MAEA
"Nephele? It's a beautiful name. I'm Maea," she offered in return, smiling painfully through the tears. And flinched like she'd been stabbed herself by the words that followed. Forgiveness - did she even deserve such a thing? Could it be granted? Was it a mockery or a genuine promise - she wanted to ask, wanted to know what Nephele meant by it.
But before she could find her words, a stillness had settled over the fair features, and those expressive eyes stared into a realm that might be forever barred from her. The blood kept flowing for a while after the heart stopped, until that too ceased.
Maea lost track of how long she sat there, with the dead woman's blood drying on her hands. She waited. For the rain to fall, or for someone to come and claim this brave, cruel warrior's body. For someone to berate her, beat her, demand an explanation of what happened. The night passed, but all was still. All was silent.
In the end, it was the sun that brought her too her feet. In the pale light of dawn, on a day that remained cloudy yet wouldn't shed any tears, she dug a shallow grave with her own hands. An easy task in the loose garden soil. Maea wanted to weep more as she wrapped the slight figure in the dark rags and lowered her into the ground, but her body wouldn't let her. Maybe it wasn't how the Fae preferred it. She realized she had no idea how they honored their dead. It didn't feel enough to merely cover her... but what else could she do?
In an afterthought, she gingerly picked up the round daggers and tucked them into her own pocket. They were too dangerous to use, but she needed something to remember this by. Even though the wounds of this disaster would never allow her to forget, she still... needed this tangible reminder.
"May Ludo guide you on safe paths to the halls of Mort," she whispered over the barren patch of soil, once it was done. Staring numbly at the traces of blood and broken stems - broken like herself, in too many ways to count. "May you know peace."
Then she left. Longing to go home - or the closest thing to it she still had left.
{FIN}
But before she could find her words, a stillness had settled over the fair features, and those expressive eyes stared into a realm that might be forever barred from her. The blood kept flowing for a while after the heart stopped, until that too ceased.
Maea lost track of how long she sat there, with the dead woman's blood drying on her hands. She waited. For the rain to fall, or for someone to come and claim this brave, cruel warrior's body. For someone to berate her, beat her, demand an explanation of what happened. The night passed, but all was still. All was silent.
In the end, it was the sun that brought her too her feet. In the pale light of dawn, on a day that remained cloudy yet wouldn't shed any tears, she dug a shallow grave with her own hands. An easy task in the loose garden soil. Maea wanted to weep more as she wrapped the slight figure in the dark rags and lowered her into the ground, but her body wouldn't let her. Maybe it wasn't how the Fae preferred it. She realized she had no idea how they honored their dead. It didn't feel enough to merely cover her... but what else could she do?
In an afterthought, she gingerly picked up the round daggers and tucked them into her own pocket. They were too dangerous to use, but she needed something to remember this by. Even though the wounds of this disaster would never allow her to forget, she still... needed this tangible reminder.
"May Ludo guide you on safe paths to the halls of Mort," she whispered over the barren patch of soil, once it was done. Staring numbly at the traces of blood and broken stems - broken like herself, in too many ways to count. "May you know peace."
Then she left. Longing to go home - or the closest thing to it she still had left.
{FIN}
Light is easy to love
Show me your darkness
Show me your darkness
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
