On a Cruise Ship in the Atlantic
Sep. 9th, 2017 04:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anarchist_queenPretty much everyone who'd known Sila throughout here life had witnessed the universal childhood behavior of tantrums, and teenage sulking. And those who had known her as a very small child had seen how despondent she could get when teased (or worse) due to her mixed heritage. But for the most part she had been a good-natured, fun loving kid/young woman.
Only one person had witnessed her truly dark moods and periods of brooding. Or at least, recognized them for what they were.
And Ron could tell that Sila was in one of those rare funks now.
It was too early for there to be many people out on deck, so when Ron found her, playing her violin, she had the promenade to herself. She had ditched the pirate outfit for a simple flannel shirt and cargo pants.
Once Upon a Time
“I don't know if the human word for the north star came from us, or the other way around,” Leda said, looking into her bride's eyes, “But I can't believe I get to be in love with, and marry someone who's name is poetry.” She stroked Polaris' brow, just above her eye, as if brushing back her hair. “You are my north star. My true north. As long as I have you, I know the way.”
“Leda, from the moment we met, I could tell you were something special.” Polaris said. “Not only because you were a royal who swore like...well actually you're more creative than any sailor I've ever known.” Everyone gathered laughed. There was even a pamphlet going around Faerie called 'Shit the Queen Says'.
“But your instant acceptance of Sila, and willingness to pitch in...” she sighed self deprecatingly. “And it only got better the more I got to know you. And if I had to boil it all down, I suppose I'd have to say, it's in the way you look at me...like that.”
Once Upon Another Time
“Look at me!” Polaris yelled, gripping Leda's chin firmly and forcing her to do so. “Don't you dare shut down on me!”
Sila's mothers had split up when she was still young. By Human standards, she'd been in her late teens. And though Leda and Polaris had only been married a short time by Elven standards, and it had ended relatively amicably, Sila had been devastated.
But she hadn't been able to wallow in that. She had to take care of her Mom, who fell back into her Peca addiction in an attempt to drown out the pain. And she'd had to put on a brave face whenever she was with her Mother, who had not been blameless either in the conflict.
And even Ron, her closest, and dearest friend, her brother. The one who knew her better than anyone in the world, didn't know the worst of it.
Sila knew, or thought she knew, that Leda was afraid of her. Her mom had never been good with open bodies of water, and that fear had only grown over time, what with some aquatic monster gruesomely killing her bodyguard, and later being held prisoner on a deep sea yacht. (Though that had come later.)
There was a part of Sila's life, a very important part, that terrified Leda, and though she tried not to let it, that hurt. And once or twice, when Leda had been in the depths of her Peca fueled despair, Sila was certain the Queen had shuddered at the touch of slightly webbed fingers touching her.
When she finished the song, Sila gazed broodingly out at the ocean.
“That's a new violin isn't it?” Ron said, joining her at the rail.
“Yeah.” she smiled. “It's made from driftwood, and the bow is strung with mermaid hair.” Then she sighed. “I wish Mom were here. I wish she COULD be here. Or mother.” She shook her head. “One's afraid of the ocean, one's afraid of the human world. Not humans, just their world. Cars mostly.”
“They're pretty terrifying sometimes. Specially the way humans tend to drive.”
They stood together in silence for a bit, and then Sila said; “I almost didn't come back.”
“Say what?”
“Melodramatic exaggeration, sorry. But I was tempted to stay in the Border Islands. It was beautiful, my dad was alive, and Mom loved the sea.” She sighed again, and shook her head. “But I couldn't do that to Mother, or Mom. Or you.”
Only one person had witnessed her truly dark moods and periods of brooding. Or at least, recognized them for what they were.
And Ron could tell that Sila was in one of those rare funks now.
It was too early for there to be many people out on deck, so when Ron found her, playing her violin, she had the promenade to herself. She had ditched the pirate outfit for a simple flannel shirt and cargo pants.
Once Upon a Time
“I don't know if the human word for the north star came from us, or the other way around,” Leda said, looking into her bride's eyes, “But I can't believe I get to be in love with, and marry someone who's name is poetry.” She stroked Polaris' brow, just above her eye, as if brushing back her hair. “You are my north star. My true north. As long as I have you, I know the way.”
“Leda, from the moment we met, I could tell you were something special.” Polaris said. “Not only because you were a royal who swore like...well actually you're more creative than any sailor I've ever known.” Everyone gathered laughed. There was even a pamphlet going around Faerie called 'Shit the Queen Says'.
“But your instant acceptance of Sila, and willingness to pitch in...” she sighed self deprecatingly. “And it only got better the more I got to know you. And if I had to boil it all down, I suppose I'd have to say, it's in the way you look at me...like that.”
Once Upon Another Time
“Look at me!” Polaris yelled, gripping Leda's chin firmly and forcing her to do so. “Don't you dare shut down on me!”
Sila's mothers had split up when she was still young. By Human standards, she'd been in her late teens. And though Leda and Polaris had only been married a short time by Elven standards, and it had ended relatively amicably, Sila had been devastated.
But she hadn't been able to wallow in that. She had to take care of her Mom, who fell back into her Peca addiction in an attempt to drown out the pain. And she'd had to put on a brave face whenever she was with her Mother, who had not been blameless either in the conflict.
And even Ron, her closest, and dearest friend, her brother. The one who knew her better than anyone in the world, didn't know the worst of it.
Sila knew, or thought she knew, that Leda was afraid of her. Her mom had never been good with open bodies of water, and that fear had only grown over time, what with some aquatic monster gruesomely killing her bodyguard, and later being held prisoner on a deep sea yacht. (Though that had come later.)
There was a part of Sila's life, a very important part, that terrified Leda, and though she tried not to let it, that hurt. And once or twice, when Leda had been in the depths of her Peca fueled despair, Sila was certain the Queen had shuddered at the touch of slightly webbed fingers touching her.
When she finished the song, Sila gazed broodingly out at the ocean.
“That's a new violin isn't it?” Ron said, joining her at the rail.
“Yeah.” she smiled. “It's made from driftwood, and the bow is strung with mermaid hair.” Then she sighed. “I wish Mom were here. I wish she COULD be here. Or mother.” She shook her head. “One's afraid of the ocean, one's afraid of the human world. Not humans, just their world. Cars mostly.”
“They're pretty terrifying sometimes. Specially the way humans tend to drive.”
They stood together in silence for a bit, and then Sila said; “I almost didn't come back.”
“Say what?”
“Melodramatic exaggeration, sorry. But I was tempted to stay in the Border Islands. It was beautiful, my dad was alive, and Mom loved the sea.” She sighed again, and shook her head. “But I couldn't do that to Mother, or Mom. Or you.”
