Candy Apple. (Horizon Tales)
AUTHOR: Shrimp
CHALLENGE: Candy Apple 12. fingers/toes
WORD COUNT: 815
RATING: PG-13
NOTES: Vala and her younger sister Elisa having some bonding time.
Vala sat up at the sound of knocking. She waited, like she always did, until the person knocked again before calling out, “Yes?” It had to have been passed midnight. She hadn’t been asleep but the rest of the castle should have been. Vala’s stomach clenched at the anticipation of bad news. Something else must have gone wrong. They were under siege. Someone else had died. Something, anything had happened and it would be up to Vala to try to fix it. Instead the voice that came in through the door was the soft voice of her sister.
“Can I come in?” Vala exhaled a grateful breath.
“Yes,” she answered while wiping the tears from her eyes. It wouldn’t do to have Elisa see her like that. Vala was the older sister. She was regent of Shore Shine. She needed to be strong for everyone, but for Elisa most of all. She hadn’t been a very good sister to Elisa. Two years gone without even a goodbye and not a single letter sent to say that she was doing fine. Vala had barely even gotten the chance to speak to her since returning. It had been nearly straight off to Hero’s Home and once she escaped and made her way back she had been overrun with tasks as regent. They had exchanged only the most basic of courtesies with each other. Vala frowned deeper the more she thought about it. Luckily Elisa opened the door before tears could threaten her again.
“Did I wake you? I’m sorry. I know you’re busy.” Vala couldn’t see Elisa where she was standing. The room was nearly pitch black. The stormy winter wind screamed over the tops of the castle’s towers. Vala was silent as she tried to locate her sister, trying to force her eyes to adapt to the night.
“I’m fine. Are you?” She asked finally. She heard shuffling and thought she saw the shadows undulate with Elisa’s movements. It could have all been in her mind though.
“I’ll be okay.” Vala could hear the tears that threatened her. She could feel the roughness in her sister’s voice that betrayed her brave words. Elisa was only fourteen. She was only fourteen and she had lived through her sister’s disappearance, her father’s death, her fiancée’s murder. A lump formed in Vala’s throat. Elisa was pure and good and kind. She didn’t deserve any of it. “Do you remember when I was little and anytime I was scared I would run in here and crawl into your bed?” Elisa moved again and lowered herself onto the edge of Vala’s bed.
“Yes. I’d tell you stories to distract you until we both fell asleep,” Vala laughed. The memory was warm and on such a cold night she valued it greatly. They had been close at one point, before Vala threw it all away for her life of adventure. She wondered if they could ever be the same as they were. It didn’t seem possible. So much had happened. So much had changed.
“I came in here sometimes while you were gone. I would cover myself with your blankets and squeeze my eyes shut and pretend you were right there next to me.”
“I’m sorry.” Vala’s voice came out as a whisper. She closed her eyes as tears welled. Elisa had never been as unhappy here as she had. She didn’t understand the strangling desire for freedom that Vala had experienced. The bed shifted as Elisa laid down. Vala followed her lead. She could feel Elisa’s soft curls brushing her cheek. It was almost as if the two years had never happened. They had all been a dream.
“I’m scared, Vala.” Her sister’s voice broke and Vala could feel her shaking as she cried. She turned over and hugged her, resting her chin on the top of her head. “I’m scared, Vala. Da is dead. Garrett is dead. What’s going to happen?” She cried. Vala held her tightly as if the very act would keep Elisa from falling apart. Or maybe it was to keep Vala herself from falling apart.
“I killed a sea monster once. Another time the ship I was on was taken over by ghost pirates. I also made best friends with a Merman.” Elisa’s shaking stopped and she shifted, trying to look up at her sister even in the dark. “Which story do you want to hear?” Elisa laughed a little. Even though the sound was hesitant and weak it calmed Vala’s heart.
“A Merman?” She asked incredulously. Vala nodded. Elisa pulled from the embrace and settled against the pillows. Vala reached out for her hand. They twined their fingers beneath the blankets.
“Mhm. One of the best people I’ve ever met. Though a very strange fellow.” In the darkness, while the winter winds howled, Vala told her sister story after story until they both fell asleep.
CHALLENGE: Candy Apple 12. fingers/toes
WORD COUNT: 815
RATING: PG-13
NOTES: Vala and her younger sister Elisa having some bonding time.
Vala sat up at the sound of knocking. She waited, like she always did, until the person knocked again before calling out, “Yes?” It had to have been passed midnight. She hadn’t been asleep but the rest of the castle should have been. Vala’s stomach clenched at the anticipation of bad news. Something else must have gone wrong. They were under siege. Someone else had died. Something, anything had happened and it would be up to Vala to try to fix it. Instead the voice that came in through the door was the soft voice of her sister.
“Can I come in?” Vala exhaled a grateful breath.
“Yes,” she answered while wiping the tears from her eyes. It wouldn’t do to have Elisa see her like that. Vala was the older sister. She was regent of Shore Shine. She needed to be strong for everyone, but for Elisa most of all. She hadn’t been a very good sister to Elisa. Two years gone without even a goodbye and not a single letter sent to say that she was doing fine. Vala had barely even gotten the chance to speak to her since returning. It had been nearly straight off to Hero’s Home and once she escaped and made her way back she had been overrun with tasks as regent. They had exchanged only the most basic of courtesies with each other. Vala frowned deeper the more she thought about it. Luckily Elisa opened the door before tears could threaten her again.
“Did I wake you? I’m sorry. I know you’re busy.” Vala couldn’t see Elisa where she was standing. The room was nearly pitch black. The stormy winter wind screamed over the tops of the castle’s towers. Vala was silent as she tried to locate her sister, trying to force her eyes to adapt to the night.
“I’m fine. Are you?” She asked finally. She heard shuffling and thought she saw the shadows undulate with Elisa’s movements. It could have all been in her mind though.
“I’ll be okay.” Vala could hear the tears that threatened her. She could feel the roughness in her sister’s voice that betrayed her brave words. Elisa was only fourteen. She was only fourteen and she had lived through her sister’s disappearance, her father’s death, her fiancée’s murder. A lump formed in Vala’s throat. Elisa was pure and good and kind. She didn’t deserve any of it. “Do you remember when I was little and anytime I was scared I would run in here and crawl into your bed?” Elisa moved again and lowered herself onto the edge of Vala’s bed.
“Yes. I’d tell you stories to distract you until we both fell asleep,” Vala laughed. The memory was warm and on such a cold night she valued it greatly. They had been close at one point, before Vala threw it all away for her life of adventure. She wondered if they could ever be the same as they were. It didn’t seem possible. So much had happened. So much had changed.
“I came in here sometimes while you were gone. I would cover myself with your blankets and squeeze my eyes shut and pretend you were right there next to me.”
“I’m sorry.” Vala’s voice came out as a whisper. She closed her eyes as tears welled. Elisa had never been as unhappy here as she had. She didn’t understand the strangling desire for freedom that Vala had experienced. The bed shifted as Elisa laid down. Vala followed her lead. She could feel Elisa’s soft curls brushing her cheek. It was almost as if the two years had never happened. They had all been a dream.
“I’m scared, Vala.” Her sister’s voice broke and Vala could feel her shaking as she cried. She turned over and hugged her, resting her chin on the top of her head. “I’m scared, Vala. Da is dead. Garrett is dead. What’s going to happen?” She cried. Vala held her tightly as if the very act would keep Elisa from falling apart. Or maybe it was to keep Vala herself from falling apart.
“I killed a sea monster once. Another time the ship I was on was taken over by ghost pirates. I also made best friends with a Merman.” Elisa’s shaking stopped and she shifted, trying to look up at her sister even in the dark. “Which story do you want to hear?” Elisa laughed a little. Even though the sound was hesitant and weak it calmed Vala’s heart.
“A Merman?” She asked incredulously. Vala nodded. Elisa pulled from the embrace and settled against the pillows. Vala reached out for her hand. They twined their fingers beneath the blankets.
“Mhm. One of the best people I’ve ever met. Though a very strange fellow.” In the darkness, while the winter winds howled, Vala told her sister story after story until they both fell asleep.