Dawn broke from the sky, rising into a hue of soft pinks and orange. The creatures of the land woke and slowly started flying, roaming, hunting for another day. The birds chirped, deer ate, all basking in the morning glows unaffected by the shadow.
Eira begrundly rolled from her sleeping pack, the greasy strings of hair glued to the side of her mouth. Peering at the now midway sun, she hurried around the camp gathering her belongings in her bag. Her soles crunched the soft grass, tickling her ankles as she pranced. It was a comforting thought that these woods were patrolled by Mirkwoods borders. Of course, while the dread that fled most after knowing was joyous, even though it may appear in its pure form again, it still held reminiscent of that darkness. In Particular, the brightness held the most darkness.
As her feet swung over the logs of wood, the fresh mist greeted her. She and Talen used to explore while they talked and he taught her to hunt, but as they grew and both had more responsibilities, their contact was limited. They had figured her parents would monitor her closer since she was of age. And if they were caught, it would likely cause a mini-war among the town and elves. So they'd leave letters in a small bag in a spot his guard would monitor every couple of days. They had both changed because of their homes. War and battles plagued their minds, sometimes physical bow fights or verbal blows from family.
Her feet halted at a small stream, its waters remained almost still as she entered the sanctuary. Her hands felt around the bag, searching for the familiar textures of metal, wood, and wool. She pulled a small vial of a white liquid, a fluffy towel, and a hairbrush, resting them onto the colony of rocks boarding a sector of the river.
Quickly she stripped herself of the now grimy clothes and sank into the warm water. Scrubbing herself of the days, she ducked her head under the water. She watched the water slowly pass over her, the algae-covered rocks, quiet.
Reviewing the day's events, she finally remembered the strange note. The broken text ran through her mind, it was like trying to hear the words of one without being present. The previous day had been stressful at least. Between her now disowned status, and her dramatic exit and mysterious stalker, she truly didn't know which to think about.
Perhaps it had been the wrong person, a different name, or misspelled. Of course, it didn't explain how then he had known she would stay in Talens home but it was more pleasant than the more dark explanations.
The sun slowly was near its peak, causing her to hurry back and change into the brown trousers and white blouse Talen lent her. As she basked in the sunlight, she ran the comb through her silky hair. Everything was lively now, she could hear shouts from the forest, and still laughing and talking from the nearby pub. Yet she sat alone, reminiscing for what? Maybe a hope she would still be wanted and searched after in the day, or maybe her family would apologize and accept her choice. She was still angry about their behavior yet still longed for the warmth of her family.
Slowly she turned over to that small note. Running over its crinkled texture, she observed it again.
I hope you excuse my poor manner for the lateness of your gift. But she orders me to do so even if you may not expect it. Tw_e_or_ple_i_as i hope you understand the nature of yourself. You are nothing but everything we are and aren't. Do not hide _or_a b_.
It had to be someone of importance to give orders yet...
i hope you understand the nature of yourself. You are nothing but everything we are and aren't. Do not hide
Do not hide
What did they mean?
The day passed as she collected herself into the camp and read through the reports the town gave inside it, eventually reading her own books of poetry and literature, writing after. The sun slowly fell as it fought with the darkness of the night bringing the pinky-orange hue of colors to the ground yet again.
She had decided to enter the town to collect food and resources. It felt as if her heart was tearing again as the people she passed would stare and whisper her name. Eira... but surprisingly no one confronted her. Besides the woman's gossip, no man or boy had made a glance at her even as she dressed in typical men's clothing.
She quickly turned at a sharp left, her mind automatically following the route she used to go on. Before she had turned eighteen, her parents often sent her for the entire day doing errands. Usually to buy this, or tell this gentleman that, but she never minded. They had discontinued her education of course because "it wasn't a woman's place to know such things" while her brothers instead even rode to larger towns for higher education.
The people of the town came to recognize her and would often give her gifts or would say that "the errand boy will come soon" to spare her a moment to relax and chat. But like all things, they came to an end after her birthday came. Instead, she was forced to stay home and be taught the "etiquette of a woman". And while she was excited to perhaps start school again, they had quickly crushed that dream and instead taught her basic things like doing the wash and how she should speak.
It felt bittersweet walking through the route of her life yet everything around her had changed. She was no longer the pure obedient little girl they thought, so instead of recognizing it, they decided to ignore her till she came to her senses.
Her heart dropped as she looked up at the man she had bumped into. Originally planning to quickly apologize but as her eyes identified the familiar hat, face, and family coat she saw him.
"Excuse me-" He smoothly said, looking up from the book in his hand and like her, froze.
"Why-why are you here?" He quizzed, his eyes comically larger inside the spectacles he wore.
She stood still, slowly turning to walk away but is grabbed by the man
"Eira..." He said pleadingly. She wanted to escape again, run off on her horse where no one could find her but she couldn't.
"Callon," she swiftly replied, nothing could divert her attention. Not the busy marketmen, not the staring and whispers, her demons had finally decided to spare her this moment.
"How...have you been?" He softly said it was typical of him to be like that, raised in the shadow of the oldest yet not being spared a second glance unlike herself. But why? Why was he even there? He was supposed to be in university, miles away.
"Fine." She couldn't respond further than simple responses, it would be months till she saw him again so why did it matter?
He studied her face, his grimy sweat exhausted lips rose into a soft smile, adoring her. But as a yell was shouted angrily towards their direction, he pulled her into an alleyway.
"Hey! What-" She exclaimed, her face flushed the anger boiling over into her cheeks. How dare this man do this! But as quick as her anger rose, it fell as he sadly scrunched his framed eyes.
"I'm sorry about Mother and Father, truly, if I had known earlier I would have arrived earlier to arrange a home for you." He truly seemed sincere as always. They both related their own struggles despite the differing sets of expectations. But as time grew, the seasons changed, and after he had decided to move away, she took it to heart and isolated her heart from the darkness of the town.
"So...you know?" She struggled to say, if anyone were to have an opinion on her life, it would have been him. Yet, he stayed.
"Yes...but I do not blame you, if you ever leave this dreadful town, you'll see the men are much more educated and rounded." Of course, there are limits to how much someone can train one. So while he didn't see how she could like women, the hypocrite he was, she accepted that and instead became his helper in the area of women.
"Well...I do suppose that would be true logically. But can we leave the allies alone? There are too many cobwebs for my liking." She nervously responded, turning her head towards the exit.
"Oh! Yes, of course!" He shyly said, taking her white-coated arm, he led her back into the bustling town. He quickly scrunched his nose at the sight of her now in semi-daylight.
"Are those...men's trousers and a dress shirt?" He huffed, "If you need fresh clothing, just ask mother for your things." He noticed arrogantly.
"You know mother wouldn't eleven let me into the house without yelling to the entire town about her...man-hating, pretender, as the crazy bat she is!"
He followed closely as she sped ahead, "Well I need to get my bag from the house so why don't you join me?"
"Hell no, and excuse my language." She said, trying to escape the carriage ride she had joined him on.
"Please Eira! One trip then you can go gallivanting with your elf friend!" Her face fluffed a sickly white as she shrunk in her seat
"Please! I've heard of him and he seems like a well-trained man to protect my sister." He joked, ruffling her messy hair.
They sat in silence, without anything to discuss. It had been precisely 18 months since they'd seen each other and now, silence. But perhaps that was the most comforting part, being able to know after long time periods they could still sit in silence comfortably.
"We have arrived, sir." The taxi man called out, "Thank you very much, sir!" He said pulling her to her feet, barely not collapsing onto the ground.
Their feet pounded the upcoming dirt road, the cheap liquor and poorly decorated signs spoiled the walk as they arrived at the doorstep of the tallest, leanest, and greenest, shop home she'd ever seen. She was mostly the one who upkeep the house because 'it was a woman's place, and without her, they were scrambling. Oh, joy.
"Wait here, I'll only run in." He bellowed, swiftly prancing through the rickety door, squeaking.
"Well...the traitor came back." A familiar voice drowned onto her, she drew her attention to the long brown-haired woman leaning against the door frame. Though to any man she seems the sweetheart of the town, beautifully divine, her insides stenched nothing but acid and spite.
"I haven't come back. I've only returned with-" But as fate had doomed her before, as she tried to finish the blurry man known as her mother's manplacment, walked out with Callon.
"You little..." He tried to storm her place but was poorly held back by a wincing brother of hers. He truly had a brain like no other, but his body could still be a prepubescent boy.
"I don't need this." She huffed storming away, as she left a wavy item was thrown at her back. Thick but malleable, enough to throw her down.
"Ow! Why!" As she slowly rose, limping, see-saw none other than her books, more specifically her journals ripped and burned at her feet.
"Go to hel with this...dark behavior. You aren't wanted here, freak!"
No matter how much she claimed to hate them, there were always those memories, the small child who did think things would be fine eventually. But hearing those words slowly crushed her soul. Before she knew, she hunched over, stuffing her arm into her now blotchy eyes.
"You monsters! Eira please let's-" If nothing else could shatter her, even as her mother's third husband, what he spoke next caused her to start sprinting. The illusion was gone and as she now thought, the town saw her as ugly again, unwanted, unloved, abnormal.
The hoofs of her horse rode faster and faster before the heels finally stopped near the river.
"No...no...please...back home! Not here! There!" But by then, her horse had been spooked by herself and ran off into the forest.
As her tears drenched her, she truly couldn't feel the joy others did telling off their parents. She had no one to cry with. She had never caved in to despair but it felt wrong to say she didn't want to. It was numbing, grieving, the anger she needed yet she just couldn't spare more darkness of her soul.
The night grew cold and windy, the darkness swallowing the sky whole. Under only a small blanket, shivering was Eira. The smallest girl in the universe, as she felt. The breeze became stronger, whipping the small note off the top of her bag. As if the universe had decided it was important, the winds grew and instead pushed against the sticks of her camp. Finally noticing the creaking throughout the place, she looked up to see the swaying roof of the camp as the incoming wind knocked the stands of the small tent.
"No!" But before the wood could hold her, she ran far, with no clear image of where she was but the world had been too much. This home was unbearable, she had no one, so maybe when she suddenly collapsed by a fallen tree branch, she did start to despair. And when she faded into black, she could only see the stars.
"It seems you truly were a worthless choice for that woman to keep."
She hated the dark but maybe this warm feeling wasn't so bad.