Perlude
After about an hour preparing her hair and make-up, she looked once more in the mirror to make sure everything was in place. The girl tugged down the hem of her plaid skirt some, hopefully she won't be showing anything out into the public. Devon smiled in satisfaction, before taking a step out of her very small bathroom. She took this moment to drink in every last details of her room before she had to depart. Observing the finely carved wood of her dressers, handled with care, every curve and crevice cut, some paint chipping in some areas due to either water damage or old age. Leaving her bed a mess of jumbled clothes and blankets and pillows. She looked into one corner, where a pile of stuffed animals rested, a few new, others that were once her mother's. And one that Devon has had ever since she was born.
She picked up this item, fingers caressing the stitching carefully, looking over some tears, and faded colours of the fabric. Devon looked out the window, through the thin, white sheer curtain that hung carelessly and freely, brushing against the carpeted floor. Gazing up at the blue sky, unblemished of any cloud. All of this, was precious to her, and she was going to leave it.
She breathed in, closing her eyes, savouring the last moments in the very room, the very home she, and her brothers had grew up in. Devon will miss this, but, there would be no home to come back to, if the Earl should succeed.
"Dev! Aren't you ready yet? You have only less than an hour to catch the train!"
Christopher sighed, tapping his fingers against the wooden railing of the stairs. With his free hand he combed his brunette hair back, canting his head down, his hand now caressing the back of his neck. He still felt apprehensive about all of this. She's too young to go alone. She's to young to fight the Earl, even if she had help from the Exorcists. She was no match.
She blinked, lost for a moment until her train of thought came back. Devon gripped her stuffed toy as she tensed, giving a gasp.
"Oh, hell!"
Devon shrieked, placing the animal carefully, yet quickly onto the pile of other stuffed animals. Tripping over her own feet, and maybe a few articles of clothing, as she sprinted out of the room, through the hallway and down the stairs to meet with Christopher.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry! I lost track of tiiime!"
He just stared at her, white of his eyes slightly pink from lack of rest. She's growing up. Devon's gotten stronger. Of course he had doubts, but he couldn't help but feel a little pride now as he looked at his sister. He watched her grow from a little girl, who, despite being like another brother than a sister at that time, cried more than anyone he ever knew. To a confident young woman, who won't even shed a tear now, due to a promise she made to both their mother and Nickolai. He trained her, he prepared her as best as he could for this day. 'They'll be hard on her, though..' He thought.
"You're ready, right?"
Devon blinked, eyeing her brother. 'Why is he staring at me like that..' Oh well.. She gave a thumbs up, then giving a wink.
"Yep! Everything's in order and I'm ready for action!"
"And your things?"
Christopher added, raising a brow.
"... Aw, crap!"
Her bags! She forgot to pack her belongings! She was so busy getting ready, Devon didn't even have a second thought to make sure she packed anything. The girl started to panic, flailing her arms briefly before turning slightly to make it back up the stairs.
Christopher grabbed her by the arm, then pointed toward the two suitcases and a backpack that sat onto the table. He knew she'd forget all about them, so luckily he had her pack the night before so Devon wouldn't have to go to the trouble at the last minute. Though, it was fun to watch her reaction.
The girl felt a tug at her arm, eye twitching. Devon wanted to shout, she was already late as it is. Even though their home wasn't very far from the station. She then blinked, craning her head toward the bags already on the table. By now she felt a little silly. She must have forgotten already.. 'Oh.. Well..'
"Oh.. Right.. I already packed.. Eh heh. Oops."
~~
She slid out of the front door, and bound down the porch steps. Devon lifted her nose to the sky, closing her eyes once more as she inhaled the sweet scent of the outdoors. The fresh grass, and the bougainvilleas now in bloom, as they grow against the windows of the house, providing shade and spreading out like wildfire in colours of green, pink, and red. She looked back toward Christopher as he followed after, giving a large smile.
"It's such a beautiful day!"
He smiled, leaning against the door frame just a minute as he watched his little sister, arms crossed over his chest. 'This will be the last time I ever see her smile..' He thought to himself, the smile curving downward into a slight frown. How long would he have to wait until this was all over. Will she come home safely when the terror ends? Will he ever see Devon again? He forced these thoughts into the back of his head, and pushed himself away from the door, and toward his younger sibling.
Devon took a step closer, standing in front of Christopher. She looked over every feature on his person. 'This will be the last time I will ever see him.. At least for a while..' There was an urge to shed tears, knowing how much she will miss him, how much she will miss being at him, miss her own bed, her room. She'll miss it all. Christopher especially. But, she had to do this, to protect the very little family she had.
The girl cleared her throat, blinking away any moisture that dared to expose itself.
Christopher canted his head to the side, observing Devon's action. She wanted to cry, he knew her better than that. But he also knew she would be too stubborn to show any hint of sadness. He held out her things then.
"Well. You better get goin'. And I don't think you can run as fast as you--"
Christopher was cut off by Devon, who latched onto him in a tight hug. He blinked, a bit dumbfounded at first, then chuckled. He set one of her suitcases down and cradled the back of her head, fingers combing soothingly through the thick, dark locks. The male felt a small tramble against his person.
"Not having second thoughts, are you now? Because I'm completely alright if you want to stay home and forget all about this idea."
She nuzzled her face into her brother's chest for a moment, then pulled away, with a slight crinkle to her nose. This wasn't a surprise to her that he would suggest such a thing. She had to admit though, leaving on her own made her nervous. She just gave a laugh.
"Fat chance! Nice try though."
With that brief exchange of words, she pecked a small kiss to her brother's chin, hauled up her bags, turned, and broke out into a jog toward the station.
He shook his head, rubbing at the back of his head as he watched her already a quarter mile away from the house. He cupped his hands around his mouth then, bellowing:
'You be careful, ya' hear! And write every once in a while!"
"Don't worry! I will! And of course I'll be care--OHMYGAH!"
She tripped in mid-sentence, bags flying out of her hands. Devon face-planted into the dirt, groaning.
"I'm.. Okay!"
Christopher just waved, a smile still in tact. He laughed to himself a bit, with that hint of doubt in his tone. Speaking to no-one in particular as Devon scrambled up to get her things, and break off into another run. Until she got farther and farther out of sight.
"She's doomed.."
