Whatever lies beyond this world I am not fool enough to think I know it
I do know what I wish for those
I've loved; an island of their own
where they can take whatever shape
they want and still be welcome
no boats to take them no words to hurt them
but ears that hear them
and hearts that hold them
-Eamhancoll, from Savage Her Reply by Deirdre Sullivan
Take a moment to follow this one thread.
A pure bright gold the colour of light itself, it stretches high and true across its tapestry and sometimes above it. This is a thread that belongs to two people. Cher and Hades; Hades and Cher. Where there is one there is always the other somewhere, somehow. It is why despite the fact they are two people, there is only the one thread, bright and true.
Cher and Hades; Hades and Cher. They've always had their own rules, have always been on a higher plane of existence, their power coming from a magic more powerful yet more obscure than others. Perhaps some may argue that obscurity makes it dark, and therefore evil, but these two have always been loyal to Akari and so there is no question of them seeing it like that.
The existence of the floating gardens, where the two of them are headed, is one such example of that. Once upon a time, it is said that the Goddess herself lived here, but now nobody does, not really. It is a world only for the two of them, and though it is their home most of the time they prefer to spend their time in another exclusive realm. That other world, it is one with boundaries that let in their other beloveds, the ones they once called comrades-in-arms and now call staff but who are as cherished as they've always been. But that is an insignificant place in comparison, merely a series of rooms, a secret building extension. How could it not be insignificant when they have this world at their disposal and theirs only?
As they arrive, is in the back of their minds that perhaps they should stay further down, closer to the school in case there are more tragedies they need to handle. Try and stem the damage that is slowly, slowly unfurling with control just out of their reach. Nonetheless, they are up here anyway, seeking a moment to themselves away from it all.
It is not just for such a moment that they are up here now, though. Watch, and that truth will be clear soon enough.
The skies darken below them and the trickling of the rivers turn the star-studded splendour into a dazzling ocean, and they walk across grassy plains and cross thin bridges older than time but still sturdy. Their hands are clasped together, and in their free hands one holds a cutting in a pot and the other holds a spade and a small glass bottle of water. They are looking for a place, the right place but not a pre-determined place and after some time of walking, they find it. It is somewhere at the edge, where the river water keeps steadily trickling down, a cherry tree on a slight incline nearby. They do not need to look at each other, let alone ask, to know that this is it.
After a moment of contemplation they let go of each other's hands reluctantly and kneel down, still side by side and begin to dig a hole slowly and carefully. The tree is taken out of the pot carefully, and then settled into the hole, before soil is put back in around it and patted down, covering the roots. The water is poured and then the two of them stand up and step back, staring at the tree for a moment. Almost in unison they close their eyes, lower their heads. A moment or two passes, as night glitters below them and their thread continues to stretch, their wishes mingling in the air even though they have not voiced them.
Prayers do not need to be voiced in order to be heard, after all.
The cutting remains small, but its branches unfurl, glowing their brilliant white, the new leaves as iridescent as those on the tree it came from. When Cher opens his eyes first, he smiles at the sight. Despite his power he cannot know whether the prayer will be answered, if it will make a difference in the end but all the same he smiles and taps Hades shoulder. She opens her eyes too, and studies the tree as she wonders aloud if this will work. The worry in her voice is plainer than it ever would be down below, or even in the rooms amongst their other beloveds. Cher's frown, too, is one that would only ever be seen up here, with her. The two look at each other, and then they lean into each other, embracing. She leans into his chest, he presses his face into her hair.
Cher and Hades; Hades and Cher.
There is nobody who really knows for sure what it is they are to each other, though there are plenty of possible answers. There is nobody who knows them enough to get close to the answer, not even their beloved others, whose threads have run alongside theirs for almost as long. They can be seen close by, each luminescence a slightly different colour. Amethyst, cobalt, emerald, leaf. Flame, amber, bronze, scarlet. Lemon yellow, pastel pink, and more besides. Not nearly as vivid as that pure gold, yet just as true. But despite that, they could not truly answer that question and perhaps they would not want to.
Even if anyone could or would give a definitive answer, it is not one that really matters. They are just Cher and Hades; Hades and Cher. It might seem that it has always been like that, that there has never been a time that they were not together, but if their thread is followed far back enough there is a point at which it begins, glowing red as befitting such an elusive, blood-soaked beginning as theirs. Everything begins somewhere, after all. Every thread in this tapestry came from somewhere.
As for endings though…well, who is to say? The tapestry is bigger than anyone in it, wider in scope than even these two powerful, entwined beings could ever understand. Until that end, however, there is no escaping the fact that it is the two of them. Cher and Hades; Hades and Cher. And here in the floating garden, no matter the facts of any eventual end, they'll always be so.
After a moment passes they step back, allowing breathing space, though they still hold onto each other, just by their hands instead. They both gaze out upon this world of theirs, vast and magnificent, beautiful but empty. Thoughts drift through their minds about the others and how they would all love this place, cherish it as they do. How they'd give it a little more life than it has now.
Sometimes, in the past, they've prayed for that too, but that is one prayer that's never come to be.
Perhaps though, there are times when it is a good thing. Because now, as the night crawls on below them and the tapestry continues to be weaved around them, they look at each other, then back the way they came, before nodding and making a decision. Letting go of each other's hands so they can link arms instead, they pick up their spade and bottle and the empty pot and walk past the cherry trees and the new tree. They cross yet another bridge, this one's weaving dotted with sparkling stones and walk beside a small bubbling stream and through long, swooshing grasses before they approach a small cottage.
It is modest- plain white walls, a thatched roof, roses growing along the side, But the pebbles that fill the path leading up to it look as though they are remnants of soft pink rosestone, and the edges glow a gold that is softer than their thread. It radiates warmth and welcome, and both Cher's and Hades' steps lighten as they get closer, the two of them allowing themselves to smile and laugh bashfully like children and lean in to each other to whisper plans and intentions for what to do once they have stepped inside and locked the door behind them.
It is not just prayer that they came here for, after all.
But what happens next won't be seen, not by any eyes. The moment will be woven into the tapestry, but not seen, as it is one of those moments that shouldn't be seen. So now, they'll be left here as Cher takes the key from his waistcoat pocket and turns it in the lock, as Hades pushes open the door and then gives a little curtsey before stepping inside. They will have their moment to themselves, this precious rare commodity and they will make the most of it until the time they have to return back, to their responsibilities and all the ever unfurling uncertainties. Until then though, they are Cher and Hades; Hades and Cher.
And here in the floating garden, that is one thing that will never change.
Some fun facts about this chapter:
-I actually initially wrote out this chapter very soon after the Round 2 lore was released, based on my initial reaction to reading about the floating gardens-which was basically "Wow, that's either really romantic or really lonely" and then wondering "But what if it's both?". I bashed this out in the space of a couple of evenings, then let it sit while I wrote the other chapters of Round 1, and then recently I tweaked and edited it and added in the quote above it. I guess this makes this a sort-of Valentine's Day chapter too, albeit one that's a day early :)
-Speaking of the quote, that poem was originally a calligram, but there was no way I was going to attempt to replicate the shape here on FF. I'll post a picture of the poem's original format somewhere (maybe my Twitter? maybe my Tumblr? We shall see) but basically the shape has the same name as the poem's title, and that title refers to a letter of Ogham, the earliest Irish alphabet. Also, yes, this Savage Her Reply is the same book that influenced my Kawaakari creation myth Breathe Into Life.
-I could have just called this 'INTERLUDE' but the choice of 'CAESURA' is partially because it's a word I like and I've been seeking an excuse to use it as a title for something for a while, but also because essentially this moment is supposed to be a pause where time is not counted as per the definition. Or at the very least, they are hoping for it to be that kind of moment, even if it isn't.
Anyway, anyway, I suppose now is a good time to say that I really hope that you all have been enjoying the story so far. I would love to hear your thoughts on it, whether that's through a review, or on Discord, or a message sent to my Tumblr or even on my (still admittedly new) Twitter. Especially if you're a member of a featured group or a KACB staff member, I'd enjoy hearing your thoughts on how I've portrayed your characters/stories/lore and anything else really. And of course, I hope that you will still be interested in reading this story when it continues.