Coping. (Post Prophecy)

"Here," Shadow said, walking over to a small set of cube-like shelving, taking out a golden brown feather, a jar of powder and a vial of clear liquid. She looked at Dominique.
"Ready?"

"Er," Dominique began, closing the door she had opened. She took off her hand from the doorknob, and she sat on the bed. "Yeah, I'm ready," Dominique finished.

"Ok," Shadow said, consulting the book again. "I need you to sit here," She pointed to the floor a about two metres away from herself, "facing the south."

Dominique stood up, and walked to the place that Shadow had indicated her. Her breath seeped out of her mouth quietly as she breathed. She sat down on the indicated location. She thought in her mind, which direction was the south. She closed her eyes, and turned sideways, once, completely. SHe then opened her eyes again.
"Mhmm," she answered.

Shadow glanced at the book, and sprinkled the dark blue fragments of the Cairn stone in a circle around Dominique. Once that was done, she, very carefully and looking pained, started to do the same with the Holy water.

Dominique sat up straight, hoping not to bother Shadow. She breathed carefully, hoping she wouldn't blow the small pieces of the stone. She closed er eyes, trying to calm down. She didn't want to go kraferric, and especially not at this moment.

Shadow finished with the Holy water and began to recite her spell, the Careen feather poised on her palm. The feather rose in an orb of Shadow's magic, disintegrating into a small pile of ash.

Dominique kept her eyes closed, breathing silently. As she heard the words that escaped Shadow's mouth, she thought of the kraferric language, which didn't seem at all like the one Shadow was speaking. Which was normal, since kraferric is basically Latin.

The ash from the feather left the orb of magic to hover above Dominique's head, manipulating itself into different shapes before it would settle on one. Shadow watched it silently, her spell finished. She knew that if Dominique was able to conceive children, then the ash would take the shape of a triangle with the point facing downwards. If not, then it would take on the form of a broken circle.

Dominique didn't open her eyes. Her hands on her thighs tensed. She tried breathing calmly. She didn't move, and tried not to as she inhaled. She thought of calm thoughts, such as the rain dropping down, pouring onto a giant stone, and the edge of this stone was where the drops accumulated, and dropped, flicking the ground gently.

- to your honour -

Shadow gently placed the book down, her eyes not leaving the small cloud of ash. She remembered that the Careen had an uncanny knack of knowing things about you that even you didn't know, and that's why, she guessed, there was need of one of their feathers...

Dominique stood quietly where she was, her breathing getting more deep each time she inhaled quietly. er brown hair flowed in front of her face, but she kept it that way, as she lowered her head ever so slightly. Her hands curled up into a cup, and they squeezed against each other.

Shadow watched as the ash kept up its shapeshifting. She wondered when it would reveal to them what they wanted to know.

Dominique opened her eyes, and she looked upwards, at the demoness. She pushed the brown hair out of er sight, and pulled them behind her ears. She glanced sideways, then gazed back at Shadow. She lifted one eyebrow, hoping that Shadow would notice.

Shadow looked at Dominique, her expression slightly confused. What was the female Kraferr trying to tell her?

Dominique looked back at Shadow. Hearing no answer, her hands stretched outwards, and placed themselves on Dominique's knees. She tilted her head sideways, throwing one fringe of brown hair backwards.
"Well, uh, what does it say?" Dominique asked, impatient for the answer.

Shadow didn't reply as she watched the ash, until it came to rest on the form of a broken circle. The demoness bit her lip, and shook her head.

Dominique frowned, tilting her head slightly sideways at the demoness. She lifted one eyebrow.
"What do you mean, no?" Dominique asked. She thought a bit, Her eyes then widened. "You mean that...?"

Shadow released the spell with a few murmured words, and the ash fell into a small pile on the wooden floor.
"You cannot conceive a child." Shadow said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Dominique brushed the ash off her body, and she stood up, walking over to Shadow. She crouched near the bed, looking up at the demoness.
"You mean I'm sterile?!" Dominique asked. She asked the question, but she already knew the answer. Shadow wouldn't be someone to lie about this kind of thing. She put a hand up to her face, and she stood up. "Thank you for your time," Dominique muttered quietly, before walking slowly out of the room, one had still up to her face. Quick footsteps were heard out of the room, then it became quiet.

Shadow watched the female Kraferr leave before moving out herself, still being careful not to rip out the stitching.

Bart quickly came into the room, opening the door as fast as he could, and slamming it shut again as quickly. He glanced left and right, and then saw Shadow.
"Dominique wants to stab me with a kitchen knife," Bart quickly muttered through almost closed lips, "Well, not really, I'm exaggerating, but seeing how desperate she is, it wouldn't shock me if she did it." Bart approached Shadow, sitting on the bed, just right next to her. "What did you say to her so that she would get out of the room in that state?" Bart asked.

Shadow sighed, closing her eyes.
"Dominique asked me if I knew how to tell if a woman could convceive a child. I performed the spell, and it told us that Dominique was incapable..." Shadow explained quietly.

Bart's eyes widened, and he also stood up, to look at Shadow in the eyes.
"Ah," Bart answered, "I understand now..." He thought for a moment, lifting his hand behind his head, and scratching his brown hair. "So she's... Sterile," Bart concluded, "I can't really define this situation. She wanted to save the kraferric race... And finding out that she can't is quite harsh."

Shadow nodded solemnly before she yawned, one hand rising to cover her mouth and wolf-like canines. The demoness had been trying hard not to look tired.