Chapter Text
Lyla Dicentra was a complicated, twisted person. I was Esmeray, an easygoing, fun, youthful person. I laughed, and joked, and made lighthearted comments when hunting, I was not Lyla Dicentra. I was a fake, I hid my emotions even from myself, never allowing myself to break, or even so much as to let a tear drop.
But as I watched my sister, Acedele, sit on the damp grass and fiddle with a small, torn azalea flower I felt a deep looming gloom settle over me, and settle on my soul like a cockroach, not leaving nor dying.
I observed my little sister as she placed the azalea flower on her head and giggled, long fingers toying with the flower resting on her golden hair. I noticed that the dirt on her tanned skin had dried and made a mental note to give her a cold, refreshing shower- somehow.
We were on a foreign land after all, having never been here before as humans rarely dared tread on Fae lands, and it occurred to me that I should probably be more alert to what was going on around me as I became aware I had stopped paying attention to my surroundings.
I walked across the clearing carefully, avoiding anything that might make a loud sound and feeling incredibly conscious of my every step, of the way the grass got crushed under my feet and gave away my position.
Acedele stood carefully and stumbled over to me making as much noise as she could without screaming or crying. She gave a triumphant smile when she managed the challenging journey over to where I stood and started babbling excitedly.
I shushed her softly with a finger, as dark as the sea, over my lips, my remaining hand going to her cheek to calm her. We were in a foreign land after all, that wasn’t our territory.
The sun was leaving and the waxing moon would rise soon. I had to find us a place to stay during the night, and quickly. I took Acedele’s hand in my and led her into the shadows, ambling my way into a deeper area with my little sister behind me.
Minutes went by as we went past gigantic trees and, then minutes turned into an hour, and an hour into several. Until i heard a small splash, I froze, Acedele freezing with me, and we huddled closer together as we slowly shuffled towards the small splash.
We eventually found a lake, a lake that shone in the light of the moon and twinkled like starlight with no animals or Fae in sight. I decided to inch closer. Then I felt it. The pull, the voice that started whispering in my head. It urged me to drink.
I inched closer. The pull got stronger. Acedele whimpered as she watched me slowly go faster until I was running and then I reached down once I got to the lake. I scooped up a handful of the liquid and brought it to my mouth slowly, hands trembling. And drank.
I felt my skin ripple, like a new one had replaced it and a budding sensation of peace started settling in my heart, in my soul. I looked at my reflection and noticed my eyes glowing faintly.
I drank more, desperately, until the sensation of peace settled fully in me and my whole body had been replaced by something different. Something stronger. Acedele took a step towards me.
I paused. Turned. And beckoned my little sister forward. She came hesitantly but relaxed when I smiled and gestured towards the lake, shoulders slumping and furrow on her eyebrows leaving.
I gestured again once she reached me and she looked at me with a question in her eyes, I nodded. Safe. Good.
“Drink.” I murmured. She bent down and drank.
I watched as she became absorbed in the peace, and the feeling of a new skin settling over you. In the feeling of being made again, but stronger, better.
Her eyes glowed faintly and she looked divine. Ethereal beauty. We looked like we possessed the beauty of the Fae.
Most would think that impossible, but we lived in a world of magic, and I knew deep down.
We were immortal.
Whether we liked it or not