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[NightShade]

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The woman turned, her exquisite green dress arranged perfectly. Her dark hair piled high atop her head. Glittering emeralds adorned her neck. She smiled fondly at Willow. Willow! My dearest! How fair you?

Shade gave the woman an amused look. I am okay Althea, you know I dont go by that name anymore, remember, I go by shade? Hows your mother? The old gypsy still alive?

Althea paused, her lips pursing. You know I dont like to talk of her. However, if you must know she is dead.

Nightshade laughed merrily. Aah Althea, I guess thats the end of that subject eh?

Althea gave her a look, then shook it off. Nightshade had always had the worst sense of humor. Even in thier schooldays she had been this way. However,when it came to friends, Althea had had really no choice, once it was learned that she was a gypsies child the other children had immediately shunned her. Oddly Willow de'Chambray, (now known as Shade) had become her friend suddenly, almost as if the shunning of the other children had brought her around. Willow's father, Gray was well respected so it was quite the scandal in the schoolyard when Willow befriended her.

So Althea had become friends with Willow err Nightshade,all nonsense really who ever heard of one renaming oneself?

Shade smiled at her friends befuddlement. Watching closely as the myriad of expressions crossed her face and thoughts swirled in her mind. She had always had a poor memory. She was doing well considering...
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Something is Wrong, I can still feel Existence...

[NightShade]

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Althea rose stretching. Once more dressed in dazzling green. She smiled to herself. This cottage was lovely, and the garden outside was beautiful. The only disturbing bit was the mauseleom in the center of it. Really who kept mauseleom's in the middle of a garden?

Wondering to the window she stood staring outside at the night sky. The stars twinkled merrily above her as she took a deep breath enjoying the frigid night air. On nights like these the clan would make a great fire and Shade and she would laugh and dance wildly, thier skirts kicked up high. Then Shade would stare at her with those odd green eyes...and she felt often that her friends gazes caused her to forget whom she was. Even now Nightshades gazes caused her to feel far to peaceful, far to mellow and relaxed. Like nothing in the world mattered.

A person that could ease another so, a person who could make you care little for what went on around you , well she was just glad that Shade did not abuse it, at least she never had in Althea's presence.

For a moment she turned her head to the window, she could swear she could hear the music and the storytelling of the gypsys near her camp. Yet that was impossible, for they were far away in Ilshenar. She sat lost in thought thinking of these wonderful old days.

She did not see her friend enter. She did not hear the words of the spell as they were cast. Like a perfect vision she sat unmoving as the crafter furtively worked.

Yet she felt good, now, even better then before, inexplicably happy. Like she hadn't a care in the world.

Aaaah Nightshade I didnt see you there my friend..

No Althea I am sure you most certainly did not.

Once more the eyes glittered.
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Something is Wrong, I can still feel Existence...

[NightShade]

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The road was worn from many a traveler. She had traversed it many a time. Pebbles dislodged and ran skittering away from her reluctant footfalls.

Each step took her closer to her past.

Nightshade had said she needed to confront these demons or she would never be well. Althea, wasnt sure that being well was worth this.

Fearful she continued on, praying to find a friendly face in this storm.
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Something is Wrong, I can still feel Existence...

[NightShade]

---

Distraught and at her wits end Althea flung herself into the fire...
Her skirts caught quickly, as the flames spread across her legs...
Salvation came in the arms of an unknown stranger, perhaps now a friendly face in this storm.....

There's a story the gypsies know is true
That when your love wears golden earrings,
She (he) belongs to you.
An old love story that's known to very few,
But if you wear those golden earrings,
Love will come to you.
By the burning fire,they will glow with evry coal.
You will hear desire whisper low inside your soul.
So be my gypsy;
Make love your guiding light,
And let that pair of golden earrings
Cast their spell tonight.

**Lyrics to the 1946 song written for the movie starring Marlene Dietrich, titled Golden Earrings..
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Something is Wrong, I can still feel Existence...

[Arahim]

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Barefoot, and dressed in her favorite nightgown, the little girl poked her smooth white fingers into the almost too bright moonlight that spilled in slants and slats through the smoky glass of the dining room. She crept with barely contained giddiness to each window on her tiptoes, and cautiously sampled of each pool of Night's fallen fire with a smile that betrayed secrets that only she knew. Her ravendark hair, so like her mother's, caught spidery traces of pearl as she snuck through the ghostly cascades, and came to the last window before the kitchen.

"Will you be able to reach?" Arahim asked with a lost smile as he watched her laborious progress, "I know you are little and all."

"I kin reach," she twittered, tilting her head as she was in the habit of doing, before running the rest of the way.

Still on her toes, the dark haired child slapped at the countertop. Her hands grazing various pots, and jars, but never quite grasping any substance. She was rewarded with the clinking of glass, and the sense that what she was asked to get was up there, but had somehow rearranged itself to be further away than she remembered. Holding the lip of the counter with both hands, she jumped up several times to snatch fleeting peeks for her quarry. Each landing sending her hair flipping over the front of her face and making her a breathless, shaggy thing.

"Shall I help?" Arahim called in, just as he heard the rough squeal of dragged wood over cool, naked stone.

"Nuh uh..." sang out in response.

Moments later, her gown a swirl around her skipping legs, she returned with a palm sized tin, and deftly climbed into Arahim's lap.

"My clever Lyset," he cooed, placing a kiss upon her head while fussing her tussled hair out of her face yet again.

"Put your hans out daddy," she answered without looking up, preoccupied as she was on twisting the lid from the body on the metal container. Shaking her head distractedly at any offers of assistance, until she succeeded, and dabbed out the first of several thin globs of greyish-white ointment onto the blisters on his palms and fingers.

She was careful almost to a fault, and so fastiduously gentle as to make him laugh out loud...that is, until she stopped and wordlessly laid into him with a pouty frown.

"You're tickling me." he grinned.

Her frown lessened, but did not disappear.

"How didja burn yu'self daddy?" she asked before setting back to her work.

Fixated on his upturned palms, his grin melting into silence, Arahim knew he should know, but could not remember.

[NightShade]

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Nightshade grasped her shoulders and shook her wildly. Althea what the hell are you doing here? She looked around the abbey and the bewildered monks gave Nightshade a furtive glance. She quickly pulled herself and Althea into a room.

Althea was utterly bemused. Her eyes were vague and wide and she didnt seem to notice her teeth chattering as Shade shook her.

Finally Nightshade pulled out an apple and shoved a piece of it into Althea's mouth.

Althea Chew...

Slowly she chewed the apple, and the haze in her eyes began to dissapear. This was disturbing. Nightshade had meticulously crafted her plans. Althea had come into contact with something she shouldn't of. She could tell the girl was slightly tainted by something familiar. Another necromancer? Another being? She wasnt sure but she would have to keep better tabs on this Althea.

Snapping her fingers, she spoke clearly. Wisp, you will return home. Althea nodded the hypnosis instantly effecting her and she wandered out the door of the abbey.

Seconds later Althea entered again.

Shade smiled to her. Nox Tell me if any odd characters are about.
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Something is Wrong, I can still feel Existence...

[NightShade]

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Two of them. One a Puppet. One real.

The Puppet of Althea was used primarily in the dispensing of chaos.

The Real Althea wore the mask of Eternity which became on that fateful night, the mask of Armageddon. It was her blood that had been used consistently in the rituals, her blood that had fueled the ancient gypsy spell that allowed shade to create such perfect transformations.

The masks were works of art.

The puppet, now destroyed, left the living Althea to be dealt with.

So we view the workspace of Lady Nightshade and the new beautiful doll added to her collection. The Lovely Althea, all dressed in green. Black hair and blue eyes sparkling.

Forever held in her silent prison....
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Something is Wrong, I can still feel Existence...