posted on Jul, 28 2016 @ 07:15 PM
Tears streaming and heavy sobs rising, she ran back to her room, no longer caring to maintain the silence and the illusion that she did
not exist. Another night with no food! Locking the door behind her, she slid down the wooden barrier and hugged her knees to herself, filled with
misery and anguish.
Oh, sweet child that I was… her eyes brimmed with tears as she witnessed herself filled with the pain and despair of a life she had not
deserved. It was over now, for surely she had died and this was her life flashing before her eyes as reputed by those who had died only to return from
the brink of the great void. She had failed Caelin, and she had failed herself.
The tendrils and wisps of the soft mist curled about her toes and around her body as she gazed sadly at the anguished child she had once been,
watching as the room transformed around them once more, watching as the girl morphed into a teenager sitting primly upon a stool, staring silently
down at her shoes.
Black and heavy with large clunky buckles, they had been specially made due to the size of her feet. These shoes, she had no asked for them, but it
was her father’s funeral and appropriate footwear had been required. Her mother had spoken lengthily of appearances and how one must look and act
dignified at such events, and then she had complained about the cost of the custom made monstrosities! It was not her fault, she had not even wanted
the things!
Her mother had pulled her long auburn hair into the tightest of braids and expected her to sit quietly and look presentable while the adults ate
small and ugly foods that offended near every one of her senses.
The tightness of her braid was stretching the hair from her scalp and afflicting her with a tremendous headache, but she sat as still as she could
manage and ignored the discomfort, she did not fidget once. She was the very image of a good girl, sitting quietly and doing what she was damned well
told, this was what her mother had wanted.
There was no use arguing, disagreeing with the woman only led to tears and pain, despair, and she did not wish yet another beating. She remained
seated with the hope that if she sat there long enough and concentrated with every ounce of her being, she could envision the rainbow world that
lingered within her mind. She smiled wistfully as she thought of the beautiful land, so unlike this reality she had been born into.
As the smile danced about her face, her mother had walked past and came to a halt as she noticed the evident joy that lingered upon Alexandria’s
countenance. Throwing her arms up into the air the woman had yelled at her, the sharp scent of alcohol wafting from her breath.
“It’s your father’s funeral today! How dare you sit there and smile!”
Alexandria had gazed up at her mother, her big green eyes welling up with tears of shame.
“I’m sorry, mother, I was-.”
Without warning, her mother had slapped her face sharply and continued walking. Alexandria’s tears slipped down her cheeks as she touched the
stinging mark on her face and, once she had collected herself, she straightened her posture and sat primly on her stool, silently staring into the
nothingness that lay before her as she emptied her mind of all thought.
Swallowing heavily, she hastily turned from the scene. It mattered no longer, she had been liberated and her mother had been dealt with. One foot
before the other, she strode away from the despairing girl and refused to take heed of the endless clouds that swam around her; it was over. She
lifted her head back and gazed up into the sky, watching as the kaleidoscopic colours danced about the atmosphere. ‘The Aethya’, Caelin had called
it. It was perfect. Closing her eyes, she allowed the colours of the Aethya to shine down upon her face and ignored the sensation that told her she
was falling down into the void.
Several minutes passed before she opened her eyes once more. It was dark. Alexandria blinked owlishly as the remnants of her imagination swiftly
departed from her mind, her hands reaching out to touch the solidity of the ground she lay upon, and grasping the soft grass that surrounded her.
Slowly she sat forward and squinted her eyes, struggling to view her environment through the fog of her waking vision. The grass was cold beneath her
body, damp, and unfamiliar sounds were echoing all around her; the screech of insects, the soft growls of unidentified creatures, the sound and sight
of a flickering blaze in the nearby distance, murmurs of hushed voices from those silhouetted by the fire.
A sudden thought leapt into mind and she quickly peered up into the sky, her hands gripping the damp grass tightly, her eyes drinking in the
splendour of the beauty above. This was no dream! Tears of happiness formed in the corners of her eyes as she gazed up at the magnificence of the
heavens, the soft swirls of purples and oranges sat gently in the dark blue of the night sky. She was alive, she was here!
A dark silhouette who had been seated by the fire faced their head towards her and hurriedly climbed to their feet, Alexandria could determine only
that the form was that of a woman as the figure rushed to approach her, hunched over and with a slight limp. She was unsure of what she should do, she
tried to stand but her legs were weak, a mild trepidation began to flitter about the edges of her mind as the woman came into view, and as the gap was
closed between them she simply tried to shrink into herself, wincing as at last the woman stood before her.
The hunched woman peered down at her and offered a shaking hand, a slight croak to her voice as she spoke.
“Careful now, dearie. You’ve been asleep for some time you have.”
Alexandria peered up into the woman’s face, wrinkles folded deeply into her skin, and noticed the frailty with which the woman seemed encumbered
by. Discerning no threat, she gingerly took the woman’s hand and slowly wobbled to her feet, swaying from side to side as she managed to reach a
standing position. Murmuring more to herself than to the unknown woman, her voice sounded drained and was barely audible as she spoke.
“Caelin… he disappeared…”
She felt the woman’s creased hand tighten upon her own and she stared at the woman in shock, startled by the woman’s sudden and unexpected
strength. Aged with heavy bags beneath her faded blue eyes, her lips pursed as she glared up at Alexandria, her croaky voice demanding answers as she
investigated every nuance of Alexandria’s face.
“What did you just say!?”
No one can harm you. Alexandria ripped her hand from the woman’s steel grasp and stood tall as the faint whispers of Caelin’s soft voice
reverberated about her thoughts, little evidence remaining of her weakened state from moments ago.
“I must find Caelin!”
The woman scowled and took a step away from Alexandria, laughing harshly as she spoke angrily.
“You won’t find no Caelin here, young miss! The only Caelin in these parts is our lord and master! By the Three! May the Gods strike him
down.”
Her laughter abruptly stopped and her eyes bore into Alexandria’s as she spat on the ground.
An unbridled fury rose within Alexandria as the faint thrill of electricity was swift to course along her veins, and the woman took another step
back, fearful as she sensed the magic manifesting.
“I knew it! You’re a mage! Are you mad!? Not out here, silly girl, you’ll bring the dread horses upon us!”