"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
Of course he has returned, but in reality, he never left.
Tiphon dissipated from their view but he has always been here, watching them thrive beneath his son's reign. He has been their air in their lungs and the wind against their skin, he has been the sunshine warming their backs and the moon illuminating the darkest nights. The Dale is as much a part of him as he is a part of it. This is where he found life and a purpose and where he instilled that same sense of belonging in those around him. This is where he realized that he isn't immune to love as he initially thought.
So much of his life happened here that he could never turn his back on it.
Although it's daylight in the midst of afternoon, there is a flash in the blue sky. It's blinding and so sudden that it could've easily been missed by blinking. The light touches the tall grass near the gurgling brook. A wind lifts and swirls and the birds squawk in startle. Then as quickly as it happened, everything is still and quiet.
Tiphon's body materializes slowly. The golden sheen of his legs appear first, then his porcelain torso, neck, and head. His massive wings appear afterward as an afterthought as they stretch to their full length. It has been years (already that long?) since he has been whole and entirely himself. It actually feels foreign to be in his own body and looking around the Dale with his own molten eyes. They glitter with joy as the wind kisses his skin and welcomes him home.
09-29-2015, 11:25 PM (This post was last modified: 09-30-2015, 12:59 AM by Elysteria.)
Elysteria
Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like a volcano, then subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision.
It is early afternoon when she feels him. The sun shines brightly down from a cloudless blue sky, warming the earth, caressing her skin. The heat feels exquisite upon her flesh, loosening the stressed muscle in her shoulder. But when she feels the new emotions ping suddenly against the edges of her consciousness, all thoughts of relaxation are forgotten.
She doesn’t recognize him by his emotions alone. Her gift is too new, it has been far too long since she had last seen him. But she is curious, drawn by the unknown presence that had suddenly materialized in the midst of the Dale. And so she turns, following her senses in order to find him. As she walks, she favors her right forelimb. Though her shoulder has mostly healed, it still pains her. She wonders if it will pain her for the rest of her life.
When she sees him, she halts abruptly in surprise. She had not expected to find him here, though she should have. Where else would he be?
Tears prick her eyes as she stares at him, but as shock gives way to happiness, a brilliant smile curves her lips. She steps forward, half expecting him to disappear before she reaches him. But he does not. He is here, real and solid. A mixture of emotions well, overwhelming her with years of pent up longings, fears, joys, and sorrows. In the end though, her greeting is simple.
“Tiphon. It has been a while.”
Her words are soft, happiness warming her tone. Her russet eyes are fixed on him, studying him, ensuring his wellness for herself. He appears unchanged, the same stallion she had last laid eyes upon years ago now. Such a sight for sore eyes. She has not been so fortunate. Though she has not aged a day since last they had met, her once flawless bay coat now has a handful of jagged scars decorating her shoulder, barrel and flank.
You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is.
He hadn't called for anyone because he knew someone would come. There is always a Dalean wandering the rolling hills and keeping their eyes on the border as well as their path ahead. It wouldn't be long until his time alone would draw to an end. Tiphon waited in anticipation. Will it be his son? Elysteria? Talulah? Or a grandchild even? A feeble grin twitches at the corners of his mouth as his eyes are cast down to his hooves. He can feel the grass tickle his legs for the first time in years. In this moment he realizes how many things he has taken for granted.
When his gaze lifts she is standing there. She is so delicate just as she has always been. Her warm brown eyes find his and they lock onto each other. He can see the tears welling inside and he can almost feel the storm of emotions brewing. A hesitant step is taken toward her. For a moment, he wonders himself if all of this is just a dream and he is, in fact, not whole yet. Is he still just the world? Is he just replaying old memories? A breath catches in his throat when he sees her subtle limp. There had been one thing he promised and that was to protect her, but he failed.
He failed at something else, but this time it hurts him far more deeply.
"Elysteria," he sighs her name in adoration as the distance between them gradually closes. They're both afraid this will end too soon. "My dearest Elysteria," it hurts to see her battered, but her fire and spirit still burns strong. With their bodies close he can feel her heat radiating across him like a mother's embrace, but he doesn't pull her in. Tiphon pauses. His molten eyes can't help but trace the scars along her shoulder and side. "I'm so sorry," he whispers as his head droops, "What happened?"
Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like a volcano, then subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision.
For a moment, she does think that she might be dreaming. She had waited so long to see him standing before her once again. She had always known she would see him again, always known that he would return, always known that she would be waiting. But standing here, staring at his familiar features, the moment feels surreal to her. And she knows that he feels it too. She can feel the kaleidoscope of emotions within him.
She takes a step towards him, and another, and another, until they are close enough to touch. She doesn’t, not yet, half afraid that he will disappear before her skin can touch his. And then she can feel his pain and sorrow, his regret. She knows then that he has truly seen her, seen the stories written into her skin, into her very bones. A sadness rises within her, for him, for herself. He questions, and she wishes that she could have better answers to give to him.
She doesn’t reply immediately. Instead she allows her muzzle to fall against his skin, pressing closer into his warmth and comfort, red and black against white and gold. She had missed this, missed him. His time away had made so many things clear to her, had shown her just how erroneous her fears had been. She sighs softly, her breath fanning his skin as she considers just what to tell him. The truth, of course. She could never lie to him. But in this instance, the truth is so very complicated.
“I don’t know.”
That is the most honest answer she has. She still has not been able to learn what had truly happened that day, still does not know who the man had been that had taken so much from her. She may never know.
“One minute, I was myself. The next, there was another, taking over my mind… my body. He tried to fly, and he couldn’t. I fell.”
She is far too aware of just how crazy she sounds, how confusing and jumbled her explanation is. But it is no less than she feels. It had been a terrifying experience, one she is not keen to relive. Unfortunately it is one that never seems to leave her mind, plaguing her with the mystery of the unsolved.
But for now, she wants only to bask in the joy of his return. She does not wish to dwell upon past horrors, even though she knows that it is inevitable. So she leans into him, closing her eyes briefly, as though to block out the painful memories. When she opens them again, her russet gaze finds his golden one as she struggles to suppress the ghosts of her past.
“You look… incredible.”
You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is.
The thought is there, but it never makes it past his lips, not when he sees her battered and bruised. This is because he didn't protect her, because he left after stepping down from the throne. Without even a goodbye or another word Tiphon faded into the open air and took the opportunity to experience a life without burden or responsibility except to keep the sun bright and warm for them.
Except he's realizing now how much he actually failed.
His brows furrow as a stabbing pain shoots through him; he isn't injured, but he is disappointed in himself when he stares into her sweet, longing eyes. "I failed you," he breathes the words into her skin as their bodies finally connect, "again." This all seems so familiar; it has happened before. Tiphon wants so bad to cradle her close for eternity, but his mind is unable to wrap around his faults. There is someone who could protect her better and not disappear so often as he has. A thoughtful bite of his lip is concealed from her view before he murmurs into her neck, "I can heal you. I can make the pain go away," he actually isn't sure of his full capabilities. A long time ago he was able to delay a stallion's death, but it was something present and active. Her wounds are old now but the scars are still there, beaming at him like spotlights. They make his stomach lurch. She was once unmarked, untouched. It doesn't change his view of her; she is strong to have escaped whatever power entered her mind. Lurking inside her is a soldier that he didn't know existed.
He embraces Elysteria more tightly now with his cheek pressed against her. "Only because I'm here with you again," her presence elicits an extra brightness inside him, added joy that he cannot hide no matter the circumstances. Despite his shortcomings and faults Tiphon is still able to smile when their eyes meet again until he reminds himself by sparing a glance to her scars. "I've failed you so many times. There are so many others who wouldn't fail you, who wouldn't let you get hurt," his voice weakens as he feels vulnerable and weak, "and yet I can't ever let you go."
Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like a volcano, then subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision.
He does not need to say the words for her to know. She can feel them as clearly as if he had spoken it aloud. She knows in that moment that she has always loved him. That she always would. At first she had fought it, unwilling to relive the horrors of her youth. But this was not the same, could never be the same. He would never hurt her, not intentionally.
She had been confused by his absence, wondering why he had disappeared, when he would return. But he is here now, and she understands. She feels a little guilty, prying as she is into his emotions (even if she cannot help it. She still does not know how or if she can dampen the ability). But still, she is glad for it. She sees things now so much more clearly than she ever has before.
She can also sense his regret, his self-recrimination. She has already forgiven him. She has never been able to hold a grudge, especially not against him.
When his words whisper against her skin, her eyes slide close as she leans into his touch. He believes that he has failed her. But he never could. He is here now, and that is all that matters. If anyone had failed her, it had been herself. For a woman that prides herself on her ability to care for herself, she certainly had been doing a poor job of it.
His offer of healing warms her heart. She could have gone elsewhere to be healed. Likely should have. But pride had prevented her. She had been loathe to allow others to see such weakness in her. And now… now she suspects it is too late. She releases a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as her russet eyes open, finding Tiphon’s gaze.
“It is not too late?”
His touch is like a balm against her skin, soothing the worst of her hurts and fears away. His next words bring a small, bright smile to her lips. She returns his embrace, happiness filling her for the first time in months (years?). She wishes that she could take the sorrow from his eyes, from his voice as he continues, wishes that she could take back those scars so that their reunion would be filled only with joy. And so, when she responds, she fills her words with every ounce of the sincerity that she feels.
“I don’t want you to.”
You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is.
