Thread: blah blah ,something something

Solace Having spent a long night waiting Solace stretched, her cold stiff joints objecting to the motion,her muscles even more so. The rising sun brought a soft smile to her features. Pale skin reflecting the array of colours the sky had to offer as the Sun first peeked over the horizon . If her decision was accepted she would only see one more sunrise after this , then there would be darkness. Everyone else would be safe though, for a while at least. Exhaling , the brisk air making breath visible from rose pink lips , her mouth promised tenderness , warmth, fragrance, comfort a place to fall into and lose yourself. Raven black waves that could have been gifted by Nyx herself, framed her face, pulling her hair up into a bun, unruly tendrils escaping reflecting some of the girls nature , her desire to be free. When the sun finally rose high enough to cast back the shadow from her eyes it revealed they too were as dark as the sky had been that moonless night. They showed no fear at the weighted decision she had made, no indication that she had given up her right to any sort of future. In her minds eye she had cast off the chains that bound her to an existence once filled with fear. By taking the choice, by making it her own, it had lost all power over her. The walk back to the village was enough to ensure any doubts remained buried, as she watched children play carefree in the morning sun, a few of her peers, other girls as yet uncoupled still wore worried looks as they made their way to the Patriarchs holding. Some parents held onto their girls weeping, hands clasped in silent prayer, others were stoic in their resolve , if fate spoke then so it would be. Tonight would bring the last night of the new moon, the three chosen girls would be prepared. Well fed and good wine to warm their bones , in the hour before dawn they' d be taken and bound at the mound south of the village gates and left to await their fate. Solace stood quietly , she had no family to pray for her, no suitor to beg for her , alone she would stand listening. The pleas, the reasons, so many reasons why their daughters could not go, would not be taken. At least 3 had given away their Maidenhead in the last three nights, much to the chargrin of the Patriarch. Soon sorrow turned to anger and bickering, families at each other's throats, a young girl, too young was pulled into the fray her mother howling, distraught with the pain that only a mother knows at the loss of her child. Finally Solace stepped forward, the melodic lilt to her voice too quiet to be heard over the rabble, and chaos . Fear making them deaf and blind to their surroundings. Once again she tried to make herself heard to no avail, though something caused the Patriarch to look up from his placement at the head of the table, his grey eyes scanned the room until they met the girls soulful orbs. For a moment they regarded each other, Solace offered nothing more than a slight nod , his brows furrowed for a moment, then understanding became apparent in his expression, he gave her a moment longer only to consider her decision . Seeing that she remained resolute , he nodded. The Patriarchs voice bellowed as he stood raising both hands and slamming them down on the table. Enough, the decisions are made, those of you with families make your arrangements, say your goodbyes and return here at midnight! The entire room stunned to silence , then came alive with the sounds of mutterings and questions , eventually the questions became theories and speculation. 'What had happened ?' 'Who had they decided?' Then realising that it might be better to simply leave, rather than question their good fortune the remaining families and girls scattered, hurrying back to their homes. Solace watched as the young girl who had been dragged into the argument terrified and confused allowed a smile to turn the corners of her lips and her pale blue eyes brimmed with tears of relief as her father wrapped her in his arms and took her away. That simple scene was enough to reassure Solace she had made the right decision. In five years when this happened again, hopefully she would be coupled and safe. Life as a wife , barefoot and pregnant from the night of her coupling was not in the dreams Solace had. Death was most certainly preferable to that fate. She knew not why she had feared that future so much. Whilst most girls giggled behind their hands and made eyes at those they were promised to, and even at those they weren't , Solace would spend her days running with the dogs , hunting or tracking. Her nights camped out up a tree. They made fun of her figure, lithe and lean, her movements feline in their grace, and with an efficiency rare in someone untrained as she was. No muscle moved unless it was required for the job at hand, it gave her a confidence in her body that others did not have. Although she was aware she would never be considered a muse for a great lovers sonnet, and no-one would wax lyrical over her luxurious figure or generous curves, she was content to be as she was. So the night came , she sat quietly ,when fear threatened to overwhelm the others, she sang them songs from their summers. Lifting their spirits enough so they might eat, encouraging them do drink a little more than perhaps they would have , because she knew good food and wine would bring on sleep. Sure enough she helped them to their cots, she brushed their hair and kissed them both goodnight as their mothers might have done. Sleep did not come for her though, she sat and watched the fire, made stories with the images she saw in there. Two hours before dawn she woke the others, loosed their hair , dressed them in the simple white shifts that was all they would be required to wear. Finally she loosed her own hair it cascaded as though the night itself had been painted down her back, stopping at her waist. The shift was only slightly paler than her own skin, open to her breastbone and the length stopped midway down her thigh. Not a lot to guard against the brisk morning air. They stepped outside, the village stood and greeted them, gave them offerings, more than a few raised an eyebrow when they saw Solace placed between the two who were already known to be sacrificed. The sky had just begun to grey , the darkness receding ever so slightly as they reached the pillars where the girls were to be bound. Again Solace did her best to calm the other two, showing no fear of her own, but she did feel sadness for them. Hiding it well for fear it would escalate and become hysteria. Finally she stood her back against her pillar ,placing her hands behind her and allowing them fastened. As the footsteps receded into the distance, one of the girls began to sob quietly and again Solace sought a song from their childhood with which to calm the girl. Whilst she sang the horizon began to pale then light up, and for a moment the dawn was before them, only to suddenly be replaced by an unnatural darkness, what brought that darkness she could not see.