There is a moment of very real anger burning behind Lilli’s eyes. When her head had sharply turned, what she had expected and what she received were two very different things. The latter is a gift. The latter is a savior. If only the fog surrounding them could dissipate as easily, as quickly as her fury did.
It’s shock that runs through her, a far more chilling thing than the icy ocean current. A laugh chokes in her throat and almost turns to ash where her rage had been. Instead it just blossoms between them, a sound that hitches somewhere between her heart and their last meeting. Elaina bumps her shoulder and Lilliana presses into it, finding a steadiness that she doesn’t often find these days. It’s always one extreme or the other - too much or too little.
"I was always a klutz,” the chestnut says sardonically. The smile that follows is tight but it doesn’t matter. Her blue eyes are lovingly resting on Elaina’s ghost-like form, just as haunting as ever (how many times has Lilli burned that image behind her eyes?). She always likened her cousin to a beacon but in this moment, Lilli wonders if she is more of a sword. Whatever the years have done to either of them, the palomino mare carves them away with clear-cut ease. "And you always had your head in the flowers,” Lilli says hoarsely, remembering all those open meadows and the wild array of color in spring.
Of the days they spent chasing down dreams and spring.
Tonight, for a few hours at least, the world holds a bit of Magic again.
The rhythm of the waves below them seem to echo the words that the pair already imagine in their minds. Lilliana has already said her apology (and she will say it again and again and again) and in the echoing cadence of their shared youth, Elaina apologizes too. That wraps around Lilli’s heart - making it ache - and the light touch against her blonde neck is a practiced response. It’s one that she’s done a thousand times from when their troubles had simply been skinned knees and tangled briars in their manes.
Another brisk wave laps against their legs, sharpening her senses and Lilliana pulls away.
In the chill of the evening, the chestnut says: "Always.” There is nothing that Elaina can do, can say that won’t be forgiven. (Hasn’t there always been something about her fiery cousin that lingered between sin and salvation, making her a religion all her own?) "Except that,” Lilli replies. Isn’t that what they were apologizing for, really? Lilliana who always seemed to be apologizing for failing to keep her family together, Elaina who always apologized for trying to put more time and distance besides the six feet that separated her from Benjamin and Beylani.
Lilliana is listening but in this moment, Elaina might as well be speaking the language of the waves. Each word crashes against her heart but all she hears is a loud roar in her ears.
I can’t let you protect me anymore.
"You’ve always been a cliff dancer,” the copper mare says with a release of silver smoke. Her blue eyes look to an expanse of dark sea, an edge where she has always pictured Elaina waiting on some shoreline. The warmth of her is here, though. Turning her head with the weight of that distance between them, Lilliana offers a small smile. She won’t promise anything just yet. They’ve made them and broken them.. How many times now? Two? Three times?
If they go down this road, she is certain, there will be a fourth time.
(And how does she tell you, @[Elaina], of the other promises she made? She hadn't been able to keep those ones, either.)
"Do you remember," Lilli asks, "when you were afraid of the dark?”
It’s shock that runs through her, a far more chilling thing than the icy ocean current. A laugh chokes in her throat and almost turns to ash where her rage had been. Instead it just blossoms between them, a sound that hitches somewhere between her heart and their last meeting. Elaina bumps her shoulder and Lilliana presses into it, finding a steadiness that she doesn’t often find these days. It’s always one extreme or the other - too much or too little.
"I was always a klutz,” the chestnut says sardonically. The smile that follows is tight but it doesn’t matter. Her blue eyes are lovingly resting on Elaina’s ghost-like form, just as haunting as ever (how many times has Lilli burned that image behind her eyes?). She always likened her cousin to a beacon but in this moment, Lilli wonders if she is more of a sword. Whatever the years have done to either of them, the palomino mare carves them away with clear-cut ease. "And you always had your head in the flowers,” Lilli says hoarsely, remembering all those open meadows and the wild array of color in spring.
Of the days they spent chasing down dreams and spring.
Tonight, for a few hours at least, the world holds a bit of Magic again.
The rhythm of the waves below them seem to echo the words that the pair already imagine in their minds. Lilliana has already said her apology (and she will say it again and again and again) and in the echoing cadence of their shared youth, Elaina apologizes too. That wraps around Lilli’s heart - making it ache - and the light touch against her blonde neck is a practiced response. It’s one that she’s done a thousand times from when their troubles had simply been skinned knees and tangled briars in their manes.
Another brisk wave laps against their legs, sharpening her senses and Lilliana pulls away.
In the chill of the evening, the chestnut says: "Always.” There is nothing that Elaina can do, can say that won’t be forgiven. (Hasn’t there always been something about her fiery cousin that lingered between sin and salvation, making her a religion all her own?) "Except that,” Lilli replies. Isn’t that what they were apologizing for, really? Lilliana who always seemed to be apologizing for failing to keep her family together, Elaina who always apologized for trying to put more time and distance besides the six feet that separated her from Benjamin and Beylani.
Lilliana is listening but in this moment, Elaina might as well be speaking the language of the waves. Each word crashes against her heart but all she hears is a loud roar in her ears.
I can’t let you protect me anymore.
"You’ve always been a cliff dancer,” the copper mare says with a release of silver smoke. Her blue eyes look to an expanse of dark sea, an edge where she has always pictured Elaina waiting on some shoreline. The warmth of her is here, though. Turning her head with the weight of that distance between them, Lilliana offers a small smile. She won’t promise anything just yet. They’ve made them and broken them.. How many times now? Two? Three times?
If they go down this road, she is certain, there will be a fourth time.
(And how does she tell you, @[Elaina], of the other promises she made? She hadn't been able to keep those ones, either.)
"Do you remember," Lilli asks, "when you were afraid of the dark?”
LILLIANA
all that i'm after is a life full of laughter
(as long as i'm laughing with you)
but it's all in the past, love
it's all gone with the wind