Solace
Solace was growing. She was a child of summer and warmth surrounded by love and she was blossoming. She loved the structure of Tepra, the way she saw the same faces day in and day out, each like a friend even if she had never summoned the courage to actually speak with them.
But as summer turned to fall she was beginning to realize that she was very different from her mother and brother. Those two had many similarities - both were restless, both didn't always think out the consequences of their actions. Occasionally her natural thoughtful carefulness left her feeling more like the mother than the daughter.
One night Tangerine (it made her feel very grown-up to call her mother by her name in her mind) had even slipped off and crossed the channel which protected Tephra from the outside world. That night Solace had been filled with a creeping dread which made her limbs turn cold - but she had stayed put, curled up next to her brother, unable sleep. Tremors had passed over her little body and her eyes had stayed fixed on the horizon for hours. But she was not afraid for their safety - what terrified her was to think Svedka had the same roaming soul.
She didn't admit it to him, or anyone, but she loved her brother with the ferocity of a mother and the easy friendship of a sister.
But today found the two of them apart. Her mother said it was good for both of them to spend one on one time with their father and today Tangerine and Solace are alone near the border.
When mother is with father she seems content and happy, but other times (when she doesn't have to chase Svedka and she had time to be still), Solace sees Tang draw into her thoughts. When she gets in one of these moods they often wander to the Ocean. Her mother's gaze seems to look beyond the waves and the void look on Tang's face makes Solace uncomfortable.
Their silence is broken by a call. To Solace's surprise, Tang reacts with more interest than she has to anything else that day, turning swiftly in the direction of the sound. "Solace, come with me, there is someone I would like you to meet." And the daughter dutifully follows.
you are my sunshine
I'm going to put up a Tang reply in a few