[Se] Misplaced
Se's fingers danced through her sister's hair, tugging and twisting and weaving the bright green strands together. Reaching down to the small basket beside her, she selected a few beads and a tiny bell by feel, then threaded them onto the end of the braid and looped it around. She ran a hand over the half-finished design for a moment before continuing. Sitting straight and serene, Kala smiled.
"Thank you for doing this."
"Don't be silly." Se grinned, using a bit of spidersilk to tie three narrow braids into a spiral. "I'm your sister. I'm glad to. Besides--"
"I know, I know." Her sister's voice rippled with laughter. "You wouldn't have let anyone else do it anyway."
"Damned straight!" They shared another laugh at quiet, mouselike Se using such words, and then it died, leaving the sun-filled hut silent. She patted Kala's shoulder awkwardly. "I'm happy for you, Kay. Truly."
Was she? Resentment boiled in her stomach, twisting her guts into a tense, snarled parody of the intricate patterns she wove into Kala's hair. But--they were sisters. She couldn't be jealous. Still, as she took a step back to look over her work, she saw the contented smile, the hand placed softly on her sister's waist, the delicate bangles sliding and clinking on her sister's wrists, and knew she was. Stop it, she told herself. It's her day. Be happy. Be proud.
Silently, she returned to braiding her sister's hair.
--
Se'ala awoke, cracking her head against the ceiling as she startled from her sleep. Voices had woken her. She glanced to the side, rubbing her sore scalp, and saw it was only a pair of grunts waking to go on duty. One nodded to her in silent apology as he donned his clattering armor. She shrugged and turned away, facing the wall, listening to the quiet snores from the hammocks below.
Today was her sister's wedding.
"Thank you for doing this."
"Don't be silly." Se grinned, using a bit of spidersilk to tie three narrow braids into a spiral. "I'm your sister. I'm glad to. Besides--"
"I know, I know." Her sister's voice rippled with laughter. "You wouldn't have let anyone else do it anyway."
"Damned straight!" They shared another laugh at quiet, mouselike Se using such words, and then it died, leaving the sun-filled hut silent. She patted Kala's shoulder awkwardly. "I'm happy for you, Kay. Truly."
Was she? Resentment boiled in her stomach, twisting her guts into a tense, snarled parody of the intricate patterns she wove into Kala's hair. But--they were sisters. She couldn't be jealous. Still, as she took a step back to look over her work, she saw the contented smile, the hand placed softly on her sister's waist, the delicate bangles sliding and clinking on her sister's wrists, and knew she was. Stop it, she told herself. It's her day. Be happy. Be proud.
Silently, she returned to braiding her sister's hair.
--
Se'ala awoke, cracking her head against the ceiling as she startled from her sleep. Voices had woken her. She glanced to the side, rubbing her sore scalp, and saw it was only a pair of grunts waking to go on duty. One nodded to her in silent apology as he donned his clattering armor. She shrugged and turned away, facing the wall, listening to the quiet snores from the hammocks below.
Today was her sister's wedding.