Chapter Text
Slowly, Millicent knocked a red feathered arrow against her bow. It was a process she had repeated many times before, but even now; her hand shook.
Every weekend the girl and her mother would hunt, delving deeper into the woods beyond Elphael in search of food. This was initially thought to be a joyous opportunity for the two to bond, but as the hours dragged, the young Millicent never smiled.
She was known to be a marvelous shot, hitting the inner circle or bullseye of a target with every arrow she dared to loose from the string. This was something that made her mother proud, for like any parent, she was happy to know that her daughter held talent. But this, along with her renowned patience, only made each miss within the woods a mystery.
They were now on their fourth attempt of the day, and standing quietly in the clearing was a deer, lit only by moonlight. Here there was no wind, no cold air, yet Malenia still watched her daughter shiver.
“Breathe Millicent, you needn’t dwell upon it,” She whispered, moving behind Millicent in a way that presented both her daughter and the target, “Take it easy, and calm yourself.”
The girl turned ever so slightly, briefly locking eyes with her mother before looking to the floor again. “I can’t…” she muttered, shame flooding the entirety of her words “Forgive me, mother, but I can’t….”
In response, Malenia sighed, though not in a way to provoke disappointment. She struggled reading the emotions of those beside her, a flaw she had long since carried from her own childhood, but deep down inside the demigod felt she understood her daughter’s struggle. She had to. So hoping to remove the burden, Malenia calmly asked for the bow with an outstretched palm.
Millicent quickly noticed the gesture, and with a nervous eye, softly placed her arrow back into a quiver, “I think I just feel unwell, my mind feels conflicted” the girl explained, then moving the weapon itself into her mother’s open hand “I promise you, I’ll be better next time.”
With her last remaining eye, Malenia watched the shame that dragged Millicent to her knees. It was a familiar sight, and oddly, something that reminded her of herself. She knew how much the heart could hurt itself.
A golden hand was moved over Millicent’s shoulder, its form solid, but touch gentle. Malenia noticed that Millicent always appeared guilty around her, despite never doing anything wrong, and this did nothing but fuel her internal curiosity.
Moving closer, Malenia realised that the woman’s face was dreary, weighed down by something invisible from within. She never smiled in her mother’s presence, and whilst it was evident they loved one another, something always felt missing.
“You can tell me anything, Millicent, you know that, right?” Malenia asked, her tone filled with genuine concern “I can see something bothers you.”
The demigod’s question caused Millicent to sigh, provoking her eyes to finally free themselves from the patch of earth she had once been so thoroughly fixed to. However, when she caught a glimpse of the other’s face, the girl smiled, though, only thinly. She was simply appreciative of her mother’s concern.
“I’m fine mother, really.”
Malenia Narrowed her eyes for a moment, measuring the truth behind these words before retreating her hand, “Very well. We’ll make our way home then.”
And with these words, a quiet ride followed. Neither Malenia nor Millicent spoke on their journey, and instead, the younger of the two sought to entertain herself with only the stars. At least they reminded her of something positive.
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It was late, and by the time the gates of Elphael swung inwards for the two riders, not a soul was seen beside the watch. There was an odd calm to the sleeping city, but there was also a unique fear too. The unknown was, afterall, terribly thought-provoking; you never knew what dwelled within the darkest corners.
Nonetheless, Millicent stopped her horse within the stable, shaking away whatever concerns that once clung to her. It was difficult to concentrate on anything else except the smell here as, no matter how many flowers Miquella placed in the rafters, the smell of horse was utterly unavoidable. Millicent was lucky to have grown used to it.
The young rider then removed herself from her horse’s back, hitting the floor with a grunt before stopping for a moment. Malenia’s face suggested she was wanting to say something.
“I am off to speak with your uncle” the demigod announced, smiling in a way that made it seem as if she was trying to be comforting, “And if possible, will I be able to speak to you later?”
Millicent nodded and softly raised her right hand to the side of her shoulder, making eye contact for only a second “I’ll be at the shore.” she muttered, “I think I just need somewhere to clear my head for the night.”
“Be safe then,” Malenia replied, instinctively unclipping her cloak and handing it to the smaller woman beside her “The seaside gets cold this time of day”
The two then parted ways; one heading back through the stable, and the other towards a large flight of stairs. Miquella’s office, as splendid as it is, was always quite a hassle to reach for he had opted for it to be placed near the very top of the palace. Even without any feeling in her legs, Malenia could not help but feel exhausted.
She placed a knock on the door with her natural hand, fearing that the clash of her prosthetic against the frame would inspire panic to the resident upon the other side. And then, after all but a brief moment, the demigod heard the familiar voice of a child:
“Come in!”
Pushing forward, Malenia took a step into Miquella’s room, and immediately, she was welcomed by the strong scent of herbs and lilies; the likely remnants of a recent experiment. Though, moving past this pleasant aroma, Malenia’s expression immediately fell when she looked upon her brother.
Years ago he had been abducted, tortured and experimented upon, cursing the little Lord with an internal coexistance with an ethereal deity. His skin was pale, and to his side, a young maid was applying what looked to be a sort of needle into his arm. This was a recent addition to Miquella’s routine, and whilst he insisted to Malenia that it helped him with his burden, to say he looked tired of it all was an understatement.
“Ah, Malenia! Apologies, I never thought you’d be home so early.” He called, then turning to the maid with a smile “Yani, Would you mind giving us some time alone for a while?”
The woman took a step back, smiled, and signed the words “yes, my lord” before leaving.
“You said you wouldn’t need any more of that today” Malenia said, nodding her head towards the medicine at Miquella’s side. It was a horrid dark red, utterly contrasting the ornate and vibrantly decorated room it had found itself in. Malenia could only dare to think of how it smelled, and even worse, how it felt.
The little lord exhaled through his nose, showing forth a slight irritation at his sister’s words “I only use it when I need to, Mal.”
Malenia’s brow furrowed “When you need it?” She asked, now disappointed “Brother, you’re onto your fourth dose of the day. You said it yourself, the resources you require aren’t enough to sustain such frequent usage, you have to-”
The demigod stopped herself, suddenly realising that she had nearly raised her voice to the brother she-so cherished. There was evident regret upon her every feature.
“Forgive me, Miq, I’m just-”
“-worried, I know.” Interrupted Miquella, “I appreciate your concern sister, but I assure you, I have everything in my control. Now please, take a seat. I can tell there is something else which bothers you.”
Malenia didn’t even dare to argue, for like always, her brother was right. Miquella knew nearly everything there was to know, both academically and personally as the little lord dedicated each waking day to the development of his knowledge. He was destined to be a ruler, but for as long as the roots of the Erdtree remained sealed, that day would wait.
“It’s Millicent, she’s been acting strangely again….” Malenia muttered, now gently rolling her fingers along the side of her prosthetic “She seems burdened by something.”
Miquella raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips, “Burdened by something?” he asked “Could you elaborate?”
“The girl just doesn’t seem like herself anymore…” the woman sighed, now leaning her head atop a hand, “I cannot remember the last time I’ve seen her genuinely smile, Miq. What did I do wrong?”
Leaning over his desk, the older sibling took the other’s hand, “You haven’t done anything wrong, Mal”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. You needn't belittle yourself so frequently sister, I've told you this before, remember?
She could never forget. During their childhood, the twins had grown up together within the capital, and whilst Malenia was always peristent it were otherwise, her brother would frequently make sure to remind her that she wasn't alone. Day and night, the young Miquella would stay with her, telling stories, tales, and whatever else inbetween as he did his best to help her through the accursed affliction that once troubled her; the Scarlet Rot.
Some called it a disease, but many called it a curse. Malenia was destined to suffer from birth, as for decades she would be forced to endure the slow pain of her withering life. Miquella tried to stop it, but as it spread, the young Malenia was forced to live without her legs and left arm from as early as the age of ten. It was a horrible memory that they both fought to repress, and as the years went on, the fear of the curse spreading only made Malenia more alone. She was treated like a monster, a plaguebearer, and throughout her entire life, there were only ever a handful of souls who treat her as a person; Miquella, and the one knight she had once held so closely.
“Finlay made it seem so simple...” Malenia sighed, now admiring the ring around her finger “I wish… I wish she was still here…”
A lone tear now travelled beyond the demigod’s cheek, sailing between her scars and soft features before settling at the bottom of her face. It told a story, a story of love, and whilst it had now been twelve years since the knight’s passing, Malenia never let go.
Swiftly, Miquella’s hand rested upon his sister’s own. It was a small gesture, but as time went on, the little empyrean could feel Malenia’s stress begin to falter. Some said his ability to soothe nerves and generate compassion was the act of magic, but to those who truly knew him, they understood that this reputation was simply born from the nature of his heart.
“She’d be proud of you, sister, you know that, right?”
It wasn’t easy to accept, but Miquella was right, FInlay would be proud of her, she was always proud of her. That knight, though only living through a fraction of the demigod's life, had held enough influence to bring the lonely Malenia out of her shell of self-hatred. Miquella could always recall the ways they'd laugh together, but in truth, all these memories only made the present worse. Malenia still had to find the one responsible.
“Miq…” She addressed, now raising herself to a more upright posture “Has there been words from our scouts?”
The young empyrean raised his eyebrow, exhaling a heavy breath in return, “The last group I sent came home with nothing” he uttered, now moving his hands over the open book before him. It detailed a map, and in places, routes as to where the lord had deployed his knights. “Though, Latenna has told me that she wishes to set out herself this time, and if my memory serves me correctly, she should have already left by now. But Malenia… I wouldn’t hold onto hope; it’s been twelve years...”
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Alone and sitting upon an oaken log, Millicent watched Elphael’s sea in silence. She liked it here, whether it be the quiet or simply the coldness of the air, everything about the coast felt right.
Admittedly though, it was quite cold this time of year, so to warm herself, Millicent started a small fire with whatever dried wood she could find. It was a tiny thing, barely generating enough light for the girl to see beyond an arm’s length away, but alongside the warmth of her mother’s cloak, Millicent mustered the courage to lie down.
She was now sat staring at the stars again.
They were motionless, beautifully held in place by something the girl lacked the knowledge to understand. For years, in fact, she had long since wondered what truly did exist beyond the reaches of the world, and whilst Miquella told her there was nothing but emptiness, her mind still wandered.
Millicent then caught a glimpse of something swiftly pass over her vision. She shot upright, immediately curious as to what it was that had disturbed her. To the left there was sand, and to the right there was stone, but looking closer, she noticed something.
Settled on what looked to be the shell of a crustacean, a gentle pink-colored butterfly sat peacefully opposite. Its coloration was unique, and most certainly not native to Elphael as it didn’t match any species Millicent could recognise.
However, the sound of distant voices scared it away, and soon, Millicent sighed upon noticing who it was.
“Millicent, that you?”
This was the voice of Elizabeth, a cleanrot knight and childhood friend of the demigod’s daughter. She had a fiery energy within her tone, telling of someone who was all too eager to make their way up the chain of command, and whilst Millicent didn’t doubt she could do it, the thought of having to call her captain was less than appealing.
However, and most thankfully, she was not alone. To the woman’s side were two knights, each with a lantern within their gloved hands. The taller, and seemingly more tired of the two, was pale of skin and possessed a magnificent head of long ebony hair. She was named Hollise, and whilst Millicent never heard her speak often, the woman had a beautifully calming voice to her.
Then, a figure across, was the next knight, Emori. She was an endlessly charming individual, always smiling, and constantly talking about whatever recent things she had read within her books. She was the shortest of the trio, standing just beneath Elizabeth’s shoulder, and set just beneath her knotted ginger hair was a peculiar set of spectacles that helped highlight her emerald eyes.
They were a peculiar group, but over the years, Millicent had begun to think of them as friends. And in honesty, they were the only ones she had ever known.
Elizabeth walked forwards with her hand raised, “Millie!” she shouted, knowing full well that this nickname caused the woman to blush “What are you doing out here?”
With her arms wrapped around her knees, Millcent looked up with a tired glance, “I just thought I could catch some cool air.”
The three knights had now come to a stop, and leaning against her spear, Hollise noticed something was off. “Millicent?” She asked, now staring at her “Is everything alright? You’ve looked better.”
She certainly had. Beneath the woman’s golden eyes were dark bags, and further still, there was not a hint of a smile upon her lips. This wasn’t the first time the group had encountered their friend looking like this, and sadly, they doubted it would be the last.
Millicent exhaled heavily, “I messed up….”
As Millicent said this, the group of knights began to sit down, however, it was Emori who took a seat beside her. “How so?” She asked, her eyes wide like an owl’s “Was it the hunt?”
Millicent turned and looked towards her friend with a weak smile. She didn't say anything, but this act gave the woman all she needed to piece together the puzzle.
“I see…” she muttered, then placing a soft arm over her shoulder “You’ll get the hang of things, Millicent, it took Liz years to catch her first animal. Isn’t that right?”
Across from them, and half-shadowed by the campfire, Elizabeth scowled. Having an ego as big as hers, she was initially hopeless when it came to thinking practically. Yes, she was the best swordswoman out of all of them, but this talent sometimes led her to believe that all of life’s problems could be fixed through the sword.
“It was just one accident, okay?” the woman hissed, now staring at Emori with a face of playful albeit murderous intent “You need to stop bringing that up!”
Emori was now slapping her leg laughing. “Just an accident?” She sputtered, expressing her arms outwards in an exaggerative motion ”You nearly hit Loretta!”
“They’re a big target…”
“And they were also behind you at the time!”
“No, they weren’t!”
“Yes, they were, how could you forget?”
“Because it wasn’t true!”
“Yes it was!”
The two continued this argument for a while, hurling insult, bad memories, and whatever else their little minds could think of. It was a fairly common sight between the two, and as time went on, even Millicent began to laugh, however, the sound of Hollise’s spear put them all to silence.
“All of you, quiet!” She hissed, nodding her head towards the distance, and bringing to their attention a singular figure.
Alone, and lit by a small lantern, was the familiar form of a child. From this distance, it was difficult to make out specifics, but those flowing gold strands of hair could be recognized anywhere. It was Miquella.
“Ah, good evening!” He smiled, approaching whilst waving his little hand “Is Millicent with you?”
Being the closest, Hollise took a step back to reveal the form of Miquella’s niece. She was happy to see him, smiling ever so slightly from beneath the comfort of her mother’s cloak. However, behind those golden eyes, the little demigod could see her sense of dread.
“May I have a small word?” Miquella asked, now tilting his head to the side.
In unison, all three knights then turned to face the red-haired Millicent. It was somewhat concerning, but Emori’s smile certainly helped calm her.
Millicent stood, went forwards, and calmly took the hand her uncle offered. Upon feeling the warmth of her touch, he smiled at her, and she at him, for it was always difficult not to feel comforted by Miquella’s presence.
Carrying on, and with Miquella now wrapped around Millicent’s arm, the pair ventured quietly along the beach. They could still hear the echo of the knight’s laughter behind them, and as it continued, Miquella shot his head up towards his companion.
His face was innocent, but he held an unmistakable look of mischief, “Have you grown a few inches since last we met?” he asked, smiling proudly “You appear taller than I remember.”
Millicent giggled, holding her hand to her mouth to conceal herself “I’ve not grown, uncle, I think you’re just forgetful.”
Miquella made a thoughtful nod in return, “It’s definitely a possibility”
With the voices behind them now fading, the two finally came to a stop upon their walk at a small bench. Miquella sat down first, taking up the left side of the seat whilst gesturing for Millicent to move beside him.
The empyrean trailed a thought, softly kicking his legs above the ground as he looked at his niece. She was quiet, and whilst they had happily laughed prior, the girl also looked somewhat uncomfortable.
Miquella shuffled along somewhat, connecting his side with hers in an attempt to comfort her. “I suppose you’re wondering why I wanted to see you then?” he asked, now gazing upon his niece with a thinly veiled smile “I should have probably said it earlier…”
Millicent exhaled a breath, likely knowing what it was that her uncle wished to speak about. “It’s alright uncle….” She uttered, seemingly drawing out her words on purpose, “I suppose this is about earlier, isn’t it?”
Miquella made a sound of confirmation. For years now Malenia had struggled with raising Millicent, and whilst she was finally an adult, Miquella knew the demigod hadn’t managed everything she had hoped. The girl was still strangely distant to her mother, often avoiding her or making up excuses to keep her distance. This was something Miquella simply thought of as a byproduct of youth, for he remembered acting this way himself, but as time went on, the young lord began to theorise.
A small hand wrapped itself around Millicent’s own, binding their palms together in a way that caused the girl’s senses to calm. She was tense, burdened by something yet unseen, and though she never told him, Miquella believed he knew the answer.
His mouth trembled before speaking. “Millicent….? You blame yourself for what happened to Finlay, don’t you?”
The girl’s mouth opened, hinting at a desire to speak, yet nothing left it. She swallowed a breath and simply sat there. “Yes.”
Miquella expected this answer. “If I may ask then, Millie.” he inquired, squeezing her hand ever so slightly, “Why is it you hold yourself responsible?”
The girl separated herself, now sitting upright and beneath a shade of shame. She sighed, but in between her heavy breaths, it simply appeared like a part of the process. “That night, when the black knives took me, I was stolen because I was on my own. If I had only listened to mother and stayed inside the palace, I would be safe, yet I-”
“You couldn’t have known that those women would attack.” Miquella interjected, his tone now calmingly serious “I’ve spent my whole life trying to give our people a safe haven, somewhere they’d finally feel safe, yet time and time again, I’m incapable of protecting my family, Millicent, I’m incapable of protecting you.”
Miquella’s eyes were wide, starry, and certainly guilt ridden. He had said these words from the heart.
Twelve years ago, a group of black knife assassins had been sent to their home, Elphael, and upon their visit, they brought havoc. First, they had kidnapped Millicent, stealing the girl away from her parents in the night and bringing them directly to Leyndell. It was an event that permanently stained the minds of their family, as whilst Malenia was happy to have her daughter back, Miquella’s nightmares would never let him forget his failures.
But it was the event that followed which only made things worse.
“I see mother crying, uncle.” Millicent said plainly “She still mourns her.”
Miquella looked at the ground, his feet barely reaching it. “I thought she would…” he uttered, then turning to face his niece once more. “I know you think you remind my sister of what happened to her beloved, Millicent, but believe me, you do the opposite. Before you, all she thought she was ever capable of was destruction, consequently leading her to hide within herself whenever she could. I tried to bring her out of this shell, Finlay did too it seemed, but it just never worked.”
The lord then squeezed Millicent’s hand, smiling proudly at her. “Then you came along. You, Millicent, changed my sister. Yes, it was Finlay who brought you from Caelid, but it was your presence alone that changed her, instantly, as a matter of fact.” Miquella then began to stroke his chin, laughing for a short while before continuing “Yes, looking back at it now, it was quite the sudden change in character. She loves you Millicent, more than any words could describe.”
In her seat, Millicent leaned down into a more casual position, resting her arms upon her thighs and sighing deeply into her open palms. She was filled with regret, regret born from knowing she could have been better. “I just didn’t want her to be upset….”
“I know…” Miquella replied, softly patting her back with a unique tenderness “You get this quality from her, you know? It was what made setting her and Finlay up so difficult.”
“You did that?” Millicent asked, more surprised than anything.
The little lord simply laughed, freeing himself of a much weighed upon tension. “Yes! It wasn’t easy, mind you. That knight had eyes for my sister far longer than either of them could ever admit. I’d hear her singing sometimes when on patrol, and whilst never directly, those lyrics of hers always tended to fit the description of a certain someone.”
Millicent had begun to giggle, but stopped herself with a hand. “Really?” She asked, amused but also somewhat uncomfortable upon the topic, they were her parents, afterall. “I don’t think they ever talked about this to me…”
Miquella exhaled a sound of warmth, making himself more comfortable in his seat through a brief movement. “Well… I think Finlay would have rather gnawed her own leg off than admit these things to your mother.” he chuckled “ She was always an easily embarrassed person.”
“That… I knew.”
“Wasn’t something she hid well, was it?”
The two shared a wholesome laugh together, their smiles wide, and minds free of previous worries. But Miquella knew he had to make his point. “Millicent…” he addressed, seriously “May I make a request of you?”
The girl adjusted herself, taking in the seriousness of the turn. “Of course, uncle, what is it?”
“Spend some time with her… will you? I think the both of you need it…”
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(BIMBOM'S BACK BITCHES!!! Hi!!! Hope you enjoyed this first chapter, thank you so much for reading it!!!!! This is a followup from my last fic "Stolen" which you'll be able to find through my profile, but don't worry if you haven't read it, I'll try my best to give you every bit of info you need. Just know that the Order's gone and now the Lands Between is now a series of independant states, and also, Ranni's been missing for a long while too. To those of you who read my last fic, then first can I say once more THANK YOU for the amount of support you gave it, it genuinely baffles me how nice all of you are! <3 This is going to be a similarly lengthed tale, so expect a fair few chapters in near-distant future. We'll be meeting a host of old faces and a big batch of new ones too! I hope you stick along for the ride. And ofcourse, feel free to leave a comment wherever and whenever you want, every bit of constructive criticism is welcome, and if you have any questions, then please feel free to ask me! :D)