Rainfall chapter two: Washed Away
Rainfall chapter two: Washed Away
Author:
storylandqueen
Rating: K+
Pairing: Az/DG
Warning: Femslash, incest,
Summary: Azkadellia finally lets go with a little help from her memories.
Author's notes: Once again, this is for
luchia13.
Previous chapters: Sweet
Crossposted to
azkadellia_x_dg
Monsoon season had arrived in the O.Z. and the weather had reached a new peak that night under the moon’s orange glow, possibly the worst the kingdom had seen in its history. The wind was howling through the large trees as thunder boomed and torrents of rain were slapping at the sliding glass doors of Azkadellia’s bedroom that led to the balcony overlooking the eastern gardens. These doors were kept hidden normally, concealed behind curtains, but tonight Azkadellia had drawn the curtains back, watching the storm as she cuddled in her bed, flashes of lightning illuminating her room periodically.
The Princess was used to strong storms, she’d even caused a few for the purpose of destruction, but this one seemed more powerful than any other, more meaningful. Storms used to be her lullaby, the sensations flowing through the air soothing her to sleep, but things were too electric this time.
Pulling the covers closer to her chin, Az wondered if DG was having trouble sleeping as she was, kept awake by the irresistible pull of the storm. Az rubbed her cheeks against a pillow, breathing in the scent of her blankets, something faint and flowery. She knew that long before trouble had touched their lives, her sister would have most likely wrapped herself up in her bed to watch the storm as well, counting the time between sight and sound. A Deeg from the past would have entertained herself this way for a short while before sneaking to her sister’s room to watch the storm together if Azkadellia hadn’t already joined her.
This was the first truly fierce storm they’d had since DG’s return, and Az again wondered what she was doing, if she was remembering all the times the two of them watched it rain from a bedroom window, sipping at cups of hot cocoa Ambrose would bring them in the middle of the night. The genius often worked late and whenever the sounds of a storm managed distract him from his work, he’d take time to check on the princesses, bringing warm drinks if they were still awake - maybe even sitting with them before returning to whatever project was keeping him up to all hours now. It started happening with such frequency that Ambrose took over the kitchen and created a secret cocoa just for those stormy nights before making both Az and DG a special set of cups that they kept in their rooms, Deeg giving hers a place of honor beside an old tea set that belonged to the first Dorothy Gale.
Now there wasn’t any hot cocoa or soft knocks on her bedroom door, Ambrose was Glitch and probably didn’t even know he used to tell them bedtime stories and sneak them chocolate while DG was snug in her own room without the slightest urge to seek out her sister. Azkadellia knew this was all her fault.
She hadn’t asked to have the Witch invade her mind and body, but it was because of her actions during that time that she had missed Deeg growing up, that Glitch had only half a brain - the other half useless as anything but a control system after so many annuals spent in a jar.
Azkadellia tossed onto her back, giving a small sigh as she stared up at the ceiling, a clap of thunder sounding as she lamented over the misguided deeds she had done. What she wouldn’t give to be clean, to no longer feel as if her skin was covered in something that marked her as foul. DG had told her something, that she needed to cast aside her guilt for things she didn’t do, but that didn’t help, if anything it was worse when DG tried to take the blame because Az couldn’t let her do that, her baby sister couldn’t be responsible for the atrocities that happened after her death.
Oh, Az didn’t want to be reminded of that and as the thought came to her, she pushed it away, trying to avoid it. Her death, Azkadellia had caused the death of her sister, sweet Deeg that trusted and loved her and -
Az, stop it. That. Was. Not. You. Quit trying to take the blame for it, okay? I don’t care if you think you could have prevented it, it’s done. I let go, you were gone, and now we’re fixing it and we’re both back. The Witch is gone, we got rid of her together. Please Az; just be my sister again.
Another sound of thunder exploded outside as Azkadellia recalled what her passionate sister had told her after catching Az having another bout of… self-pity. DG hadn’t called it that, but Az knew that’s what she had thought in that moment just as surely as she knew that DG was finally mad at her. Azkadellia was almost relieved when the bond that connected her to her sister flared with anger, until she realized in dismay that would only prove DG right. She was taking comfort in being blamed instead of facing what had happened.
A sudden blast of wind forced the glass doors at the far of her room to burst open, allowing the rain to come pouring in, accompanied with cold air. Holding her covers tightly to her chest, Az hesitated for a moment before throwing the blankets off her body and striding to the balcony, fastening the doors back closed as water hit her face. The wind howled as the doors once again blocked their entrance to the room, but Az didn’t notice as she kept one pale hand on the cool glass. Reaching up to her face, Azkadellia felt the raindrops on her cheeks and realized with a start that the wetness on her face wasn’t only from the weather. The princess held perfectly still, barely breathing and as lighting flashed across the sky, she made up her mind and left her bedroom.
Clad only in her thin, gold silk pajama’s, it didn’t take long for the icy rain to soak the princess once she left the castle, but she paid it no heed as she walked across the grounds, her bare feet sinking into the mud as she went to the garden. Nothing more than a small figure lost in the rain’s darkness, Azkadellia wondered what difference her actions would truly make as she slipped into the garden, moving to stand in the middle before raising her arms to the sky almost on instinct. The motions brought back unpleasant memories, but as she closed her eyes and began to spin in the rain, Azkadellia thought she could actually feel them melting away. The wind whipped around her body, the drops of water slipping off her form as she continued moving, until eventually the wind and rain began to wrap around her, matching her slow yet steady rhythm. Her eyes slid open a fraction and it was almost as if she could see colors, shades of life flowing in the air around her even as she felt her body lift up from the mud, long strands of hair blown by the wind as she continued to dance inside her self-made cyclone.
“Az, what are you doing out here now?”
Azkadellia dropped her arms in surprise at the voice, dropping lightly back into the mud as the miniature tornado that held her up fell apart. Shivering, the woman looked at her clearly aggravated sister and the corner of her lips twitched at how much she resembled a drowned rat at the moment. DG’s hair was frizzled, cheeks bright red while her nightgown (the first dress Az had seen her in since childhood) clung to her body from the rain, the lower half splattered with small flecks of mud. DG opened her mouth to say something else, stepping closer to Azkadellia, but her sister spoke first.
“I’m sorry.”
A flash of lightning lit up DG’s face as she frowned in confusion. “Az, what are you -”
“I’m sorry for making you worry about me and for making you try to fix this on your own. You shouldn’t have to keep finding me. I’m sorry… for holding on to the wrong thing.” Azkadellia wiped an errant lock of hair off DG’s face and wrapped her arms around her, lips ghosting over DG’s cheek in a light kiss before pressing her face against DG’s wet hair, letting go what felt like far too soon.
DG looked at her sister in utter confusion as she was released before briefly pressing her own lips against Az’s, following it with a tight hug of her own. “It’s okay, Az.” DG said gently, her warm breath caressing Azkadellia’s neck, causing her to shudder. At the movement, DG pulled away and looked at her sister, running her hands along pale arms. “Come on, Az, let’s go inside and warm you up.”
Az nodded and DG slid her hands upward, grabbing onto the silk pajamas. “These are so thin; you can borrow something of mine.” She said decisively, moving closer to her shivering sister as they left the garden.
Wrapped arm in arm, the two sisters trudged through the mud and rain back to the castle, an occasional giggle permeating their conversation as they walked through the corridors, leaving a path of mud behind them. Turning a corner, they were surprised to come across Glitch standing in the middle of the hallway, appearing to be completely lost as he looked around, holding a tray with a canister on it closely to his body.
“Girls,” the man said in delight, smiling, “maybe you can help me. This storm woke me up and I had the strangest urge for cocoa, but I forgot to grab a cup and now I can’t find my room or the kitchen again! What’s worse is that I keep thinking I should be afraid of some type of flower people, but I can’t remember why I should be afraid. Are they violent, do you think?”
DG looked at her friend in puzzlement, trying to figure out what he was talking about this time, but Azkadellia understood as she felt warm laughter bubbling up inside of her and allowed her smile to show. The princess shook free of her sister and took the tray from Glitch, “Don’t worry, there are cups in DG’s bedroom. I’ll tell you about the flower people on the way.”
“Oh, good, you know about them? They won’t still the cocoa, will they?”
Az laughed, “I don’t think they will. They just want somewhere safe to stay in the rain. Sometimes the flowers can’t protect them if it’s a bad storm, so they hide indoors and grant those living there good luck in return for their hospitality.”
“Oh, well that’s nice. How do you know that, though? Are you friends?”
Azkadellia turned to look at Glitch and smiled at him, affection creeping up. “No, I just knew someone that used to tell me about them a long time ago. But the stories can wait until we have the cocoa.”
“Okay, party in my room!” DG declared, pushing past them to lead the way. Glitch bounded after her and Az followed at a slower rate, sniffing at the cocoa and sighing in contentment at the familiar fragrance.
Maybe some things hadn’t changed, even if they weren’t remembered. As long as they remembered the good things of the past, who could say the future wouldn’t be just as bright? Azkadellia remembered and she had hope.