Chapter Text
Nessebar, Bulgaria, 1994
600 years. That is how long it has been since Frida and Ana-Claudia met each other and fell in love. A Icelandic and a Tatar nymph. They ended up in the same flock, owned by Erik Mann. They developed a friendship quickly, and soon they were sneaking around, hiding their love. They did that for centuries, stealing any moment they could from being the satyrs’ slaves.
Their lives are hard, as it is for all nymphs. Satyrs treat them like garbage, and they get killed over any slight, real or imagined. But they survive with careful planning, and a certain ignorance on the parts of the satyrs. As long as they satisfy a satyr once a month each, they are somewhat left alone. But mostly they survive because of the help of their fellow nymphs. They are grateful.
When, finally in 1994, an opportunity arises for them to escape. They need to flee because Ana’s life is in danger because of a legend, a fairytale, she believes in. The knot nymph legend. Frida doesn’t believe in it, but she would do anything for Ana. Escaping is dangerous, but there’s no alternative.
***
They escape with few other nymphs through a Bulgarian forest. Kati, Rose and Nadia also believe in the legend, and are thus in danger. Frida doesn’t necessarily care how they end up. Ana is her priority. After a while, it because clear that Ana is not up to it. She leans on a fallen tree, panting, telling everyone to leave her, to save themselves. Kati stays behind with them, to settle the situation. Ana wants Frida to save herself, Frida doesn’t want to leave Ana behind.
"I'm only doing this for you! I didn't want to try to escape, but I'm not leaving you here alone!" Frida cries to Ana, quietly trying to convince her to move.
"Frida, I can't go on anymore, please save yourself," Ana pleads to her.
Kati looks at their fight exasperatedly, folding her arms and sighing. She's trying to decide something.
"There's a cabin, not far from here. If you hide your tracks well enough, maybe they won't catch you and you can rest a little before continuing to escape. Splitting up might actually help our chances of successfully escaping."
"Where?" Frida ask sharply, although she can't help her own smile that forms when she sees the joy and relief on Ana's face.
"It's northeast from here. There's a key hidden in the flower pot.
Ana stands up straighter and hugs Kati. Kati hugs her back awkwardly. "Thank you,"
"Oh, well. Just survive, you two. You deserve it."
They leave Kati behind, who starts to run in another direction. They can hear the satyrs and their dogs trying to catch them. They run as quickly as they can holding on to their hands. Maybe they won't get a way, but whatever happens, they'll be together.
***
They find the cabin and hide there, in each other's arms. They are careful to listen to any sounds of their pursuers, waiting for the moment to continue fleeing, waiting for their joined end. But it doesn't happen.
They stay up all night, listening and waiting, but no one finds them. By morning they feel like they can finally rest, for the first time since they started to escape. They sleep all day and by the next nightfall, they move on.
For a long time they have thought of nothing but survival. Freedom feels intoxicating. Where should they go, build their live together? They want to go somewhere warm and calm and peaceful. Somewhere where there are no other nymphs and satyrs and they can be free to be who they are.
They decide on San Fransisco. And there they lived out their next decades, happily, before moving on to new places when their eternal youth started to seem suspect. They kept very limited contact with other nymphs, but they hear that their co-escapees managed to evade capture. They are happy for them.
Ana-Claudia and Frida never stop loving each other, or being free.