Out Of The Rain - Forget Me [Ch.2]

Out Of The Rain

Forget Me - Chapter 2

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t.w.

Mentions of blood and suicide

a.n.

Great inspiration from this song

#SSClub

#Song2SSC

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Word Count: 1750

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Under the pouring rain at night, a curious light was peeking from one of the rooms in the castle. Resonating from inside was a sweet and female muffled voice, delicate and refreshing, yet concealed in some sort of sorrow.

”But you are not alone

And we're not out of hope

We'll get out of the rain”

The lyrics vocalized were barely audible from the outside, while inside felt like entering a starring galaxy of peace. It was like a completely new universe was being shielded from the massacre happening on the exterior. The singing woman paused her melody, intensifying the strength of the storm.

“My precious Daughter.”

With cheeks as red as danger and eyes as sad as a requiem, between sobs and sniffs, the Daughter responded.

”Mother, do you know where they went?”

The woman lifted the corners of her lips gently, revealing a smile that was hiding an intense heartache. She gazed at her child with her white, blind eyes, and spoke.

”Far beyond the raindrops.”

The Daughter returned to her agonizing cries, sending shivery sounds throughout the walls of the castle. The thunder, beating to the sound of this rhapsodic pain, coalesced with the luminosity of lightning, presenting an intangible and effulgent display of sorrow and affliction.

The Mother got up and walked towards the closed balcony door. She stared at the distance, even with fog in her eyes.

“When one sense disappears, the others fulfill its role by intensifying their own strength. All I hear, sense, taste and smell is… too much. I am afraid he is still out there.”

The Daughter quickly raised her teary face and gave an incredibly surprised stare to her Mother.

“Everything is so… overloaded,” she continued.” It’s like I can hear them being tortured by the sky and feasted upon by the sea. Every night is a mare. Their souls are yet to rest, they haven’t ceased to exist.”

“Mother, what is this you’re saying? What is going on? Please explain it to me!”

“And when their hearts sink into the deep, it will finally be quiet. The shrieks of the damned will fade, and silence will be restored, awarding victory to death.”

The Daughter could not keep up with the babbling. Her expression showed great fear and worry, seeing the back of her Mother’s cape and the lightning and rain welcoming her outside.

“There’s hope, but there’s hindrance. And where there’s hindrance, life does not continue. If we were to remove it, we would be able to save what is lost and bring back what we hold dear to us.”

She turned to her Daughter, her cloudy and white eyes looking straight forward.

“My precious Daughter. You will become the Queen the Sky Folk need and you’ll cleanse their sight, so full of doubt, ignorance and fear. the Gods and pray to Them to guide you through the mist far beyond the raindrops.”

And with that final word, the Mother plunged a hidden dirk straight through her own heart, falling on her knees slowly, in silence.

Godly bolts lit up the skies fiercely, delivering the curtain call. The rain responded in force after slowly fading into oblivion. The clouds in the sky stopped crying, and the cannons of thunder stopped shooting.

“MOTHER!”

The Daughter was screeching in a hellish voice. The fire illuminating the castle halls shook in distress. Guards soon burst the door open to provide assistance. Following them was Alexander, who could only see a stream of blood seeping through his sister’s legs. She was kneeled by the corpse, watering it with her dreadful tears.

“Far beyond the raindrops…” the Mother whispered as her final breath.

A tear slid from the corner of her cloudy eyes, as the last drop of rain from the sky above.

★

A month had ed since s for the suicidal mission opened. The time had come to unveil the Sky Folk deemed as worthy, crazy, brave and solitary. Standing in front of a newly built and reinforced armada of ships was the Queen, Alexander, the guards and the herald. In front of them were the Sky Folk.

The sky was blue, morphing to gray. The wind was notable, and so was the anxiety.

“Dear Sky Folk. We are gathered here in front of the extraordinary armada built by you to traverse the Tetrico sea and bring back successfully the iration of the Gods. I will now be calling one by one, starting with the surname followed by the first name. Once you hear your call, you shall come to the Queen and pledge your loyalty. Only then you’ll be authorized to enter the ship.”

The herald opened a single list, small enough to not hit the floor when it unfolded.

“Bonde, Erik!”

A short and very young man walked towards the Queen. With his fist closed in his chest, he bowed down.

“I pledge to aid You, the Queen of Kings. Allow me to fulfill my destiny.”

“Welcome aboard, Erik.” she nodded affirmatively.

Having the Queen’s approval, Erik entered the first ship. The herald called the second sailor.

“Clasen, Leif!”

Another man, more robust, walked forward. Repeating the same words and receiving the approval, he stepped right in.

“Espeseth, Einar!”

“Felland, Agnar!”

“Flattum, Mikkel!”

“Gjerde, Dagfinn!"

The list kept going, as more men filled in the ships. Alexander was watching carefully, analyzing the expressions of every single sailor and her sister’s behavior. It was still shocking to him how she appeared so unsympathetic.

“Stordahl, Alf!”

Alexander’s heart stopped. The last beat echoed vigorously throughout his entire body. He turned his head slowly. He was horrified. Alf was bowing down in front of the Queen, pledging his aid with his fist closed at chest.

Alexander quickly grabbed the Queen’s shoulder, shaking his head sideways. She glanced over at him.

“Thank you for your pledge, Alf. However, I will request you to stay.”

“My Queen, You doubt my capabilities. Please allow me to embark with You. There is someone I must protect.”

The Queen’s expression remained stoic while Alexander’s morphed into intrigue. Even so, he kept nodding sideways. Alf noted this behavior.

“If You allow me, my Queen.”

He approached her face, whispering something in her ears. Upon receiving the words, the Queen’s eyes widened and her lungs filled with a surprised inhale. Alf returned to his formal position, smirking and looking at Alexander

“Alf… Welcome aboard.”

Alexander was in shock. Alf remained still for a few seconds darting mysterious gazes before heading over to the ship. While the names kept being called, Alexander was trying to process what had happened. Why was Alf so adamant?

The Queen also appeared to be recovering from a very powerful blow. What Alf transmitted really shook her core.

The list continued, and the size of the crew increased. The ending of the list was near, with only one name remaining.

“Halvorsen, Ulrikke!”

The silence broke into chit chatting as a white-haired woman marched towards the Queen. One of her eyes was severed. She bowed down, closing her fist at her chest

“I pledge to aid You, the Queen of Kings. Allow me to fulfill my destiny.”

The Queen hesitated for a while. She gazed at her people, trying to evaluate their expressions facing the situation at hand. Finally, she looked down on the woman.

“Welcome aboard, Ulrikke.”

Ulrikke lifted her head and marched towards the ship. The murmurs kept slithering around, both from the people outside and the men inside the ship. This candidate was not expected.

Shield bashing occurred to order silence. The Queen took a few steps forward.

“It is time to prove once more the might and the courage of the Sky Folk. By traversing the Tetrico sea once again, we will prove to the Gods we are worthy. We will be awarded with riches, fortune, and most important, honor. We will take sail in the morning. The executive, legislative and judicial powers will be delivered to my Brother, Alexander, for as long as I remain away. Blessed be the King. Blessed be the Sky Folk. Blessed be the Gods.”

“Blessed be the Queen!” the people chanted together.

★

The night had arrived, and Alexander was not rejoicing. He was still terrified with the sight of Alf bowing in front of the Queen, providing assistance to such a demonic quest. To lose his sister and to lose his love on the same day was not an easy pill to swallow. His heart was tightened, his mind was lost. He felt a touch on his shoulder that made him awake from that state of anxiety.

“Why are you so stiff?”

Alexander turned to the familiar voice behind him.

“You feel like you’re going to break in Alf,” Alf chuckled.

But Alexander was not answering in the same joyful spirit.

“You said you would never let me be alone. Why?”

Alf filled his chest and looked around.

“If I could tell you, I would. Right now, you have to trust me. It is my sole purpose to keep you safe, and that includes protecting the Queen.”

“If you could tell me? What’s that supposed to mean? What is going on?”

“Alexander, you have to place some faith in me-”

“To hell with that! You’re all going to die! My sister is going to die! You’re going to die! Everyone on these boats will die! My parents are dead! I am going to be all alone, with no family or loved ones to be by my si-”

In an impulse, Alf grabbed Alexander’s arm, making him lose his balance. He then bumped into Alf’s chest who grabbed his chin and pressed his lips against Alexander’s. The full moon shined a spotlight above them, enveloping them in an ethereal light that made the moment feel magical. The wind of the ocean embraced them, wrapping around and pushing them towards one another.

They broke from each other hesitantly. Their humid eyes glistened and there was finally peace in Alexander’s soul.

“You talk too much,” Alf spoke in a quiet voice, caressing Alexander’s cheek with his thumb. “I promised to never leave you alone, didn’t I? Why are you denying it?”

Alexander looked down, losing eye with Alf and letting go of his hands

“Come back safely. I’ll be waiting for you,” Alexander whimpered before turning and walking away.

Alf was left alone under the moonlit harbor. A thunderous echo burst through the sky, opening the way for a flood of divine rage. From inside one of the ships, Ulrikke had witnessed everything.