Magic in Words (Closed)

[Asa]

She is scared Alexandru... I... I don't know.

Nadya wanted to get away from all of this but she knew she had to stay... the other Nadya was so strong right now.

As for the bookshelf I have no idea how you would open it but she is so strong here can't fight much longer she wants to run.

 

[degrepski]

Alex grimaced.

"Do you think you should go somewhere safer, while I figure out how to get in?" he asked.

Just as he was asking, his hand hit the side of the shelf. A hidden panel sank into the shelf, and both Alex and Nadya could hear a faint "click".

The shelf slowly turned, revealing a hidden passage.

Alex looked at Nadya. "You can stay here, if you want, I can go down the passage."

 

[Asa]

Nadya shook her head and forcing herself forward moved to stand near him. The old woman quickly called the Butler in who found some candles in the office and lit them to help tumor see an went with them instead of the old woman.

Someone else peered into the room briefly making his rounds through the house a spirit housed as well in him from the ancient past with a silent smirk as he continued down the hall unnoticed.

 

[degrepski]

The passage was dark. Torch sconces were sitting empty along the wall, the metal reflecting rusty in the candlelight. It descended in a gradual spiral, seeming to go around the whole of the castle, proceeding to the base.

This is the central chamber, Alex thought. All this time, unopened. Neither in my time nor hers.

He glanced at Nadya, saw her shivering, fighting for control of her mind, fighting to save herself. Fighting to save his Nadya.

Fighting to help him.

He didn't know what to think.

 

[Asa]

She stopped about half way down the steps modern Nadya had control of her mind but the past Nadya would not let her take another step. Something about this place this path down was intentionally blocked from the Modern Nadya and now she was trying to physically block her from it... Who was she trying to protect? The two of them or distract him to keep the truth from him of what happened to her to protect him.

I can't make her move any more you have to convince her.

 

[degrepski]

Alex stopped with Nadya.

Convince her, huh?

He turned and looked Nadya in the eyes.

"Nadya," he said in Romanian. "Do you remember the first night you sneaked into my room? I was so scared because i was afraid my father would find out. I was afraid he'd hurt you. I wanted you to go back to your people where it was safe."

Alexandru smiled. "Do you remember what you did to change my mind?"

 

[Asa]

She is showing me an image of the two of you dancing and her kissing you to silence you. Her curling in against you there by the window with the soft breeze billowing over you.

Slowly she moved closer to him biting her lip.

I... I don't... want to hurt anyone... I don't want what they did to hurt you.

 

[degrepski]

Alex put her arms around her, hugging the both of them to him.

"When my father found us...together, he took her away. For months, I waited to see if she'd return, tried to find her, went to her people. Both my people and hers shunned me."

He gently cupped her face. "In my moment of despair, I jumped from the waterfall, wanting to return to her in the afterlife, if I couldn't in this. Instead, I found you, and a chance for me to know what happened."

He kissed her, gently, kissing both of them, reaching his love out to both Nadyas. "I need to know."

 

[Asa]

Modern Nadya had all the distraction she needed to make her body move again under her control. Both however nodded to him knowing depe down he had a right to know and Nadya understanding they could not merge if the truth was not revealed.

Lets go but please... stay close to us... please.

 

[degrepski]

Alex stood beside her, and put his arm around her, keeping her close.

"I promise not to leave your side," he said, warmly.

They continued their journey, both the butler and the old woman strangely quiet and they delved into the depths. Finally, they reached a door, heavy oak and iron bound.

Alex looked at Nadya. "Are you ready?"

 

[Asa]

She felt the Nadya of the past trying to dig their heels in to not move further but she forced herself to move forward.

Yes lets go... This may hurt but it will help all of us.

The old butler stood on the stairs with the old woman ready to help her further down the stairs or up the stairs.

 

[degrepski]

Alex made a move toward the door, though he was almost afraid he was dragging Nadya.

"Would it help if I carried you?" he asked, his voice sincere. "Maybe being that close to me will help ease my Nadya's worries and it won't be so hard on you."

His eyes showed his concern. He knew he was putting all of them through a terrible ordeal, reliving memories that were probably best left untouched.

But he needed to know.

 

[Asa]

We can do this she is... frozen...

Nodding for him to open the door she then stepped in first bare feet feeling the dirt floor beneath her... strange no bats had made it in here over all the centuries maybe they sensed the darkness and torment here and stayed away from it. Firm yet soft earth that sloped down from the door. She carefully took each step wishing they had more than candle light.

Moving deeper into the room she looked around realizing looking up that it was before the castle was built here a water shed or massive well long dried up clearly before the castle was built. Closing her eyes she whispered.

Nadya... you are here aren't you... in this pit...

She looked back to the old butler and smiled

We will be fine guide her back up stairs and if you could find some flashlights we need more light than candles can give. Have one of the younger staff deliver them I do not wish you to tire yourself so much moving up and down these dark ancient stairs.

The old man nodded and several moments later a young man joined them with a couple of flashlights A veiled sneer on his face he had no idea of the spirit that had attached to him nor its knowledge of this chamber.

Here... I... I would like to leave this room now please... I will wait at the top of the stairs with the old ones if you need help.

She nodded to him absently as she looked around carefully paying more attention to Nadya's spirit within her and her own instincts to find what secret this place held about his Nadya.

 

[degrepski]

Alexandru could feel something was....off about this place. The pit climbed all up the tower, no other rooms blocking the view into the darkness above.

He took one of the flashlights, and followed Nadya as she guided them around the room.

He wanted to help, but he knew he was totally at her--their--mercy.

And still, he couldn't shake the sense that there was something....else here...

 

[Asa]

Finally her steps guided her to the far wall. She knelt down looking at the stone and the ground. Her hand rubbed along the wall till she felt it... the faintest of worn lines... smoothed from clawing tears and probably even blood. She then sat down curling against that spot on the wall her eyes glazed as if both of them were lost in some memory. Sobbing nearly screaming for Alexandru. The cries getting softer till she simply slumped against wall in silence.

She is here... right here.

She finally spoke but still physically feeling weak from the memories of death slow starving withering death.

 

[degrepski]

Alex rushed to her side, knelt down in front of her.

"Nadya," he said, speaking to them both. "Can you show me? Can you...show me what happened?"

He placed his forehead gently on hers, hoping to share the memories, take some of the burden of sweet Nadya...and to finally get the answers he'd sought for so long.

 

[Asa]

She moved from the spot and began digging.

She... We are here... right here...

Nadya looked to him confused scared weak but they were slowly becoming one. her mind was heavy weakened by what her namesake had gone through but slowly she was coming back to herself.

Hearing her scream the butler sent the young man down there to check on them but once he was away from the butler and the maid a cruel grin curled his lips for a moment as the being who used him as a host was also reliving a memory of the death of the worthless gypsy.

 

[degrepski]

"Nadya!" I cried, holding her close. "Nadya, stay with me. It's ok. It's ok."

He'd seen it. For a moment, he had seen what was inside her mind. The flash of what had happened. Hours, days of torture, abuse. The things they did to her. Did to his Nadya.

And there, where Nadya had been digging, was her. His Nadya. The Nadya from those sweet, glorious days when their love ahd been all that mattered.

He felt the tears before he realized they were his. Inside, he burned with anger, with pain, with fury.

He wished he could go back to his time and kill his bastard father and his worthless older brother.

"Bastards," he said in Romanian with a sob. "The bastards..."

He didn't notice the young man sneaking in through the door behind him. Didn't notice the predatory gleam in his eyes.

 

[Asa]

His Nadya had let Nadya see it all... Tortured the day she was dragged from him then simply tossed in here and left for dead... his father the only one who could hear her through his office. Even his father may not have known of the attack by his eldest son upon her. before he returned to his office and threw her down here.

His father would speak to her finding it most entertaining that his son's precious love was so close to him yet he did not know nor would he ever know. Nadya let her see it all which strangely let him see it too as the two merged slowly into one.

 

[degrepski]

Alex could feel her changing as he held her to him.

He was concerned. Both were his Nadya. Must he lose one to save the other? Or would the two be like halves becoming a whole?

He didn't know, and he felt powerless to help, powerless to stop it.

"Nadya," he said, tears still in his voice. "What can i do? What am I supposed to do? Tell me, please."

 

[Asa]

We have to find her anything at all that is left of her and give her a proper burial. As for what we... have to do that has begun... we are... we are both... one now... slowly... it will take time but like sealing pieces of a broken glass back together only... stronger.

She kept digging till her fingers felt something and she moved the flashlight to get a better look. Carefully digging around what she felt she slowly unearthed a piece of bone.

This was us... we left you left this place and world right here...

 

[degrepski]

Alex saw the bone, and began to dig frantically with his hands.

"There's probably more," he said. "If we can find it..."

He turned, noticing the young man at the door. "You! Go get shovels! And as many as you can find to help!"

He continued digging.

 

[Asa]

She paid no attention but kept carefully digging with her hands not wanting to break or damage any of the bones. Her focus solely on the bones she found what appeared to be a necklace tangled in them and then sat blankly staring at it lost in memory.

 

[degrepski]

When Nadya stopped digging, Alex looked to her. Seeing the necklace, his own memories came back to him. It was a necklace he had given to her.

"Nadya," he said hesitantly. "What do you remember?"

He turned back to the young servant. "For God's sake, man! Where are those shovels?!"

He returned his focus where it belonged. "Nadya?"

 

[Asa]

The young man took off but once out of sight he was in no real hurry simply telling the old man they want shovels for some reason.

She stared at the necklace or at least what was left of it. Her lips parted as if to speak but nothing came out. Her eyes finally moved to his then back to the necklace. Then leaning against him she closed her eyes.