Safrin
"Oh, my love," she breathes, her arms drawing him close again, tighter now—tight enough that no shadow could ever hope to slip between them. Her cheek rests against his temple, her breath a warmth that smells like night-blooming flowers and something deeper, vaster—like galaxies folding into themselves with affection. "Do not apologise for what I already forgive," she murmurs, voice soft and woven through with starlight. "You hurt because you love. Because you care. Because Vi made a heart too big for itself and put it in your chest."
One hand rises to cradle the back of his head, fingers threading gently into his hair as she hums low in her throat. The sound is less melody than gravity, and the comet-dragon behind her lets out a slow, contented breath that stirs the grass. "You have chosen wisely," she says, lips brushing the edge of his ear. "This is what you must do."
Her hands drift from his shoulders to settle over his heart, as though she might still it with reverence alone. "For every feeling you wish to remove—each love, each ache, each hope that no longer serves you—you must create a vessel. It can be something you make, or find, or buy, but it must be beautiful. A container worthy of having once held your heart." She tilts his face to hers, her gaze like moonlight on deep water. "Next, you must collect something tangible from the one you are mourning. A lock of hair. A token. Something that was theirs...or once yours, because of them."
Her voice darkens, takes on a twilight edge. "Burn it. Let it become ash, and once you have the remains, place the ashes into the vessel and set it beneath the stars." Her fingers trail down his arm to lace through his. "Then, Jude, you must consume dreamdust. Just a pinch. And sleep beside the vessel, where the moonlight can reach you and fill the spaces with its light." She lets the silence linger, her touch still steady. "When you wake," she whispers, "the ache will be gone. Not dulled. Gone. Your love will be sealed within, waiting—but no longer weighing you down."
Safrin draws back slightly, eyes flickering with a knowing gleam. "But be cautious. Should you ever break one of these vessels—by accident, or design—everything inside will return to you at once. Every ember of feeling. Every memory that once burned." Her smile is tender, but edged in warning. "So choose where you keep them wisely, sweet boy. Even the stars are vulnerable when touched too carelessly."
For each emotional tether that Jude wants to sever, he must
1. Create/Make/Buy the vessel the ashes will be stored in
2. Collect a piece of the person (hair, spit, an item of theirs, etc)
3. Burn it
4. Place the ashes into the vessel and leave it out beneath the moon/stars while taking Dreamdrust.
One hand rises to cradle the back of his head, fingers threading gently into his hair as she hums low in her throat. The sound is less melody than gravity, and the comet-dragon behind her lets out a slow, contented breath that stirs the grass. "You have chosen wisely," she says, lips brushing the edge of his ear. "This is what you must do."
Her hands drift from his shoulders to settle over his heart, as though she might still it with reverence alone. "For every feeling you wish to remove—each love, each ache, each hope that no longer serves you—you must create a vessel. It can be something you make, or find, or buy, but it must be beautiful. A container worthy of having once held your heart." She tilts his face to hers, her gaze like moonlight on deep water. "Next, you must collect something tangible from the one you are mourning. A lock of hair. A token. Something that was theirs...or once yours, because of them."
Her voice darkens, takes on a twilight edge. "Burn it. Let it become ash, and once you have the remains, place the ashes into the vessel and set it beneath the stars." Her fingers trail down his arm to lace through his. "Then, Jude, you must consume dreamdust. Just a pinch. And sleep beside the vessel, where the moonlight can reach you and fill the spaces with its light." She lets the silence linger, her touch still steady. "When you wake," she whispers, "the ache will be gone. Not dulled. Gone. Your love will be sealed within, waiting—but no longer weighing you down."
Safrin draws back slightly, eyes flickering with a knowing gleam. "But be cautious. Should you ever break one of these vessels—by accident, or design—everything inside will return to you at once. Every ember of feeling. Every memory that once burned." Her smile is tender, but edged in warning. "So choose where you keep them wisely, sweet boy. Even the stars are vulnerable when touched too carelessly."
For each emotional tether that Jude wants to sever, he must
1. Create/Make/Buy the vessel the ashes will be stored in
2. Collect a piece of the person (hair, spit, an item of theirs, etc)
3. Burn it
4. Place the ashes into the vessel and leave it out beneath the moon/stars while taking Dreamdrust.
