Eight White Priestesses: Violet (Ender Lilies Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

The castle is in chaos.

Violet runs down the long corridors of the upper halls, away from her room, away from the noble's living quarters, away from her home, nearly stumbling several times. The roars of blighted monsters and the clashing of blades between soldiers blighted and those who haven't yet succumb to it fill the air.

Violet yelps and ducks her head as an arrow gets stuck in the wall where her head would've been.

She keeps running.

The front entrance comes into view in the main hall below, and her heart leaps as she spots a cart with a covering on top to protect from the blighted rain, right up at the entrance. She races down the steps so fast that she misses a step, tumbling over and falling down with a yell of panic.

Strong arms catch her before she can hit the ground painfully. It's Giles.

Violet blinks and her racing heart slows somewhat.

"Th-thank you, Giles." She says shakily as she's let down. The beastial roars and sounds of weaponry ring in the distance, too close to be safe. Giles nods and points to the cart, which has nobles who have not yet been struck down or afflicted climbing into it.

"Let us flee, Young Priestess. You must stay safe." He starts to lead her to the cart and as she moves towards the exit, her gaze turns to the castle around her that has been her home for most of her short life.

She looks at the tapestries, regally blowing in the breeze from outside, now stained with blood. The imposing marble pillars, now cracked from the attacks of weapons. The stain glass windows, with such beautifully designed images of the royal crest, cracked and shattered.

Her gaze turns to the nobles in the cart who have survived. The loss of home, the happy faces now filed with fear. She thinks back to the people she's purified, the agony they were in and the rejoicing when she cured them.

She thinks of Mother, and voices from the past flash through her mind.

If I don't take on the blight, we will be overrun by it.

I can have one brought up to live in the castle, and take on the blight.

I-I promise I'll wait until I'm older.

I don't know how I can repay you!

Thank you Violet, thank you!

You're welcome. It's... why I'm here.

Her own voice echoes in her mind, and she stops.

Giles turns to her with alarm. "Young Priestess, we must go!"

Violet looks up at Giles for a long moment and then smiles sadly.

"I can't leave, Giles. I have to take on the Blight. It's why I'm here." The softness in her voice leaves Giles stunned. The horses carrying the cart start to neigh impatiently.

Violet turns around back towards the stairs she came from and her heart breaks as she hears cries of pain amidst the sounds of battle. There are people suffering that she has the power to save. Despite her fear, and the promises she'd made to her Mother, she knows in her heart that she can't leave. She couldn't live with herself if she did.

She expects Giles to try and stop her. Instead she hears the sound of shifting armour and the cart leaving as he waves it off.

"I understand. Let us go, then." Giles steps up in front of her and pulls out his sword, which Violet has never seen before. She looks up at him with wide eyes.

"You're coming with me?"

He nods solemnly. "I swore to protect you with my life, Young Priestess, and that has not changed."