Magical Truthsaying Bastard Shadesong (shadesong) wrote,
Magical Truthsaying Bastard Shadesong
shadesong

[Shayara] Telenias

On the ground, hands and knees, palms flat on

dirt - stone - grass - sand

the sound of my breathing harsh in my ears, filling me, as I try to block out the echo of the voices - too many at once -

she is so pretty, your wife.

heart thudding out of control in my chest

think how lovely she would be with wings.

and the tearing - wet crunch, and copper stench -

all the voices, all at once, and the smells, that metallic horror that congeals in the throat through scent alone, smoke choking nostrils, squeezing chest - a world of blood and smoke -

falling forward, hair spilling over my shoulders, veil of sand and light. Can't hide from memory.

Can't hide from what we did - a world on fire, blood choking the roots of our oldest trees, the smallest of our actions. The very smallest.

Tiala on the battlefield, eyes almost blank, no longer noticing the gore on her spear, on her armor. Bearing the weight of what we had done.

Too much in my head. Too much. Too much.

I know.

I know.


My hands convulse on - sand. Not the battlefield, not the first grove. The desert.

Sensing my return to the here and now, I jerk my head up - too quickly. My stomach had barely been under control as I witnessed our past, and that tenuous grasp was lost - barely managing to sweep my hair out of the way, I retch, doubled over, tears springing to my eyes.

And look up again, slower, to see Martin crouched in front of me, the compassion in his eyes a reflection of the Father-God's as he gathered Tiala up after the Fall. As he granted her death, and rebirth without knowledge. Because no one should live with this in their head.

Martin passes me a canteen, I drink.

He asks, "Do you remember?"

"Yes."
Tags: shayara, shayara.telenias
Subscribe

  • Liminality #11!

    Liminality: A Magazine of Speculative Poetry Issue 11 Spring 2017 “The Well” – Alex Harper “Wild Cartography” – Alexandra Seidel “October…

  • Last night's Facebook post

    Because this is where he's sending people... If you are involved in a local consent discussion and are up on my page looking for a response to Judah…

  • Liminality #10!

    (“a well-beaten path does not always make the right road”, by Jenny Downing) Liminality: A Magazine of Speculative Poetry Issue 10 Winter…

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    default userpic

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.
  • 15 comments

  • Liminality #11!

    Liminality: A Magazine of Speculative Poetry Issue 11 Spring 2017 “The Well” – Alex Harper “Wild Cartography” – Alexandra Seidel “October…

  • Last night's Facebook post

    Because this is where he's sending people... If you are involved in a local consent discussion and are up on my page looking for a response to Judah…

  • Liminality #10!

    (“a well-beaten path does not always make the right road”, by Jenny Downing) Liminality: A Magazine of Speculative Poetry Issue 10 Winter…