Home 24: A house in this market?

[Reinholdt]

[King's Summer Cabin]

On the dawn of the third day, Ilpholin arrives. She could have come sooner, but chose not to. Part of it was surely a power play, keeping the other party waiting. Or perhaps she was simply conserving her strength, preparing herself with sleep, silver, and protein. Either of these things are what she'd say. The truth is more simple. The Phyrexian nymph needed the time to build up her nerves.

This was the start of a child. Something Ilpholin had purposefully been avoiding for a very long time. She had no idea how to raise one. Her parents certainly weren't there for her and Nadas. Sending that responsibility to Matron Danube was out of the question as well. The Matron may have done well by her, but Ilpholin would still never subject her child to the discrimination she suffered. Forget raising it, how is she even supposed to survive the latter parts of pregnancy and still be able to fight?

And that was all worries for the future. Right now, staring at the wooden door, there was a small, unavoidable regret. Ilpholin had always imagined that if the day came in which she wanted children, it would be with someone she cared deeply about and would fight at her side. This was anything but. Nothing had turned out as she imagined it. That much was evident just from looking at her. Though she did use to dream of being a queen one day. This would probably be as close as she got to that juvenile fantasy.

Which may be why Ilpholin chose to embark on this as herself instead of the various forms she's been experimenting with. Her smooth skin is pale and unearthly. An elegant, if sensual, purple dress clings to her form, fashioned to appear as spider silk despite being made of old skin. Artificial purple hair made of thin metal flows along her head. The sclera of her eyes are completely black, making her emerald pupils stand out even more.

With one more deep breath Ilpholin steels the last of her nerves, all uncertainty washing away under the weight of purpose and intent as she steps inside the cabin.