"you want freedom, I can grant it to you."
"do not give me hope. that is a luxury I cannot afford."
***
{S&B s1-?}
{the darkling x oc}
{through heaven's eyes :: book one}
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☼☼☼☼☼☼
SHE REMEMBERED THE DAY better than most. It had been snowing. Bright white flakes landing on her tongue and eyelashes, a sensation she'd never felt before. Her life had been surrounded by burning suns and wild desert winds, but here in this tiny village on the edge of Os Alta, these grains of white sand visited them yearly, and they were much easier to navigate through than the heavy deserts she'd once known.
The square had been nearly empty except for the children, who were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the local priest to read them stories of the saints. Unlike most of the cities, Reyka's home was populated with members of her tribe, the people she'd always called family. She knew that it was mainly due to the King and Queen wishing to have their own personal entertainment in the form of acrobats, fortune tellers, and other occupations Ravkans thought Suli lived for.
Reyka herself had been called on by several young women in blue keftas, each wishing to have their fortune told or watch her dance. An eight year old forced to perform for women who wanted to see the exotic girl show off.
The snowstorms always worsened after those days.
"Cerxai!"
The girl stopped in her tracks and whirled around, catching sight of her mother shivering in her furs, standing outside their shabby stone hut, the straw roof growing lopsided due to the buildup of white powder on one side. Her mother motioned her toward their shelter, something that had been granted to them only a few months ago by the Queen's decree. Doing as she was told, Reyka moved toward her house, telling her friends not to wait up for her.
As the other children gathered around the frozen fountain in the square, Reyka looked longingly at the scene, a flurry of flakes blocking her vision as she shut the wooden door behind her.
Warmth flooded her bones and within moments she was sweating. Her family always kept the fire running even when winter was no longer upon them. It was difficult to adjust to the newer weather, and even the warmest days of the year were bitterly cold.
Reyka froze when she caught sight of a figure in red standing in the center of the living area. Their house was small, with Reyka and her parents sharing one room upstairs while the cramped walls and large fireplace made up the living area they spent most of their time in. The red woman had blonde curls that were pulled back into a severe bun, icy blue eyes narrowing themselves at Reyka.
Something was calling out to her, deep and dark and embedded in her soul until she couldn't deny it any longer. But one look at the apprehensive look on her parent's faces made her shove it back down.
