“This is such bullshit!”
“Sapphire…”
“You just want me out of the way so you don’t have to take care of me!”
She actually gasped. “That’s not true! That’s not true at all.”
The teen knew she was being irrational, but all of her emotions seemed so close to the surface these days. They were uncontrollable. The head doctor they made her speak to before she left the hospital told her to expect mood swings. He told her she might suffer from post traumatic stress disorder after the attack. He also said the head injury could make her irritable. They gave her a full list of all the symptoms that could manifest. They were a lot more frustrating in reality than they had seemed on paper. Tears were already running down her bruised and battered face as she went from furious to devastated in a matter of seconds. “I don’t mean to be trouble. I’m getting better as fast as I can.”
Jewell sat next to her on the couch, careful of her leg. “Sapphire, please don’t cry. It’s going to make your head hurt.”
“It already hurts!”
“Then it’s going to hurt worse.” She sighed as the tears continued unchecked. “Getting rid of you or being tired of taking care of you isn’t what this is about. It’s dangerous here. I can’t stand to think that something else might happen to you. You can’t even imagine how hard it is for me to see you like this, hurt and--” Jewell stopped, taking a deep breath before she could continue. “You’ll just be safer at home with your parents. That’s what matters.”
“That’s not true.” She sniffled wetly. “I’m safer here cause Merai is here.”
“If that were true, then how come you got hurt?” The teen ducked her head. “Sapphire, you have to go home. You’re hurt because of me. I have to make this right.” She reached out and tilted her chin up. “Besides, your mother should be the one to take care of you. Not me.”
She cried harder as she leaned forward despite her aching ribs and wrapped her arms around Jewell, “But you’re my mother too.”
Sapphires Are Forever
Moderators: Bailey Raptis, JewellRavenlock
-
Sapphire Ravenlock
- Adventurer
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:30 pm
- Location: RhyDin
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JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
They waited until Ishmerai couldn’t hear them. “I just don’t understand how you could let this happen! When she’s with you, she’s your responsibility. I trusted you to take care of her!”
“I didn’t just let this happen!”
“Oh you didn’t? Then why is my daughter sitting upstairs with her leg in a cast and her face looking like the Diamond used it as a punching bag?”
Jewell took a deep breath in through her nose. Sapphire’s mother deserved to vent her anger. Jewell owed her that much at least. Besides, this was better than she had expected. She had expected a punch in the face. Fortunately, Blue One was out playing golf, and her alternate self seemed to have more self-control than that. Life over the last few years had clearly been kind to this Jewell. She was soft and a little curvaceous. Her eyes and smile were warm. The majority of her trials were long gone and she had clearly moved on. She was whole.
“Sapphire is an adult. I can’t protect her every moment of every day. I do try though. Ishmerai is with her more often than not. It’s just hard. I can’t smother her.”
Her companion’s anger had apparently hit its crescendo and was already ebbing. She looked away. “I know. It is hard. She doesn’t even realize how hard.” She crossed her arms over her abdomen, practically hugging herself. The gesture was very familiar. It put her at ease to know that this Jewell was vulnerable too. “Every time she leaves the house? I’m scared. I’m scared--”
“That you’re going to lose her just like you lost them.”
“Yeah.”
The acknowledgement of their similar struggle broke the remaining tension between them. It made her realize that maybe this other woman wasn’t so different from her. Maybe she was just better at hiding it.
Ms. D'Artainian sunk onto one of the couches in the homey living room. Jewell moved about restlessly, gravitating towards the mantle. She fiddled with one of the picture frames, picking it up to examine it. It was from some family vacation to an amusement park when Sapphire was just a little girl. She moved on. There were science fair trophies and little handprints cast in plaster. There was a triumphantly grinning Harris holding up his winnings from some Diamond Quest or other. Jewell was at his side, grinning and giving him bunny ears.
They looked happy.
“She told me you got the people who did this to her.”
Jewell shrugged as she carefully set down a frame holding the very first picture of Sapphire after she was born. Her head was covered in light blue fuzz. She was cradled in her mother’s arms.
It made her heart ache.
“First thing I did after making sure she was okay was track them down.” She turned to face the girl’s mother. “Then I gave them to Tara to play with.”
Her lips twitched, “And the person who sent them?”
“They’re still out there.”
“I see. Any leads?”
She sighed, leaving the family photos behind and perching on the edge of the couch across from her alternate self. “No. The girls--” she paused, remembering that this Jewell did not run a small empire, “some of the people I employ have been searching since it happened. They haven’t turned up anything. I thought perhaps it was someone from Faerie,” she could see the way the other woman’s knuckles turned white as her hands curled into fists in her lap, “but that doesn’t feel right. It must be someone else.”
“She’s told me a little of what you do in your city. You’ve made enemies, Jewell.”
“I have.”
“But you have your magic back now.”
She nodded slowly, “I do.”
“And you have your knight.”
Jewell couldn’t miss the tone of wistful longing attached to that statement. “Yes. I do have Ishmerai.”
Her doppelganger shrugged. “Then you should be fine.”
She frowned. “I thought you might be a little more helpful than that. Don’t you have any ideas of who could have done this?”
The other Jewell shook her head. “Sorry, Empress. I really can’t fathom who it could be. I know the Temple of Bhaal is still active in your time, but this isn’t their style.”
“No. It’s definitely not them.”
“Then I really haven’t a clue. My last great challenge, aside from raising a teenager, came from Faerie. That’s been over for a long time. I’ve been very careful since then. I had to be careful. For her. I don’t make enemies. I don’t crusade for causes or defend the city from the evils that may be. We live in a nice house. She’s gone to the best schools. I do work for charities and play at being a housewife. I don’t pick fights. I get my kicks in at the duels when I feel like punching something. That’s it. Our lives have taken very different paths.”
Everything inside The Empress rejected this version of life. It seemed too boring. So sterile! There was nothing appealing about any of it except… It was Jewell’s turn to look wistful as she glanced to the stairs, thinking about the blue haired girl. “Yours seems a lot brighter than mine.”
“Don’t rule it out of your future just yet.”
She laughed, shaking her head ruefully as she turned back to the other faerie. “No no. There are no children in my near future or ever honestly.”
The elder Empress pressed her lips together a moment and wisely remained silent on the subject, choosing a safer topic. “So Sapphire tells me you’re sleeping with Kalamere?”
A blush raced across her cheeks. “We’re just friends…”
Unexpectedly, her companion leaned forward. “Don’t be coy with me! I gotta know, how is he in bed? Because that man is hot!”
“Well--”
“I didn’t just let this happen!”
“Oh you didn’t? Then why is my daughter sitting upstairs with her leg in a cast and her face looking like the Diamond used it as a punching bag?”
Jewell took a deep breath in through her nose. Sapphire’s mother deserved to vent her anger. Jewell owed her that much at least. Besides, this was better than she had expected. She had expected a punch in the face. Fortunately, Blue One was out playing golf, and her alternate self seemed to have more self-control than that. Life over the last few years had clearly been kind to this Jewell. She was soft and a little curvaceous. Her eyes and smile were warm. The majority of her trials were long gone and she had clearly moved on. She was whole.
“Sapphire is an adult. I can’t protect her every moment of every day. I do try though. Ishmerai is with her more often than not. It’s just hard. I can’t smother her.”
Her companion’s anger had apparently hit its crescendo and was already ebbing. She looked away. “I know. It is hard. She doesn’t even realize how hard.” She crossed her arms over her abdomen, practically hugging herself. The gesture was very familiar. It put her at ease to know that this Jewell was vulnerable too. “Every time she leaves the house? I’m scared. I’m scared--”
“That you’re going to lose her just like you lost them.”
“Yeah.”
The acknowledgement of their similar struggle broke the remaining tension between them. It made her realize that maybe this other woman wasn’t so different from her. Maybe she was just better at hiding it.
Ms. D'Artainian sunk onto one of the couches in the homey living room. Jewell moved about restlessly, gravitating towards the mantle. She fiddled with one of the picture frames, picking it up to examine it. It was from some family vacation to an amusement park when Sapphire was just a little girl. She moved on. There were science fair trophies and little handprints cast in plaster. There was a triumphantly grinning Harris holding up his winnings from some Diamond Quest or other. Jewell was at his side, grinning and giving him bunny ears.
They looked happy.
“She told me you got the people who did this to her.”
Jewell shrugged as she carefully set down a frame holding the very first picture of Sapphire after she was born. Her head was covered in light blue fuzz. She was cradled in her mother’s arms.
It made her heart ache.
“First thing I did after making sure she was okay was track them down.” She turned to face the girl’s mother. “Then I gave them to Tara to play with.”
Her lips twitched, “And the person who sent them?”
“They’re still out there.”
“I see. Any leads?”
She sighed, leaving the family photos behind and perching on the edge of the couch across from her alternate self. “No. The girls--” she paused, remembering that this Jewell did not run a small empire, “some of the people I employ have been searching since it happened. They haven’t turned up anything. I thought perhaps it was someone from Faerie,” she could see the way the other woman’s knuckles turned white as her hands curled into fists in her lap, “but that doesn’t feel right. It must be someone else.”
“She’s told me a little of what you do in your city. You’ve made enemies, Jewell.”
“I have.”
“But you have your magic back now.”
She nodded slowly, “I do.”
“And you have your knight.”
Jewell couldn’t miss the tone of wistful longing attached to that statement. “Yes. I do have Ishmerai.”
Her doppelganger shrugged. “Then you should be fine.”
She frowned. “I thought you might be a little more helpful than that. Don’t you have any ideas of who could have done this?”
The other Jewell shook her head. “Sorry, Empress. I really can’t fathom who it could be. I know the Temple of Bhaal is still active in your time, but this isn’t their style.”
“No. It’s definitely not them.”
“Then I really haven’t a clue. My last great challenge, aside from raising a teenager, came from Faerie. That’s been over for a long time. I’ve been very careful since then. I had to be careful. For her. I don’t make enemies. I don’t crusade for causes or defend the city from the evils that may be. We live in a nice house. She’s gone to the best schools. I do work for charities and play at being a housewife. I don’t pick fights. I get my kicks in at the duels when I feel like punching something. That’s it. Our lives have taken very different paths.”
Everything inside The Empress rejected this version of life. It seemed too boring. So sterile! There was nothing appealing about any of it except… It was Jewell’s turn to look wistful as she glanced to the stairs, thinking about the blue haired girl. “Yours seems a lot brighter than mine.”
“Don’t rule it out of your future just yet.”
She laughed, shaking her head ruefully as she turned back to the other faerie. “No no. There are no children in my near future or ever honestly.”
The elder Empress pressed her lips together a moment and wisely remained silent on the subject, choosing a safer topic. “So Sapphire tells me you’re sleeping with Kalamere?”
A blush raced across her cheeks. “We’re just friends…”
Unexpectedly, her companion leaned forward. “Don’t be coy with me! I gotta know, how is he in bed? Because that man is hot!”
“Well--”
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Sapphire Ravenlock
- Adventurer
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:30 pm
- Location: RhyDin
The silver was dull and tarnished, the smooth surface marred by runes. Within the metal casing was a world of circuitry and mixed magic. That’s what made it work. That’s what she would need to recreate. Sapphire turned the bracelet over in her hand, trying to memorize the design.
“I do not like to leave them alone for so long.”
“Just stop. They’re not going to kill each other. Mom’s actually a lot calmer than Jewell. I’m sure she’ll diffuse the situation after she yells for a few minutes. I mean, I already told her how good you guys have been to me and everything. I told her what J did to the guys who hurt me. She thought it was funny that Auntie Tara got to deal with them in the end.”
“All the same, I will be sorely disappointed if I go back downstairs and find one of them dead.”
“Why? We can just use the other one and pass her off as the one that died. Easy peasy.” They shared a grin. Then she offered the bracelet back to Ishmerai. “It’ll take me a while to make a new set.”
“And they will be even better than the originals, I am sure.”
“I guess.” She watched as he fit the cuff over his wrist. She wanted to grab it back from him. To hide it. She wanted to make sure he couldn’t leave her. She was beginning to better understand the deep mourning her mother had gone through after the knight had died. Sapphire already couldn’t imagine life without him! “Are you sure you have to go? Mom would love to have you stay. You saw the way she was looking at you.” Her eyebrows danced up and down as she tried to make light of the situation. Her mother had looked like someone had struck her when she saw Ishmerai standing in her foyer.
He did not rise to the bait. Spoilsport. “I am not so sure about that. And what of Jewell, hmm? I do not suppose she would be welcome as well.”
“Nooo.” The teen sighed. “I guess that wouldn’t work, huh?”
“I cannot imagine it is a very good idea.”
“Fine.” She leaned back with a huff against the mountain of pillows her mother had set behind her. “Well, if you insist on leaving me all alone, will you at least water my herb garden? I don’t want it to die when I’m away.”
“Yes my little lady. I will water the herb garden. What else?”
She grinned, tilting her head back to stare up at the star studded ceiling. When the lights went out, it activated a spell that displayed the heavens glittering across the black paint. “Mmm.. make sure Spartacus doesn’t eat all of Cupcake’s food? He’s getting too fat and she’s not plump enough. And remember to take Mr. Fitzwilliam for a walk because you know Jewell will forget to. He likes the dog park on Elm in Dragon’s Gate best.” Her teeth worked away at the inside of her cheek, trying to figure out what she was forgetting.
“Keep the pantry fully stocked with all the snacks we bought the other day. You know she’s lazy and will eat like crap if nothing better is around. Make sure she goes to see Mr. Meric for her scrapes and bruises too. And ask him for more of that dried lavender for under her pillow for when she can’t sleep.” At some point, they had stopped talking about pets and ventured into what she was really concerned about. “Don’t let Raye Raye be too hard on her in training. And if Kal doesn’t--”
“Sapphire.”
“Yeah?”
“She is a grown woman.”
Her brows knit together and her lips scrunched up. She knew that. She knew Jewell was a grown woman who, all appearances to the contrary, was fully capable of taking care of herself whether Sapphire was there or not. If that were the case, though, why did she feel so concerned about her? Why did she worry that, when she wasn’t there to watch over her, the faerie was going to just self-destruct again?
She laced her fingers together, staring down at the chipped, turquoise nail polish. Jewell had painted them when she came home from the hospital. Sapphire had teased her that Raye had done a better job. Then Jewell had lied. She said that, if she didn’t like it, they could go get them done together before the gala. She had pretended Sapphire was still going to be there for the event. But that wasn’t true. Instead, she was going to be stuck here, in the future, under the watchful gaze of her parents. And Jewell was.. what was Jewell going to do?
What was Jewell going to do without her?
Her voice was thick as she gave her last command to the knight: “Just look after her, okay?”
“I will do my very best.”
“I do not like to leave them alone for so long.”
“Just stop. They’re not going to kill each other. Mom’s actually a lot calmer than Jewell. I’m sure she’ll diffuse the situation after she yells for a few minutes. I mean, I already told her how good you guys have been to me and everything. I told her what J did to the guys who hurt me. She thought it was funny that Auntie Tara got to deal with them in the end.”
“All the same, I will be sorely disappointed if I go back downstairs and find one of them dead.”
“Why? We can just use the other one and pass her off as the one that died. Easy peasy.” They shared a grin. Then she offered the bracelet back to Ishmerai. “It’ll take me a while to make a new set.”
“And they will be even better than the originals, I am sure.”
“I guess.” She watched as he fit the cuff over his wrist. She wanted to grab it back from him. To hide it. She wanted to make sure he couldn’t leave her. She was beginning to better understand the deep mourning her mother had gone through after the knight had died. Sapphire already couldn’t imagine life without him! “Are you sure you have to go? Mom would love to have you stay. You saw the way she was looking at you.” Her eyebrows danced up and down as she tried to make light of the situation. Her mother had looked like someone had struck her when she saw Ishmerai standing in her foyer.
He did not rise to the bait. Spoilsport. “I am not so sure about that. And what of Jewell, hmm? I do not suppose she would be welcome as well.”
“Nooo.” The teen sighed. “I guess that wouldn’t work, huh?”
“I cannot imagine it is a very good idea.”
“Fine.” She leaned back with a huff against the mountain of pillows her mother had set behind her. “Well, if you insist on leaving me all alone, will you at least water my herb garden? I don’t want it to die when I’m away.”
“Yes my little lady. I will water the herb garden. What else?”
She grinned, tilting her head back to stare up at the star studded ceiling. When the lights went out, it activated a spell that displayed the heavens glittering across the black paint. “Mmm.. make sure Spartacus doesn’t eat all of Cupcake’s food? He’s getting too fat and she’s not plump enough. And remember to take Mr. Fitzwilliam for a walk because you know Jewell will forget to. He likes the dog park on Elm in Dragon’s Gate best.” Her teeth worked away at the inside of her cheek, trying to figure out what she was forgetting.
“Keep the pantry fully stocked with all the snacks we bought the other day. You know she’s lazy and will eat like crap if nothing better is around. Make sure she goes to see Mr. Meric for her scrapes and bruises too. And ask him for more of that dried lavender for under her pillow for when she can’t sleep.” At some point, they had stopped talking about pets and ventured into what she was really concerned about. “Don’t let Raye Raye be too hard on her in training. And if Kal doesn’t--”
“Sapphire.”
“Yeah?”
“She is a grown woman.”
Her brows knit together and her lips scrunched up. She knew that. She knew Jewell was a grown woman who, all appearances to the contrary, was fully capable of taking care of herself whether Sapphire was there or not. If that were the case, though, why did she feel so concerned about her? Why did she worry that, when she wasn’t there to watch over her, the faerie was going to just self-destruct again?
She laced her fingers together, staring down at the chipped, turquoise nail polish. Jewell had painted them when she came home from the hospital. Sapphire had teased her that Raye had done a better job. Then Jewell had lied. She said that, if she didn’t like it, they could go get them done together before the gala. She had pretended Sapphire was still going to be there for the event. But that wasn’t true. Instead, she was going to be stuck here, in the future, under the watchful gaze of her parents. And Jewell was.. what was Jewell going to do?
What was Jewell going to do without her?
Her voice was thick as she gave her last command to the knight: “Just look after her, okay?”
“I will do my very best.”
-
JewellRavenlock
- Legendary Adventurer
- The Empress
- Posts: 2473
- Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:26 pm
- Location: Little Elfhame, Old Market
- Contact:
As they walked away from the house, Jewell pressed closer against Ishmerai, prompting him to sling his arm around her shoulders. The sun was shining, bees were buzzing around the blue hydrangeas in the front yard, and her heart felt heavy inside her.
Saying goodbye to Sapphire was never easy, and this time, she was the one that was walking away. It made a difference. It felt like she was abandoning the girl. Which was silly because Sapphire was safe and happy, surrounded by people who loved her. Her mother was already doting on her and catering to her every need. Her father would be home soon to spoil his little princess rotten. Her friends would be by soon with get well cards and flowers.
The teen would be fine, but Jewell wasn’t so sure about herself.
It wasn’t just leaving Sapphire behind that was weighing her down. Seeing the life her alternate self had--the happy home with family pictures hanging on the walls; the look of joy on her face when she hugged her daughter; the air of contentment, peace, and overall well-being that seemed to spill out of the woman’s very pores--nagged at a little part of her that she thought was dead. It made her notice all the things she didn’t have at home. It made her question everything she was doing, everything she wanted, and every decision she had made.
It left her feeling emptier than ever.
“Mother of Nature, Merai. I need a--”
“Hey Jewell!”
Saying goodbye to Sapphire was never easy, and this time, she was the one that was walking away. It made a difference. It felt like she was abandoning the girl. Which was silly because Sapphire was safe and happy, surrounded by people who loved her. Her mother was already doting on her and catering to her every need. Her father would be home soon to spoil his little princess rotten. Her friends would be by soon with get well cards and flowers.
The teen would be fine, but Jewell wasn’t so sure about herself.
It wasn’t just leaving Sapphire behind that was weighing her down. Seeing the life her alternate self had--the happy home with family pictures hanging on the walls; the look of joy on her face when she hugged her daughter; the air of contentment, peace, and overall well-being that seemed to spill out of the woman’s very pores--nagged at a little part of her that she thought was dead. It made her notice all the things she didn’t have at home. It made her question everything she was doing, everything she wanted, and every decision she had made.
It left her feeling emptier than ever.
“Mother of Nature, Merai. I need a--”
“Hey Jewell!”
-
Sapphire Ravenlock
- Adventurer
- Posts: 71
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:30 pm
- Location: RhyDin
She sat on her bed alone for five minutes, listening to her mother say goodbye to Jewell and Ishmerai. She didn’t want to hear them. She didn’t want to hear the door close and know that her friends were gone, possibly forever. She reached over and flicked on the music player, turning up the volume really loud. She grabbed one of the graphic novels her mother had left on her bedside table, crumpling the pages as she flipped through it.
She had no idea what she was reading. She didn’t even hear the music.
Her cheek tingled right where Jewell had kissed her goodbye.
The faerie’s glamour lingered in her wake. It was all she could focus on. The sensation was hard to describe; there was a coolness to it, like water, yet also an underlying heat. It rippled out from the place of contact until she could feel the magic in her fingertips and toes. It was warm and comforting.
It was a last, lingering embrace.
It was goodbye.
She reached across the bed and grabbed her crutches.
“Hey Jewell!” There was a pain in her chest that had nothing to do with her broken ribs or the fact that she had just hobbled to the window in the hallway as fast as she could.
The blue haired woman on the street turned and looked up, Ishmerai’s arm falling away from her. “Sapphire?” She had to shade her eyes from the afternoon sun. “What are you--”
“I’ll be back!”
“What?”
She grinned as she leaned further out the window so Jewell could hear her better. “Get your hearing checked! I said, don’t worry so much, okay? I’ll be back!”
She had no idea what she was reading. She didn’t even hear the music.
Her cheek tingled right where Jewell had kissed her goodbye.
The faerie’s glamour lingered in her wake. It was all she could focus on. The sensation was hard to describe; there was a coolness to it, like water, yet also an underlying heat. It rippled out from the place of contact until she could feel the magic in her fingertips and toes. It was warm and comforting.
It was a last, lingering embrace.
It was goodbye.
She reached across the bed and grabbed her crutches.
“Hey Jewell!” There was a pain in her chest that had nothing to do with her broken ribs or the fact that she had just hobbled to the window in the hallway as fast as she could.
The blue haired woman on the street turned and looked up, Ishmerai’s arm falling away from her. “Sapphire?” She had to shade her eyes from the afternoon sun. “What are you--”
“I’ll be back!”
“What?”
She grinned as she leaned further out the window so Jewell could hear her better. “Get your hearing checked! I said, don’t worry so much, okay? I’ll be back!”
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