it sent a small thrill shooting through her body. She was ready to voice her acceptance of his invitation, until she remembered Killian’s words on their last encounter: you perform in the theatre, just like he wants you to.
Her interest in the theatre immediately shrivelled and died.
“I have a counter proposal.”
“I’m intrigued.”
“Let’s go to Oaris.” Ivy was still peering over the top of the book at him, as though it would deflect an adverse reaction to her suggestion.
Even though some degree of normalcy had returned to their lives, Ivy still felt the itch of doubt. She needed to lay her concerns to rest. Could the answer lie in the place where it all began?
Leseldh was silent for a moment, and she wondered whether he was weighing up the dangers before making his decision.
“I would love to. It won’t be dark there for a while, though,” he eventually responded with a smile. Ivy had forgotten that there was a daylight cycle in Oaris to consider. Having spent so much time in the darkness, she’d lost all track of time in lighter places.
“Guess I’ll have plenty of time to get ready, then.”
Leseldh took his leave, and Ivy found herself excited at the prospect of a visit to Oaris. She dressed in a light, flowy dress that fell to her ankles and wouldn’t look out of place. She made sure the outfit she chose had a neckline that covered her scar.
When she headed downstairs an hour later, she found Leseldh at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in an outfit like the one he wore on the night they met. She felt a flutter in her stomach at the sight. She dropped a light kiss on his lips as she reached him, and they headed outside together.
Ivy had extended an invite to Finare, who declined. To her surprise, though, he was standing by the car. He kept his distance from Voresta, and didn’t make eye contact with Leseldh.
“Had a change of heart?” There was excitement in Ivy’s voice as she peered over at her Broodmate.
“I couldn’t let you have all the fun.” Finare gave her a small smile, which was rare these nights.
They piled in the car, and Voresta drove them to the city’s centre.
Voresta parked the car near the Crux, and as a group, they made their way to the Portal Building.
Ivy felt a cocktail of nervousness and excitement brewing in her stomach as they approached the familiar red-and-white striped building.
The pennants spelling out ‘Naum’ beckoned her, but Leseldh clutched her hand before she could reach for the door handle.
“I’ll go first, Ivy. Then you, Finare, and Voresta.” Leseldh instructed, before moving ahead of her to open the door. He stepped inside and the door swung shut behind him. The need to protect her was ever-present, even when headed for the relative safety of Oaris.
“See you soon.” Ivy smiled at Finare before opening the door and stepping inside the Portal Building.
Naum’s Portal journey was the inverse to its dark counterpart in many ways.
Noctis’s journey was a swirling sea of stars amidst the darkness, but once Ivy entered Naum’s Portal, she was greeted by a warm, inviting light.
As the door swung shut behind her, the light flared, and she was surrounded by a bokeh in shimmering jewel tones.
She felt that momentary weightlessness that signified the transfer was underway, and as her feet returned to the ground, the glittering lights faded and revealed the open doorway to Naum.
The familiar sounds of Oaris filtered in from outside.
They were a balm for her soul that she hadn’t realised she needed.
Her footsteps quickened, and her feet found the red-brown dirt of the unpaved streets outside the Portal Building.
Leseldh was watching the doorway expectantly, and when their eyes met, his resulting smile began to mend her faltering hope.
Finare emerged from the building a moment later. Ivy watched his lips pull into a lopsided grin as his eyes swept over the mixture of tents and neglected buildings.
“It’s charming, in a derelict sort of way,” Finare chuckled, and Ivy turned to look at her Broodmate.
“You’ve never been here before?” Astonishment was written on her face.
“While I enjoy being the centre of attention, I think I might stand out a bit too much here.” Finare’s fingers made their way through his hair, and the tumble fell lazily to the side.
Finare’s admission made Ivy realise how unusual he was, even for Oaris.
The Fae rarely ventured outside of Cevoria, so he would be intriguing to anyone who spotted his pointed ears.
Pair that with his Vampire traits, and he would undoubtedly draw attention.
The quartet started down the street, with Voresta and Leseldh leading the way, immersed in conversation.
She fell into step with Finare and together they moved in the direction of the Night Market.
Nighttime in Oaris had a different quality to that of Noctis—it was delightfully disarming.
Gone was the feeling that monsters lurked in every shadow, and Ivy had a blissful reprieve from the need to check over her shoulder constantly.
But as she moved through the dusty streets with her clan of Vampires, the feeling that she no longer fit this place grew stronger with every step.
She observed her companions and was struck by how anomalous they appeared in this setting.
All three were incredibly handsome, almost too attractive for Oaris.
Their pallid skin tones were disguised by the orbs of light that floated in the streets above them, but their clothing styles were jarringly different to the billowing, whimsical style of dress common to the folk of Oaris.
Leseldh was darkly semi-formal, in a way that made him alluring and mysterious.
Finare’s signature leather-and-denim look was rebellious, even for a place as unruly as Oaris.
If any of them looked like they could fit in here, it was Voresta.
His loose-fitting slacks and shirt were reserved, and he blended into the surroundings more than the rest of the group.
Ivy remembered spotting the Brand on his arm on the night they met, so she knew he’d been an ally to the magical folk of Oaris at some point in his Human—or Vampire—life.
Ivy leaned towards Finare. “He seems… at home in Oaris.” She inclined her chin towards Voresta, speaking softly as not to be heard over their separate conversation. They slowed their pace to distance themselves from their companions.
“He worked in the Night Market.” Finare’s voice was barely a whisper. “He doesn’t speak about it often, but he was attacked on the way home one night and almost died. Leseldh saved his life by Creating him.”
Ivy’s eyes were fixed on Voresta’s lower back as he walked ahead of them, where she remembered the large, wicked scar hidden beneath his shirt. Her thoughts drifted to Leseldh’s mention of a ‘life debt’ and stitched the threads of information together in her mind.
Her musing lasted until they reached the Night Market. The four Vampires drifted to different stalls and got lost amongst the assortment of wares and services on offer. Ivy happened upon a clothing stall that piqued her interest, and she started flipping through the racks enthusiastically.
She selected a floor-length dress in a deep-green colour and held it against her body as she peered in a mirror in the corner of the stall.
She knew the tight-fitting bodice would hug her curves and the wide neckline that sat just below the collarbones would conceal her scar.
The delicate layer of black lace on the skirt resembled spiderwebs.
It was an unusual pattern choice for Oaris, but she liked it all the same.
“That would look sublime on you.” Leseldh’s warm voice drifted over her shoulder. She turned to look at him, and his eyes were a glimmering shade of gold. She felt a familiar ache in her chest at the intensity of his stare.
“Malia’s favourite colour was green.” Leseldh moved so that he could look at her through the mirror.
She watched him as he continued, “Your eyes are the only point of difference between your likenesses. But the brilliant shade of your eyes is, like that dress, her favourite colour of all. When I first saw your eyes after your Creation, I knew it was a message from her.”
As someone who spent her adult life trying to work out who she was and where she fit into the humdrum landscape of Naum, the certainty Leseldh spoke with felt like the confirmation she needed that she was destined for more.
She wanted to believe that she was his Resonant reborn, and his passion and his confidence helped to tip the balance.
Was it merely coincidence that she looked like Malia? Or was there more to it?
“Tell me about her, Leseldh,” Ivy spoke softly, moving to put the dress back where she found it. Leseldh’s hand shifted to take the dress from her. Ivy continued browsing as Leseldh considered his next words.