i love the way that your heart breaks
with every injustice and deadly fate
Welcome, He says, and Raelynx smiles. He rarely smiles, but in that moment he does. The air is dank and fetid upon his face, a chill settling into his bones. And he smiles. He is meant to be here. There is little else he knows with such certainty, but he knows this.
There are others here, stinking of fear and uncertainty. He does not pity them. How can he? They are about to learn the joys of torment. They should be grateful they have such a masterful teacher.
And then they are all separated, partitioned from each other by sticky cell walls. He wonders what He has planned for them, and a shiver runs across his dark skin. It is a shiver of anticipation, of excitement. But then he blinks and the small chamber is gone. Confusion is uppermost in his mind. He cannot have been dreaming, can he? Oh, but what a dream it was.
He is lying upon his side in the dirt, so he stands, glancing around him with eyes flat as slate. He does not remember falling asleep here. But then, he often does not remember exactly where he has fallen asleep. It matters little to him. Stretching his neck forward, he shakes himself roughly. He notices something strange then. The tightness in his side where the scars pucker his skin is gone. Glancing back, his pewter eyes widen in shock. The white scars decorating his pelt are gone. Vanished as if they had never been.
But he is not given long to ponder this odd development. A shadowy figure steps from the nearby trees. Turning his bland gaze in that direction, he is oddly discomfited when the form solidifies into his mother. He has not seen her in what seems ages. Why is she here now?
A doting, benevolent smile graces her lips as she gazes upon him. It is a smile he has never seen before, one that is as disconcerting as it is unexpected. My dear, sweet boy, she croons. How I have missed you.
His large head jerks upwards in confusion. His mother has never been affectionate towards him. No, she could barely even manage to hide her disgust at the abomination she had birthed. And he had always relished her revulsion. She steps forward, that smile stuck upon her lips. Raelynx takes a reflexive step backwards, unsure of what is happening.
Come, dear Raelynx. Her smile deepens as her eyes warm to liquid chocolate. Let me protect you as I should have done.
”I don’t need you protection mother,” he spits at her, derision in his tone even as he retreats another step. Oh, but you do, she says. You really do, sweet Raelynx. She is next to him then, caressing his shoulder gently with her dark muzzle. He flinches violently, as though she had struck him rather than simply touched him. Horror tinges his widened gaze as he turns and flees, running unashamedly from this woman. A woman who looks like his mother but could not possibly be her.
When finally he stops running, he is breathing heavily, his slim barrel heaving as he struggles to draw breath. Where one might normally find discomfort in such exertion, he oddly finds none.
He freezes when a small creature scampers from the underbrush directly towards him. It is a squirrel, small and quick, its lustrous silver coat showing vigor and good health. It is surprisingly bold, scampering straight up to him with no sign of fear. This brings to mind a similar situation from nearly a year ago. A similar situation yet so vastly different. Lifting his foot, he brings it forward with the intent to quash the pitiful creature, but he freezes, unable to complete the action. He frowns, placing his hoof back onto the earth. If he didn’t know better, he would have said that the squirrel smiles at that, beady black eyes twinkling in amusement.
Chittering, it scrambles up his leg, small feet hooking into his body with only a slight tickling sensation. It scoots over his shoulder and along his neck until it reaches one cocked ear. It speaks then, a small, surprisingly dulcet voice slipping softly into the air. Do you remember me? It says. Oh yes, he remembers. He had killed it, but it had been weak and pitiful then, a broken thing.
It laughs, as though able to read his thoughts. It was a dream, all a dream. I am alive and well. You were not kind. You only thought you were. But here I am, lovely and whole.
Bewilderment reigns supreme then. How is that possible? His whole life could not possibly have been a dream. It was too good to have been a dream. But then, are dreams not always better than reality? Panic seizes him, tightening his throat as he shakes his head to rid himself of the blasted squirrel. But its laughter rings in his ear long after it has gone.
And then suddenly she is there. Cordis. No, it cannot possibly have been a dream. But her gaze is gentle as she looks upon him, a smile curving her silvery lips. His throat dries, a horrible premonition coming to him. Raelynx, she whispers, suddenly next him, electric skin so close and yet so achingly far. Her muzzle hovers above his shoulder, an echo of that day. He shudders, gray eyes begging for her touch.
No, Raelynx, she says then, muzzle skimming just a hair’s breadth above his neck before murmuring her words into his ear. You must be protected. It is too much. Too much for a weak boy like you.
”What?” The word slips helplessly from his lips, his expression dumbfounded. She could not possibly mean it.
”Please…” he whispers, but his throat is too paralyzed to continue. And suddenly, with a sweetly lingering smile, she vanishes, her final words ringing in the air. Listen to your mother, she says. Let her protect you.
”NO!” he screams, voice suddenly unstuck. ”No! Come back!” The words are ripped heedlessly from his throat as he stands upon trembling legs.
”Please.” The last is expelled on a soft, hopeless exhale.
And without warning his mother materializes from the mist, walking towards him with that benevolent smile upon her face. He shrieks at her angrily, lashing out in sheer panic. But his blows never land, his strikes swinging wide. And so he runs, careening blindly through the brush. The branches tug at his skin, never once leaving a mark. Only the barest hint of a caress tells of their passing. And when he is too tired to continue, he halts, tears leaking from his eyes, leaving trails along perfectly unmarked cheeks. His mother is there, waiting for him, lips curved so sweetly.
His head slumps, the horror too much to bear. And suddenly the walls of his cell surround him, but he cannot quite decide whether this is a dream or reality.
Raelynx
khaos x eyrie