05-17-2024, 08:11 PM
Diable Rouge
>
"The redwoods feel lonely and lunar and distant, the sun comes in fragments through breaks in the trees, and I feel further from home than I've ever been…these thin lines of light across space tether you to me…"
The pain of rebirth had subsided. A bright, white light crept through the darkness, beckoning the chaser forward.
Home…A voice calls from the light. It is unfamiliar, but tender; trustworthy. ...Go home, Diable Rouge. Despite the uncertainty, Rou follows the voice and walks into the light. A gentle presence embraces him, filling him with warmth and comfort. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and allows it to bring him home - back to Beqanna.
***
Diable Rouge isn’t sure how long he had slept.
Beneath the shade of the towering oak, he rests, curled like a foal against its trunk. Early spring has fallen upon Beqanna, just in time for his rebirth. Grass pokes out from beneath half-melted snow, rodents and bears emerge from their deep winter slumber, and the hazy silver sky turns a welcoming shade of blue. Rou hears the soft coo of mourning doves and the gentle babble of the half-frozen stream before he is fully awake.
He slowly opens his working eye, and it takes him several minutes before he adjusts to the sun’s light. Warm rays of light break through the branches of the oak, bathing the chaser in warmth. He hadn’t felt it in so long, he can barely bring himself to move from his spot. He didn’t realize how much he’d missed feeling the sun on his face, or hearing the chitters of squirrels, or watching the early spring perennials try their best to make their appearance.
He didn’t realize how much he’d missed…living.
He is alive...once again. A second chance not granted to most had been granted to him. Alive...I'm alive.
Diable Rouge, in a moment of pure bliss, rolls to his back with a joyful sigh. Back and forth he rolls, until finally he rises onto four legs and shakes from head to tail. He’s grinning, wider than he had in years. There’s much he has to do, lost time to make up for, but for now, he basks in the sun.
As he bathes in the warmth, his mind drifts to AuroraElis. He remembers how beautiful she looked in the springtime - more so than usual. Maybe it was the way her caramel frame ran through the newly grown grass or the contrast of her blue and green feathers next to the vast floral blooms, but she seemed to shine around this time of year.
What a beautiful coincidence that he would, hopefully, find her during this season - the season of renewal and transformations. Rou knows it has been decades since they last saw each other and he knows that things surely have changed with her…but he hopes, deep down, that they would be able to pick up where they left off. He wants to embrace her, his towering frame reaching over her withers and pulling her into him.
“Aurora…” He speaks her name to himself, a subdued whisper, feeling it on his tongue. It feels close, intimate. “Ru…” He mutters, chuckling at their shared nickname. It had been like they were meant to be from the beginning. An invisible string had tied them together then, and a connection like that is hard to sever.
Suddenly, he hears the loud jeer of a blue jay, followed by its burbling chirp. Rou looks up and sees it staring at him from a nearby oak. It jumps closer on the branch, tilting its head, before flying away. He watches his blue wings as they glimmer in the sun - an all too familiar sight. The entire interaction only lasts a moment, but the chaser takes it as a sign - he needs to find her.
"...well I saw you last night in my dreams, but there were azaleas where your face should be…they don’t have much, but goddamn they’ve got love."
The pain of rebirth had subsided. A bright, white light crept through the darkness, beckoning the chaser forward.
Home…A voice calls from the light. It is unfamiliar, but tender; trustworthy. ...Go home, Diable Rouge. Despite the uncertainty, Rou follows the voice and walks into the light. A gentle presence embraces him, filling him with warmth and comfort. He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and allows it to bring him home - back to Beqanna.
***
Diable Rouge isn’t sure how long he had slept.
Beneath the shade of the towering oak, he rests, curled like a foal against its trunk. Early spring has fallen upon Beqanna, just in time for his rebirth. Grass pokes out from beneath half-melted snow, rodents and bears emerge from their deep winter slumber, and the hazy silver sky turns a welcoming shade of blue. Rou hears the soft coo of mourning doves and the gentle babble of the half-frozen stream before he is fully awake.
He slowly opens his working eye, and it takes him several minutes before he adjusts to the sun’s light. Warm rays of light break through the branches of the oak, bathing the chaser in warmth. He hadn’t felt it in so long, he can barely bring himself to move from his spot. He didn’t realize how much he’d missed feeling the sun on his face, or hearing the chitters of squirrels, or watching the early spring perennials try their best to make their appearance.
He didn’t realize how much he’d missed…living.
He is alive...once again. A second chance not granted to most had been granted to him. Alive...I'm alive.
Diable Rouge, in a moment of pure bliss, rolls to his back with a joyful sigh. Back and forth he rolls, until finally he rises onto four legs and shakes from head to tail. He’s grinning, wider than he had in years. There’s much he has to do, lost time to make up for, but for now, he basks in the sun.
As he bathes in the warmth, his mind drifts to AuroraElis. He remembers how beautiful she looked in the springtime - more so than usual. Maybe it was the way her caramel frame ran through the newly grown grass or the contrast of her blue and green feathers next to the vast floral blooms, but she seemed to shine around this time of year.
What a beautiful coincidence that he would, hopefully, find her during this season - the season of renewal and transformations. Rou knows it has been decades since they last saw each other and he knows that things surely have changed with her…but he hopes, deep down, that they would be able to pick up where they left off. He wants to embrace her, his towering frame reaching over her withers and pulling her into him.
“Aurora…” He speaks her name to himself, a subdued whisper, feeling it on his tongue. It feels close, intimate. “Ru…” He mutters, chuckling at their shared nickname. It had been like they were meant to be from the beginning. An invisible string had tied them together then, and a connection like that is hard to sever.
Suddenly, he hears the loud jeer of a blue jay, followed by its burbling chirp. Rou looks up and sees it staring at him from a nearby oak. It jumps closer on the branch, tilting its head, before flying away. He watches his blue wings as they glimmer in the sun - an all too familiar sight. The entire interaction only lasts a moment, but the chaser takes it as a sign - he needs to find her.
"...well I saw you last night in my dreams, but there were azaleas where your face should be…they don’t have much, but goddamn they’ve got love."
I'm learning how to put the pieces back together, turn the aching to composure
@
AuroraElis if you would like to join 
@
AuroraElis if you would like to join
i'm learning how to put the pieces back together, turn the aching to composure
05-20-2024, 07:33 PM
Diable Rouge
>
“Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven…”
The universe works in mysterious ways.
Diable Rouge had no idea why he decided to follow the blue jay as it flew off the towering oak. All he knew is that the azure feathers reminded him of her and the bird had looked at him in a way that drew him to follow, so he did. It was probably a five minute walk from where they had started to where the jeering bird finally landed beneath another oak’s understory, close to the burbling river. He watches the little bird as it climbs into the shrub, probably to find its nest. Rou smiles, looks away from the bush and back towards the river.
That is when he saw her.
Their love must’ve been cosmic - they must’ve been birthed from the same stardust, the universe must’ve wanted them together. That is the only explanation he could come up with when he sees her across the water, staring at the same bush he was, if only a bit closer.
AuroraElis is as beautiful today as she was the last day he saw her. Her honey brown skin; her flowing ivory locks; her massive gown of peacock feathers. She glitters in the warm spring sun, light refracting off her silhouette, as if coated in crystals. By god she is there.
Standing a mere yard away from her, Rou watches as she turns away. The chaser lets out a loud, longing whinny. He wastes no time, galloping towards her. “Aurora!” He calls for her, hopeful, yearning. Even when he reaches the stream, the half-melted ice and rocks are not enough to stop him. He stomps through the ice, crushing it beneath his hooves, slipping on moss-covered boulders, until he is there, right behind her, desperate to meet her gaze.
“AuroraElis…” He says shakily. Rou realizes he probably looks ridiculous. He’s half-soaked and out of breath, but he barely cares. The chaser can’t believe she is there, in front of him, in the flesh, rather than in his dreams. He wants to say more, he wants to embrace he like he’s dreamed of for decades, but instead he just stands there, more sheepish than he’s ever been.
“I’m sorry.” The only other words he can muster before he bursts into pitiful tears in front of her.
"...time, wondrous time, gave me the blues and then purple-pink skies. And isn't it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string tying you to me."
The universe works in mysterious ways.
Diable Rouge had no idea why he decided to follow the blue jay as it flew off the towering oak. All he knew is that the azure feathers reminded him of her and the bird had looked at him in a way that drew him to follow, so he did. It was probably a five minute walk from where they had started to where the jeering bird finally landed beneath another oak’s understory, close to the burbling river. He watches the little bird as it climbs into the shrub, probably to find its nest. Rou smiles, looks away from the bush and back towards the river.
That is when he saw her.
Their love must’ve been cosmic - they must’ve been birthed from the same stardust, the universe must’ve wanted them together. That is the only explanation he could come up with when he sees her across the water, staring at the same bush he was, if only a bit closer.
AuroraElis is as beautiful today as she was the last day he saw her. Her honey brown skin; her flowing ivory locks; her massive gown of peacock feathers. She glitters in the warm spring sun, light refracting off her silhouette, as if coated in crystals. By god she is there.
Standing a mere yard away from her, Rou watches as she turns away. The chaser lets out a loud, longing whinny. He wastes no time, galloping towards her. “Aurora!” He calls for her, hopeful, yearning. Even when he reaches the stream, the half-melted ice and rocks are not enough to stop him. He stomps through the ice, crushing it beneath his hooves, slipping on moss-covered boulders, until he is there, right behind her, desperate to meet her gaze.
“AuroraElis…” He says shakily. Rou realizes he probably looks ridiculous. He’s half-soaked and out of breath, but he barely cares. The chaser can’t believe she is there, in front of him, in the flesh, rather than in his dreams. He wants to say more, he wants to embrace he like he’s dreamed of for decades, but instead he just stands there, more sheepish than he’s ever been.
“I’m sorry.” The only other words he can muster before he bursts into pitiful tears in front of her.
"...time, wondrous time, gave me the blues and then purple-pink skies. And isn't it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string tying you to me."
Not All That Glitters is Gold
05-21-2024, 12:49 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-21-2024, 01:17 PM by AuroraElis.)
AuroraElis
Not all that glitters is gold
i'm learning how to put the pieces back together, turn the aching to composure
05-26-2024, 09:15 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-26-2024, 09:16 PM by Diable Rouge.)
Diable Rouge
>The water billows around his leg - cold in the early spring weather. He stands there, damp, shivering staring at her with tears streaming down his face as she stares at him in disbelief. Death had separated them long ago - it comes as no surprise that she wouldn't believe it was real.
"Yes..." He answers her when she asks if it is him. He looks down at himself, chuckles a bit at how pathetic he looks, then meets her gaze again. "Yes, it is really me." Diable Rouge wants to tell her of the story - to let her know about the dreams, about the strange magician in the Afterlife, about the sacrifice he made to come back to her, about the searing pain. However, none of those words find his lips - how could he so selfishly regale his tales when she had suffered in his absence?
Rou pulls himself from the freezing stream, moves closer to her. She smells familiar - home - like honeysuckle and rose. He doesn't dare cross her boundaries, instead allowing her to see him in the flesh, to show her that he is really there.
"Y-you came back." She says through shaking breath, gracing him with a smile he's not so sure he deserves. So much had probably changed in three decades. He feels ashamed, selfish for showing up unannounced when she undoubtedly had moved on. However, when he sees her smile, looks carefully at her perfect face, he forgets to even care.
"I did..." The chaser says simply. He stands only feet from her, and despite the urge to move closer, he does not. He looks down to his hooves, brows furrowing. "I'm sorry I left in the first place, Aurora." Tears begin to pour down his face again and he crinkles his eyes together, desperately blinking them away. "And I'm sorry for coming back...unannounced. I guess there isn't really an optimal time for rebirth."