3. A life drenched in blood. LIlith Iyapo's story

A life drenched in blood. LIlith Iyapo's story


  • Lilith Iyapo. A life drenched in blood.
    Based on the “life" of my Neverwinter Nights character played on the Narfell persist ant world.a game world based firmly in the dungeons and dragons world of the forgotten realms. Lilith is a Halfling, think… hobbit….

    By Marcia Lindsay/ ELADRIAL SKEKSIS

    November 2004

    Prologue
    Lilith Iyapo Oakwhisper sits quietly by her tent in the Gypsy encampment in Narfell, speaking with her friend Bridie O Hair and her husband Terrick Oakwhisper about her plans to once again return to Breennan, her former home. Terrick’s eyes cloud and he sits tensely by her side as she begins to tell them both all the things she has kept inside for many years, hidden behind the many grief’s and losses they have shared with her since she arrived from her village, 3 days east of Suzail, alone and covered in old dried blood.

    Chapter One
    LILIBET

    A child plays under the trees, her tiny frame and rounded features marking her for a Halfling, her red hair streaming out behind her, shafts of the sunlight sparking off the strands. A figure hides behind a tree, watching the child play. The little girl stoops and picks a posy of tiny blue flowers, Forget –Me –Nots. A joyous smile spreads across her face as the figure steps out.
    “Mother, I picked these for you!” She runs towards the woman, her plump belly full of promises of a little brother or sister soon for the racing, laughing little girl. The girl comes to a shuddering halt in front of her mother, her hand outstretched.
    “Lilibet, you remembered.” The woman says happily, taking the posy.
    ”Happy Birthday, Mother!” The girl reaches around for a gentle hug and leaps back as an answering kick from inside her mothers belly startles her. Her eyes wide with wonder, she slowly puts a hand out and touches…. Feeling more kicks… She laughs and runs back towards the house hidden under a rounded hill, through the cornfields that surround it.

    She waits by the door, her hands behind her back as she waits for her mother to catch up. As she nears the door, Lilith opens it wide. The little kitchen is decorated with blue and white flowers, and streamers and a slightly misspelt “happy berthdai mother” banner on the wall. Her father and her mother’s friend stand Trini inside, behind a heavily laden table, piled high with cakes and other treats.

    Later, as her mother and father tuck her in, after an evening spent singing and eating, her mother sings for her.” sleep well, Lilibet”
    Her father shuts the door as they both leave, but she can still hear the argument going on the other side. She hears things break, and her father getting angry as was his wont. Lilith buried her head under the pillows and sung softly to her self, tears stinging her cheeks as they had for many nights since Mother had told them she was having a new baby.
    The next morning she woke and stumbled out into the kitchen, but there was no fire in the grate and no breakfast on the table. The kitchen was cold, the door wide open. The floor had been cleaned in the night, but Lilith saw a dark splash on the white of the wall by the hearth.
    She cleaned the mark away, frowning as the brown stain turned red in the water.
    “Mother.. oh… I have some thing on my nightdress mother…” she tipped the water out in the yard and went inside to get some warmer clothes on, the grass chilling her toes as she looked around outside.
    “Mother?”
    She sat down inside, her belly rumbling, shivering on her bed, and was still there when her father returned, his clothes stained the same brown as the mark on the wall.
    She wandered out into the kitchen again, and smiled at her father.
    “can you make me some breakfast daddy?” Her smile faded as he tossed her a piece of bread with lard on it.
    “Trini is coming to stay with us for a while Lilith. Your mother… - he almost seemed to be ready to cry .. she didn’t wake up this morning , Lilith.. she wont ever wake up again…” he spoke quietly, not able to meet her eyes.
    “She….. is on a pyre in the woods.. you can go see her but you musn’t touch her. Maybe you could get some of those flowers for her…”

    After she finished her meager breakfast, her father led her to where a bier of forrest pine and birch had been built, and her mother lay atop it in the dress she wore the day before. Coins covered her eyes, and there was another in each palm. Toll for Ciaron. He stood with her for a while , and then left her, silent , in the grove .
    “Mother…. Won’t you please wake up… mother…. “
    She took one of her mothers hands in hers, the coin slipping free , but the fingers were cold and would no more push the lone curl awy from LIliths brow . She bent down and picked up the coin, meaning to slip it back into the hand, but she heard footsteps.
    Trini stood behind her, looking at Lilith strangely. She tucked the coin into a pocket instead.
    “Hello Lilith.”
    “Mother calls me Lilibet” she said , a little defiantly, wiping away her tears.
    “Mother wont be calling you anything anymore , Lilith. She’s gone… so is your new sister.. “
    Lilith turned and noticed the dark blanket over her mothers belly now… her mothers very flat belly…
    “Rhianna… what do you think? Would that have been a good name for this?” Trini held a small and bloodied blanket in her hands, green fire lighting her eyes wickedly.
    Lilith stood stock still .
    “Well? It needs a name for the ceremony , Lilith dear.” She spoke harshly.
    Lilith nodded slowly.