Vanya
HALI
even the sky and sea cannot contain me
Bare toes sink into Torchline’s warm sand, and the sea hushes against the shore like a lullaby I’ve never quite forgotten. I lean my brow to Aoife ’s, her sun‑dusted curls tickling my cheeks. “This is very special. You see him?” I whisper, nodding toward Remi and Ronin beneath their garlands. She wriggles in my arms, bright‑eyed and already bubbling with delight.
I stride forward—bare‑skinned as any Hali, chest wraps knotted tight, loose teal skirt licking my calves—until we’re close enough for the torches to gild Aoife’s face. Setting her down, I watch her break into a sand‑kicking sprint, laughter trailing behind as she barrels toward the men who loved her into the stars.
Joy flares in my ribs—hot, sudden, irresistible. It bursts into feathers and talons before I can think to tame it. One wingbeat, two, and I’m an osprey carving moonlit air, soaring low between Remi and Ronin so close my primaries brush their shoulders. I bank sharply, salt spray on my wingtips, and wheel back. The moment my shadow crosses them again I shift in mid‑arc, bare feet thudding into the sand.
Arms outstretched, I gather them both into a fierce hug, the scent of cedar and ozone and everything I’ve missed flooding my senses. I kiss Remi’s cheek, then Ronin’s, and keep a palm cupped to Ronin’s jaw, thumb brushing the hint of stubble there. “I’ve missed you,” I murmur, voice bright with a happiness that aches. “Both of you.”
My grin crooks, teasing and tender all at once as I search Ronin’s face. I love him differently now, but it's love all the same. “You finally got that boat.”
I stride forward—bare‑skinned as any Hali, chest wraps knotted tight, loose teal skirt licking my calves—until we’re close enough for the torches to gild Aoife’s face. Setting her down, I watch her break into a sand‑kicking sprint, laughter trailing behind as she barrels toward the men who loved her into the stars.
Joy flares in my ribs—hot, sudden, irresistible. It bursts into feathers and talons before I can think to tame it. One wingbeat, two, and I’m an osprey carving moonlit air, soaring low between Remi and Ronin so close my primaries brush their shoulders. I bank sharply, salt spray on my wingtips, and wheel back. The moment my shadow crosses them again I shift in mid‑arc, bare feet thudding into the sand.
Arms outstretched, I gather them both into a fierce hug, the scent of cedar and ozone and everything I’ve missed flooding my senses. I kiss Remi’s cheek, then Ronin’s, and keep a palm cupped to Ronin’s jaw, thumb brushing the hint of stubble there. “I’ve missed you,” I murmur, voice bright with a happiness that aches. “Both of you.”
My grin crooks, teasing and tender all at once as I search Ronin’s face. I love him differently now, but it's love all the same. “You finally got that boat.”
for i am endlessly free
