SandScript 2021

you wasting away? You’re bored and
what you need is something to occupy
your time. You’ve tried knitting and sewing
and dancing and even kitchen duty but
nothing has held your attention longer
than a few months.”
This time, Adder has to bite the inside
of her cheek until she tastes blood to keep
back her retort. She wants to roll her eyes
and tell him that of course he doesn’t see
the problem because he caused it. She is
in a nice, comfy, and safe palace, what
more could she ask for. What more could
she possibly long for, he wants to know.
But that is her best kept secret. For
two years she has kept herself inside
the palace and away from windows
with winds that seem to call her name.
Because she knows. She knows that
two years ago she chose Lorcan over
her wings and every day her resolve to
choose him again seems to be fading
away. The more he doesn’t catch on to
her unhappiness the more she begins to
resent him. Adder wants to scream from
above the clouds and demand how
he could notice her suffering and not
guess why. While it slowly eats away at
her, Adder keeps her thoughts to herself,
knowing that if she forces Lorcan to
choose between herself and her freedom,
he’d chose her. And that would surely kill
her.
“Just consider it. I think a child will
be good for us Adder, and I’m not giving
up trying to convince you.” Lorcan gets
up from the table, and after a quick kiss
goodbye, he leaves to begin his daily
meetings.
The rest of the food on Adder’s
plate goes untouched after Lorcan’s
declaration and immediate dismissal.
All the energy feels sucked from Adder
as if her bones have gained weight and
her muscles can no longer support her.
Instead of trying to find some way to pass
the time, she simply returns to her room
and sits on the edge of her bed.
How could she let it get this bad?
For most of her life she had allowed her
mother to bind her wings and then she
allowed Lorcan to limit her, all for Adder’s
perceived safety. She had loved her
mom. And she loves her mirror mate. But
neither has ever tried to answer the call of
the wind like Adder loves to, so how could
she expect them to understand?
A cold breeze slams into her room,
swinging her balcony doors open and
carrying silent words into her bedroom.
She recognizes the voice from that day
at the market four years ago, the one
that brought Lorcan into her life. A voice
with no age, nor species, but somehow
trustworthy.
So, when it tells her to fly away, she
doesn’t hesitate.
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