|
|
Post by Zugunruhes on Nov 27, 2020 15:24:27 GMT -6
Make-believe
Spring 1702; Evening; The Gilded Bridge
|
|
|
|
Post by Zugunruhes on Nov 27, 2020 16:01:52 GMT -6
Of all changes shifting the foundations of the old city Valore, from the rumors poised above the King's crown to the kirin armies, one thing remained unchanged. The gilded bridge, the monument connecting all Valore's strands above the sea. Despite its years it stood as a reminder of tenuous connection between the classes - that a horse born in one district would never belong in another. The bridge encouraged commerce with the merchant shops packed in rows, and fostered travel across its districts, but it had never allowed them to merge.
During the day few travelers paused on their busy route unless to eye merchant goods. Rarely did one linger to look around and across the expanse of the city. But at night the traffic slowed, few merchants remained, and those looking for solace could have a place to ponder their thoughts under the stars.
From the Sol District two equines crossed under the bridge, a pair only distinguished from Aodh's citizens by the cruel bridles and brands forced upon them. They were not tiptoeing nor ducking away from suspicious glances, but neither seemed to want to attract attention. They had no specific orders at Rosebriar Manor to attend to, but leaving for a stroll on the bridge was a private affair they were not sure Rosalba was aware of. The hippocampus wore a satchel around one shoulder and whenever it slipped would pause to tuck it back on the other side with his mouth. He was, grudgingly and mournfully, growing used to his frequent loss of teke.
Harlan paused, looking off in the growing darkness, and brightened. "That's it- the spot I told you about. C'mon." He led her towards an outlook on the bridge, an area likely frequented by young nobles courting. Tonight it was empty- for their company alone. "Isn't this lovely?" He whispered, looking around to ensure they were alone. "And the finishing touch-"
He lowered his neck to drop the satchel upon the ground and got it open- a small picnic snack awaited them both. It was not much, but he wanted to give Sirocco something to share with him- outside of the manor. What else did they have?
|
|
|
|
Post by Luneby on Dec 21, 2020 15:39:25 GMT -6
 S I R O C C O "Hit the bottom and escape."
She had settled in her newly retrieved life with a deep sense of uneasiness that she could never seem to shake off. All she could see on the walls of New Valore were the newly created cracks and the rising heat that she knew would tear away any feeling of relative safety she had caught herself experiencing as of late. Worst of all, she could not help the constant fear of being separated from Harlan again. She had been awkward around him ever since they had been reunited – unable to balance her desire to be near him always and the numerous fears that plagued her. She had acted clingy, needy at times, and yet had been distant and cold, barely looking him in the eye during the day. She felt lost – not only within their relationship, but mostly within herself. Now, more than ever, she felt empty, devoid of any individuality, purposeless in a world catching fire. Guilt was the heaviest weight of all. She felt guilty of not being able to appreciate this new shot at life the way she should be. She felt guilty she could not go about life with Harlan’s overwhelming positivity. She felt guilty she failed at being the best person she could possibly be, for him. Snakes wrung and always twisted in her stomach and whispered venom into her ears. She had wordlessly accepted Harlan’s proposal, following him around the city with worn out eyes and sparing very few words, but sticking by his side, sometimes nuzzling the bag that fell from his shoulder back in place when she noticed it in time. Her tired eyes failed to notice how lovely the city looked when the sun started to fade, only keeping watch on equines that passed by them. She was almost startled when Harlan spoke. It was only when she rose her head that she realized how low it hanged, and only then did she truly open her eyes. The view was lovely of course – nothing compared to a sunset over the sparkling waters of New Valore, casting the city in a golden haze. But Harlan himself far outshone such a spectacle – for he had given her exactly what she needed right now: a true moment of peace. A moment for them, and them alone. As humble as it looked, it meant the world to her. She watched him in silence, her heart drumming inside her chest, fighting against tears the best she could. She opened her mouth, struggling to find a way to express all the things she was feeling at once. Harlan truly was the only one who could leave her at a loss for words. “I… I love it.”
How was he so thoughtful? How could he be so nice to her when she was anything but nice to anyone? She quietly crossed the little distance that separated them and brushed her head against his, lashes fluttering against his cheek. “Thank you so much.” She whispered into his ear, before taking a step back, so she could look into his eyes. She felt a lot lighter, somehow. Maybe her meek, tired smile showed.
***
WC: 523| Post # 2
|
|
|
|
Post by Zugunruhes on Jan 6, 2021 21:58:11 GMT -6
When Harlan sensed Sirocco's disquiet over the weeks he tucked it away to consider it more thoughtfully than he did anything else. He never knew what to say in the moment, beyond a playful smile or a teasing remark, but his gestures seemed to falter when they reached her. He gathered each moment of unease and pained silence, like the pieces of fractured glass, and pondered over how to fit them back together, even if crudely. When he finally chanced upon an idea it felt too simple- common really in the gilded city whose people enjoyed lavish gifts- but it was something different from their day to day lives. The walk over from the manor to the bridge had been nervous, biting his tongue to keep from saying anything blithe. He was normally chatty and eager, but at the outlook he was silent and still as the statues roaming through the miniature garden.
And when she spoke and approached him, her affirmation in a gentle touch, the weight upon his shoulders lifted. He leaned into her contact, holding back a ragged noise of his own that died in his throat. Warmth suffused him, like she radiated the colorful rays of the sunset. To him she was more- brighter than the light of the fading sun and the coming stars. And he wanted her to know, desperately, even in the darkness Aodh brought upon them. "You like it? It's only a little thing- but it's for us. Only us."
When he stepped back and looked at her eyes, seeing shadows looking back, he moved towards a note of humor. But did she want to talk about the difficult things? He pranced a step away, one hoof raised and placed on the pedestal of an old statue, the base slightly overgrown with trailing ivy. "I sent a letter to the palace and had this spot reserved specifically for us tonight. I said it was a most important occasion. And when they heard it was for you, well, they rushed to respond and send a letter back on their finest dragons." He always loved to exaggerate in his stories when they traveled together, making tales of their futures when they were laden with riches from their thievery.
|
|
