N I M U E
CERTAIN AS THE SUN, RISING IN THE EAST
TALE AS OLD AS TIME, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST -
TALE AS OLD AS TIME, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST -
Nimue was alight in fire and ice and wonder, so much wonder, that her skin shivered along every faded dapple along her body as she looked at him. The bonfire singed her rose skin like a wilted flower, sending hot tingles through every nerve, and equally met with the chill of autumn night air, chasing the heat away with cold kisses. But as each flicker of firelight shone in his eyes and her own, Nimue was trapped; bound in the cage of her heart, wrapped in thorns and falling rose petals. Her love for him was an eternal beast, and she the mistress desperately trying to tame such a monster that she had once despised with a vengeance beyond mortal compare.
Her heartbeat was rapid, fluttering, mad even. But still she blinked at him, her gaze bright and deep with the fathoms of every word she had ever wished to say to him unsaid. Instead of breathing life to such things, courage failing her, she bit her lip. Lids heavy and downcast, before she braved meeting his eyes through thick lashes once more.
I would love nothing more than to intrude on your date.
The excitement broiling in her blood from his words reminded her of when she was a mortal child; how curiosity and wonder were naive little things that brought joy with each new discovery. With it came a bout of annoyance, but here, that feeling dared not touch her now. A smile broadened her pinkish lips, genuine and bright in the flickering firelight. Suddenly, her eyes widened in shock as she felt a thick tangle of her mane straighten along the curve of her neck. Her good orb blinking wildly as she just barely caught the sight of his lips brushing where her mane lay tangled there. The oxygen in her lungs hitched, only momentarily, as she realized their proximity and such a gesture. Her entire focus on that one stray curl, then on her hooves, as she forced herself to remain fluid as they walked to a much more secluded, quieter corner of the festivities.
The silence between them was a welcome one; not an ocean of sweet nothings and words. Although her heartbeat raced, with each slow inhale and exhale the bird in her chest began to flutter slowly. They strolled past the bonfires as large as mythical mountain trolls, past tents of delectables, and past a growing crowd of dancers that moved with each beat of the music thrumming against her skin. The festival itself was alive; a breathing dragon of celebration and fire and revelry. Such was not the usual way of their kingdom, possibly more aligned with those who called the long Night their home. But it seemed that her realm had adopted their customs — their passion and wildness — if only for a few nights to celebrate the reap of harvest past.
I spent many hours as a colt staring up at the stars, learning each constellation. My coat used to reflect the sky wherever I was; but here…here it is different.
She realized that her hooves had halted alongside him, their bodies on the brink of the crowd, but also far enough away from the fires so that they were completely embraced in the shadows. From outside the orange glow, the stars above her opened up like a sea of pearls. Nimue could almost feel the confusion wafting from him, and also her own heartbreak. Her gaze turned to take in the stars dappled across his skin, and then upwards. How if magic truly blessed this world, then she would have at long last seen the beauty of the stars made flesh and bone. How she would never have to look skyward again; instead, the heavens were graced along every plane of him.
But she did not yet know how magic worked in this world, when it had freely flowed in others. The power in her own blood now awake, but only in the presence of the relic that she always kept carefully hidden. Without it, surely her gifts, her Sight, would vanish once more.. dormant and asleep until she could permanently find a solution to keep what she knew was rightfully hers.
Until then, the witch only looked at him with somber eyes, a pure desire to grant him his very wish clear as day on her face. She would — by Oriens, wanted — nothing more than to grant him the gift of magic once more. But she was no god.. not anymore, not here, at least.
"Its not your fault, you know," she replied, her voice soft, a whisper, as she looked at the crystalline blue of his eyes, "the magic in this world is asleep, dormant even. I have yet to figure out how to awaken the flows of power in the earth.. but alas, I have not been successful just yet." Her lip curls on one side as she inhaled, gaze breaking away and instead marveling at the constellations above. Suddenly shy, Nimue did not look at him, not when the truth of knowing him lay on the edge of every word. "You are a mirror for the stars, then," she breathed, more of a statement than a question.
The rose witch shivered, her skin clammy beneath the weight of her roiling emotions. Embarrassment heating her cheeks, hiding under her complexion, and determination and sorrow battling across her heart and soul. She nearly choked on her words, wanting to tell him that she knew.. knew how he was a breathing star map, knew who he was. Wanting to tell him what he meant to her. But each truth failed her, leaving her empty, leaving her bleeding, as she looked to search his face once more. The night cocooning them in smoke and shadows and the stars above, the firelight at their backs, and completely in their own little world.
"I would do anything to grant you the gift of magic in this world, if it meant I could see the stars when the sun shines high in the skies above.. if it meant I could see you for who you truly are," she shared, boldly, wonderfully, offering a small smile through the darkness between them both.
Her heartbeat was rapid, fluttering, mad even. But still she blinked at him, her gaze bright and deep with the fathoms of every word she had ever wished to say to him unsaid. Instead of breathing life to such things, courage failing her, she bit her lip. Lids heavy and downcast, before she braved meeting his eyes through thick lashes once more.
I would love nothing more than to intrude on your date.
The excitement broiling in her blood from his words reminded her of when she was a mortal child; how curiosity and wonder were naive little things that brought joy with each new discovery. With it came a bout of annoyance, but here, that feeling dared not touch her now. A smile broadened her pinkish lips, genuine and bright in the flickering firelight. Suddenly, her eyes widened in shock as she felt a thick tangle of her mane straighten along the curve of her neck. Her good orb blinking wildly as she just barely caught the sight of his lips brushing where her mane lay tangled there. The oxygen in her lungs hitched, only momentarily, as she realized their proximity and such a gesture. Her entire focus on that one stray curl, then on her hooves, as she forced herself to remain fluid as they walked to a much more secluded, quieter corner of the festivities.
The silence between them was a welcome one; not an ocean of sweet nothings and words. Although her heartbeat raced, with each slow inhale and exhale the bird in her chest began to flutter slowly. They strolled past the bonfires as large as mythical mountain trolls, past tents of delectables, and past a growing crowd of dancers that moved with each beat of the music thrumming against her skin. The festival itself was alive; a breathing dragon of celebration and fire and revelry. Such was not the usual way of their kingdom, possibly more aligned with those who called the long Night their home. But it seemed that her realm had adopted their customs — their passion and wildness — if only for a few nights to celebrate the reap of harvest past.
I spent many hours as a colt staring up at the stars, learning each constellation. My coat used to reflect the sky wherever I was; but here…here it is different.
She realized that her hooves had halted alongside him, their bodies on the brink of the crowd, but also far enough away from the fires so that they were completely embraced in the shadows. From outside the orange glow, the stars above her opened up like a sea of pearls. Nimue could almost feel the confusion wafting from him, and also her own heartbreak. Her gaze turned to take in the stars dappled across his skin, and then upwards. How if magic truly blessed this world, then she would have at long last seen the beauty of the stars made flesh and bone. How she would never have to look skyward again; instead, the heavens were graced along every plane of him.
But she did not yet know how magic worked in this world, when it had freely flowed in others. The power in her own blood now awake, but only in the presence of the relic that she always kept carefully hidden. Without it, surely her gifts, her Sight, would vanish once more.. dormant and asleep until she could permanently find a solution to keep what she knew was rightfully hers.
Until then, the witch only looked at him with somber eyes, a pure desire to grant him his very wish clear as day on her face. She would — by Oriens, wanted — nothing more than to grant him the gift of magic once more. But she was no god.. not anymore, not here, at least.
"Its not your fault, you know," she replied, her voice soft, a whisper, as she looked at the crystalline blue of his eyes, "the magic in this world is asleep, dormant even. I have yet to figure out how to awaken the flows of power in the earth.. but alas, I have not been successful just yet." Her lip curls on one side as she inhaled, gaze breaking away and instead marveling at the constellations above. Suddenly shy, Nimue did not look at him, not when the truth of knowing him lay on the edge of every word. "You are a mirror for the stars, then," she breathed, more of a statement than a question.
The rose witch shivered, her skin clammy beneath the weight of her roiling emotions. Embarrassment heating her cheeks, hiding under her complexion, and determination and sorrow battling across her heart and soul. She nearly choked on her words, wanting to tell him that she knew.. knew how he was a breathing star map, knew who he was. Wanting to tell him what he meant to her. But each truth failed her, leaving her empty, leaving her bleeding, as she looked to search his face once more. The night cocooning them in smoke and shadows and the stars above, the firelight at their backs, and completely in their own little world.
"I would do anything to grant you the gift of magic in this world, if it meant I could see the stars when the sun shines high in the skies above.. if it meant I could see you for who you truly are," she shared, boldly, wonderfully, offering a small smile through the darkness between them both.
@astarael yikes, this turned into a lot longer post than anticipated <3
"Nimue speech."
