750 words, I'm trying to see if there is enough here to grasp the essence of the characters and introduce their powers, or if I'm leading too much. I've been struggling to get the character of the Empress outlined without going too far back, but this is, I think, the version I'm happiest with.
She had been told not to. The doctors had been very clear both excitement and overexertion were to be avoided. The allure, though, was too strong to be resisted, and she knew she wanted to go before the birth today.
She pulled herself up with a little effort and moved through the sumptious rooms, the thick carpet sinking with each step, leaving her quarters and moving into the palace. As she walked the surroundings became less luxurious, yet grander. These areas were intended to impress, their stone corridors stretching out of sight, opulent pictures on each wall.
Finally, she came to the ruins of the ancient castle of Abendau around which the palace had been built, it’s stones colder, seeming to hold secrets of their own.
She stepped into the ruins, following their twisted path deeper into the bowels. She noticed courtiers and servants moving out of her path, dropping bows and curtsies and touched each mind with her’s, binding them closer and strengthening their loyalty.
She reached the prison area, feeling the babies’ weight draining her. Briefly, she considered going back but instead moved towards her target, her feet following a familiar path.
Finally she stopped.
The guard paled slightly before greeting her. “Empress.”
“Let me in.”
He moved to open the gate his hands shaking, the key jerking as he tried to find the lock. Impatiently she entered his mind, moving his fingers, her reward the soft snick, and the gate swinging open, allowing the dank aroma to assail her.
As she stepped into the cell, the figure within didn’t move.
“Leave us.”
Once the gate closed she sent her mind across to the prisoner’s, entering his and beginning to sink in. Then, she felt a weak block come in place, preventing her from possessing him. His head came up, his dark hair dishevelled around his pale features. Blazing from his face were the most astonishing green eyes, deep emerald, a darker smudge around the rim emphasizing them. He didn’t speak, and she knew it was all he could do to hold her back.
“Tell me a vision of my future,” she commanded him.
As she waited for him to respond she felt triumphant; the great Seer, the rebel who had stood against her, was hers to command and use. The only psycher with the strength to match hers, once he weakened a little further she would bind him to her, owning him in every way.
Ealyn Varnon moved his eyes, slowly, stopping to focus on a gem suspended from the ceiling, it’s clear form twisting, catching the light from a small window, sending prisms through the room.
His voice was clear as he told her what he was Seeing. “I see you, somewhat older than now. You’re on a balcony and the people below are shouting your name. They’ve come to hear you speak.”
“My children?”
“Our children,” he told her, “are more powerful than either of us. Be careful, Empress, they will not be pawns for you, but they have the ability to expand your empire further, doing it in your name. They will have you revered as a Goddess, your name will live forever.”
“Describe their words.”
He frowned a little, moving further into the vision.
“They are in a throne room, grey stone. The woman is quiet, her brother leads the ceremony of remembrance, and it’s you they worship; the Empress who ensnared the galaxy, her army converting it to perfection.”
His voice stopped as he came out of the trance, his eyes briefly meeting hers before he dropped his head. She turned to leave, the tiredness enveloping her. Now the vision was over, it seemed hardly worth the effort, yet she knew she’d come again.
“Please,” said a soft voice behind her. It was as far away from his previously strident tone as could be imagined. She turned to him. “Take the prism down. I’ll Seer for you, but take it down for now, give me some respite.”
She understood his words, and smiled. That he was succumbing to Seerers’ Madness didn’t disappoint her, it just made him easier to control.
She took one last look at him, and he had slumped forward, his eyes soft and distracted, his lips whispering words as he moved into another vision, this one unbidden. The prism cast it’s light around her caged Seer, ebbing and flowing giving him no reprieve.
Slowly, the Empress Averlyn began the walk back to her quarters, her body tired and ready to give up it’s burden.
She had been told not to. The doctors had been very clear both excitement and overexertion were to be avoided. The allure, though, was too strong to be resisted, and she knew she wanted to go before the birth today.
She pulled herself up with a little effort and moved through the sumptious rooms, the thick carpet sinking with each step, leaving her quarters and moving into the palace. As she walked the surroundings became less luxurious, yet grander. These areas were intended to impress, their stone corridors stretching out of sight, opulent pictures on each wall.
Finally, she came to the ruins of the ancient castle of Abendau around which the palace had been built, it’s stones colder, seeming to hold secrets of their own.
She stepped into the ruins, following their twisted path deeper into the bowels. She noticed courtiers and servants moving out of her path, dropping bows and curtsies and touched each mind with her’s, binding them closer and strengthening their loyalty.
She reached the prison area, feeling the babies’ weight draining her. Briefly, she considered going back but instead moved towards her target, her feet following a familiar path.
Finally she stopped.
The guard paled slightly before greeting her. “Empress.”
“Let me in.”
He moved to open the gate his hands shaking, the key jerking as he tried to find the lock. Impatiently she entered his mind, moving his fingers, her reward the soft snick, and the gate swinging open, allowing the dank aroma to assail her.
As she stepped into the cell, the figure within didn’t move.
“Leave us.”
Once the gate closed she sent her mind across to the prisoner’s, entering his and beginning to sink in. Then, she felt a weak block come in place, preventing her from possessing him. His head came up, his dark hair dishevelled around his pale features. Blazing from his face were the most astonishing green eyes, deep emerald, a darker smudge around the rim emphasizing them. He didn’t speak, and she knew it was all he could do to hold her back.
“Tell me a vision of my future,” she commanded him.
As she waited for him to respond she felt triumphant; the great Seer, the rebel who had stood against her, was hers to command and use. The only psycher with the strength to match hers, once he weakened a little further she would bind him to her, owning him in every way.
Ealyn Varnon moved his eyes, slowly, stopping to focus on a gem suspended from the ceiling, it’s clear form twisting, catching the light from a small window, sending prisms through the room.
His voice was clear as he told her what he was Seeing. “I see you, somewhat older than now. You’re on a balcony and the people below are shouting your name. They’ve come to hear you speak.”
“My children?”
“Our children,” he told her, “are more powerful than either of us. Be careful, Empress, they will not be pawns for you, but they have the ability to expand your empire further, doing it in your name. They will have you revered as a Goddess, your name will live forever.”
“Describe their words.”
He frowned a little, moving further into the vision.
“They are in a throne room, grey stone. The woman is quiet, her brother leads the ceremony of remembrance, and it’s you they worship; the Empress who ensnared the galaxy, her army converting it to perfection.”
His voice stopped as he came out of the trance, his eyes briefly meeting hers before he dropped his head. She turned to leave, the tiredness enveloping her. Now the vision was over, it seemed hardly worth the effort, yet she knew she’d come again.
“Please,” said a soft voice behind her. It was as far away from his previously strident tone as could be imagined. She turned to him. “Take the prism down. I’ll Seer for you, but take it down for now, give me some respite.”
She understood his words, and smiled. That he was succumbing to Seerers’ Madness didn’t disappoint her, it just made him easier to control.
She took one last look at him, and he had slumped forward, his eyes soft and distracted, his lips whispering words as he moved into another vision, this one unbidden. The prism cast it’s light around her caged Seer, ebbing and flowing giving him no reprieve.
Slowly, the Empress Averlyn began the walk back to her quarters, her body tired and ready to give up it’s burden.
