A Word a Day

Day Twenty-One: Moon

        Chains rattled, the sound echoing throughout the spacious dungeon as Lucine struggled not to cry. Her pearl white hair was grimy, her skin flushed. The only thing that was clean wash her white silk gown, a ceremonial necessity for her to perform her duties. Ever since Aelius had abandoned her, her duty had become far more taxing. Keeping the moon up all day was draining, and each she feared she would not make it until the Day of Darkness, a twenty-four hour span in which she could finally let down the celestial body she had a physcic connection with. Everyone stayed inside on that day, so she was relieved of her burden, if only temporarily.

        Aelius had abandoned her. Her own brother, her own twin had fled, content to allow his sister to suffer in his place. He loathed living under the control of the royal family, raising the sun each morning and holding it there until Lucine relieved him and raised the moon. He hated having to obey, and so he left. The royal family, afraid the Lucine would follow after him, sent her to stay in the dungeons, under constant watch.

        She could have gone with Aelius, she knew. But she had refused. Aelius resented his duties, and that was why the sun had not rose once since he ran away. Instead, Lucine had taken upon the responsibility of keeping the moon up constantly so that the world was not cast into utter darkness. Instead, she provided what light she could. Thus, life went on, though her own was stretched and painful. Not that anyone else cared. As long as they had their moon, they were content to be ignorant to her suffering.

        Lucine looked down at her slender hands, disregarding the manacles encirlcing her thin wrists. Blood was caked around the wounds, a hardened silver substance that seemed to glow in the dimly lit room. She wondered where Aelius was at that moment. She missed him -- gold hair, gold eyes, tanned skin. Even though he abandoned her, she couldn't help but long for him. After all, he was still her brother. She still loved him.

        Once upon a time, they had been praised. They lived reknowned within some of palace's grandest chambers, with servants, honor, and glory. They were comfortable and taken care of, fair payment for the burdens they underwent. They each had a holiday in their name. They were finely clothed, well fed, and loved. Now Lucine sat in the depths of a musty-smelling dungeon, chained to the wall and wasting away one pound at a time. And Aelius... Well, for all shew knew, he was dead. Either he was dead and she'd never know, or he was alive and free, not caring that she was in such pain. Unless, by some chance, he was trying to help her...? Lucine doubted it.

        Aelius had always been a proud, stubborn boy; no one knew that better than Lucine herself. He wanted his way, no matter what, disregarding the effects on others. He loved her, sure, but that was then, before he got so entirely fed up with holding the sun up during the day. The thing was, though, Lucine knew that a few hours at a time wasn't so draining; she only had issues due to her continuous neccessity to bear the moon's weight. It wasn't easy, but she did it for the good of all, even under such cruel oppression.

        Maybe one day soon, Aelius would return.