Marianna, A Short Story.

[pat673]

The sun shown down onto the figures sitting on the cool grass in the tree-laden stone courtyard. A single fountain's water leapt into the air to fall back with a splash like the sound of a harp being plucked.

The figures were a young man, hansom and in his prime and an equally beautiful girl with flowing white-blonde hair and an athletic figure.
The man smiled shyly at the girl and fidgeted with his tunic buttons, apparently very interested in their making and thread that connected them to the green fabric.

The girl saw this and slid her arm around his, leaning forward into the curve of his neck. Goosebumps pricked his skin as the soft scent of roses pleasantly filled his nostrils.
He laid her chin on her head, smirking to himself. The girl leant back and shook her hair out of her eyes, looking sternly into the green eyes of the man. She then smiled warmly and clasped her hand in his which made the man blush.

His heart fluttered inside his chest as she poked him playfully in the chest. He leant over, hesitating before planting his lips on hers. They stayed like this for a few seconds before their lips parted with a grin from the man.
The girl crawled in front of him and stradled his lap, leaning forward again which parted her robe for an instant, offering the briefest glimpse of the curve of her breast, before she drew her robe back around her.

The man blushed once again before leaning in to kiss her again. She kissed his neck, biting it playfully. The man grinned in response, happier than he ever had been in years, or in his entire life.
The girl stood, twirling her robe and smiling as she did so, her bare feet making no sound on the green fresh grass. The man leant back on his elbows and watched her, taking in the smell of Jasmine in the air.

But like a switch being flicked, the sky grew dark as black clouds blotted out the sun. The girl's expression changed from one of happiness to one of fear.
Suddenly the man's head throbbed with pain and the scene around him changed instantly. With a flash like that of lightning, he now saw a great stone on a hill of cracked earth, the sky the colour of blood and and a voice eerily calling out to him, "Reynald!" It cried and then began to weep.

Another flash and he was back in the courtyard, rain began to rush downwards from the black clouds and an ominous booming was heard in the distance.
Another flash and Reynald's head burst in pain and he cried out, a spasm attacked his spine and he was thrown back in pain. Another flash and blood ran down the Stone on the hill and the screams of a woman pierced the heavy air.

Again and again the screaming came, a scream of such horror that it turned Reynald's blood cold. Another flash and his mind turned back to the girl leaning over and kissing him, twirling around in her robe, their hands clasped together. The girl he loved.
Another flash and a knife was drawn from it's sheath and then another flash and a crimson stain began to spread on the white fabric of her robe, the girl's head lolled to one side on a bed of stone, her face bruised and white, dead.

"Marianna!" cried out the man, sitting bolt upright, exhaling heavily and in uneven breaths. The darkness of the cell and the smell of death and rotting flesh assaulted him and struck him like a blow and his mind turned to the girl, Marianna.
"Marianna," He whispered, running his hands through his hair, wet with cold sweat. He began to weep, the pitiful sound echoing of the cold stone walls of the Prison.

[pat673]

"Something wrong? Another bad dream?" came a sly voice from the opposite cell.

Reynald didn't reply, he just held his head in his hands, rocking back and forth, shaking from the cold damp of the Cell. He had been thrown into the Cell after being set up by his colleague, Ruran. He was employed by the Countess of Anvil, her Chief Adviser but his reputation had been stinted since an accident had destabilised the Countess' government, resulting in him being demoted.

To make things worse Ruran, a close friend at the time, had set him up for Murder of the resident Chief Adviser and as the ex-C.A of the Countess, he was the Prime Suspect. He was thrown into Jail by the Town Guard then shipped here, to the Imperial City, to serve the rest of his sentence, which was the rest of his life.

He had been in this dark, dank and smelly cell for three Months now and he couldn't take it. His dreams were haunted by the ghostly face of his Fiance, Marianna. He had no idea what had happened to her since his imprisonment but he knew he had to find her, it was the only thing still Light and Pure in his mind, and he knew that if he didn't, his mind would slowly deteriorate.

Reynald let out a sigh, pent up frustration and sadness evident in it's tone. "What is it now? Another dream of your dead Fiance?" Came the sly voice again, out of the blackness beyond his cell and a single burning torch.

"She's not dead!" Reynald screamed back, jumping to the bars of the Cell.

"Oh, are you so sure of that?" Came the reply, the blackness making it impossible to tell wether or not there was someone there or wether it was all in his mind.

"She's alive!" He shouted back, a hint of madness in his voice and eyes, "I can feel it. She's alive." He repeated, softer and calmer this time.

"Perhaps you have forgotten all that you've told me since your imprisonment." Replied the voice knowingly.

Reynald paused. What had he told the voice of the Darkness beyond his Cell? He had no memory of his first weeks in the Cell. All that he could remember was his arrest, his Fiance in a courtyard of stone and green grass, his friend betraying him... His mind worked furiously to remember, only resulting in a headache manifesting behind his eyes.

Reynald groaned in pain and the Darkness beyond cackled in maniacal laughter, "Another headache, is it? Perhaps you are going crazy...Maybe I'm not even real."

The Darkness laughed again. Reynald pulled at his hair, "Stop it!" He screamed, sinking to his knees again. "I need to get out of here..." He whispered to himself, "I need to get out! Help! Get me out of here!" He began to cry.

"What's all this racket?" Came a deep and gravelly voice followed by the squeak of a door opening and a dull thudding of Iron-shod boots.

Out of the Darkness stepped a Guardsman, in full Legion Armour, a Mace hanging by his side, he leant closer in to the Cell. "Reynald? I should o' known it'd be you screamin' your Lungs out."

"I need to get out of here!" was Reynald's only reply.

The Guard laughed harshly, "You ain't getting out of here until you're dead, mate. How many times have I told you this?"

Reynald began to breathe uneasily again, the thoughts of Marianna clouding his mind. "No, you don't understand, I have to-"

"Enough, man!" Barked the Guard, cutting Reynald off and banging his gauntleted fist on the bars for emphasis.

Reynald moaned slightly in the Darkness. The Guard's boots began to move away, back into the Light through the doorway at the far end of the room. The Darkness grew again, enveloping his cell and blotting out the light.

"Failed again, did we Reynald?" came the Darkness.

"Don't talk to me." Came Reynald's blunt reply.

The Darkness laughed again, "Oh, you'll talk. After all, who else will listen?"

Reynald ignored the voice, focusing his mind on his memories of Marianna, the only thing keeping him sane. "I'm coming Marianna...I'll find you."

[Vicorva]

Wow... this is really, really good. Some interesting imagery- I like the naming 'the Darkness' as if it is an object, or even entity- but very, very emotional writing. I'm a little unsure on the whole framing aspect of it all... I had to re-read it for it to fully sink in to me what was going on, and the how is still pretty hazy... but I really love the whole feeling of desolation and desperation in this piece, and I look forward to seeing Reynald reunited with his Marianna.

Why hasn't she come to visit him, anyway? I'm pretty curious about all this.

Yeah... so, can't wait for the next one!

[pat673]

Thanks alot

Yeah, I confused myself a little while writing it, I might edit it later to make it clearer. But yeah, it's my first piece heavy with emotion so I was interested in how it would turn out...good it would seem

Should have the next bit up soon..

[galvonindoril]

I like it

I went back and scanned the story for the darkness after you mentioned it.

[Kleidium]

I really do like this one. A man with memories of a loved one, the only things that keep him sane. Love it.

[Vrek]

I like, emotional, but not over the top. And who doesn't love a good quip with insanity?