Yeah, so hey. Stuff.
She came to flailing madly, instantly landing on ground that replaced whatever she'd just left behind. Stumbling to all fours, her hands buried into white sand and her knees jarred on impact. Closing her eyes to fight off a fierce wave of vertigo, she could feel her heart drumming madly in her chest. That Tauren had been so close. Thank Gods she had found that door...
It occurred to her that she didn't know where she was. She pulled her hands from the unnaturally clean and pale sand, brushing it from her knees and her dress. She began to stand, but made the mistake of looking up. What she saw made her sink right back to her knees.
There were thousands of them. The rush of waves met her ears and the smell of the wind was that of an ocean. Thousands. It was a forest of cloaks, all standing silently, separately, staring off towards a large castle in the distance. Figures in the mist. There was not a single indication that they were there save for their very figures; mere ghosts in a salty wind or etherael columns supporting the fog.
Then, one of them turned. A solemn, pale face looked out from the hood of the cloak. Intent eyes seemed to focus on her from far away, and the stare sent a shiver down her spine.
"He- Hello" she called softly, finally standing. More faces were turning towards her, and she looked around. The figures stretched behind her as well, so far that the thick sea spray swallowed them and she could not make out the ocean itself. Slowly, the ones facing away from her were turning in. "My name is Victoria, of the House of Banning."
No response was offered as face after impassive face turned to her.
"Hello. Hello?" the fear of being chased down by the Tauren had not yet faded, and was now being replaced by another, heavier fear. The fear of being surrounded. "I am Victoria, of the House of Banning. My father is Aoed Banning and my mother is Eirnin Kendrick. I am betrothed to Jarlath Dubaltach." Tears were forming in her eyes, "can you hear me?"
It was as if she was talking to the largest, most real painting she had ever seen. Finally, she took a step forward. The reaction was instant. The figures nearest her stepped back and the ones she had left behind stepped in. She took another step, again with the adjustment of the perimeter.
"Hello?" she cried, "Can any of you help me? I just need to get back home." She took another step. "May I speak to your master?" Nothing but pale faces, staring. Another step, "I can reward you. I can pay you" She clawed at her neck, stumbling through the forest of cloaked humans, finally getting her hands around a ruby the size of a child's fist. "This necklace was my grandmother's, Aodhamair Banning. Whoever can help me can have this." She squeezed the stone as if her life depended on it and fell to her knees, sobbing.
"Anybody?" she squeaked through tears. "Anybody at all?"
It occurred to her that she didn't know where she was. She pulled her hands from the unnaturally clean and pale sand, brushing it from her knees and her dress. She began to stand, but made the mistake of looking up. What she saw made her sink right back to her knees.
There were thousands of them. The rush of waves met her ears and the smell of the wind was that of an ocean. Thousands. It was a forest of cloaks, all standing silently, separately, staring off towards a large castle in the distance. Figures in the mist. There was not a single indication that they were there save for their very figures; mere ghosts in a salty wind or etherael columns supporting the fog.
Then, one of them turned. A solemn, pale face looked out from the hood of the cloak. Intent eyes seemed to focus on her from far away, and the stare sent a shiver down her spine.
"He- Hello" she called softly, finally standing. More faces were turning towards her, and she looked around. The figures stretched behind her as well, so far that the thick sea spray swallowed them and she could not make out the ocean itself. Slowly, the ones facing away from her were turning in. "My name is Victoria, of the House of Banning."
No response was offered as face after impassive face turned to her.
"Hello. Hello?" the fear of being chased down by the Tauren had not yet faded, and was now being replaced by another, heavier fear. The fear of being surrounded. "I am Victoria, of the House of Banning. My father is Aoed Banning and my mother is Eirnin Kendrick. I am betrothed to Jarlath Dubaltach." Tears were forming in her eyes, "can you hear me?"
It was as if she was talking to the largest, most real painting she had ever seen. Finally, she took a step forward. The reaction was instant. The figures nearest her stepped back and the ones she had left behind stepped in. She took another step, again with the adjustment of the perimeter.
"Hello?" she cried, "Can any of you help me? I just need to get back home." She took another step. "May I speak to your master?" Nothing but pale faces, staring. Another step, "I can reward you. I can pay you" She clawed at her neck, stumbling through the forest of cloaked humans, finally getting her hands around a ruby the size of a child's fist. "This necklace was my grandmother's, Aodhamair Banning. Whoever can help me can have this." She squeezed the stone as if her life depended on it and fell to her knees, sobbing.
"Anybody?" she squeaked through tears. "Anybody at all?"