S E L O R A
Talorian Craftswoman
"When the world gives you hell,
give it hell right back."
...
...
In Osulas, two months later.
She paced about her home back in Sedo, busying herself with little tasks as the sun began to
rise. Her uncle was in his room, snoring away, yet she had not been able to sleep. She could
hear him shifting in his sleep, his bed creaming under his weight. Selora couldn’t help but roll
her eyes. She longed for the sleep he was experiencing, the kind where you were so deep in
your dreams that an attack by thunderbirds could not wake you. Groaning under her breath,
Selora busied herself with cleaning his dishes, cleaning up the living room, cleaning, cleaning,
cleaning. And goodness did that house need it. Indigo was a single man, he had hardly a care in
the world outside of his niece and his job, and of course his soon-to-be great niece or nephew.
Selora’s belly had been growing rapidly over the course of the last month or so. At first she had
thought it weight gain due to the lack of exercise she could endure. Her front forelegs had
sustained quite the burns from the Flight’s attack on Inaria - yet they were necessary injuries for
a cause so noble as the Flight. They would secure the safety and equality for pegasi all over
Aquore, and if the child within her was what it felt like it was, then also for her future child and
lover alike. She prayed daily for further success for the cause, but prayers alone would not
suffice. She would have to continue to work hard to find relevant information for her dear Alec to
pass on to the Primary, but of course none of it would be passed along by letter. And he couldn’t
know of her plans to leave the forsaken sands of Sedo either, since a letter could be so easily
intercepted. There were meetings to think about beforehand - meetings that were to be listened
in on and closely monitored for any information that would help the cause. In fact there were two
meetings for the opposing sides of where the herd stood with the Talorian treaty coming up
rather quickly - and of course Selora would be there. If only she could remember why she felt so
hesitant about the treaty itself. She knew deep within her soul that the Talorian government must
be brought to an end, that a new era with the Flight must rise to make a better future for their
children. But why could she not remember the facts? Funny, she had never had memory loss
before… Every time she tried to remember, her head started to ache. Similar to how it was now.
“Indigo! Your breakfast is ready!” Selora had whipped up some sautéed mushrooms and
peppers from his tiny little garden in the shaded area behind the small home, and made sure to
toss in some of the fresh tomatoes she had diced as well. Hearing him roll about and get back to
his snoring, Selora rolled her eyes and set the food on a plate for him, covering it with the cast
iron lid to keep the flies away and the heat within. It was definitely getting to be time for a walk
before the day started it’s hustle and bustle.
The sun had already risen by the time she got herself out the door. The winds seemed rather
calm today, which Selora didn’t mind. She had taken care to slather her frizzy curls with olive oil
the night before so that she could set them in curlers, and thank the Wave Mother she had. The
heat was blistering today without the breeze, but Selora need not complain, despite the
pressure from the baby on her insides. She walked on until she found the river, passing her
brother’s caravan to say hello to him before continuing on.
It did not take long before her feet were getting tired and she was growing thirsty. She knelt
down by the river, drinking the cool waters as they flowed softly through the land. As she closed
her eyes to just enjoy the small breeze the surface of the water gave off, something within the
water bumped against her submerged leg. Jerking her head up in surprise, Selora looked down
to find none other than a small amber bottle, a rolled piece of parchment nestled within. Her
eyes grew wide with amazement - could it really be a letter from her beloved? How the hell had
it gotten here? Strange...
She splashed into the water to grab it before the current swept it away, popping the cork as
soon as she got back onto the dry sands. Folding her legs carefully as she lay down, Selora slid
the parchment out quickly and unrolled it. It was in fact Alec’s letter.
His words made her chuckle, made her chest swell with adoration for the stallion she had left
back in the ruins of Inaria. His warnings to be careful, and his words of encouragement… even
his worrying made her smile ear to ear. “Oh, my darling Alec, I am so much closer than I
seem…” her voice seemed louder among the quiet noises of the river, and it surprised her how
sad she sounded. I will be with you soon enough.
She raced her way home, coming in the door heaving. Her uncle had since woken up, eaten,
and left his plate in the basin for her to clean, she assumed. She couldn’t think to clean at that
moment - her love was waiting for her letter afterall. Settling down in her bedroom at the old
writing desk she had been given by her adoptive mother, Selora unrolled a piece of parchment
from within the desk, setting the ink pot beside her and dipping her eagle feather quill delicately
into the dark ink. With a deep breath, she began to write.
“My dearest Alec,
Your words bring joy to my heart, to my very soul, my darling. It gives me great relief to
know that you are safe and well, despite these trying times. I pray you remain diligent in your
search for a purpose among the flock - of course, I mean the lovely birds that I keep in the
southern study. I have come to realize that my least favorite among them is the hummingbird - it
is an insolent little bird that knows no boundaries. Oh, speaking of the beautiful life growing on the
Earth Mother’s beautiful earth! I’m sure you don’t remember, but we planted a little willow in
your bedroom only a few months ago. It is finally blooming,my love. It is flourishing so much,
and every day it grows a little bit more. The little plant reminds me so much of you, my darling.
It looks just like how you thought it would. I hope you love it just as I do, it is such a beautiful
little sapling.
She took a deep, ragged breath. Writing in code proved to be more of a challenge than she thought it would be.
You will be happy to know my brother has finally given up his awful cactus smoking habit.
There are a couple of different reasons for this, I believe. First of all, he has a new girlfriend that
he has attempted to keep rather secret from me - probably because I will make a rather big deal
out of it, or perhaps because he fears I will give her the third degree. She is quite beautiful, and
she seems to make him very happy. I would feel blessed to call her a sister-in-law, truly.
Secondly, I regret I must deliver this information by writing - I wish never to have known it
myself, darling. But both my mother and father have passed here in Sedo… My father first, of a
severe case of pneumonia following the Great Rain, and my mother… my mother had since hung
herself after the passing of my father. Since all of this death is among us here in Sedo, it seems
the fish have since hidden, the river seems to be drying up - and for some reason I can’t recall
quite how it all has occurred. One thing is for certain, however. The winds have ceased, my
darling - it seems as though Alya has left these lands… I am worried for the future, my love -
for our future. But we will make it through, just as we did through the trials of the Attack. We will
remain strong in the face of even the most indefinite of futures, Alec.
You are my Alec, and you will always be my Alec. I will see you again soon, my
darling. I promise you that the Wave Mother herself - the same goddess who has blessed me with
Sight of What is to Come, will deliver us through these tribulations, my love. You shall see, She
will provide.
Be Blessed, my darling. Keep your family safe, I wish to meet them when I return.
Signed with all my heart,
Your Sel.”
Quickly Selora blew on the ink to dry it, rolling the parchment and sliding it back into the amber bottle -
which had begun to wear ever so slightly on the outer layer, where the waves of the sea hit it most.
“Reach the Talorian shores, messenger. Let him know his child and I are safe.” She prayed, pressing the bottle to her lips before she set it back down on the desk. She would return the bottle back to its
mysterious passageway in the evening after the meeting, two days from then. When the only thing that
could see her running off to the piers to send off the letter by sea were the Gods themselves.
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Word Count: 1630
Post #2
