Forsake your loved ones, to protect yourself.
The children were bundled up warmly with various pelts of small animals she'd trapped over the years they had spent in the cave. She, herself, wore very little in the way of furs. She had been trading excess meat when she could, and helping those who were injured to any extent that she was able, keep the girls in new clothes--as well as herself.
She had never shared her name, her home location, or anything that might lead someone to find her when she had left the cave. The children never ventured far from the cave that they called home either. Of course, this meant that both Acantha and Bryony were a bit small for their age, and definitely socially stunted.
Delphine wore a thick dress, created from various sizes and colors of patchwork material, whatever she could find or afford. The life of living in a cave out of fear of her husband meant that well, she was cautious, she had to learn to live on her own, and she had to raise her children without the luxuries she had grown accustomed too.
It was a lot of adjustment. The Hollowed Grounds were home, but not really, at the same time. Grasping the children tightly to her chest, Delphine had traveled to the ruins of the Spire, through the portal she thought might lead her to find Zariah, Poe the pink Galah perched in her hair.
It was cold when they came through the portal. But she had been expecting that, and the girls complained about the lack of warmth, snuggling closer to her, as she adjusted the thin, worn cloak she had managed to trade for from someone or another. It was not the best deal she could have gotten, but what could she do when she was lacking a proper job and home?
A few years seemed to be long enough; if Bellamy had wanted to find them, he would have. She was never his favorite wife, nothing more than a trophy to show off, and she wanted to find an old friend--if that old friend would even speak to her--and tell her that she had been right.
The temperature was... well, colder than she expected, and she adjusted to lower the girls' to the ground. She might have been better off leaving them in the cave, but she had no idea how long she would be gone for. And she had no friends, nobody who she trusted enough to watch the children.
The little trio stood in front of the portal, as Delphine studied her surroundings, shivering slightly. "Mama? Can we go home?" The little hand that tugged her back towards the portal was pale, Bryony didn't appreciate change.
"Sorry, darling. I think an old friend lives around here," She was following a rumor that she'd heard when she was out bartering for clothing, she only hoped it was right or dealing with the cold was for naught.
"You never wanna 'splore," accused Acantha of her sister, reaching out to whack the other girl on the shoulder. "And the one time we get to 'splore, you're gonna whine! Big baby," she spat, tugging her mother's hand to remind the woman to move forwards.
Delphine didn't address the quarrel between her children, instead, she moved slowly, cautiously searching for exit routes and more. Best to be prepared to yank the children up and run, if she had too. She still was not much of a fighter.
At the moment, she wasn't even much of a healer, or even really a person. She had been cautious before, but now...? She was so cautious it got in the way of living her life, as the last two years had proven.
"Where's your friend at, Mama?" Bryony asked, quietly, staring around. "Why would they live out here? It's cold."
A quiet chuckle left the woman and she mused, "Well, I think we have to walk a bit before we would find my friend." She had told the children about Zariah, about Remington, but never about their father. They'd been infants prior to coming to Caido. As far as the girls' knew, they didn't have a father, and that was how Delphine liked it.
She had never shared her name, her home location, or anything that might lead someone to find her when she had left the cave. The children never ventured far from the cave that they called home either. Of course, this meant that both Acantha and Bryony were a bit small for their age, and definitely socially stunted.
Delphine wore a thick dress, created from various sizes and colors of patchwork material, whatever she could find or afford. The life of living in a cave out of fear of her husband meant that well, she was cautious, she had to learn to live on her own, and she had to raise her children without the luxuries she had grown accustomed too.
It was a lot of adjustment. The Hollowed Grounds were home, but not really, at the same time. Grasping the children tightly to her chest, Delphine had traveled to the ruins of the Spire, through the portal she thought might lead her to find Zariah, Poe the pink Galah perched in her hair.
It was cold when they came through the portal. But she had been expecting that, and the girls complained about the lack of warmth, snuggling closer to her, as she adjusted the thin, worn cloak she had managed to trade for from someone or another. It was not the best deal she could have gotten, but what could she do when she was lacking a proper job and home?
A few years seemed to be long enough; if Bellamy had wanted to find them, he would have. She was never his favorite wife, nothing more than a trophy to show off, and she wanted to find an old friend--if that old friend would even speak to her--and tell her that she had been right.
The temperature was... well, colder than she expected, and she adjusted to lower the girls' to the ground. She might have been better off leaving them in the cave, but she had no idea how long she would be gone for. And she had no friends, nobody who she trusted enough to watch the children.
The little trio stood in front of the portal, as Delphine studied her surroundings, shivering slightly. "Mama? Can we go home?" The little hand that tugged her back towards the portal was pale, Bryony didn't appreciate change.
"Sorry, darling. I think an old friend lives around here," She was following a rumor that she'd heard when she was out bartering for clothing, she only hoped it was right or dealing with the cold was for naught.
"You never wanna 'splore," accused Acantha of her sister, reaching out to whack the other girl on the shoulder. "And the one time we get to 'splore, you're gonna whine! Big baby," she spat, tugging her mother's hand to remind the woman to move forwards.
Delphine didn't address the quarrel between her children, instead, she moved slowly, cautiously searching for exit routes and more. Best to be prepared to yank the children up and run, if she had too. She still was not much of a fighter.
At the moment, she wasn't even much of a healer, or even really a person. She had been cautious before, but now...? She was so cautious it got in the way of living her life, as the last two years had proven.
"Where's your friend at, Mama?" Bryony asked, quietly, staring around. "Why would they live out here? It's cold."
A quiet chuckle left the woman and she mused, "Well, I think we have to walk a bit before we would find my friend." She had told the children about Zariah, about Remington, but never about their father. They'd been infants prior to coming to Caido. As far as the girls' knew, they didn't have a father, and that was how Delphine liked it.
