JACOB
Boots in hand, pant legs rolled up to just above the ankle, the strap of his side-satchel secure around his chest and shoulder, Jacob let his mind wander as he ambled barefoot down the shoreline.
His mind was a clouded swim these days, bogged down by memories and thoughts, heady and difficult to navigate. The crash of ocean water converged with the rampant static buzzing in his brain, and while thinking was difficult, the soothing sound of the waves easily became a balm to his nerves.
Only recently had he begun venturing further than the streets surrounding his home. The harsh temperatures and great rains of Longheat had kept him bound indoors, and while such a solitary time didn’t typically bother him, there was something stifling about being kept indoors for too long, even for him. The simple cottage was his home, yes, his respite in many ways, but it had begun to resemble a prison, and so with the cooler weather of Leafchange in full swing, he had left his humble cage to wander.
The ocean called to him. Ironic, he thought with a crooked grin, blue eyes casting out to focus on the waters as he thought.
Jacob had only been back in Torchline for not quite a season, yet had hardly socialized since his return. He had been too busy; reading, cataloguing, taking notes as he hunched over his work desk, pouring over every book, tome, and manuscript he had collected along his journeys. The quaint cottage had become a bibliophile’s paradise, stacks of books piled upon nearly every surface, but… Hopefully not for much longer.
He had goals. Ambitions. Desires. A rise in anxiety prodded against the soothing, numbing nothing that cloyed his brain. There was something Jacob wanted to do, a task to fulfill… But accomplishing it would be daunting, nearly impossible to do on his own.
One day at a time.
Inhaling and tasting salt on the breeze, Jacob picked his path along the beach. It was quiet, save for the sound of the waves against the shore, the breeze, and the occasional sea-bird squawking. Simple. Pristine. Quiet. His eyes wandered the coast, admiring, cataloguing, filing away the peaceful scene, coming back to himself… Only to realize he wasn’t quite as alone as he thought.
A figure sat upon a blanket only a few paces ahead. Jacob thought about stopping, about turning around, or altering his path to maybe give the individual a wide berth. He didn’t want to interrupt their peaceful outing, but anxiety caused him to hesitate. What if they noticed? What if they saw him stop, or turn around, or go out of his way to avoid just walking by them and they called him out on it?
Chest heaving, he shook his head, running his free hand through his wind-swept hair. No, no. He was overthinking again. It would be fine. It had to be. It would be fine.
Forcing himself to relax, Jacob continued to walk, his feet sinking into the warm sands beneath his feet. Despite the recent chill, the sand retained warmth and it was pleasant. Grounding. Familiar. Growing closer to the figure, a woman, her dark curls swaying in the seabreeze, Jacob forced a smile, opening his mouth to speak before the cold hand of realization smacked him fully across the face.
Oh. The Queen.
Jacob almost choked. His first outing since returning to Torchline and the first person he runs into is the Queen? Fate, the ever cruel mistress, would surely be laughing for weeks. Still… He had to try despite his nervousness, and how very aware he was that he was rather disheveled for such esteemed, surprise company. Boots in hand, pantlegs rolled up, hair a mess from the breeze…
His greeting was simple, choked a little, raspy from how long he had gone from engaging others in conversation. “Greetings, Lady.” Quick, simple, and to the point, and Jacob hoped he hadn’t just made a terrible mistake.
His mind was a clouded swim these days, bogged down by memories and thoughts, heady and difficult to navigate. The crash of ocean water converged with the rampant static buzzing in his brain, and while thinking was difficult, the soothing sound of the waves easily became a balm to his nerves.
Only recently had he begun venturing further than the streets surrounding his home. The harsh temperatures and great rains of Longheat had kept him bound indoors, and while such a solitary time didn’t typically bother him, there was something stifling about being kept indoors for too long, even for him. The simple cottage was his home, yes, his respite in many ways, but it had begun to resemble a prison, and so with the cooler weather of Leafchange in full swing, he had left his humble cage to wander.
The ocean called to him. Ironic, he thought with a crooked grin, blue eyes casting out to focus on the waters as he thought.
Jacob had only been back in Torchline for not quite a season, yet had hardly socialized since his return. He had been too busy; reading, cataloguing, taking notes as he hunched over his work desk, pouring over every book, tome, and manuscript he had collected along his journeys. The quaint cottage had become a bibliophile’s paradise, stacks of books piled upon nearly every surface, but… Hopefully not for much longer.
He had goals. Ambitions. Desires. A rise in anxiety prodded against the soothing, numbing nothing that cloyed his brain. There was something Jacob wanted to do, a task to fulfill… But accomplishing it would be daunting, nearly impossible to do on his own.
One day at a time.
Inhaling and tasting salt on the breeze, Jacob picked his path along the beach. It was quiet, save for the sound of the waves against the shore, the breeze, and the occasional sea-bird squawking. Simple. Pristine. Quiet. His eyes wandered the coast, admiring, cataloguing, filing away the peaceful scene, coming back to himself… Only to realize he wasn’t quite as alone as he thought.
A figure sat upon a blanket only a few paces ahead. Jacob thought about stopping, about turning around, or altering his path to maybe give the individual a wide berth. He didn’t want to interrupt their peaceful outing, but anxiety caused him to hesitate. What if they noticed? What if they saw him stop, or turn around, or go out of his way to avoid just walking by them and they called him out on it?
Chest heaving, he shook his head, running his free hand through his wind-swept hair. No, no. He was overthinking again. It would be fine. It had to be. It would be fine.
Forcing himself to relax, Jacob continued to walk, his feet sinking into the warm sands beneath his feet. Despite the recent chill, the sand retained warmth and it was pleasant. Grounding. Familiar. Growing closer to the figure, a woman, her dark curls swaying in the seabreeze, Jacob forced a smile, opening his mouth to speak before the cold hand of realization smacked him fully across the face.
Oh. The Queen.
Jacob almost choked. His first outing since returning to Torchline and the first person he runs into is the Queen? Fate, the ever cruel mistress, would surely be laughing for weeks. Still… He had to try despite his nervousness, and how very aware he was that he was rather disheveled for such esteemed, surprise company. Boots in hand, pantlegs rolled up, hair a mess from the breeze…
His greeting was simple, choked a little, raspy from how long he had gone from engaging others in conversation. “Greetings, Lady.” Quick, simple, and to the point, and Jacob hoped he hadn’t just made a terrible mistake.
but my peace has always depended
On all the ashes in my wake
On all the ashes in my wake
