Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves

The Ascension of an Outlier Seed (Final May 15th Story)

The light in that world was the same as it had always been when the Hethe intervened.

Lauri’s Tale; Pink and Purple - a chronological masterpost

For those who wish to keep up with Laen and Lauri’s story, crossed over with The Siren’s Saga. It’ll be updated regularly.

The Beginning

Purple Heart Anon - Lauri joins Tumblr and is immediately approached by a friendly anon

The Society - Purple Heart Anon introduces Lauri to the concept of the Society of the Purple Rose, a mysterious Dekn organisation.

An Arbitration Feast - Lauri and her twin brother, Laen, speak for the first time in a long time. Though they get along, there is always tension due to their different paths in life.

An Offer - the naive Laurien is approached by the mysterious Dekn Moirah Averil, seeking aid in saving her sister Shanna, and learns more of the Purple Rose.

“I can’t fucking do this anymore” - following a disturbing event within the Society of the Purple Rose, Laurien decides to accept Moirah’s plea for aid.

The Plot Thickens

“It was cold here” - Laurien begins her search for Shanna, unaware of the true extent of the dangers she will face

Just Checking In - Lauri comes to an uncomfortable and dangerous realisation

Where Are You, Sister? - Laen begins to catch wind of the danger his sister is in 

Laurien, Meet Shanna - following her hunch, Laurien finally meets the one she has been looking for, but something is slowly taking hold of her…

Reminiscing - Lauri looks back on her childhood with Laen, pondering the position she is in now. Laen is beginning to panic.

A Colleague - Laen runs into one of his SEEKER colleagues, who immediately realises something is wrong.

A Light Fades

Shanna and Lauri Take A Field Trip - Lauri and Shanna take a trip. Laurien learns she is not so undercover as she thought, and falls quickly into the grasp of the presence looming over the Purple Rose.

And As My Eyes Close, I Awaken - Laurien falls completely into the spell of the Purple Rose

A Mother’s Love - Laen, desperate to get his sister back, turns to those around him for help

I’m Begging You - Laen, finally beyond pride, turns to his final hope.

The Initiation of Laurien Adaire - Lauri finally becomes a full-fledged member of the Society of the Purple Rose

Drifting Apart

An Idea - Laen and Leo come up with a plan to buy them some time while they figure out how to help Laurien

In Over Your Head - Laen, consumed by grief, confronts the one thing he can lash out at; the perceived ‘source’ of his sister’s pain.

It’s All My Fault - Falling into despair, Laen turns his frustration inward.

On SEEKER - Forced alone with nothing but his own half-empty mind, Laen begins to question the choices he has always staunchly stood by

Seeing Sense - Moirah discovers the source of her sabotage – and Laen is forced to apologise.

Re-Education - Laurien, freshly out of Initiation, discovers Shanna has been taken for Re-education.

A Silent Witness (series of Anons)

Experiment - ‘a silent witness’ confronts Lauri about her newfound position Envy- undeterred, Lauri continues to push back against the anonymous confrontation Taking Care Of Her - The silent witness continues their attack Bitter - Laurien has finally had enough. Witness - Laurien finally learns who her confronter actually is.

Let Go - Laurien falls into despair and confusion, and her God-Emperor makes it all better

Her Faith Deepens

Care - Laurien is confronted by an anonymous bystander, who accuses her of not caring for her friends. Driven by fear and faith, she bites back.

Sick - Laurien confronts Moirah and her assistant for spreading ‘manipulations’ and lies about Shanna

What Have You Done? - following a successful rescue attempt, Laurien learns that Shanna is gone.

Hope? - Laen learns of the successful rescue, and begins to show some concerning symptoms…

I don’t feel good… - Perhaps it is the stress, or something else, but Laurien is starting to feel under the weather…

Fear and Finer Things

Arrivals - Laen and Leo are already waiting for Moirah and Shanna when they return. Heated words are exchanged, plans are made, and Laen is beginning to truly feel the weight of his sister’s situation.

Her Lord Returns - Made sick by what she thinks is the loss of her God-Emperor, Laurien turns to the Purple Rose to receive a timely reassurance.

Are You Excited? - Laurien discovers she is to be attending the Violet Gala, the “charity” ball hosted by the Purple Rose

So You All Know - Lauri is feeling much better now her Lord has returned…

An Announcement - Laurien’s attendance to the Gala is officially announced

What Do You Think? - Laurien tries on a new outfit, much to her Lord’s pleasure

SEEKER Are Here? - Upon discovering the organisation her brother works for is attempting to infiltrate the Society, Lauri finds herself in a panic.

He Did It For Me - Laurien has witnessed a darker side of her Lord, and is comforted by an unlikely friend. Perhaps there is more to her God-Emperor than she thought…

The Violet Gala - the biggest, most public event in the Purple Rose’s year, and everyone of importance will be there: including some uninvited guests. It seems as if Laen is finally making progress with his sister.

You Can Still Hear Me - A forbidden conversation; and a flicker of hope in the darkness…

The Door

Of Escape - A giant door appears in Taveril’domaine. Laen is concerned.

Of Wonder - A giant door appears in Taveril’domaine. Laurien is not concerned.

Shaken Faith

“My Lord has been so busy…” - Laurien finds herself no longer the apple of her Lord’s eye. A fellow devotee offers comfort.

“I am precious” - Lauri tries to reassure herself by repeating words her Lord has spoken to her

“It’s me, isn’t it?” - Laurien knows what she did wrong, and how she must rectify it.

Heretical Hypotheticals - a new friend offers Lauri some comfort.

The Day of Amnesty - Laurien hears of a breach in the Cathedral and takes solace in her Lord’s arms once more.

Broken Toy

The Raid - Laurien is rescued from Marchosias’ clutches - but at what cost?

Aftermath - Laen struggles to pick up the pieces of his sister’s pain.

Well, then - Laen and Laurien find out a disturbing truth about Moirah.

How do I un-know people

I always care, I always care. This is my problem.

WELL, THEN.

I talked to Moirah Averil last night. She hasn’t been telling ANYONE the whole fucking story. 

@usedtothesedizzyspells explain yourself. You’ve got a lot to answer for.

> explain yourself

You realize the thing you’re asking me to self-flagellate for happened years ago, right? And that I am by no means the same person I was then? 

I do, yes. I also realize that there are consequences to what you did. Not just for Shanna, either. 

Readers, the thing Moirah’s not saying is that she is the reason Shanna has Beguilement. She had Andras implant it into Shanna’s genetic code all those years ago because she wanted to create someone Marchosias couldn’t resist going after. She used her own fucking niece as bait. And now he has his wifi repeater back and who knows what he’ll do. 

So if everything goes to shit and Marchosias gets his way, blame Moirah for giving him the final piece of the puzzle. 

You.

@usedtothesedizzyspells You're the reason for this?

All of it. Her pain. Mine. All you.

...I may have been willing to forgive you, once.

If I see you again, I will kill you.

Meaningless

you are not important.

you’re body has no meaning.

it is merely a canvas.

your memories,

your childhood,

a secret;

you were cold.

it was your fault.

you were destined to be defaced.

you are to be blamed.

deserving.

deserving.

you were deserving of everything you got.

please stop.

you continue.

there are many things you could do that might help you.

hiding under your bed works.

learning to sleep.

pretending.

writing.

writing.

writing.

pretending.

you are cold.

be quiet.

you are worthless.

be quiet.

(a.m.s)

Aftermath

“Let me go back, I have to go back! He can’t have her again, he has to have me! I’m supposed to be special!”

Though his chest ached and his cheeks were damp with the weight of her emotions and his own, Laen held his sister close as she screamed and fought and cried. Her dress was in tatters: the princess frills and barely-concealing lace clinging to her fragile frame as loosely as she clung to her own mind. He’d offered a change of clothes, but she had refused.

The mess in her head was confusing his; some broken mix of guilt and fear twisting itself into jealousy — holding tightly to the familiarity and safety of the lie she’d been living.

“I’m still pretty, aren’t I?” Wide eyes shifted to look up at him, glittering and desperate for something to fix whatever she was feeling.

“You’re the most beautiful thing in any world, in Lathrym and Seed,” he told her, startled by how gentle the whisper of his voice became. “Lauri, you’re worth more than anyone could ever give you.”

“No.” Lauri shook her head, shoving him away to pace the room; hands tangled in her own hair, “No, no, it’s not the same it’s all wrong!” she whined, eyes darting as she searched her own thoughts, “I-I’m wrong I’m broken!”

“You’re not—“

“Then why doesn’t he want me anymore?!”

Laen was sure he felt his heart shatter as she screamed, tugging at her hair so hard she tore a clump of perfect waves free; staring at it in her hands and sinking to her knees faster than her brother could think to react. “I’m not even worth being a toy…”

Sighing, he knew it was over. Cradling her close again, he buried his face in her hair as she cried into his chest like they always did when they were little. “We’ll get through this,” he whispered into her mind, hoping the telepathy would be easier for her to handle, “This time, I’ve got you.”

“I’m sorry. I should have listened to you.”

“And I should have been a better brother to you, but things happened and we can’t take it back now,” he sighed, trying to change the subject, “D’you want me to fix your hair up?”

“Cut it short. I don’t want to see it. I don’t want anyone to touch it again.” Sniffling, she pulled away just enough to look down at herself. “Why am I still wearing this? I’m going to change.”

As if the last five minutes hadn’t happened, she pushed to her feet and left the room; almost dazed as if she didn’t truly realise he was still there.

Laen sighed, left with a damp shirt, kneeling on the floor with a clump of his sister’s hair on the floor in front of him. This was going to be harder than he thought.

So, here at the High Cathedral of the Purple Rose, we have a tradition– the Day of Amnesty, in which even the worst apostates and heretics can come back to the Society to be welcomed with open arms. It's a beautiful celebration of our Lord and Master's grace and our own place within His Heart, and–

Hold on

This isn't right, this wasn't supposed to

wasn't supposed to happen

Someone has breached the Cathedral.

-Mod Falstaff

Is everything okay? Is it SEEKER again????

Is there anything I can do to help? I'm quite talented in a fight, I think...

No, it's not SEEKER, I think they're going to stay away from us from now on

It's

Someone else, someone who wants to RUIN OUR SPECIAL DAY AND KIDNAP ALL THE PEOPLE WHO RETURNED TO US

Just go somewhere safe and hide, go to Him if you have to, they can't get you if you're with Him

-Mod Falstaff

KIDNAP--?

They're coming for us they're coming for me Lord help me

I'll go find Him. He protected me before, He-

I hope He still loves me enough.

Of course I will, dearest. Come to me, and I will keep you safe.

- Your Lord

!!! My Lord! I had thought--

It doesn't matter what I thought. What matters is You are here and You will protect me!!!

Do You like my pretty new dress! It's smaller than usual so You can see all my--

No, not the time. There are intruders. I'm coming, My Lord!!!!

I would recognize that psychic signature

a n y w h e r e.

My beloved Herald is here. On this, the most fortuitous of days... she has returned, to ascend with me.

Come out, little Herald, come out and return to my side.

I can grant you amnesty.

Shanna--

My Lord, what do I do? She tried so hard to corrupt me before, to blind me to Your Excellence.

If I could just be with You I'll be safe...

So, here at the High Cathedral of the Purple Rose, we have a tradition– the Day of Amnesty, in which even the worst apostates and heretics can come back to the Society to be welcomed with open arms. It's a beautiful celebration of our Lord and Master's grace and our own place within His Heart, and–

Hold on

This isn't right, this wasn't supposed to

wasn't supposed to happen

Someone has breached the Cathedral.

-Mod Falstaff

Is everything okay? Is it SEEKER again????

Is there anything I can do to help? I'm quite talented in a fight, I think...

No, it's not SEEKER, I think they're going to stay away from us from now on

It's

Someone else, someone who wants to RUIN OUR SPECIAL DAY AND KIDNAP ALL THE PEOPLE WHO RETURNED TO US

Just go somewhere safe and hide, go to Him if you have to, they can't get you if you're with Him

-Mod Falstaff

KIDNAP--?

They're coming for us they're coming for me Lord help me

I'll go find Him. He protected me before, He-

I hope He still loves me enough.

So, here at the High Cathedral of the Purple Rose, we have a tradition– the Day of Amnesty, in which even the worst apostates and heretics can come back to the Society to be welcomed with open arms. It's a beautiful celebration of our Lord and Master's grace and our own place within His Heart, and–

Hold on

This isn't right, this wasn't supposed to

wasn't supposed to happen

Someone has breached the Cathedral.

-Mod Falstaff

Is everything okay? Is it SEEKER again????

Is there anything I can do to help? I'm quite talented in a fight, I think...