For realmof_themuse Washington Irving Quote
5. There is in every true woman's heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity. - Washington Irving
oneoffyre used with love and permission.
Peninnah had not expected to enjoy company so much. She and Fyre had spent much of their time together. Though Peninnah tried to refrain from being overbearing with her inquisitiveness. She wanted to learn more about how to be a woman. This was the reason that they were out. Fyre had taken her to have her hair styled and a woman showed her how to care for it at home. It was now back in a full braid and it was late as they walked back toward St. Julien’s.
So long had they been together that she fell silent as they walked along. It had been a nice day together with a friend. Peninnah had never had this experience in all her long life. It was a good feeling that left her feeling happier than she had been in quite sometime. People walked past them often enough as was the way with New York City. The City was alive today with sounds and sights that no others could see. The stone lived a life beyond those who formed it would ever know or see. The voice of the City hypnotized Peninnah as she walked along beside Fyre.
How long she had been listening to the stone Peninnah could not be sure but the sharp shriek caused her to jump. A man was beside Fyre and had a hold of her as she struggled.
“Let her go.” Peninnah was terrified. It was her duty to protect Fyre and the baby. They merely laughed at her. As Peninnah stepped forward to aid Fyre another grabbed her and two more stepped up.
“Please let her go.” Peninnah did not struggle in their grasp despite the pain. The men laughed again as they pulled the two women from the street.
“What are you hiding under there?” One approached her with a knife and grabbed her robes. The threat went by to forgiveness.
“Let us go, please.” Peninnah asked once more.
She was grabbed by the braid and yanked back as the other went about slicing off her robes. It wasn’t until Fyre disappeared from her sight that the passive demeanor broke away. She raised her foot and kicked her attacker in the face. Claws sharp enough to rend stone ripped through flesh and bone.
The man fell back holding the ghastly wound. She did not wish to hurt others but her duty was first to protect those who were under her wings. The grip on her hair had been released and she moved away.
“Fyre?” Peninnah looked around but couldn’t see past the taller men. She did hear a cry from behind. Peninnah looked up in the eyes of the man before her and opened her wings full projecting fear into the man before her. She rarely went on the attack but when her duty came into play none could stand against her. He fled her presence and she turned on the last who were with Fyre. Her shirt had been ripped but she was otherwise unharmed. Peninnah growled as she approached.
They did not heed her or perhaps did not see her. With a single leap she was upon one of them. Her rear claws dug deeply into his leg and he fell away. Turning on the man who still held Fyre she was ready to attack once more. He pulled Fyre back and held a knife to her throat.
“Let her free.” Peninnah’s voice took on a quality that removed every ounce of her kind and withdrawn self. When he did not comply she watched his movements before asking the building to give forth part of itself for her friend’s protection. The response was instantaneous as a chunk fell free from the building several feet above and directly contacted the man in the head. He slumped away and Peninnah was there to catch Fyre.
“We must go.” Peninnah whispered as she stretched her wings. “I will take you.”
Peninnah did not wait for Fyre to answer before taking off. Flying with two was a great strain on her but she was driven by duty alone. They landed by the entrance of St. Julien’s. There she sank to the ground. She was exhausted and felt the greatest desire to pray but her charge was safe. Nothing else mattered to Peninnah at the moment. A great guilt was weighing over her. Forgiveness would need to be asked for and even then she knew she had taken a life.
There she sat in the snow beside the door. Her feet were caked in freezing blood. Her robes were torn and she thought nothing of her wings which were still visible. There, though her duty was complete, Peninnah cried.
Words: 783
oneoffyre used with love and permission.
Peninnah had not expected to enjoy company so much. She and Fyre had spent much of their time together. Though Peninnah tried to refrain from being overbearing with her inquisitiveness. She wanted to learn more about how to be a woman. This was the reason that they were out. Fyre had taken her to have her hair styled and a woman showed her how to care for it at home. It was now back in a full braid and it was late as they walked back toward St. Julien’s.
So long had they been together that she fell silent as they walked along. It had been a nice day together with a friend. Peninnah had never had this experience in all her long life. It was a good feeling that left her feeling happier than she had been in quite sometime. People walked past them often enough as was the way with New York City. The City was alive today with sounds and sights that no others could see. The stone lived a life beyond those who formed it would ever know or see. The voice of the City hypnotized Peninnah as she walked along beside Fyre.
How long she had been listening to the stone Peninnah could not be sure but the sharp shriek caused her to jump. A man was beside Fyre and had a hold of her as she struggled.
“Let her go.” Peninnah was terrified. It was her duty to protect Fyre and the baby. They merely laughed at her. As Peninnah stepped forward to aid Fyre another grabbed her and two more stepped up.
“Please let her go.” Peninnah did not struggle in their grasp despite the pain. The men laughed again as they pulled the two women from the street.
“What are you hiding under there?” One approached her with a knife and grabbed her robes. The threat went by to forgiveness.
“Let us go, please.” Peninnah asked once more.
She was grabbed by the braid and yanked back as the other went about slicing off her robes. It wasn’t until Fyre disappeared from her sight that the passive demeanor broke away. She raised her foot and kicked her attacker in the face. Claws sharp enough to rend stone ripped through flesh and bone.
The man fell back holding the ghastly wound. She did not wish to hurt others but her duty was first to protect those who were under her wings. The grip on her hair had been released and she moved away.
“Fyre?” Peninnah looked around but couldn’t see past the taller men. She did hear a cry from behind. Peninnah looked up in the eyes of the man before her and opened her wings full projecting fear into the man before her. She rarely went on the attack but when her duty came into play none could stand against her. He fled her presence and she turned on the last who were with Fyre. Her shirt had been ripped but she was otherwise unharmed. Peninnah growled as she approached.
They did not heed her or perhaps did not see her. With a single leap she was upon one of them. Her rear claws dug deeply into his leg and he fell away. Turning on the man who still held Fyre she was ready to attack once more. He pulled Fyre back and held a knife to her throat.
“Let her free.” Peninnah’s voice took on a quality that removed every ounce of her kind and withdrawn self. When he did not comply she watched his movements before asking the building to give forth part of itself for her friend’s protection. The response was instantaneous as a chunk fell free from the building several feet above and directly contacted the man in the head. He slumped away and Peninnah was there to catch Fyre.
“We must go.” Peninnah whispered as she stretched her wings. “I will take you.”
Peninnah did not wait for Fyre to answer before taking off. Flying with two was a great strain on her but she was driven by duty alone. They landed by the entrance of St. Julien’s. There she sank to the ground. She was exhausted and felt the greatest desire to pray but her charge was safe. Nothing else mattered to Peninnah at the moment. A great guilt was weighing over her. Forgiveness would need to be asked for and even then she knew she had taken a life.
There she sat in the snow beside the door. Her feet were caked in freezing blood. Her robes were torn and she thought nothing of her wings which were still visible. There, though her duty was complete, Peninnah cried.
Words: 783