Back to Writing

↬ "Memories" + "Nightmare"

She woke with a start, grasping the sheets to her chest as she breathed shallow into the night. Beads of sweat stuck them to her, somewhat hoisting them in place even after she let go. She saw little peering out into a darkness that threatened to swallow the room whole. A noise struck in her throat as she groped around beside her, hoping to catch a leg or arm or a face- anything resembling the form of her lover. She struck a wing, drawing a noise from the other as she crept underneath it and into her partner's tired arms.

"Mm'jin?" Eonel shifted to her side, winding her arms loosely around Jin as they bumped foreheads gently. She rubbed Jin's back in slow circles without prompting, pressing her cheek to the latter's head with a low hum. "'nother 'ightmare?"

She felt the other nod against her chest, breaths still shallow as she snuggled closer. Eonel roused a slight, lifting her wing closer over them with a yawn, "'anna talk 'bout it?" The changeling shook her head, pressing a sigh into Eonel's neck as she moved around restlessly almost trying to crawl into the other's skin. She fell to stroking the softness of feathers between Eonel's shoulder blades, enticing drowsy noises of contempt that seemed to help calm her. Eonel had again begun feeling the siren call of sleep when...

"You could've died."

"Mm, but I didn't."

"Barely. They knocked you unconscious before I thought to blink and I just... I-I just stood there!" The crack in Jin's voice willed Eonel to finally look at her, brows furrowed, and eyes shut closed as tears brimmed her eyes. "I watched you fall and slam into the ground and- and- you were so limp in their arms-"

"Well, yes, I was unconscious. Be hard not to be limp."

"Dove!"

Eonel huffed out a trickle of a laugh, pressing a kiss to her wife's head. "You were being controlled, love, body and mind. All of us were. We spent days trying to find you, I exhausted every god that ever crossed my mind, every spell, and means we had on hand." She cupped Jin's cheek in her hand, wiping a tear away with her thumb. "All that mattered in that moment was that you were safe."

"But I wasn't- we weren't safe. They attacked the others, used me as a cheap bartering chip to mitigate their war- they hurt you!" She muffled a sob into Eonel's chest, trembling as she struggled to stop long enough to form any coherent words. "I'd- I would never be able to live with myself if you got hurt because of me- and I was so nasty to you after-"

"You were scared," the elf gave her a sympathetic look, "It... stung, and I was hurt, but I understood, and you were safe again, and that's what mattered, my star. All of us were scared, and we'd very little to go on with after that. But." She tucked a mischievous pink lock behind Jin's ear, winding her arm under and around her to maneuver the changeling on top of her as she rolled over onto her back. She stretched out the wing that'd been underneath them, making a face as she felt pines and needles setting in. "We had each other- we always have. I promised I'd show you a new life, and for better or worse, I think I've held that up nicely."

A muffled giggle escaped Jin as they shifted, and she pulled herself up to press her lips against Eonel's with an exaggerated roll of the eyes. "Lot more headaches than I thought I was in for, but you've given me a lot more than that, Miss Falamir."

"Mm? And what would that be, Missus Falamir?"

Eonel followed Jin's nod of the head towards their door, peering into the darkness to make out a small form standing with one hand on the knob patchwork of a rabbit clutched to their chest with the other. A little boy no older than six, seeming to tremble as he whimpered his way to their bedside, white wings dragging behind as he went.

"Thalion? Baby? Did you have a nightmare too?"

He nodded meekly, making a grabbing motion with his free hand so that Jin leaned over and hoisted him between them. He settled against Jin's chest as she stroked his hair, mumbling incoherent words weighed by sleep.

"The one where the castle was on fire again?" He gave a small nod, tightening his grip on the stuffed rabbit's ears. Eonel thought about it for a moment, listening to Jin hum familiar foreign words that procured a small burst of light from her open palm. It warped this way and that, casting small shadows along their sheets as it morphed into a regal stallion of light. It shook its head, shaking off brilliant golden dust as it set about trotting around the room, finally drawing near enough to settle in Thalion's hand. It seemed to sniff in his direction, drawing a giggle out of him as it touched his cheek before trotting overhead and scattering dust over their heads on its way down the hall until its glow could no longer be seen.

"Y'know, it's quite a shame. Your mom and I were hoping our brave and handsome little knight would accompany us to the kitchen for a late-night snack." Thalion's ears perked up, little blue eyes peeking out at Eonel from Jin's arms as she continued, "But if you're this scared... maybe we should hold off?"

"Real shame too," Jin sighed, falling back against Eonel with Thalion still in arms. The mothers exchanged conspiring looks, trying their best to hide their smiles when the toddler rolled to face them. "I heard the cooks just got done trying out a new cookie recipe too. But if you're feeling unwell enough for it, perhaps it'd be better if we stayed here?"

"No!" The little boy cleared his throat, cheeks flushed, "N-no... I wanna go-" He stopped himself, rising to his feet with a flap of his wings. "I-I'll protect you, s-so can we.... ? Can we go?"

"Are you sure? You're not too scared still?"

"N-no!" Despite grasping tightly at the hem of his shirt. "I-I.. I'm a knight! Knights ain't scared of no thing!"

"As the little knight wishes then."

They roused to their feet, Eonel stretching out her wings unceremoniously behind them before lazily wrapping it around Jin's shoulders. They looked back at their boy expectantly and he swallowed, "... b-but I think I better hold your hands on the way."

"Just in case!" he added, handing Eonel the rabbit a little too quickly to hold both of their hands. "So you two don't get l-lost."

"Of course," they nodded solemnly, letting him take the lead out of their room. "Just in case."