It was her time of the year. It was beautiful--when the harshness of the world were covered and softened by pure white snow. However, beautiful that it was, it was also cold, even deadly.
She walked through the city garden--it was a little past midnight and people were starting to leave the park, huddled in their sweaters and knitted scarfs. It was almost Christmas, she believed. A holiday she didnt concern herself with. In fact, she cared very little for human holidays. Nevertheless, she admitted that the humans did well in turning the park into a beautiful garden. The trees were mostly covered in soft, newly fallen snow, but aside from that, wrapped around each tree was a vine of blinking lights. Their reflection glowed against the snow, turning the place into an almost ethereal state. Much like she was.
She looked up at the sky as it started snowing. She reached out and caught a few flakes in her hand--it almost blended into her skin, reminding her of what she was. She turned her head around and caught herself reflected in one of the cafe's windows--a reflection noone else would see.
Her hair was long, flowing, and white, almost with a shade of blue, that reached down past her waist. She was pale--very much so, a shade of pale not present in any human. Her lips were dry, a pale blue that cracked at the edges. And her eyes were winter blue--a bright blue, but cold. Much like the rest of her--nevertheless, she was beautiful, she knew that--but it was a harsh kind of beauty.
She was no human. She could pass as one if she chose, but not tonight. She had dropped her glamour for tonight and walked among humans invisibly.
Her kind goes by many names but they were more known as the Fae. There was a time when humans acknowledged their existence, once they were even thought of as gods and goddesses. But as time went on, humans evolved and forgot them and turned them into myths and bedside stories. Humans, whose life were but a blink to the fae managed to evolve while they, whose lives neared what humans call as immortal, stayed as they were more than a millennia ago. Constant, never changing. It was ironic really, whereas they were once referred to as the guardians of the earth, when earth itself changed its seasons year after year.
This was why she chose to spend most of her time in this side of the veil. The ever-changing lifestyle of humans both amused and saddened her. While she can choose to appear human every now and then, she knew she would never be part of them. The reflection she saw now reminded her of that. If she so choose to appear to humans as she was, she would either be rejected or worshiped--and she wanted neither. She wanted to be part of them.
"I see youre here again."
The voice came from the shadows behind the trees, a voice she was increasingly becoming familiar with. Even still, she was unsure whether this was a welcome change or not.
"And you."
There was no one else in the park besides them two--but it didnt matter, should one pass by the park at this time, they would see nothing but shadows and trees, unaware of the exchange of the two from beyond the veil.
He stepped out from the shadows, appearing before her with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. She wasnt entirely sure if it was genuine or with a hint of mockery. If she was pale, this man lived the shadows. While she was dressed in clothing that didnt belong to this side, he dressed in clothes that were human made, despite this however, he still looked far from human. Just like her, he was too beautiful to pass for one.
"Why are you here?"
He merely shrugged and walked off, though he stopped not too far from her, his back facing her. "You know why. But since I know you dont like hearing what Im here to say, I'll give you a different reason. I grow bored of the Court so I decided to take a walk."
She held her ground, refusing to walk after him despite her senses telling her otherwise. Instead, she crossed her arms in an attempt to restrain herself.
"You cannot just walk away from your duty. It is your Court after all."
"And yours."
"You know what I mean Xaedh."
"And you know what I mean as well." For a moment there was silence until Xaedh laughed, shaking his head. "Your eyes really do flash when youre frustrated. It's like a small burst of light you know. It's unfortunate really, that you cant see them when you do."
The temperature in the garden suddenly dropped as Liath's frustration rose, earning herself an amused chuckle from Xaedh.
"Talk about cold. Bad day I guess?"
"You should know."
Xaedh only gave her a smile as a response before bowing in front of her. "In that case, I shall see you in the Otherside." Upon straightening up, Xaedh's face turned serious. "You really should come home."
Liath was the one to turn her back this time, moving her hands to rub at her arms despite not being affected by the weather that surrounded them, in fact, she did this to comfort herself in the familiar coldness.
"One day, maybe."
"You cant stay away forever."
She felt it when he left, blending once more into the shadows that he came from. Liath then sighed in resignation, allowing herself to finally give in to the weakness she felt whenever Xaedh came to this side to visit her.
"I know."
TBC.
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