As the Fire Rises

Chapter Six: Flower in the Garden.

Diana watched her study herself in the floor-length, golden-gilded bone mirror. She had dressed herself in a white cotton dress with silver-threaded trimmings and pulled her hair into a singular braid that hung down like the woman who had visited her dreams. She had long learned it had been Liliana who had put the images of Orin in her head. "So you're supposedly my daughter?" Citrine turned to her two large emerald eyes looked into her own scarlet ones. 

"Not supposedly, I am, and the boy who decided to interfere in the fight is your son." Diana straightened her back. "You died giving birth to us." Citrine scowled. 

"I have no memories of either of you," Citrine said plainly. Diana looked at Liliana, who stood silently in the corner of the room. 

"Your father believed it would be best to remove certain memories before your resurrection that might interfere with his plans." Liliana moved over to Diana, Citrine let out a pondering sound. 

"Those memories would be of?" 

"My pathetic excuse for a father." hurt flashed through Diana's eyes soon replaced with anger. "Why are you trying to look like some innocent peddler?" 

Citrine's eyebrow shot up, "Peddler? No, I have plans to visit an old friend we had plans that would send many of souls to my father, and with me here again Gortash and I have some reuniting to do. He always enjoyed me in white, said I looked like a flower in garden just waiting to be plucked. You will learn soon child, sometimes you play cards to others so they don't see the hand you're truly holding."

"About Gortash," Citrine shot around to Liliana, "You and old little friends killed him." 

"How disappointing." Citrine sighed. "Well must not let a nice outfit go to waste. Child go put on something more- sweet. If you're truly my daughter then I believe it is time for me to show you some of Mama's tricks." 

Diana looked down at the blood-ridden clothing she wore, rolling her eyes she listened dismissing herself to her room. She riffled through her trunk she didn't own much in the way of clothing that wasn't covered in old blood stains of dirt. A knock broke her concentration. She turned to see Liliana in the doorway a wad of a pink dress in her hands. "Put this on." She tossed it at Diana. "How is it seeing mommy dearest?"

"I would have preferred Auntie Orin to be with us but my brother saw to the failure of that." Diana changed into the pink dress, one she imagined a younger girl than herself would of worn. "We should be out there looking for them, not some group of unreliable cultists." Diana brushed her hair roughly. 

"Your mother has made her choice of what to do and per your grandfather's orders, we are to obey. I've heard stories about your mother she is like a cat with its meal much like yourself. I believe she expects those she sent out to fail, to give a little hope to your brother and the others, build them up so to speak just to rip them down." 

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Aelius wiped the blood off his brow, looking around to see if any of the others had fallen. Shadowheart's ring of guardians shone a glittery gold as she laid her hands upon Karlach sealing wounds that ran red. Dead robed cultists laid around the half packed camp, they had found them, they knew exactly where they were. Panic filled Aelius as he looked around for his father. 

Astarion on knee held the collar of a close to dying halfling, his voice a snarl. "How did you find us?" The halfling's eyes rolled back, Astarion shook him violently. "Answer me!" Astarion held a dagger to the man's throat, blood dripped down the blade. The halfling let out his final breath and Astarion threw him to the dirt ground.