#just didnt want it to look like she wasnt acting on finding Prometheus for no reason

[lilac-whump]

Nightmare's Shadow Part 5- One Good Thing

I'm on a roll and refuse to abide by a posting schedule. I post as parts get written so no promises about how long this streak will go. Heres a chapter with more whump in it!

Cw: torture, branding, shame, lady whump, fantasy whump

Previous / Masterlist

One Good Thing

Three Years Previous

Nevaeh was the only good thing that existed in the world.

Inrissa clung to the image of her smile, the memory of her soft touch, gripping it in her mind as pain radiated through her body. She closed her eyes so there was only pain and memory. The Silence emanating from the collar around her neck was impenetrable, no sound entered and no sound escaped. Even Inrissa’s own screams didn’t reach her ears. Like her screams didn’t exist. Because her pain only existed in her own mind and body.

A gauntleted fist slammed into Inrissa’s stomach, pushing all the air from her lungs and yanking her wrists against their chains. Pain. Everything was pain. This pain meant something, she knew that. They didn’t want her to close her eyes. They didn’t want to give her that escape.

Inrissa didn’t give them that satisfaction. She was used to pain. It was just a backdrop to her life, she didn’t have to give it the starring role. It didn’t have to be the most important thing. That spot was held for Nevaeh instead. Inrissa focused on the image of the human girl's long red hair, braided down her back, her freckles, her nose scrunched in a laugh. It didn’t matter if all of her kindness was confined to stolen moments amongst the oversight of Inrissa’s masters.

Even stolen breaths of joy and kindness could be treasured.

White hot pain exploded on Inrissa’s back, concentrated between her shoulder blades. A scream ripped out of her, as silent as ever, but painfully tearing at her throat and lungs. Her eyes flew open, stinging with tears. The image of Nevaeh’s face blurred against the agony.

Even in the suffocating silence, Inrissa could feel her skin sizzle and bubble under the heat she slowly recognized. It wasn’t as if this was the first time she had encountered a branding iron.

The brands on the soles of her feet had scarred over long ago, leaving the skin rough and numb. The numbness had taken years, years where walking had been agony, and the slightest irritation would send bolts of pain up her leg. At least she didn’t have to walk on her back. This brand wasn’t to keep her from running, it wasn’t to keep her docile and trainable.

So what was it for?

Inrissa blinked, trying to clear her vision. She couldn’t find the branding iron, it must still be behind her. Were they keeping it from her on purpose?

Shayla stood across from Inrissa, a smirk on the tall woman’s lips. Taunting her. Inrissa snarled at her, baring her teeth. It was futile, it would only earn her punishment, but she hated that woman. She always brought pain and mockery, drawing it out with her razorblades, tracing out scars like a twisted art form.

Branding wasn’t her usual style. What was going on?

Shayla snapped her fingers and sound rushed in around Inrissa, nearly deafening in its suddenness. Inrissa gasped and flinched, then scowled at Shayla once again.

“What…what did you..” Inrissa wanted to demand answers, she wanted to put anger behind her words, but her voice was so hoarse from screaming, and her muscles trembled from fatigue and a deep, instinctual fear of Shayla that it was all she could do to stammer out the question.

Shayla cocked a high arched eyebrow, cruel amusement glittering in her golden eyes.

“You know, I wondered if you would recognize it from feel alone,” she said, her voice dripping with toxic honey. “I guess that’s a no.”

Inrissa clenched her jaw and broke eye contact, looking away. Mostly to hide the grimace she couldn’t contain as the pain of the burn rolled through her in waves.

“Well, maybe you’ll get lucky,” Shayla said, walking close to Inrissa. “Maybe there will be someone kind enough to tell you. If you ask.”

Shayla turned and walked out of the room with that, her heels clicking on the stone floor. Inrissa watched her go, her heart frozen in her chest.

Shayla’s words sank into her like a knife. Shayla knew. They knew. They knew about Nevaeh, that she was kind to Inrissa. That there was someone who treated Inrissa like a person.

If Inrissa wanted to know what had been branded onto her back, she would have to ask the one person who gave her even a scrap of respect.

Shame curled through Inrissa like thick smoke. She wished she could curl up on the floor and bury her head in her arms, but she couldn’t move against the chains that still held her.

She understood now. Why she was being punished. Why she was branded with an unknown marking. Because her masters had realized someone was treating her with kindness. Someone had offered Inrissa a glimpse at happiness.

Naturally, she had to be reminded of what she really was. Not deserving of this kindness. Nowhere near an equal to the servant girl.

Inrissa was nothing.

—---------

Present

The city of Reklum unfolded around Inrissa as she tried to drink it all in. The buildings were almost all from chiseled stone, with a dragon motif present in almost all the decor. She supposed that was to be expected, the symbol of the Reklum Empire was a golden three headed dragon, and this was their capital city. So, they really loved dragons here.

And then there were the people. So many people. Just like the Elite Guard themselves, the people came in a dizzying array of variety. Humans, half elves, scaled dragonborns, aloof full elves, stout dwarves, tiny gnomes, and varieties Inrissa couldn’t put a name to. She scanned the crowds for anyone like her, the horns, the tail, the pupil-less mono color eyes, but found the crowds devoid of other tieflings. Her heart squeezed in her chest.

“My father will be expecting us,” Natala said, taking the lead of the group from Absalom. She caught Inrissa’s eye and nodded subtly.

“I’ll catch up with you after,” Inrissa said, slipping away from the group before anyone could object. Natala had given her one of the group's enchanted communication stones last night, so they could contact her to meet up when they were done.

It had taken them three days to travel from the Aren Glade to the expansive capital city, and Inrissa could breathe easier separating from the group. They had agreed to let her travel with and work alongside them, and Natala had offered a comforting kind of kinship to her, but Inrissa couldn’t relax as long as she was with them. Aside from the princess, none of them really trusted her. They allowed her presence as a courtesy, taking Absalom’s fathers word, but they were all waiting. All watching.

Especially Prometheus Firstforged. She bristled just at the thought, weaving through the crowds of Reklum. Her illusory appearance gave her comfort, anonymity wrapped around her like a security blanket. One thing it couldn’t hide, however, was her hatred for Prometheus and everything he had ever created.

Of course, his delicate ego couldn’t take that. He had spent the last three days making poorly guised attempts to get Inrissa to praise him or his work. Pointing out the fine craftsmanship of his weapons and armor, and the equipment he had crafted for his friends. It had taken all of her self control not to scream at him or stab him.

But the most important part of a hunt was the wait. She had to make her reveal at the correct moment. Not out on the road where there were few other people around, and where Prometheus lacked access to his forge. When she revealed herself to him, it would be with immediate access to the resources needed to remove the collar.

Once they had made their report to the Emperor, it would be a matter of hours. She could get him at his forge and finally find out who he was underneath the public mask. Would he willingly help her, or would she have to force the aid out of him? She was only marginally sure his friends had no idea about his involvement with the Society, if that were true, what would they think? Natala was her most likely ally, and she held a lot of power.

Inrissa shook her head and pulled her focus back to her surroundings. She had been crafting her strategy for weeks, another few hours wouldn’t change anything. Unless during those few hours she screwed up by not paying attention to where she was walking.

Tracking her path through the city, Inrissa tried to imagine herself living there. After all, the whole point of all of this was to, someday, just be able to live her life. Have a home where she felt safe enough to sleep deeply. Maybe even have friends. To never have to be reminded of her pain again.

The people around her looked so happy, so content. There were mothers holding children’s hands, crafters and merchants haggled over prices. The city was like a living being, and all of the people like drops of blood pumping through the massive veins. Existing. Living. Belonging. Next to them, Inrissa felt like a virus.

A flash of red hair caught Inrissa’s eye and habit pulled her gaze in a double take. She was already scolding herself- Nevaeh was dead, she had to stop looking for her around every corner- but she froze, staring at the back of the woman weaving through the crowd. She had caught only a glimpse of her face but it was the same face Inrissa saw in the mirror with her disguise. The same face she had worn since her escape, the first face that had ever shown her kindness.

Was it?

Was Inrissa just caught up in the hopefulness of the city?

Her feet pulled her forward after the woman. She had to know. She couldn’t live with herself if she walked away wondering. She picked up speed, her heart hammering against her ribs like it wanted to escape. Inrissa reached out, nearly within arms length of the other woman.

“Nevaeh?” she called out. The other woman spun and Inrissa choked on her breath.

Familiar green eyes narrowed in her direction, full of surprise, confusion, and suspicion. It was her. Alive. Right here in Reklum. How?

Before Inrissa could get any questions out, Nevaeh- it had to be her, right?- turned on her heel and darted into a side alley. Inrissa slipped in behind her, hope and terror warring in her veins.

Around another corner, Nevaeh spun to face Inrissa and drew a wicked knife. No one else was around, now. They were alone.

“Who are you?” she hissed. Her voice confirmed any doubt Inrissa might have had. “And what do you want?”

Inrissa stared at her. She wanted to ask her how she was alive, how had she gotten here, and a million other things. Elation swelled up in her chest. They had both escaped. They had both made it to the utopia that Nevaeh had first dreamed about. And against all odds they had found each other again.

Inrissa flicked her wrist and dropped the illusion. Let Nevaeh’s face fall away from her own and watched as shock and recognition washed over the face of her oldest friend.

“It’s me.”

Next

[yllucsanad]

14 and 15 from the x files asks 😊

14. Favorite episode(s)? Why?

ok you didnt ask for nearly this much but ive always wanted to make this list anyways so here ya go!!

1x01 Pilot: I mean,,,, does this even need an explanation? 

1x03 Squeeze: amazing MOTW, “do you think i’m spooky?”, “it seems you were acting very territorial” “of course i was” this is episode thREE PEOPLE, the gray/green alien conversation lmaoooo

1x24 The Erlenmeyer Flask: rip deep throat, iconic “trust no one”, the alien plot seriously begins the thicken here

2x01 Little Green Men: they have a secret meeting how cute, Mulder recording everything for Scully um hello someone is in love

2x08 One Breath: Mulder TEARING apart the hospital and screaming at people for Scully, coma hand holding and crying in his apartment, the return of her necklace, “mulder? i had the strengths of your beliefs” 

2x13 Irresistible: like obviously donnie pfaster makes me uncomf but the way mulder tips up scully’s chin and makes her look at him and then she breaks down and FINALLY lets mulder see her as something besides hard as a rock

2x17 End Game: Scully taking charge and saving Mulder’s life, Mulder trading “Samantha” for Scully

3x04 Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose: this episode is very funny and i appreciate that in this dark x files universe, QUEEQUEG, “how do i die?” “you don’t”, “autoerotic asphyxiation” 

3x13 Syzygy: “sure fine whatever”, jealous scully, cigarette smoking scully, “shut up mulder”

3x17 Pusher: this ep is simply amazing in every way and we all know it

3x22 Quagmire: mulder hating the dog for no reason, RIP queequeg, the conversation on the rock

4x03 Home: this episode is gory and cool, the conversation on the bench, scully making noises to try to get the sheep to move lmao, mulder playing with the baseball and the tv and being sad that elvis died, and im a sucker for kevlar 

4x13 Never Again: Iconic is all i need to say

4x14 Memento Mori: yeah the cancer arc sucks and all but the msr is soo good in this like i can never get over it, the flowers

4x20 Small Potatoes: a great light hearted episode in which scully and “mulder” almost KISS

4x22 Elegy: this episode makes my list because it is so raw and emotional, because mulder gives scully no personal space ever, the bowling scene. scully’s session with the therapist

5x01/02 Redux & Redux II: “keep going fbi woman”, mulder never ceasing to cry about scully, “one sorry son of a bitch speaking”, all the kisses, the hand holding, mulder coming back “from the dead” because he had to see scully, the smile when he tells skinner her cancer is in remission

5x04 Detour: “kill me now”, the wine and cheese (poor scully she really tried), “i dont wanna wrestle”, “maybe if i rains sleeping bags you’ll get lucky”

5x05 The Post-Modern Prometheus: a happy motw ep is always great, b&w, the humor in this one is just golden, the dancing scene of course

5x10 Chinga: mulder without scully lmaooo, “marry me”, the pencils lmao

5x12 Bad Blood: do i even need to explain my love for this one?

5x19 Folie a Deux: a lot of people dont like this ep for some reason but i do, mulders split lip is Hawt, “one in five billion”, “folie a deux. a madness shared by two”

5x20 The End: fuck diana BUT uh, pic of mulder and scully hanging in the office, gibson impressing the fuck outta everyone, gibson exposing mulder about diana and scully, mulder fuckin up spender, the way scully holds mulder after the office fire

6x03 Triangle: the filming is so beautifully done, i love a good irl AU, the KISS i could write ESSAYS about this kiss, “i love you”

6x06 How the Ghosts Stole Christmas: mulder literally steals scully’s keys so she cant leave, they LITERALLY kill each other and then go exchange gifts after they said they wouldnt get each other anything i mean CMON

6x08 The Rain King: everyone assuming mulder and scully are a couple, “i do not gaze at scully”, scully’s speech to sheils

6x14 Monday: i just really really like this episode for some odd reason i cant put my finger on

6x15 Arcadia: again, another episode that i don’t feel the need to explain why i love it lol

6x18 Milagro: scully being fascinated by this guy, mulder being possessive jealous and worrisome, the hug when scully doesnt die, scully grabbing mulders arm, “in my book I’ve written that agent scully falls in love. but that’s obviously impossible. agent scully is already in love.”

6x19 The Unnatural: the ice cream thing, the ripping of the document, i do enjoy the story, fuckin mulder and his baseball obsession, the Scene (you know the one) hips before hands OO baby

6x21 Field Trip: a very cool episode, mulder telling scully that he ends up being right like 98.9% of the time and shes like o fuck, she thinks mulder is dead :’(, they literally trip together, the hand hold at the end

7x06 The Goldberg Variation: lots of good ol flirting, i enjoy the case, the sink lmaoooo, “i like baseball too”

7x14 Theef: “i’ll always keep you guessing”, mulder saving scully by pulling the pins out of the eyes, 

7x16 Chimera: “do you have a significant other?” “not in the widely understand definition of that term”, “mulder when you find me dead, my desiccated corpse propped up, staring lifelessly through the telescope at drunken frat boys peeing and vomiting in the gutter, just know that my last thoughts were of you, and how i’d like to kill you” “i’m sorry who is this”, and also mulder just being really great at his job seriously turns me on

7x17 all things: must i explain?

7x19 Hollywood A.D.: a Classic, scully showing tea leoni how to run i heels, mulder packs it to the left, skinman, bubble baths, the laughing and the hand holding at the end i am DECEASED

7x21 Je Souhaite: i def like the case in this one, scully’s entrance to the office in the beginning (hmm someones suspiciously happy), scully and her invisible body lol, mulders wish was fantastic, the whole last scene as well as “well i’m fairly happy. that’s something” atths ya know

7x22 Requiem: ok like even though its depressing as fuck in end i love this ep, scully visibly turned on by the fact that mulder assaulted someone, “let’s go waste some money”, “we could start sharing rooms”, mulder holding scully when she faints in the woods, mulder watching scully with the baby, the whole bed scene, the HUG cause mulder couldnt live without her if something happened, PERGNANt

and as far as season 8 goes….. every episode besides the ones with mulder are meh and lets pretend 9 didnt happen except i guess The Truth was good considering the circumstances

and i aint gon get into the revival ho boy

15. Favorite MSR moments?

most of them are listed above but other than those:

in firewalker when mulder holds scully’s face

when scully puts herself in contempt of court for mulder and then the HUG

BBQ SAUCE

in die hand when mulder rolls himself over scully when shots are firing

all the comfort and care in end game

they way scully cares for mulder when his father and mother die

haha mulders reaction when scully identifies the plane at the bottom of the water

the lace thing, the china pattern thing

scullys concern for mulder in paper hearts and the hug

mulders memoization of scully’s senior thesis

mulder showing off athletically for scully, scully enjoying it

in pine bluff variant when scully recognizes mulder by his bandaged fingers

in dreamland when scully says she would kiss mulder if he wasnt so ugly and the exchange of the sunflower seeds, also mulder knows her breakfast

jealous scully in alpha

the touchstone conversation

the millennium kiss

everytime mulder calls scully dana (beyond the sea, lazarus, the field where i died, trust no 1)

in tooms the first and only time scully calls mulder fox (i know he doesnt really like it but i still wish they did it again because it carries a big weight)

the decontamination shower

when scully cares for mulder when he is in shock

when scully shoots mulder and tends to his wound later

and we musnt forget fight the future and i want to believe