S O L S T I C E
and at last i see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted
She finds his presence strangely soothing, his awkwardness endearing as he fumbles with the crafts. Muscles ripple across his broad shoulders, and she knows instinctively that he is a fighter – that should he touch her, his touch would be rough. But he is unlike the raiders who had stolen her away. Rather than sneer at her and force her against her will, he simply waits beside her as a calming sort of presence. His face is hard with concentration as he twists the reeds more carefully than she expected, and she offers him a quiet smile in response.
As they lay their wreaths in tribute to the strange stone stallion, he offers his name. “Solstice”, she replies. “I suppose Delumine is the place where I live now too, though I didn’t know it had a name. I was told to come and see the gardens… Ipomoea mentioned they were the jewel of Delumine.” Though she does not know him as the king, she speaks the regent’s name as if he were a friend, nodding in agreement with his suggestion. “He wasn’t wrong – the fall colors are lovely. The place where I came from didn’t have seasons like this – it was always hot and dusty.” Nevermind that she hadn’t come from the desert originally. Though she held little more love for the temple which had been her prison, it was no more her home than the desert warlord’s tent where she’d spent her days shackled.
“What’s a warden?” The small talk was kept casual as she busied herself again, folding flowers into the linen tablecloth and arranging the tributes in an orderly way. After all, the priestesses had always taught her to keep a tidy altar. She couldn’t know what traditions were required and what religions were held here, but it was clear the sunrise-hued Pegasus was trying desperately to fit in, unable to let her guard down completely as she did what she could to contribute to Delumine. Perhaps then, they would let her stay. Perhaps then, she could truly call this place home.
As they lay their wreaths in tribute to the strange stone stallion, he offers his name. “Solstice”, she replies. “I suppose Delumine is the place where I live now too, though I didn’t know it had a name. I was told to come and see the gardens… Ipomoea mentioned they were the jewel of Delumine.” Though she does not know him as the king, she speaks the regent’s name as if he were a friend, nodding in agreement with his suggestion. “He wasn’t wrong – the fall colors are lovely. The place where I came from didn’t have seasons like this – it was always hot and dusty.” Nevermind that she hadn’t come from the desert originally. Though she held little more love for the temple which had been her prison, it was no more her home than the desert warlord’s tent where she’d spent her days shackled.
“What’s a warden?” The small talk was kept casual as she busied herself again, folding flowers into the linen tablecloth and arranging the tributes in an orderly way. After all, the priestesses had always taught her to keep a tidy altar. She couldn’t know what traditions were required and what religions were held here, but it was clear the sunrise-hued Pegasus was trying desperately to fit in, unable to let her guard down completely as she did what she could to contribute to Delumine. Perhaps then, they would let her stay. Perhaps then, she could truly call this place home.
― @Andras
