[P] and the truth is that we could [Lucinda]

[Elena]

every day it feels like I’m holding back an ocean

Poor girl.

They had spoken it when her mother withered away to nothing as the illness infected her veins. Her father had taken her into his strong neck as she snuggled close to him.

Poor girl.

They had said it when she turned up in Murmuring Rivers with the word orphan written across her skin like a jagged scar.

Poor girl.

They had sympathized as Frostbane tried to take her away from her family, to collect a debt that was owed to him.

But, at some point, these poor girls said with shaking heads and sad eyes turned into something else.

Foolish girl.

They had scolded when she fell in love with a man too old for her as she sought him out for late night rendezvous.

Foolish girl.

They had shamed her as she left one home after another and had been able to keep herself from getting stolen away again and again.

Foolish girl.

She had told herself as she flung herself into Tunnel’s arms only for him to throw her body to the ground, broken and bloodied.

Elena does wonder sometimes if there is still a fire within her — for it had come from nothing, once, ignited by the snow prince and his cold breath on her shoulder, so why couldn’t it be smothered again?

But look into her eyes and there is the memory of fire there, beneath blue sky eyes.

So she knows Anandi. The fact is surprising, but then again, Elena may not be the only one who wanders from the border of Dusk to catch sight of the world beyond her. Elena stares at the mare curiously. You would think with all the time she spent around those with wicked smiles and dark sneers she would be able to spot one even under a mask. But the sunshine child has been so good at pulling her own mask over her eyes, blinding herself to those who would do her or others harm.

“Then please, follow me,” Elena says, leading the cat to the mouse. Elena walks, taking Lucinda to the capital, so unaware of what exactly she was bringing into her court. The palomino bobs her head in response to her question. “I am, I am a medic,” she offers. “I actually met Anandi my first day in the city. She was kind enough to show me around and welcome me,” Elena says fondly. She liked Anandi, she had no reason to distrust the mare when all she had shown the sunflower was kindness. “You say you are old friends. Were you once apart of Dusk Court?” She asks. Old friends. Friends since childhood? “You don't seem like you are from here.” She adds slyly, looking carefully to the mare. “If you do pardon me saying so. There is something more…wild about you…both of you.”

“Do you think there are really dragons out there?” Lilli had asked one day and Elena had smiled and shook her head at her crimson cousin. “Of course there are dragons.”

‘Lilli,’ she wants to say now. ‘You have got to see this.’

* e l e n a
in the dark I’ll pray for the return of the light
the sunflower daughter of benjamin and beylani
medic of dusk.

@Lucinda my love