Sepheroth watched her and made a face that seemed to say "Whatever!", and shrugged. Tara tried not to let him get to her, he seemed like an annoying little brother with much greater knowledge, but with the same amount of respect and courtesy (not a whole lot). Tara thought it would get better as they got to know each other, at least she really hoped so. The cabin as they neared was very ancient looking. Almost not recognizable as a cabin. As they approached, the musty smell of old wood filled the air. It was surrounded by mist like a dream. However, it seemed to gleam, like shiny metal. And the aura was uncanny! It felt like going home after being away for so long. Deadsponcelling
By Carly Robb and James Clair Lewis
Deadsponcelling Chapter 3
Tara almost didn't notice that she had stopped in her tracks and Sepheroth had an 'I-knew-it', looking smirk on his face. She quickly straightened her self out, and pushed back her shoulders hoping to deceive him into thinking she was more confidant than she really felt. They got to the door and before she opened the door, Daath looked at her and stopped her.
"I thought this was our 'destination'. What's your problem? Can you not make up your mind or something?" She stood on her left foot to ease the pain of stepping on the deeply lacerated right, and gave him a what the hell look that only women can do.
Sepheroth Daath sighed, looked down to the ground, as if thinking to himself, "It is best, if we enter here with drawn swords, just to be on the safe side." He pressed the door open, and stepped back.
Tara's breath was taken away. She looked at the cabin that seemed so small from outside in wide-eyed wonder, like a child in disbelief. The foyer, the room into which they apparent walked, was like the lobby of a grand old English castle. But how? The cabin on the outside was so small and homey looking! No one else seemed to have been there in at least 2 years. Dust had collected on the red, velvet, with gold trim 18th century furniture. The mirrors had cobwebs, the ceilings had collected dust, the walls were getting moldy from the humidity. Nothing a little paint couldn't fix. Over to the right rear corner, next to the entrance into the next room, was a wide, master staircase of white marble with a red carpet. Though the place seemed deserted, it still had that magical sense, like metal shining in the rain while the sun was out. And not to mention that nagging feeling, like she was "home". Tara looked at Sepheroth and Sepheroth at her. They both knew what the other was thinking. Yet, someone needed to say something.
From off to the right a lovely woman appeared. She looked young, around 20, but carried herself with a self assurance, no one so young could ever hold. "So, Daath, I see that you found another young sweetie."
"Another little sweetie?", Tara glared at her, "Um... I have no idea what you're talking about, but I assure you I am by NO means his 'sweetie', as you seem to believe..." Tara gingerly massaged her right foot. It was starting to throb.
The woman suddenly did a flying triple flip across the room. She stopped with her sword at Tara's carotid artery. ""You will have to learn to move faster than that."
Tara is breathed heavily. Sweat beaded on her head. Her breath was short and shallow, yet hard. She had to use her wits to get this bitch off guard and make her think that Tara didn't really know what she's doing (which she sort of didn't). "Damn, woman, what did I ever do to you?" Tara looked down and saw the mean little shard of obsidian easing its way out of her pocket, she quickly grabbed it, and threw it in her attacker's face and rolled away. "Now let me pamper my foot, dammit."
The stranger casually blocked the shard with her sword. She looked deeply into Tara's eyes. "You didn't panic. That's good, but you must learn to react faster to the unexpected. What is your name?"
"Tara, and that's all of my name anyone here needs to know."
Sepheroth Daath walked up to the newcomer and eyed her while circling around. He couldn't believe she would be here!
Semaj, the Sorcerer, appeared at the top of the stairs. With a wave of his hand, all of the dust, cobwebs and debris disappeared. "Why can't you two get along? Brother and sister, always fighting." He gave them both a stern look, before turning to Tara, "And you, young lady, must be the new Deadsponcellor. Did I hear your name correctly, Tara?"
"Brother and sister?!? Them?", Tara laughed, "Hahaha! Looks more to me like they're just about sworn enemies. Yes, I'm Tara." She almost fell from laughing so hard and trying to keep balance on her left foot "How come you never told me you had a sister, Sepheroth?"
"I didn't think we would be running in to her quite so soon." Daath cast Sephera a dirty look, "And did you have to test Tara, the first moment you met her?"
Sephera brushed back her luxurious long blonde hair, "Yes, I did. The sooner she learns, the more likely she is to survive." She turned toward Tara, "Really, I meant you no harm, Tara, but, these are dangerous times. The Rogues are Harvesting all of the Deadsponcellors they can find, trying to get enough power to overcome and destroy all the Solitaries. You are like an innocent walking across a battlefield in full melee."
Tara looked at the two of them and finally saw the similarities, both of them had the flame of stubbornness in their eyes, and she could tell that neither of them could admit to being wrong about anything. How their parents ever got together was a complete mystery to her. "I think I understand your reasoning Sephera, but I'm still getting used to your brother's little enigmatic statements. I just wish that dragonet hadn't eaten my boots, but of course if he hadn't..." She sat on the floor and tried to ease the throbbing in her foot.
Semaj came down the stairs, and walked over to Tara. He examined her foot, covering it with his hands. There was a tingling sensation, and a glow. "Why, there is nothing wrong with your foot!" he smiled.
Tara looked at him and her foot in wide-eyed wonder. "Wow! Thank you! That would have taken weeks to heal on it's own most likely. I honestly don't know how to thank you."
Sephera glared at Tara, "Just so long as you realize that Semaj is my husband, girl."
"Of course, Sephera, I'm not making the moves on anyone here. Everything's just gone all insane lately, Why stress myself with anything else?"
Sepheroth derailed Sephera's train of thought saying, "The harpies have returned to this valley again, and there was a raven spying on us. Was he yours, Tippy?"
"Yes, that was DarkSoul watching you, and your dragonet, Malachite, dispatch the harpies. They showed up yesterday when the Harvest began. Out looking for escaped Deadsponcellors, I assume. He said that you got the whole flock."
Sepheroth Daath folded his arms with obvious proud contentment on his face and winked at Tara. He looked at Sephera Tippereth to see what she would say next about his obviously courageous achievement. Tara looked at Sepheroth like she would a rabid dog wondering why he would wink at her, and mumbled something about how completely insane every man she had ever met was, at least he wasn''t making kissy faces at her, that would have totally freaked her out. "Tara killed one of the harpies, too." Sepheroth informed his sister.
Sephera laughed, "One harpy. That's all?"
"Only because they got to the others first." For some reason this comment made her feel more incompetent than she had ever felt since her first time going through the mirror. Possibly even more than her parents telling her that she could do better at everything, that she wasn't good enough at anything, and why couldn't she be like her sister... her basic reply to the last comment was always, "Because my sister's dead!!" But she kept a firm grip on herself and said nothing else.
"Up until now, you have been slaying unarmed dreamers. An opponent that can fight back, who can kill you, is a much different matter. I want you to begin training for real combat," Sephera instructed.
"Since when have I become your ward? I agreed to follow your brother here. I just meet you and you 'test' me and tell me (not even just suggest) that you want to train me? Do I have no decisions here?" Tara protested.
Daath laughed, "Just a little while ago, you were complaining that you were making all of the decisions."
Tara glared at Daath, "Yeah, I complain about a lot, ok, but put yourself in my shoes... er... whatever... how would you feel?"
Semaj looked at Tara's feet and said, "A lot more comfortable with proper boots and outfit, I'm sure. Please come upstairs to get a fitting wardrobe."
Tara looked around wondering how this came about from what was just being said but decided it better than having to deal with the siblings. "Thank you, Semaj, that would be great."
Semaj led her up the marble staircase and down a long corridor, stopping a few doors down. "This can be your room," he said while opening the door for her. Inside is a well-appointed studio apartment with oak floor, and paneled walls, oriental carpets, and a four-poster bed with canopy. "There is a private bathroom through that door, and a full wardrobe through the door next to it." One wall is bookshelves, and it is full, barred stained glass windows face outside. "I'll leave you here to get settled, and there is plenty of hot water for your bath.." He leaft, shutting the door behind himself.
Tara looked around at the room, "Nice. Glad there's hot water" She went in for a bath. After soaking out all the aches pains and stresses of the day, she got out and dried off, realizing while brushing her hair out that there was a bottle of some oil on the shelf. She opened, it and took a whiff, "Oh, wow, amber oil, I love this stuff," and proceeded to make herself smell pretty, just because she could. She made her way to the wardrobe and looked around.
On the floor there was a pair of knee high boots, she set them aside, to see if they would fit. While searching through the clothes, Tara found a black crushed velvet ankle length dress with long flared sleeves. She tried it on. "Wow, it's almost like this thing was tailored exactly for me, it's beautiful."
She looked at herself in the mirror. The neckline wasn't high, but it wasn't revealingly low either. It showed the (in her opinion) perfect amount of cleavage, enough to know there's some there, but not enough to show too much of it. The skirt wasn't too tight, but wasn't flowing, until her knees, and it trailed a bit on the ground behind her. The boots amazingly fit better than the pair that she had lost, which she had worn in perfectly. Sure the old ones had a hole in the left toe, but that was just character. She could tell by the look of these that they had never been worn before, and knew that when they were broken in, they would be even more comfortable.
Tara took a final look in the mirror and decided that it would probably be best to join the others downstairs, no matter how hectic it might be. She went to where the others had been, but they were gone. She began exploring the rooms, and heard loud voices arguing. She followed the sound, and came to a double door, knocked and entered. It was a spacious dining room. Semaj, Tippereth, and Daath were there. There was abrupt silence.