The long night har ended, but Maea felt like she was wrapped up in a waking dream that never ended. The sunlight did not seem real, nor the warm winds that melted the snow. Before, the sound of running water and the budding of flowers had brought her nothing but joy and sweet relief... these days though the water was carried over into her nightmares, and the sound made her want to clasp her hands over the ears and scream.
Unable to stand the empty house, full of ghosts and guilt and memories too fresh to be deserving of the name - because it was only a week ago that she saw her family, so how could they be gone? - she had drifted back to the Sanctuary. There too she meandered, aimless amidst the bustle of spring cleaning and repairs, and every laughing face was a reminder of why she couldn't smile anymore. It was too much, and Maea could not bring herself to talk to anyone.
Her feet carried her past the Temple, past the Rathskellar and the disassembled perch, empty now that the Spark Bird had departed, and without knowing how she got there, she found herself by the Atheneum. Voices carried over to her about the vaulted building, it's grandness lost on red rimmed eyes. But the voices... maybe Jigano was here. Maybe doing something would help stop the images of the broken door and the empty rooms from replaying in her head.
"Hello?" she called, hoarse from too many tears and too little talking. Not sure where to go exactly, she hazarded a few steps towards the sound of a shovel, hoping she would find the distraction she was craving.
Unable to stand the empty house, full of ghosts and guilt and memories too fresh to be deserving of the name - because it was only a week ago that she saw her family, so how could they be gone? - she had drifted back to the Sanctuary. There too she meandered, aimless amidst the bustle of spring cleaning and repairs, and every laughing face was a reminder of why she couldn't smile anymore. It was too much, and Maea could not bring herself to talk to anyone.
Her feet carried her past the Temple, past the Rathskellar and the disassembled perch, empty now that the Spark Bird had departed, and without knowing how she got there, she found herself by the Atheneum. Voices carried over to her about the vaulted building, it's grandness lost on red rimmed eyes. But the voices... maybe Jigano was here. Maybe doing something would help stop the images of the broken door and the empty rooms from replaying in her head.
"Hello?" she called, hoarse from too many tears and too little talking. Not sure where to go exactly, she hazarded a few steps towards the sound of a shovel, hoping she would find the distraction she was craving.
