No Promises
Xena
does not beg. Nor does she crumble. The stone never falls and the
light is always cold. Those are promises she made to herself years
ago, when the whole of the world was hers to burn... to break... to
bury.
Xena
does not follow anyone. She does not give in to envy. Even now. Even
now, Xena does not give in to want.
But
faceless demons are awake, pulled up from their deep slumber. They
stretch ancient muscles and they let loose with a dark moan. They
curl up tight, they slither and stalk. They force her to the edge of
these woods.
They
force her, against all other thoughts and emotions, to stare down
upon two figures by a lake.
And
the unknown ache has a name. They cry out those familiar syllables...
and Xena is paralyzed.
We made promises.
But
Xena doesn't say a word. With the swans landing and the clouds blown
away, Xena stays silent. Unmoving.
The
stone never falls. The light is always cold.
And
the whole of the world never agreed to be hers, never gave over its
sea and sky, never made a vow... never swore to stay by her
side...
The demons fall apart underneath her skin, crashing forward with the weight of promises never truly made.
END