There was a restlessness stirring inside of him a deep-set ache that kept hammering away inside of his head, telling him to run, to fly, to go. It had set in ever since Messalina had come bursting through his doors in the middle of the night, since he had seen the paleness of her face and the blood dripping from her cuts. It had only intensified when he’d heard of the murders, when he’d posted the letter that closed the borders, when Somnus called a meeting of the Regime.
It hadn’t stoped. It had only grown, eating away inside of him, gnawing at his heart.
But he couldn’t fly; his wings weren’t big enough for that. Nor could he run; that would be improper of the Regent, he had duties to tend to. He couldn’t escape, because the borders were closed and he needed to be here. But as the days passed, each one as tense as the one before, the need to get away intensified.
“I won’t go far,” he promised Odet, who fluttered nervously around him. “I just need some fresh air.”
So the steller’s jay followed him, albeit at a distance, always keeping an eye on his bonded. Times weren’t safe, after all; even a day at the beach could go wrong if he was alone.
The sky is a cascade of colors overhead, blue fading into the wonderful pinks and golds of twilight, and it comforts him. The sea breeze fills his lungs, the squawking of seagulls greeting his ears, and just for a moment he can pretend that everything is as it should be. As the grass gives way to sand underhoof, and he loses sight of the capitol behind him, Ipomoea has a reckless desire to gallop; to kick his heels up and run headlong down the beach, where no one is around to see him pretending that he could fly.
And he’s about to - the desire is nearly overwhelming inside of him - when he spots a figure wandering the beach. For a moment he’s almost disappointed that he has company, but then he catches himself and brushes the unkind thought from his mind. ”No company is bad company,” he verbally reminds himself, and wills his legs to take him closer to the silhouette. “Maybe you’ll meet someone new today.”
With every step the figure grows a little more clearer, her pale form taking shape and solidifying. It doesn’t take long for him to recognize her.
“Eulalie!” he calls, lifting up into a trot that carried him closer. It doesn’t cross his mind that maybe, just maybe, she had wanted to be alone.
“I guess you wanted to get away, too?”
hearts are breaking
wars are raging on
you’ve got me nervous
i’m at the end of my rope
hey, man, we can’t all be like you
i wish we were all rose-colored too
my rose-colored boy
@eulalie ! here we aree
”here am i!“
