//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 Rest // Story: Heart Of Darkness // by Fanskapet //------------------------------// Letting out a sigh as she closed the door behind her, feeling overworked and overburdened with information for one day, though she was pretty sure it had only been a few hours since waking up and piecing back a life she didn't recognize, resting her forehead against the cold stone, glad to be away from the pungent smell of that massive stallion, unsure how she didn't notice it untill she took a few breaths of fresh air, slowly shaking her head and taking one last deep breath before beginning to wander down the cold undecorated stone hall, soon reaching the stairs to the upper floor and taking the first slow steps on it, eventually stopping halfway as she looked up. "Ah the fledgling, I see you survived.....Orson." One of the guards from earlier sneered as he leaned against the wall in the middle of the stairs, looking down at her with clear distaste. "Pathetic, only been awake for a few hours and already tired and lost." The other one laughed, turning towards the first guard with a grin. "What do you want?" Dusk sighed, doing her best to ignore their remarks, seeing it best to hear them out and not muscle past them. "Not another clanless wretch in our territory." The laughing one spat at her, causing her to flinch in surprise at the sudden outburst. "I uh I'm sorry?" She blinked in confusion not sure what to answer him. "Yes I am sure you are, now let me escort you to your chamber as ordered." The grumpy guard said, giving the other guard a harsh glare as he turned around and nodding at her to follow. "Okay." She nodded, giving the other guard a cautious look as he walked past her and hitting her muzzle with a casual flick of his tail, sighing in annoyance as she begun to follow the first guard. "So ... why is he so hostile to me?" She asked as the laughing guard rounded the corner and got out of earshot. He walked in silence for a bit before looking back at her with a raised eyebrow. "...Didn't Maldición tell you?" "About what exactly?" "Vampire hierarchy and rules." He continued, turning his head towards her as they walked through the winding hallway. "Uh no, but a bit about weaknesses and nocturnals." She shook her head, hurring up to match his pace. Taking a few steps more taking a deep breath before he uttered, clearly uncomfortable to speak about it. "Hmm I am not the one to teach you but I can say you as a clanless fledgling is the lowest, unless you count the bloodstarved abominations in the hierarchy and you do well to respect it." "Okay, should I greet you in a special way?" Dusk asked, nodding in understanding as they both stopped infront of a door. "Not really, just with respect." "I thought that is what I did." Dusk said, looking at the guard confused at what he just said. "Yes but you acted like an equal, now get some rest I will go see to the mess Orson made." He said, frowning a bit as he held up the door to her chambers giving her a small nod, turning around and walking away before she could ask him anything more. "I...okay thanks!" She shouted after him as he disappeared around the corner, shrugging to herself as she opened the door and went in, yawning wide as she reached the bed giving the room and her wings a last look before flopping down on the bed with a tired sigh, looking up in the ceiling trying to process what had happened finally without interruptions tracing the cold hard stone cracks from the roof to the far wall, blinking a bit as she sat up and stared at a mirror in the corner. "Hmm." Smiling to herself as she got back up and walked over to see her reflection, turning her head back and forth, admiring he dark purple fur and even darker mane with a black streak going down the middle, before pulling back her lips giving the mirror a wide toothed grin, opening her mouth wide and letting her tongue lick around her fangs. "Not...bad." She smiled to herself, looking back over her shoulder at her wings, spreading them to their full length and giving them a test flap. "I apologize for being caught up in...do I come at a bad moment?" Scourge said, as he opened the door, stopping as he saw her standing at the old mirror with her wings outstretched towards the floor. "Uh no I was just winding down I guess." She answered, letting her wings fold back down on her back and turning towards him. "Ah yes it *cough* has been a hectic awakening and I am sorry for abandoning you with both Meri and ...Orson." he nodded, pulling an old decrepit looking chair to sit upon, taking a phlegmy cough as he continued. "I had hoped that you would get more *cough* time to wake up, I did not expect Orson for another month, but *cough* let me ask has anything jogged your memory? any *cough* glimpses of your past?" Tilting his head slightly to the side. "No I can't say anything usefull, only things like the princessess and some parts of Equestria." She shook her head. "How unfortunate, well *cough* tomorrow is another day or maybe I shall say night, I will not hold you any longer, i can see you are *cough* tired and need your rest." He said with a quick bow. "Good ...day I guess it is my dear." Motioning towards the bed before backing out of the room. "Thanks uhm you sleep well too." She waved at him as he begun to close the door, letting out a tired sigh once again as she went over to the bed and flopped over on her back with her leathery wings outstretched fully under her. "Guess it is good day for me." She smiled to herself as she closed her eyes, only for her to open them again with a grunt as she slapped her face with a hoof. "The Notebook!"