ellissay-morningstar

[ellissay-morningstar]

“Having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness.”

— Katherine Henson

[ellissay-morningstar]

“Sometimes the smallest things take the most room in your heart.”

— Winnie the Pooh

[ellissay-morningstar]

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[ellissay-morningstar]

“We all have different reasons for forgetting to breathe.”

— Unknown

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[ellissay-morningstar]

DWC-Day 6 - Feelings

Continued from... Day 3 Bargain Day 4  Satisfaction Day 5 Altruistic

As the last door opened, it scraped the floor; she stepped inside to find a trembling woman huddled in the corner. "It is okay. You are going to be okay." She tried to make her voice sound soft and soothing. "I am here to help you. Can you stand on your own?"

The woman's hair was in her face, so Ellissay couldn't quite make out her features. The woman stood slowly, her legs shaking as she moved to stand up. She was like the others, skin and bones, but unlike the others, there seemed something different about her. On her wrists were bracelets that glowed a soft blue. Magical restraints, Ellissay realized, meant to keep her from casting. She couldn't tell by looking at her what type of magic it was preventing.

Ellissay steps closer and reaches out to move the hair out of the woman's face. The woman recoils as if she is about to hit her. Ellissay makes a soft, shushing noise in hopes of calming her. "I am just going to pull the hair out of your eyes. Okay?" The woman nods softly at her words, and she reaches up and moves the strands before she stares openmouthed at the woman whose purple eyes seem almost dull. "What is your name?"

The woman raises her head and stares at Ellissay momentarily, unsure if she can trust her. "I…I am not sure. I..I don't know how I got here." Tears spring to the woman's eyes and make tracks as they fall down her dirty cheeks. Her body shakes with her sobs, and Ellissay reaches out, takes the woman into her arms, and holds her gently for a moment. "It's okay, it's okay, we will figure it out." And Ellissay meant it. She wasn't sure how to figure it out, but she would find somebody who could.

Shiloh had returned, and he stood in the doorway, letting her have the moment with the woman. Ellissay couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes. She usually didn't let her emotions get the better of her, but perhaps the night's events had taken their toll on her.

They would have to figure out how to get the shackles off of the woman, but that would be for someone else to figure out; Ellissay didn't have that skill or understanding.

They made their way back outside, escorting the woman to their medical and healing team. Ellissay swayed a few times, reminding herself she could use healing or medical care. Her head felt as if it might explode by now, and she felt a bit nauseous.

Ellissay sees Elu coming over. "I take it all the prisoners were released and are being taken care of?" Elu looks from Ellissay to her brother as he speaks.

Shiloh nods at his sister. "All accounted for and one extra. The last woman we pulled out wasn't in our intel. She has magical restraints on her wrists. She doesn't seem to know who she is or how she got here."

Ellissay takes a deep breath and winces. Elu furrows her brow. "You are in hurt and in pain." Shiloh turns toward her and shakes his head, looking concerned. "Go get yourself checked out. You look as if you might faint at any given moment." He pointed to where the healer and medics were checking out the women held prisoner. Ellissay starts to protest but looks at Elu and thinks better of it. She nods in understanding and walks in that direction while Elu and Shiloh continue talking.

Ellissay notices the woman in the magical restraints as she approaches the medical team. She couldn't help but feel there was something about the woman, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Perhaps she would figure it out after she got her head treated. Right now, she was exhausted and could barely think.

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[ellissay-morningstar]

DWC-Day 5 - Altruistic

Continued from Day 3 & Day 4 ... TW: Blood & Death mentions

Ellissay wasn't sure how long she had been out, long enough, she would suppose. She could feel something heavy on her and realized she was pinned down by the large man who had attacked her. He wasn't moving, so she tried to push him off with a hard shove, which forced him marginally from her. The second time, she uses her body as leverage, and with a grunt and another hard shove, she manages to push him off to the side and roll out from under him.

She just lay there trying to piece together what had happened for a moment. She breathes heavily from the exertion, dragging large amounts of air into her lungs. She tries to sit up and winces, her hand reaching for the back of her head. She winces again as she touches the area. Her head is throbbing; she furrows her brow and slightly groans. She can feel the swelling beneath her fingertips and feel the pain radiating out from it. Already, she has a headache and is light-headed.

Suddenly, her eyes go wide. The gun! It had gone off during the struggle. She looks over to the very still, large man, and it hits her he must have taken the shot. She still pats herself down to make sure that she is okay even though she only feels pain in her head. When satisfied she has no other wounds, she moves to locate her weapons, crawling across to the man who still hasn't moved. She puts her hands underneath his side and, with a few grunts and attempts, manages to push him over onto his back. She winces slightly as his hood falls back, revealing his endless staring eyes. She wasn't sure where he had been shot; blood had pooled on the floor and wet a good portion of the chest area of his shirt, and she honestly couldn't tell where the bullet had entered his chest. She looks down at her clothing and realizes it is also soaked in blood from where he had landed on top of her. It is on her hands as well, between her touching her clothing and moving his body. She wipes them as best she can on his pants before searching for the gun she had dropped.

Ellissay finds the gun, picks it up, and holsters it. She looks around, locating her dagger and also holsters it as well. Both would be easy to access should she need them, but hopefully, she wouldn't. She sways slightly on her feet as she stands, the room spinning just enough to make her reach toward the wall to steady herself. She breathes in a few times through her nose and back out. She still has a job to do and is determined to do it.

She gets her bearings and moves toward the cell block. Each door is closed only by an outside latching mechanism, which she assumed kept it locked from the inside but gave easier access from the outside. It didn't take her long to figure out how to open it. Inside was a scene that was one of horror. The woman looked like skin and bones, and her hair was matted and so dirty she wasn't even sure what the color was. She hears footsteps behind her and immediately turns, dagger suddenly in hand, ready to fight again.

Shiloh holds up his hands. "Hey, it's me, Shy. I thought you could use a hand. Fighting is all but done out there. Those alive ran, but we will ensure the law knows where this place is now. They will be caught soon enough." Shiloh nods at her and looks over her shoulder at the woman. He shakes his head, his usual smile a grimace. You can see the look of horror in his eyes. "Let's get her out of her. I will take her to medical, and you can finish opening the doors. I will return as soon as I make sure she is in good hands."

Ellissay begins to protest that this is her job, although she knows he is just being his usual generous self. She felt she was letting the team down by not finishing her part. However, another bought of dizziness threatens to overtake her, and she nods at him, sighing heavily. "Okay, okay."

Shiloh moves to pick up the frail woman, who instantly pulls back away from him. She couldn't hear what he said, but suddenly, he had the woman in his arms and hurried back down the hallway. Hopefully, he had a better sense of direction than she had.

…to be continued

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[ellissay-morningstar]

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[ellissay-morningstar]

“Home isn’t where you’re from, it’s where you find light when all grows dark.”

— Pierce Brown, Golden Son

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[ellissay-morningstar]

DWC-Day 4 - Satisfaction

( ...Continued from here. Trigger warning for blood mention.)

Ellissay was outside the secret compound. She hid in the shadows, her black leather helping her blend into the night. She, of course, wasn't the only one. The Crimson Rose had a complete crew hidden around the area, ready to go at her command.

The thing was, it had taken them weeks to find the place. Hidden inside the side of a mountain, it was almost entirely concealed from any onlookers. The doors were made of natural stone that blended into their surroundings, so much so that they had been overlooked more times than they would have liked to admit.

Ellissay crouched down, holding her breath. Her chest had a knot in it that made it hard to breathe. This wasn't even close to her first mission, but her nightmares had made her weary. And since their last mission hadn't gone entirely according to plan, they had lost a man; her dreams seemed almost prophetic. The strangest part was nobody really talked about his death. And then there were all the unanswered questions she had been left with.

Her attention returned from her thoughts, and she noticed the signal. They moved closer. The plan was to blow the doors up and get in and out. Elu and her crew would lure as many out of the compound as possible, and Ellissay would go in and rescue those held prisoner. Their intel said there were a handful or less.

Ellissay slowly moved forward, staying as much in the shadows as possible. She heard the explosion, and then, of course, all hell broke loose. A slight cough leaves her as dust fills the air, and she can hear rocks raining down. The goggles she wears not only allow her to see in the dark but also protect her eyes. Already, she could hear gunshots, weapons clanging, and people shouting. She, though, stays on target. Get in, get out, save as many as possible.

She works her way inside, keeping close to the wall. Though a gun was at her right side, she held a dagger in her left hand. She hoped to make as little noise as possible. The whole inside smelled dank; water droplets cascaded here and there down the stone walls. The smell was almost overwhelming. She could feel her stomach turning over as she tried to hold its contents down.

It didn't help that the area felt like a maze. Turn right, then left, another left, again right. Thankfully, there seemed to be little to no security. Of course, they most likely felt they didn't need any down here since. First, you would have to know the place existed. Then you would have to get through the guards outside, then pray you didn't get lost down here.

Focus, Ellissay. Just because you haven't run into anyone yet doesn't mean you won't. She takes a soft, quiet breath, lets it out slowly, and keeps pushing forward. She never saw the man until he was right on top of her.

He is dressed like her, entirely in black, his head hooded; making no sound, he lifts her off her feet by her neck. She struggles at first, panic setting in from not being able to breathe. Then she remembers the dagger in her hand and slices at his wrist. The metal makes contact with cloth, then flesh, the sharp blade slicing easily through almost to the bone. She knew she had hit her target when he dropped her to the floor. It gave her a moment of satisfaction.

She gasps for air and scampers backward away from him, trying to put some distance between them so she can grab her gun. Her hand goes to the holster to realize -it is gone! Her weapon had somehow come loose during the scuffle. Her eyes dart around, trying to find it, and she sees it behind the man who is bleeding but still coming at her.

Ellissay moves to stand, still feeling slightly light-headed from the lack of oxygen just seconds ago. She at least still had the dagger. Already, she could see the man slowing down as blood flowed from the wound, dripping almost continuously onto the floor. She still can't see his face, nor is he making any sounds, not even a grunt or groan. It was a bit unnerving.

She finally managed to stand, but now his attention was on her again. He was a good bit taller and noticeably larger than her, but strangely enough, he seemed to have no weapons. She guessed he was the weapon.

Her throat was sore, and her breathing was a bit shallow as she moved to run toward the guy. At the last minute, she attempted to bound off the wall and behind him, hoping to grab her handgun. Once she had it, she could persuade him to open the cell doors. She would free the prisoners and lock Big John in one of the cells, and whatever happened after that would be out of her hands.

Except it didn't go that smoothly. The air once more left Ellissay's lungs as his hand swung out, his arm hitting her square in the chest and knocking her to the ground. Damn, that was going to leave a bruise. She couldn't move for a moment, and this time, she had lost the grip of her dagger. So now she was not only on the ground but also weaponless.

This really wasn't going as planned. Alright, girl, get yourself together before you end up rat bait. She lifts her head to find the man. She sees what looks like him trying to bandage his still-bleeding wrist as he sways slightly. His shoulders slump, and his movements seem slowed, most likely from the blood loss.

Her eyes dart around to try to find a weapon, any weapon. Then she saw it, her gun; at the same time, his head lifted and turned toward hers and then to the firearm. They both suddenly move, her movements slightly quicker than his own, but his stride far better. She winced in pain and dove for the weapon at the same time as he did. She wasn't sure whose hand was where or which had a finger on the trigger in the struggle. She heard the gunshot and felt them both crash to the floor, her head hitting the stone hard enough that light exploded behind her eyes. The sound echoed off the walls, and then there was nothing as her world went black.

...to be continued

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mentions @the-crimson-rose

[ellissay-morningstar]

[ellissay-morningstar]

DWC-Day 3 - Bargain

(Note: this is a lead-in to tomorrow's post, and the woman in the post below is not Ellissay but a female NPC character to advance the story. Thank you for reading!)

One could smell the damp smell of the earth. The woman couldn't hear anything but the moans of perhaps a few others and a chain rattle as somebody seemed to pace in another cell. The cold had seeped deep into her skin long ago, leaving her shivering to the point her teeth rattled. She had tried to find warmth, but the thin, bare, tattered blanket did little.

How had she gotten here? Who had taken her and why?

A hooded man, his face in the shadows, moves toward her cell. She knows him by the sound of his boots on the stone floor. He comes every day but never speaks a word. Today, she is so weak she can barely lift her head, her voice a hoarse whisper. "Please. Why have you taken me? If you're looking for gold, I can help you obtain it. Whatever it is, we can figure it out. Just let me out. Please!" The last word comes out in an almost shriek of desperation.

Her pleas, however, are met with the usual silence, and the hooded male walks away, his steps slowly fading into the background, leaving the only sound of those suffering like herself and the grating sound of that dragged chain.

She is not sure how much time has passed. Days and nights blur into each other. The dried old bread tossed through the window bars did little to curb her hunger and was so tough she could barely chew it. The water was cloudy and tepid, but she had no choice but to drink it, though half the time it made her retch, and it would just come back up.

She prayed daily that somebody would come to save her. Her family, maybe a friend, anyone. But she had begun to lose hope. Tears roll down her cheeks, spilling onto her now-tattered dress. Alone and scared, she knew she would die here.

To be continued…

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[ellissay-morningstar]

“— I..” The jaw shuts to mute his voice. He wanted to tell the elven beauty his name. He shakes her hand at least to keep the interaction going. Bare feet walk across the forest floor and feel the crunching of leaves. Feel the grass between his toes. “— I only have told one person my name.. and I will never give it another.. they ruined me..” He mumbles, uncaring about the torn fabric of a long dress and it slides off his shoulders. “I have seen women like you.. how beautiful the ears and the eyes of multiple colors.. jade, blue.. what is your name? In time, you might get mine from my lips.”

Ellissay watches as he opens his mouth to speak but suddenly shuts it as if to stop himself from doing so. He at least shook her hand but she could feel a bit of reluctance from him his words only adding to her thoughts about the situation that was becoming a bit awkward.

She listens as he speaks and shakes her head up and down. "Is there anything I can do to help you?" She pauses at his words speaking of seeing women like her and takes a small step backward. "Women like me?" She asks her brow furrowing slightly.

She gives a slightly nervous chuckle as he asks for her name. "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way with me. I have plenty of enemies, how am I to know you aren't one of them. Asking my name to make sure you have your mark? No. I think perhaps I will do like you and keep my name to myself for now. But thank you for the flowers." Though now she was wondering if even the flowers were a ruse to somehow trick her.

Her eyes roam over him taking in the torn fabric of the long dress he wore. She reaches into her coin purse takes out a few pieces of gold and reaches toward his hand pressing the coin into his palm. "Whatever your problems are, perhaps that will help at least for the night. Now if you will excuse me."

And with the last words she turns and makes her way a bit hastily into the crowd disappearing from sight her thoughts on the awkward meeting with the strange man. A part of her felt bad for him. He seemed almost sad. But she couldn't take chances as she had told him, that she was his mark. Somebody sent to take her out. Perhaps that was just her paranoia but better safe than sorry.

(Thanks for the ask!)

[ellissay-morningstar]

“Flowers?”

The undead experiment offers to the Elf. His long hair frames his face and chiseled jawline. The lanky, slender man stands at full height. The towering figure masking the story behind the experiment.

Ellissay looks a bit startled as suddenly she is offered flowers from a man she doesn't know. It puts her almost immediately into a defensive stance which honestly said more about her than it did about him.

She quickly masks her shock and looks up at the man smiling warmly, and takes the flowers he is offering. "How kind of you."

She brings the flowers to her nose and inhales the soft scent of the plants before she offers her free hand to him in the form of a handshake. "And whom may I be thanking for such a lovely gift?"

(Thanks for the ask anon!)

[ellissay-morningstar]

DWC-Day 2 - Pastel

It had been a while since Ellissay had gone out to any event. But looking everywhere, she could see that love was in the air had taken over. And though she didn't have a love of her own. She couldn't help but get into the spirit as red and pink hearts decorated the towns, and the event carried on through the weeks.

The dress she held up was pale pink. A color she didn't wear often, but she rarely dressed up anymore, either. Work took up most of her life. She shrugged and thought, why not after months of nothing but hot black leather and weapons? Dressing up sounded particularly fun.

She took her time getting ready, letting the hot shower water cascade down over her head and across her nude form. She used a soft floral soap and lathered her body, inhaling the sweet, clean scent as she scrubbed. She took her time for once, washing away not only the dirt and sweat from her skin but also some of her worries. She could feel herself relaxing, her muscles relaxing, even her mind taking on a much calmer tone. It was enough a part of her didn't want to leave that small sanctuary. However, she would be late if she stayed much longer, and besides, the water was starting to cool down.

She reaches for the towel and steps onto the bath rug, the water on her feet soaking into the material. She drags the towel across her still-wet form and dries off from head to toe, only softly patting her silvery-white hair. She wrapped the towel around her and headed to her bedroom, where she had laid out her attire on her bed. She had laid a matching pair of panties beside the dress, and she would put these on first, slipping into the pink thong. The dress had built-in support for her breasts so that she would skip the bra for tonight. Finally, she steps into the dress, shimming it over her hips and slipping her arms in the sleeves. The dress fit perfectly because she had had it tailored, spending more gold on it than she probably should have. But after she slipped on her shoes and looked in the mirror, she knew it was worth it.

She moves through the necklaces on her desk and finds a set of pearls her Aunt Elutia had given her many moons ago on her birthday. They shimmered softly in the light and would pair perfectly with the dress. She fastens them around her neck, pulling her hair out of the way for a moment before letting it fall back into place in soft waves around her bare shoulders. Finally, she reached for a pink bottle of perfume and dabs just a dot on each wrist and the pulse of her neck.

Stepping back, she takes a long look in the mirror and then smiles. "Not too bad," she says to herself. Her heels tapped softly on the floor as she made her way to the living area, picking up a matching satchel containing some money she would spend while she was out. She slips it around her wrist and grabs a set of keys, locking her door on the way out. She wasn't sure where the night would take her, but a part of her didn't care. She needed this. Ellissay needed to enjoy life for a bit. Already, she could hear the music coming from down the street and see the hearts decorating the area. She could smell various scents, including what she felt were baked goods. Maybe there would be cookies or cake, perhaps even candies. She couldn't wait to find out. There may even be dancing, wouldn't that be nice?

@daily-writing-challenge

[ellissay-morningstar]

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