S O L S T I C E
and at last i see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted
The world around them seems to quiet, waiting with baited breath to see if the girl would flee or the boy would leave. Her heart is a racing thing, and she fights to quiet it by drawing deep breaths and focusing her energy on something peaceful. Her eyes are wide and afraid, darting left and right, as if waiting for the hammer to fall. Surely, they were still chasing her. Surely, she could not relax or let down her guard… for if she did, Solstice was certain they would catch up and drag her back into the seer’s tent. They would steal away her freedom again, and take away her sunshine as punishment.
But though she cannot allow it to happen, a part of the girl aches for companionship.
Perhaps it is the way he watches her, as if she were a startled bird who might take flight at any moment. Something in the way he talks to her is disarming, even as he steps backward and lowers his head, allowing her to see that he meant no harm. In that moment, she fights to be brave. She wishes, as she had for the thousandth time before, that she were strong enough to fight against the burdens of her past. After all – isn’t that why she’d come to this place? To begin anew. Here, she could be anything she wanted – she could start a new life.
That life would start today, Solstice decided, drawing a last steadying breath as her voice quiets and she pushes down the fear.
“I… I’m sorry. Please don’t go.” Would he find her contrary, or could he see the wonder behind the anxiety? The way she saw the wildflower world stretched before her, wide and red as the setting sun, as if she’d never seen such a thing before in her life.
Solstice turns again, scanning the horizon for the shadows she knew would follow her here, but finding nothing but tender grasses and rolling fields. They were alone – the winged girl and the scholar king – and she manages a soft smile of reassurance (as much for himself as for the obviously startled stallion).
“I don’t know.” she admitted aloud. Did she need help? As much as Solstice wanted to believe she had her situation under control, she couldn’t be certain that she was clear of the danger forever. She could only hope that her demons would not burden this unsullied and beautiful place. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come… I just couldn’t resist the flowers.”
Illustrating her point, she bends closer to their cheery faces, drawing in the sweet scent of their nectar as she marvels at their beauty. “There were flowers before, in the temple gardens… they were my only friends.” She laughed nervously, noting that such things would probably sound silly to the stranger, hurriedly adding. “I’m sorry… I’m sure that sounds foolish to say… Please, what is this place?”
But though she cannot allow it to happen, a part of the girl aches for companionship.
Perhaps it is the way he watches her, as if she were a startled bird who might take flight at any moment. Something in the way he talks to her is disarming, even as he steps backward and lowers his head, allowing her to see that he meant no harm. In that moment, she fights to be brave. She wishes, as she had for the thousandth time before, that she were strong enough to fight against the burdens of her past. After all – isn’t that why she’d come to this place? To begin anew. Here, she could be anything she wanted – she could start a new life.
That life would start today, Solstice decided, drawing a last steadying breath as her voice quiets and she pushes down the fear.
“I… I’m sorry. Please don’t go.” Would he find her contrary, or could he see the wonder behind the anxiety? The way she saw the wildflower world stretched before her, wide and red as the setting sun, as if she’d never seen such a thing before in her life.
Solstice turns again, scanning the horizon for the shadows she knew would follow her here, but finding nothing but tender grasses and rolling fields. They were alone – the winged girl and the scholar king – and she manages a soft smile of reassurance (as much for himself as for the obviously startled stallion).
“I don’t know.” she admitted aloud. Did she need help? As much as Solstice wanted to believe she had her situation under control, she couldn’t be certain that she was clear of the danger forever. She could only hope that her demons would not burden this unsullied and beautiful place. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come… I just couldn’t resist the flowers.”
Illustrating her point, she bends closer to their cheery faces, drawing in the sweet scent of their nectar as she marvels at their beauty. “There were flowers before, in the temple gardens… they were my only friends.” She laughed nervously, noting that such things would probably sound silly to the stranger, hurriedly adding. “I’m sorry… I’m sure that sounds foolish to say… Please, what is this place?”
― @Ipomoea
