under a swollen silver moon; topsail

[etro]

etro --

in the hushing dusk, under a swollen silver moon,
I came walking with the wind to watch the cactus bloom

Etro was not in control of her trait like many were these days. She could not wield it like a sword and she could not sheath it when she wanted. Instead, it was something woven into her DNA and something that just was part of who she was. She felt it with every breath, and she felt it with every thrum of her heart. Still, with practice, she had learned how to rein it in. It took effort and it hurt, but she tried it now. She felt her way toward the edges of the negation, and she tugged. Sweat broke out on her neck, the plain brown of her coat beginning to darken, but she concentrated until she felt the air around her becoming lighter.

She was not able to completely cancel it out, but she could make it easier.
Or, at least, she could hope that it was easier for her companion.

“Yes, that’s me,” she finally says, and it would be impossible to not notice the sadness in her eyes, the way her voice fell slightly at the confession. “I…” her voice breaks a little, and she shakes her somewhat ugly head, “I cancel out magic.” It was the first time she had admitted it aloud—the first time that she had really admitted it to herself. It was not something she appreciated or loved about herself. She wished with everything that she was able to lose that piece of herself and watch her mother in all of her glory rather than watch her strain against Etro’s smothering ability. She wish she could watch Kingslay burn.

“I don’t know why, or how.” She frowns, shrugging her shoulders before giving a sad smile. “I am really sorry,” she hunts for the words again. “I didn’t mean to make this more difficult for you.”

-- vanquish and yael's forgotten trait-negating princess --