Melita
they should have checked the ashes
of the women they burned alive
of the women they burned alive
Perhaps time would be the true judge of Sunjata’s thinking and dramatic capabilities – Melita certainly couldn’t, not presently, not full of foaming rage and quiet embers. The seething part of her smoldered only a little now though, the grasp not as tight over the latest glass in her hand. Probably due to the alcohol intake.
Even his snag on the meaning of her statement seemed to fade into I know - a necessity to be proven rather than just stated. He’d done it a million times before, so the Honeybee was hesitant to preside in any of those hopes lingering. Or if she cared. She still wasn’t sure, and processing wasn’t happening in this collective moment.
Her eyes narrowed as he asked the why behind her semblances. Even if it’d been years, the theatrics, displays, and unwinding stupidity that had sent the seas into a lurch were hard to put back into the vault – and even if he wanted to forget, that didn’t mean citizens would. “Because of how things ended with Torchline. With Safrin.” With his collapsed leadership. With the war. With the Old Gods winning. With everything else either crumbling or triumphing. In truth, she was surprised the goddess hadn’t come down from the sky and annihilated him already.
She slung back another shot, content with the way it burned down her throat, flickering over the edges of her illustrious fire. The Ark’s travels and traversings had yet to start once more, and Melita wasn’t about to go racing off to remind the Captain about the Hollowed shitfest anytime soon. “Yeah. Jack wants to go to the fucking Grounds.” She glared into her drink, as if it was at fault. “I already told him it was a horrible idea.”
Even his snag on the meaning of her statement seemed to fade into I know - a necessity to be proven rather than just stated. He’d done it a million times before, so the Honeybee was hesitant to preside in any of those hopes lingering. Or if she cared. She still wasn’t sure, and processing wasn’t happening in this collective moment.
Her eyes narrowed as he asked the why behind her semblances. Even if it’d been years, the theatrics, displays, and unwinding stupidity that had sent the seas into a lurch were hard to put back into the vault – and even if he wanted to forget, that didn’t mean citizens would. “Because of how things ended with Torchline. With Safrin.” With his collapsed leadership. With the war. With the Old Gods winning. With everything else either crumbling or triumphing. In truth, she was surprised the goddess hadn’t come down from the sky and annihilated him already.
She slung back another shot, content with the way it burned down her throat, flickering over the edges of her illustrious fire. The Ark’s travels and traversings had yet to start once more, and Melita wasn’t about to go racing off to remind the Captain about the Hollowed shitfest anytime soon. “Yeah. Jack wants to go to the fucking Grounds.” She glared into her drink, as if it was at fault. “I already told him it was a horrible idea.”
because it takes a single wild ember
to bring a whole wildfire to life
to bring a whole wildfire to life
