S O L S T I C E
and at last i see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted
Something flashes quickly in her eyes – a bit of worry to mar her hopeless optimism, as she searches his gaze with a thing akin to pleading. “Is there much here?” she asks, “Trouble, that is…” There is a worry in her words that speaks to her greatest fears – that the demons of her past would find her in this place of peace and serenity. Still too, there were those like Andras would stand in their way, or so it seemed… beside the warden, she wished to feel safe from harm, yet a nagging sensation still plays in her mind, that things could be too-good-to-be-true. Solstice wondered if she would ever truly feel safe, anywhere.
“It seems like a peaceful place, Delumine…” Her words are quiet and speculative, even as she shivers in the autumn breeze, staving away the cold that came with fear. And as she closes her eyes, the girl counts to herself. One. Two. Three. with each number, a steadying breath brings back her joy, so when she opens her eyes once more, they are a bit brighter – hopeful once more. “Thank you, for keeping us safe.” she murmurs, stepping away from the table and gesturing for him to follow as they walk along the edges of the garden, away from the din of the festival.
“I haven’t always been safe,” she admits to Andras, surprised to share her story with another so freely. It must be something in his eyes, the way they peered through his spectacles, shrewdly and kindly behind the gruff exterior. Solstice felt compelled to share her truth with him, even though a small part of her warned not to burden strangers with her baggage. “From the time of my birth, I was held a prisoner… first by the temple, then by a nomadic war tribe.” She doesn’t get into the details – the details weren’t important.
“They will be looking for me here… honestly, I wonder at times if I will ever be safe… if I can ever stop looking over my shoulder in fear.” He mentions the library, and she smiles softly, in an easy and whimsical way. “But here, among the flowers and the books in the great library, I’m finding my way… I’m finding that freedom suits me well.”
She stops beneath the trees, dappled sunlight at her back, stretching her wings ever slightly to allow the fall air to chase away her worries. “Still, there are nights my demons seem close… and in dreams, I sometimes run in circles, never truly free.” She chews her lip thoughtfully, looking at the muscled stallion with a sudden spark of inspiration. “Perhaps you can show me how to stand up for myself more? How to fight back, if someone were to wish me harm? Maybe then, I could break free from the fear…”
“It seems like a peaceful place, Delumine…” Her words are quiet and speculative, even as she shivers in the autumn breeze, staving away the cold that came with fear. And as she closes her eyes, the girl counts to herself. One. Two. Three. with each number, a steadying breath brings back her joy, so when she opens her eyes once more, they are a bit brighter – hopeful once more. “Thank you, for keeping us safe.” she murmurs, stepping away from the table and gesturing for him to follow as they walk along the edges of the garden, away from the din of the festival.
“I haven’t always been safe,” she admits to Andras, surprised to share her story with another so freely. It must be something in his eyes, the way they peered through his spectacles, shrewdly and kindly behind the gruff exterior. Solstice felt compelled to share her truth with him, even though a small part of her warned not to burden strangers with her baggage. “From the time of my birth, I was held a prisoner… first by the temple, then by a nomadic war tribe.” She doesn’t get into the details – the details weren’t important.
“They will be looking for me here… honestly, I wonder at times if I will ever be safe… if I can ever stop looking over my shoulder in fear.” He mentions the library, and she smiles softly, in an easy and whimsical way. “But here, among the flowers and the books in the great library, I’m finding my way… I’m finding that freedom suits me well.”
She stops beneath the trees, dappled sunlight at her back, stretching her wings ever slightly to allow the fall air to chase away her worries. “Still, there are nights my demons seem close… and in dreams, I sometimes run in circles, never truly free.” She chews her lip thoughtfully, looking at the muscled stallion with a sudden spark of inspiration. “Perhaps you can show me how to stand up for myself more? How to fight back, if someone were to wish me harm? Maybe then, I could break free from the fear…”
― @Andras
