Somehow, she knew, it should not have surprised her to see her family home reduced to nothing but a hollow shell -- it’s walls falling in and unkempt from the years that she had spent away from it. Someone had taken the time to clear the bodies of her mother and father from the wreckage as well. Where were they buried? Had they even been buried? A pang of regret crept across her features, before she wiped it away and replaced it with a much less fragile thing. Her mouth tasted of the ash that stirred in the chilling wind of night, a bitter and difficult thing to swallow. Her eyes were clouded as she tightened her jaw, her steps as heavy as her heart as she finally forced herself to leave it behind. Anything of value must have been long gone, and there was no point in wading through the damage in hopes of finding something that had been missed. The truly important things were gone.
She adjusted the cowl at her neck, the ivory fabric embroidered with the stunning golden suns and elegant swirls catching the sliver of moonlight left hanging in Caligo’s sky. Her return form the summit had been mostly uneventful, other than the meeting she’d had with her Queen. She’d learned nothing from or about the gods that she hadn’t already known. Solis was rumored to be walking the earth, his statue missing from its place upon the peak -- his altar void. The air had seemed colder in the place of worship without the idols, as if the breath of life and magic had been stripped away.
Her mind and gaze turned to the streets ahead of her, quite devoid of life at this time of night. She hesitated in one of the alleys as she considered her options for the evening, in need of a tavern or the like to stay in until she could find more permanent lodgings. A pair of equines passed by her, decorated like soldiers, their laughter loud and carless. They did not notice the sage in the slightest, distracted by their conversation and inebriated with some kind of strong drink that lingered long after they were gone. Her ears twitched and fell back against a bed of silken tresses, as she adjusted the small satchel of belongings that carried her entire life. It was nearly as threadbare as it had been when she’d arrived in Delumine.
It contained all the possessions she had in the world. A couple of delicate items, including her butterfly hair pin that she had wrapped to keep safe on the journey. She’d taken one of the Dawn Court’s precious tomes as well, mostly about Solterra and its culture. She had been raised here, but this particular book contained information regarding more recent events -- a series of letters documenting the disappearance of the the first Solterran king post-Zolin and Queen Seraphina’s rise. It even had a bloodstained letter warning of the Davke. It was a precious resource, perhaps one that she should not have taken from the library...but with so many books, who would miss this one? The satchel also carried all of the coin to her name, a few personal effects and the last of her food supplies. She’d reached Solterra in just enough time.
She reached for the worn leather, brushing it gently with her teke to assure herself it was still there. It rested against her shoulder, just barely peeking out from beneath the ivory fabric of her attire.She had not the slightest clue where anything was in this city anymore, so much changed since the rebellion. It seemed a great portion of the city had fallen into disrepair -- though there seemed to be some efforts at revitalization. Lei would want to speak to Seraphina about that, once she had more time to seek an audience. Many were still holding their breath to see the final outcomes of the summit.
She pushed the braid of her hair away from her shoulder as she stepped out into a wider street than before, heading in the direction that the pair of equines had come from. Drinks and merriment meant that a tavern should be nearby, which would hopefully equal some shelter for the night. She passed by market stalls, many closed for the evening like the flowers who shut their petals at night’s fall. Her footfalls were as heavy as her heart, her mind still distracted by the ashes of her home.
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Sparrow named this thread xD
