Free
(My entry for the Opium Magazine Bookmark Contest)
The old man stroked his beard and considered the child beside him. "One day you will be broken. There is little you can do about it except accept it.
He looked at the gardens around them. "She took everything away from me. I was a great man, now I'm an old fool." He smiled at a memory. "Ah, I had such plans for you, Arthur." The smile faded. "Gone because I was weak."
The child watched the old man climb on a boulder. "Do you think I'll fly, child?" he asked, spreading his arms. "Shall we see? Even if I fall, I'll still be free."
He leaned forward, falling silently from the child's sight. The child dashed to the boulder and looked at the world passing below the floating castle."
"Goodbye, Uncle Merlin," he whispered.
The old man stroked his beard and considered the child beside him. "One day you will be broken. There is little you can do about it except accept it.
He looked at the gardens around them. "She took everything away from me. I was a great man, now I'm an old fool." He smiled at a memory. "Ah, I had such plans for you, Arthur." The smile faded. "Gone because I was weak."
The child watched the old man climb on a boulder. "Do you think I'll fly, child?" he asked, spreading his arms. "Shall we see? Even if I fall, I'll still be free."
He leaned forward, falling silently from the child's sight. The child dashed to the boulder and looked at the world passing below the floating castle."
"Goodbye, Uncle Merlin," he whispered.