A Court of Light and Melody

Chapter 57 - A Little Vision

"What a terrible feeling to love someone and not be able to help them."

- Jennifer Niven

Song: Breathe of Life - Florence + the Machine

"Gwyn, that's too high up!" Catrin whined, watching her sister clamber up branch after branch.

Gwyn smiled down at her twin. Her pretty, pretty twin who even at nine (and with her webbed fingers) Gwyn could tell would be prettier than the both of them combined one day.

"Are you scared, Cat?"

"No! I just don't feel like getting sent to bed without dessert, thank you!"

Gwyn frowned. "Come on! Don't make me climb alone!"

Catrin paused on the lower branch where she stood staring up at her sister - her wild, wild twin with hair like fire and a heart to match. Just like their mother. Their mother who couldn't be tamed.

"Fine! But stay right there!" Catrin grumbled. "And once I make it to your branch we are done for the day. Mark your stupid progress with your stupid rock in the stupid wood and then we'll climb back down this stupid tree, alright?"

"Oooh, what would Priestess Darlene make of that language, Cat?" Gwyn chided, hanging lazily from the branch above her head. "And calling your sister stupid is 'not befitting of a priestess.'"

Catrin giggled at the frail voice that Gwyn imitated. Gwyn delighted in her sister's amusement. Let Catrin be the pretty one that everybody loved and called "a model priestess." Gwyn was content to be the one that brought smiles to frowning faces.

Catrin paused, just two branches down, teal eyes searching for her next foothold and where to grab.

Gwyn lowered herself to lie on her belly against her own branch and pointed to the base of the tree. "Hand there... good... Now foot there... Yes, that's it Cat!"

Gwyn hopped back up to her feet as Catrin closed the gap between them. She extended a hand to her twin, offering to pull her up.

If the roles had been reversed, Gwyn would never have accepted Catrin's help, but Cat was Cat so she slipped her palm into Gwyn's and allowed her twin to tug her up onto the branch. It wasn't until Gwyn felt her sister's fingers slide around hers that she realized just how much she missed Catrin's touch. Just how empty her hand had felt without her sister.

It felt like she hadn't touched her for years...

Then they were standing side by side, taking in the view of the temple and the gardens below. Gwyn beamed and looked at her sister who begrudgingly smiled.

"Aren't you glad you came up here?" Gwyn probed smugly.

"Yes, yes, this stupid view is good."

The twins giggled allowing themselves another moment to enjoy the sights and sounds of the peaceful temple and the surrounding gardens.

Catrin spoke first of course. "Okay, mark your progress and let's go get supper."

Gwyn wouldn't push Catrin any farther. She wouldn't beg for a few more moments or a few more branches. Cat had hit her limit.

Reaching into her robes, Gwyn removed the dully pointed rock and turned to the base of the tree, ready to carve a line into the bark and--

Gwyn woke from her dream with a jolt, gasping so hard she choked on her own breath. Hair stuck to her sweaty forehead and when she went to wipe it away she found that her arms would not move. Neither would her legs.