Beyond The Veil,

Winter was never the best time to hunt in Meplphet. There was always a risk of getting frostbite or worse, falling into a pool of snow, and yet, Elvis managed to convince Nephele to go out into the woods.

"It's been a long time since we've had a good hunt," he'd said to Nephele the previous day.

"That's because it's winter, brother. I don't want to die out there in the cold," Nephele had protested, but it only took a lunch for Nephele to agree and there they were, somewhere in the middle of the deadliest forests in Meplphet.

"Brother, I caught something," Nephele's excited voice snapped Elvis back to the present. He shifted his gaze to where she was dragging a deer across the snow-covered earth, a wide smile on her face.

Nephele's eyes were bright as she stared up at Elvis. "Brother look," she pointed to the big deer that had left a blood trail on the white snow.

Elvis couldn't help the frown that contorted his face. 'Brother'. She had always called him that and he loved it, until recently when he realized that having a sister, especially a strong one like Nephele was a threat to him. No, he wasn't her brother and she wasn't his sister.

Nephele sighed loudly when she reached where he stood, her breath forming a ball of mist in the air. The dead animal lay at her feet, two arrows piercing through it's skin.

"I think I'll get a lot of money from this," she said, calculating silently.

Elvis stood silent, a bow in his gloved hands and a quiver of arrows slung over his shoulder. His ears had turned red from the cold and flecks of white spread over his short, golden brown hair. Elvis was a head taller than Nephele and he easily towered over her, his blue eyes staring ahead blankly.

"What's wrong?" Nephele asked, her eyes searching his face. Elvis was usually talkative and by now he would be complimenting her on the hunt. His unusual silence was unsettling.

"Let's go," Elvis muttered coldly and turned around, avoiding Nephele's inquisitive eyes.

"Wha— wait! I can't carry this by myself," Nephele half yelled behind him and he stopped.

Elvis's heart felt heavy and his eyes showed confliction. He remembered all the happy times he'd shared with Nephele. The first time she talked, he was there. The first word that came out of her mouth was brother, and Elvis had been over the moon. He was a brother now. He had a little sister, a playmate. He was the one who taught Nephele how to play the piano, to hunt, to fight. Most of his life involved Nephele, and Nephele's world rotated around her brother.

Tears stung his eyes and Elvis clenched his fists, forcing the tears to a stop. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. She wasn't his sister. He was only doing what he had to do. For his future.

Now fully composed, Elvis turned back and saw Nephele dragging the big deer. Her knuckles had turned red since she chose not to wear gloves.

"You eat so much and still can't do such a simple thing," he scolded as he walked back the few steps.

Nephele scowled at him, but she felt relieved seeing the normal Elvis. The one she was used to.

"Come on, I'll walk behind you," Elvis said as he removed the arrows from the deer's body.

Nephele started walking on the trail that had been marked by their footprints, thinking of where she'd sell the deer's skin. Her hands had turned numb and she stayed rubbing them together as she talked to Elvis.

"Brother, do you think —"

She didn't get to finish her question. Her vision suddenly turned blurry and Nephele felt her head throbbing. The last thing she remembered was several pairs of leather boots surrounding her as she lay on the white ground. "Brother…"

***

When Nephele regained her consciousness, her vision was still blurry and she could barely make out anything. She could tell she was in a moving carriage and she tried to lift her head, only to hiss loudly as a blinding pain assaulted her senses. She lay back down then waited a few seconds to sit up again.

Sitting across from her was a burly, bearded man glaring at her, his muscled arms folded across his chest. Nephele frowned in confusion. Who was this man and why was he in the carriage with her? Where was Elvis?

The man suddenly smiled at her, causing a shiver to wrack Nephele's back. He looked even more dangerous with his lips stretched wide and his brooding eyes cold and calm.

"Here, have some," the man handed Nephele a small hip flask.

Nephele stared at him skeptically. Who knows what's in there? But before she could come up with more questions, her eyes barely caught the movement and only saw the man appear before her, one hand grabbing her jaw and the hip flask in the other. He forced the drink down her throat.

Nephele clawed and scratched and gagged but she still swallowed, some of the water slipping past her lips and wetting her top coat.

It's just water, she thought as she watched the man sit back down. The smile had disappeared, leaving a stoicism that scared Nephele. She used the back of her hand to wipe the sides of her mouth, feeling relieved that it was just water. She'd thought of poison.

But maybe she concluded too soon. A minute hadn't passed before her eyelids started to droop. Her head throbbed in pain and her whole body trembled. What is happening?

She grabbed her head, blinking severally to clear her vision but darkness took over her with every blink. The last thing she thought about before she succumbed was Elvis. "Brother…"

….

Nephele had a dream. In the dream, she was walking in the woods with a woman. She could tell it was a woman from the soft hands holding hers and the gentle laughter that was soothing to the ears. Who was this woman? She couldn't see her face but she talked to her. She knew her, but she didn't know what they were talking about.

Suddenly, the woman was torn away from her and a group of men started chasing her. Nephele was now in Meplphet, running on the snow-covered trail that led to the main road. The men were on horses and were relentless.

When they were about to catch her, someone suddenly appeared before her. Nephele smiled in relief. "Brother," she called out, stretching out her hand. "Brother, help me!"

Elvis's familiar blue eyes stared back at her, but there was no familiarity in his gaze. The smile on Nephele's face faltered as she neared him. "Brother."

Elvis stared down at her coldly. "I don't know you."

…

Nephele jerked awake with a gasp, but instantly cursed as pain shot through her skull. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling for the source of pain at the back of her head. She was surprised to find a white cloth wrapped around her head. Still lying down, Nephele's eyes started assessing the unfamiliar place she was in. Above her was a white ceiling, then on her direct line of sight was a small desk and a chair. Papers were neatly arranged on the desk. Her eyes followed the right wall to where a young woman was seated, regarding her with a quiet curiosity.

Nephele's eyebrows furrowed as she took in the woman's clothes. She had a linen laid in plaits, covering her head and the sides of her face, a linen tunic that reached just a little bit above her ankles and a black scapular over the shoulders. Her feet were adorned in simple sandals. Nephele's frown deepened. A nun?

She subconsciously glanced over her own clothes and was relieved to find her usual pants and blouse shirt still intact. Her gaze fitted over to the woman seated across the room.

"Where am I?" She asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"Wisteria," the woman simply responded, her smooth voice making Nephele loose focus for a second. God, she's beautiful. Wait… "What?"

The woman's hands lay on her laps and she looked at Nephele, her intelligent brown eyes observing her face closely. "You're in the Wisteria convent, sister."

Nephele's felt like her brain was malfunctioning. Sister? Convent?

"But there's no convent in Meplphet."

The woman pursed her lips, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. "We're in Alvalhem."

Nephele's eyes widened, a sense of urgency and shock overwhelming her brain. "What!?"