Men and women have died before, gone long before their time had truly come. Died at the marks of the rapid rifles, gone with the choirs of war and taken by the orchestra of hell. Natasi's fate had been sealed and for six years she had been gone from this realm. Six years had passed, the seasons come and the seasons went and all the while Ariel had not thought it possible to bring life from death. It was until a fateful meeting that now led to another, the Emperor would dine at Herevan tonight, but this was done and arranged before there could have been any other word. Ariel the sole reason that her cousin walked today, did not feel shame - nor did she feel she should.
Ariel missed Natasi.
She missed her in a way that sisters missed one another, in a way that a child might yearn for their guardian. A pain many had come to know but many did not know the devil the way Ariel knew her. So there she was at Herevan Hold, sitting on the sill, a stitched pillow atop the bench looking out the window. Glancing below to watch the coming and the going, her room was lit - far more than thoughts that lurked in her mind. If her gamble had failed and Prazutis correct then she'd only have herself to blame. However, who could truly blame her? Would one not want their sibling back? Would not one yearn to have another day with their guardian? Truly, doomed - a soul, taken from the Netherworld but not by force, no - a question, an answer, an anticipated revival awaited them both.
Quietly she sat and pondered her mind wandered to the day, the hour to recall. The moment of her cousin's death, her eyes were gone distant into a memory, unaware of the steps that now approached the door. Unaware of the hand on that knocked, until it seemed to boom in the depths of her mind. Ariel was startled out of her trance and she gave but a glance over her shoulder and looked at the door, she took a moment to gather her thoughts and heart. She rose to her feet and gave her answer, "come in."