i came and sat in your pew

KIADA

You think I'll be the night sky,
so that you can be the star?

There’s a chiding tone to Wessex’s voice that Kiada does not appreciate, her gaze narrowing, biting down on her tongue as she explains that the Voice would answer her. But how does she know? “I did choose to be like this. I didn’t choose to sign up for the battle that came along with being like this.” Her head tilts slightly as she watches the Queen, mulling over her words in a way that makes them make sense. “When I was young, I aligned myself with a god that promised so much to me. Happiness, power, the ability to thrive and protect my family. And do you know what happened?” She says this as easily as she can, her head lifting just a bit. “He killed all of the gods there, destroyed our world, and shoved us through a portal, slaughtering those that disagreed with him.”

Wessex could take it however she wanted.

Because the mention of voting in Flowerbirth – the season she had died in – does little for her. “Maybe they didn’t say anything because they didn’t think it was worth it. It’s still going to happen, so what’s the point? I’m only telling you because you asked me.” She snaps, unable to keep her tone from growing sharp, but she tries to steady herself again with her fingers in Auni’s fur, with her unnecessary breath she takes.

“Last time I did something for you, I died.” Alright, so perhaps she hasn’t steadied herself well enough to hold her tongue, but Kiada’s always been the one that held onto grievances, onto pain. After all, it had become all she’d known in her lives, in the worlds she bounced between – losing family and friends over and over again, companions twice now, her soul torn apart and rebuilt time and time again.

i'll swallow you whole.