G A R E T H
I love you too.
The words spoken so softly to him. Words that he had yearned to hear fall from her lips for years. They were broken, hurt words. Words that carried with them not just love but also such a deep regret. As if Caligo knew - and she must have, for she knew intimately all of her children- the moon darkened once more, casting shadow over the would-be lovers as Salome spoke, her own tears falling to mingle with his.
She told of regrets that only a woman who had experienced the hells of life could speak with truth. Regret for not speaking up, though Gareth could have done the same. He had carried that sorrow with him every day since her departure and it pained him to know that she carried that same shadow in her heart. No more, however. No more, now that they had voiced their truths to each other. If nothing else, at least the honesty of their love could be shared, even if only a minor release.
Temporary it would prove itself to be as the woman shifted her weight away from him. It took all of the brute’s reserves not to desperately reach for her, to not lose her again. Suddenly the moon broke once more, and he could see her, truly see her. His instincts had been correct, though he hadn’t been sure if he had wanted it to be true. A predator she was. A monster some might say. A walking corpse that fed on the life of others in order to maintain this facade, this half existence. And even now, she spoke desperately of wishing to spare him this fate. To walk only ever in the sun and never the shadows.
The stallion was quiet for a long time, rich amber pools drinking in the visage of the woman before him. His eyes carefully trailed the entirety of her form, taking his time to etch every last bit of her to his memory. Just in case. He did not know how this would end, but if he may never see her again, he wanted to be sure that he could never forget her, not even for a second. He saved her eyes for last. The swirling pools of the cosmos which spoke to his heart more than any words she could share with him. He held them for as long as she would allow him to.
“Salome,” the strength in his voice surprised even him. The tears had dried and he felt his heart sing steady, unlike the thready flutter of heartbreak that it had been before. “Do you think the mountain lion apologies to her prey as she stalks and hunts him? Do you think the hawk asks forgiveness from the gods for being as he was made to be?”
Gareth closed his eyes and shook his head, a bright chuckle moving from his chest and into the small space between them. “I cannot speak for how you have been made this way. Whether by the hand of others, or by divine Caligo’s design, you are who you are.” He lifted his golden gaze to hers once more.
“You are Salome, a near goddess among men. You have always been so sure of foot, of knowledge beyond any reckoning. A mere mortal could not comprehend. You have always been destined for greatness, Salome.” He sighed softly.
“I know my words may not be the comfort that you seek. And for that I apologize, but it is my truth, and if it is my destiny to see you to your greatness,” He paused, searching her desperately for answers that perhaps he would never know. “So be it. If you wish me to use my medicinal skills to pursue a cure so that one day you may feel the embrace and release of true death,” his voice cracked at the thought of her nonexistence, but he pushed through to continue. “So be it. I give myself, my soul and my life to you Salome. As I did before you were betrothed, as I always had, even if only in my secret heart.”
His gaze became intense, and perhaps it was just the fervor of his love that clouded his mind, but he had never been more sure of anything in his life. If Noor were here, the elk may have tried to talk the brute out of it. But as things stood, the stallion was here alone with the woman whom he had spent his life loving, and he knew what he needed to do.
Gareth turned his head, proffering his neck to her. “If you must drink to survive, then drink. Survive. Let me show you the depths of my devotion and allow me to quiet the sorrow in your soul.”
The words spoken so softly to him. Words that he had yearned to hear fall from her lips for years. They were broken, hurt words. Words that carried with them not just love but also such a deep regret. As if Caligo knew - and she must have, for she knew intimately all of her children- the moon darkened once more, casting shadow over the would-be lovers as Salome spoke, her own tears falling to mingle with his.
She told of regrets that only a woman who had experienced the hells of life could speak with truth. Regret for not speaking up, though Gareth could have done the same. He had carried that sorrow with him every day since her departure and it pained him to know that she carried that same shadow in her heart. No more, however. No more, now that they had voiced their truths to each other. If nothing else, at least the honesty of their love could be shared, even if only a minor release.
Temporary it would prove itself to be as the woman shifted her weight away from him. It took all of the brute’s reserves not to desperately reach for her, to not lose her again. Suddenly the moon broke once more, and he could see her, truly see her. His instincts had been correct, though he hadn’t been sure if he had wanted it to be true. A predator she was. A monster some might say. A walking corpse that fed on the life of others in order to maintain this facade, this half existence. And even now, she spoke desperately of wishing to spare him this fate. To walk only ever in the sun and never the shadows.
The stallion was quiet for a long time, rich amber pools drinking in the visage of the woman before him. His eyes carefully trailed the entirety of her form, taking his time to etch every last bit of her to his memory. Just in case. He did not know how this would end, but if he may never see her again, he wanted to be sure that he could never forget her, not even for a second. He saved her eyes for last. The swirling pools of the cosmos which spoke to his heart more than any words she could share with him. He held them for as long as she would allow him to.
“Salome,” the strength in his voice surprised even him. The tears had dried and he felt his heart sing steady, unlike the thready flutter of heartbreak that it had been before. “Do you think the mountain lion apologies to her prey as she stalks and hunts him? Do you think the hawk asks forgiveness from the gods for being as he was made to be?”
Gareth closed his eyes and shook his head, a bright chuckle moving from his chest and into the small space between them. “I cannot speak for how you have been made this way. Whether by the hand of others, or by divine Caligo’s design, you are who you are.” He lifted his golden gaze to hers once more.
“You are Salome, a near goddess among men. You have always been so sure of foot, of knowledge beyond any reckoning. A mere mortal could not comprehend. You have always been destined for greatness, Salome.” He sighed softly.
“I know my words may not be the comfort that you seek. And for that I apologize, but it is my truth, and if it is my destiny to see you to your greatness,” He paused, searching her desperately for answers that perhaps he would never know. “So be it. If you wish me to use my medicinal skills to pursue a cure so that one day you may feel the embrace and release of true death,” his voice cracked at the thought of her nonexistence, but he pushed through to continue. “So be it. I give myself, my soul and my life to you Salome. As I did before you were betrothed, as I always had, even if only in my secret heart.”
His gaze became intense, and perhaps it was just the fervor of his love that clouded his mind, but he had never been more sure of anything in his life. If Noor were here, the elk may have tried to talk the brute out of it. But as things stood, the stallion was here alone with the woman whom he had spent his life loving, and he knew what he needed to do.
Gareth turned his head, proffering his neck to her. “If you must drink to survive, then drink. Survive. Let me show you the depths of my devotion and allow me to quiet the sorrow in your soul.”
"Speech" | @Salome |
