|
Dark ruby eyes regarded the world with quiet apprehension. Nayati was small, would always be tiny in fact. Everything around her was so much larger, so much stronger. Without Svetlana, Romani, Abdullah...everyone she relied on had suddenly disappeared. Without someone to hide behind, she had forced herself out into the world. Bale was the only person she had left in the world, she felt. Some days she was good, and could walk about in the quiet bubble she lived in. But most days that bubble was popped and she was left frightened and skittish, jumping at every noise. Hope and fear lingered in every noise, for she was hopeful that someone she knew was coming, but also fearful that Mother had returned. Her scar ached with every lurch, and emotionally throbbed despite being mostly scarred over and healed. It went along the length of her body, from her flank nearly to her shoulder. It was a hideous thing, and she was very self conscious about it, but held tightly to those that had promised her she was perfect and not ugly. That Mother's words were not true.
A flock of birds erupted from the tree next to her in a flurry of wings and squawking, and Nayati gave a short scream of terror as it made her heart lurch almost painfully. Before she could even remember moving she was running, dashing away on tiny thin legs. Eyes wild and scared, far too young and mentally scarred to be on her own. Tears filled her pretty eyes but did not fall, and she continued to run. It was getting dark and every creak and whisper of the woods only made her panic further. Finally she had to stop and forced herself to calm, though it seemed impossible. Heart raced in her ears and blood pounded in her head, frightened by what was not there. Mother was not returning to kill her for being the offspring of an affair. Every horrible word was more of a blow to her than her scarred knees and side. Tiny tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to be strong, tried so very hard, but she simply couldn't. Insanity had told her to find her smile, but at that moment she couldn't, and she wedged herself into a small spot between a tree and a bush and kept her frail body out of sight, crying and hiccuping in fear that made her sound hysterical. Nayati didn't want to be afraid anymore.
|
.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
