Chapter 7- Seraphina
I am now trudging through the woods, my wings drooping a bit lower than I usually allow them to droop, my pride somewhat diminished as I stare blankly ahead of me, oblivious to the girl's questions. It dawns on me that I have never even asked her for a name, but at this age, she might not even know her own name. I'm simply depressed in spirits, but I do not tell this to the elfin at my side, who should not be with me anyway. As soon as I get to one of the taverns up ahead, I will try to relieve her of the dark companion whom she travels with, the threat to her which I pose. We are in the night beneath the full moon, and I hope that werewolves will not show themselves to us, but I did not have any other choice of course, except to travel by night, since the light so hurts my vision. I barely know how to connect to that one fine lock of the water within the trees, from the stream which works itself in slowly reaching spirals towards me, in order to attain access into the Lands of Fairy Dusk, but I must try to focus. I extend my long hand towards the lock of spiraling water closest to me, my vision a bit foggy, and try my hardest to bring to mind an image with a great deal of emotion, what an ironic notion that is.
"Poiseda," a small hand tugs on my free, larger one. "Poiseda, why must we travel in the dark?" How is the child's voice so clear? Again, for what seems the millionth time today, I glance in wonderment down at my small beauty. There something rests, strange and obtrusive, in my thoughts, once more, that something which thrusts my brain into a spiral of confusion, whirring doubt, each time I lay eyes on her. She appears each time I see her to a different angle than she did the last time, as though we are always seeing each other from a different side. Only one night with the child passed so I understand of course that my thoughts on this subject are void. It must be my own brain, or rather that which belongs to the master who stole my brain from me, playing tricks.
"Poiseda, you are a very beautiful bat, aren't you?" I do not answer. My long white hand treks through a path in the waterbed, but inadvertently my fingers come to a rest, allowing the cool stream to have command of itself for a moment, rushing over the skin. She pokes the back of my cape.
"Poiseda? Why are your wings gold? I have never seen gold wings before. They look like sunlight." I'm desperately working to shut out the child's chatter, but now it proves to be impossible.
"You- know what I do not. I cannot see my own wings. Haven't seen them in a long time."
"How can that be? They are right there." She makes a moot gesture with her fingers.
"I don't know," I whisper. I turn my head slightly toward the side, once again catching her gaze. So brightly are her eyes shining, that even these pretty orbs almost burden my own black ones so that I nearly shield them. Her head, much larger than her body at this age of elfins, her body minute, dainty of frame, giving her the look of one who had been built for beauty but not strength. She is a doll, actually an elf who holds what I assume to be a vast trove of magical power.
"Elfin, do you- have a name?"
"Yes," she says in a small voice. I need to bend lower to hear what she tells me. "It is Seraphina." I smile.
"Don't you think that's a little long for one with such a mouse-like style?" She sticks out her rose-bud, richly-red lower lip at me.
"I do not have a mouse-like style!"
"No," I concede. "You are an elf. Do you know why you were sent to me?" A train of worry seeps into my voice. "Surely you must know that I cannot stay with you, Seraphina."
"Why not!" She stomps one of her feet and truly seems upset by this, which surprises me, as I've only known her for about a day, one in which she wasn't even awake. I sigh.
"Because, I have been marked by the hands of the darkest demon alive. I know you have not been educated about the Lord Serpent, young child as you are, but I have been cursed by him. It means that I am evil, and I could do you harm. I wouldn't mean to," my voice drops down an octave, "but I wouldn't be able to help myself since the Lord Serpent controls me." The girl does not say anything to this. For some reason I do not want to look at her. I feel a stirring within me that I cannot place, which I really cannot understand either. I'd known I would need to drop the elf somewhere, despite any plans counteractively made by the White Shroud. The kingly spirit could not have known of the dangers imposed with this foolish plan. Neither could my mother, which, of course, was cause for my leaving. Normal beings not tainted by the dark magic are a danger to themselves if they do not recognize my evil nature. It's just that . . . I wish I were not always by myself perhaps. That's why I feel this. Nothing else can be done.
"I don't think you are evil, Poiseda." I laugh. It's been so long for me that it comes out more like a bark. She is starting to grow on me in some small degree, despite my best efforts. Upon the moment, I finally make my connection with the water tendril by bringing to life a memory from when I was a baby Geisha.
"Come on, let's hurry." Within an instant, a whole new world has been revealed.
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