.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
11-18-2013, 03:58 PM
“Hi,” I said.
My eloquence knows no equal.
By way of humoring the painted mare, I tilted my head and moved in to examine the spruce more closely. The earth had never been my thing: I enjoyed flowers and trees and the like but did not appreciate them the way Alysanne must have. I only had a heart for deep space and the cold, watchful eyes of night. My gaze slipped past the plant, alighting instead upon her face as she continued studying it, and I pursed my lips nervously before affecting a soft smile.
I knew enough of her to feel guilty, but not enough of myself to understand why.
Was she upset? Hurt? As selfish as I was, I’d never dwelt much upon the consequences my actions had for others. Every action and sacrifice seemed good – necessary, even – and I had endured greater suffering in the flight from Delphi so many months ago without fretting over the feelings of those we’d left behind. So why did I worry now?
My brother, of course.
Isn’t it always?
I wanted to run away, so I gathered to myself the most important things in my life and departed like dust on the wind. It had not occurred to me until much later that perhaps he had not entirely shared my desires.
“You’re right,” I said slowly, “I’m not magnificent.” And I looked directly at her across the scrubby little tree and flashed her a tight-lipped smile.
My eloquence knows no equal.
By way of humoring the painted mare, I tilted my head and moved in to examine the spruce more closely. The earth had never been my thing: I enjoyed flowers and trees and the like but did not appreciate them the way Alysanne must have. I only had a heart for deep space and the cold, watchful eyes of night. My gaze slipped past the plant, alighting instead upon her face as she continued studying it, and I pursed my lips nervously before affecting a soft smile.
I knew enough of her to feel guilty, but not enough of myself to understand why.
Was she upset? Hurt? As selfish as I was, I’d never dwelt much upon the consequences my actions had for others. Every action and sacrifice seemed good – necessary, even – and I had endured greater suffering in the flight from Delphi so many months ago without fretting over the feelings of those we’d left behind. So why did I worry now?
My brother, of course.
Isn’t it always?
I wanted to run away, so I gathered to myself the most important things in my life and departed like dust on the wind. It had not occurred to me until much later that perhaps he had not entirely shared my desires.
“You’re right,” I said slowly, “I’m not magnificent.” And I looked directly at her across the scrubby little tree and flashed her a tight-lipped smile.
