Madalie (prime)/Talador

OOC Note: The content below is not common knowledge. It is provided here for entertainment value and should not be taken as in-character knowledge unless shared in-game and in-character. Her siblings' ages: Rowland - 16, Liesl - 9.

Madalie, aged 15, in the year 5116

Early Imaerasta, a hamlet on the outskirts of the city of Talador

She jerked to a halt at the sight of her older brother and an unfamiliar man blocking the front of their stable.

"There's been a mistake," she said stupidly, staring at the man in sudden fear. "We're human. Your papers are wrong."

Rowland wrapped his hand around around her forearm and he jerked his head slightly. Madalie followed his gaze and bit back a scream.

The man nodded stolidly at her. "Half-sylvans. You were reported. You come or die."

She flicked a quick glance around the area, her heart alternately pounding and skipping.

Rowland's fingers dug into her skin as he said evenly, "We'll come. We don't want a fight."

--

"Rowe," she whispered desperately, "where is Liesl? What happened?"

He cast a quick glance around and hissed, "I told her to run. She has to be safer with neighbors than with us."

Madalie bit her lower lip, tasting blood. "I'm scared. Were you there?"

Her brother met her eyes, his expression colder than she had ever seen it. "Liesl and I were bringing the horses back. I told her to run when I saw the men. They killed Father when he tried to protect Mother, saying she was the one with sylvan blood. She was already dying when they saw me." He added quietly, "They might not know about Liesl. They knew about us."

--

Late Imaerasta

She sat beside Rowland's bloodied body and slipped her hand into her dead brother's. Her lower lip trembled and tears filled her eyes. Her chest ached as she fought back the sobs and rose to her feet. She looked down, carefully memorizing every detail of his young body, from the unlined face and empty hazel eyes to the black veins finally stilled.

Hatred stirred finally, burning out the numbness of fear and exhaustion. Beside her feet, her brother's body began to smoke faintly.

Madalie bent and picked up a gold-edged blood marble pendant, loops of golden light shimmering across her wrist as she clenched the jewelry in her fist.

--

Late Eoantos

She traced the map slowly with her finger, her eyes scanning the areas that had been saved. The Tears of Koar. "Liesl," she whispered, and screamed in rage and pain. Vines slithered up from the ground to wrap her ankles and calves, and thorns burst to life around her. She looked down and nodded slowly; she could use this.