EC - A Dream of What Was, A Wish for What Could Be

Spring, 333 of the Third Age
Featuring  Khairo, Nimrime

Previous: Divine Skies

This year, as in many others, the herd made their way from the glades they called home to partake in their annual tradition: the journey to the ForEver Green Tree.  This year, as in many others, the young played and gambolled in the last snows of winter still clinging to spring shoots while their elders walked at a more stately pace, and eventually they arrived at the foot of the gargantuan pine.  The sun was low on the horizon as travel turned to play - the giant pinecones the tree was famous for were too difficult to resist - but Khairo could not help but notice two points of tension in his family.

First, he noted that there was only one black coat dashing amongst the pinecones when he would have expected three.  A quick glance around found Khatur speaking quietly to Marrow under the shady boughs of the tree, but though the lupa’s expression and body language were open, Marrow seemed even more closed-off than usual.  For a moment, Khairo thought Marrow might actually snap at Khatur, especially when the latter’s ears pinned against his skull, but Khatur simply walked away to stand and observe the game instead, and the moment passed without incident.  That would have to be addressed later, Khairo thought.

Second was his own dear daughter, making her way back towards him from the melee.  Tired?  No - the poor thing looked heartbroken.

“What’s wrong, love?”  Khairo asked her as she reached his side, keeping his voice soft enough that no others could hear.  “Are you hurt?”

“No…” she shook her head but leaned against his barrel, face resting on his shoulder.

“That’s not the face of a happy filly,” he said.  “You know you can talk to me about anything…”

“I– It’s stupid…” she mumbled.

“Nothing you say to me could ever be stupid,” he replied.  “Easily fixed, perhaps… but never stupid.”

She was silent for a long moment, then sighed as if the weight of the sky itself were bearing down on her. 

“I miss Mother,” she said at last. 

Khairo froze.  Though Nimrime’s sense of loss had eased over the years, it had never really gone away and he had wondered when they would face it again.  She was old enough to understand and question the circumstances of her parents’ meeting now, and Khairo had spent many nights thinking about how he might address what she asked.  For now, he simply waited for her to continue.

“I don’t always,” she said.  “I mean… I don’t always think about her?  But sometimes I see Mironwe and Ehretia playing together and I remember Mother singing to me when I was really little, and… and we chased butterflies together and–”  she broke off, sniffling and pressing her face closer against Khairo’s thick winter fur. “Why didn’t she want me?”  she sobbed at last.  “Why wasn’t I good enough?”

This was not a question he had prepared to answer.

“Oh, my girl,” he murmured, twisting to wrap himself around her as much as his body would allow as she buried her face in his mane.  “You are good enough.  You were always good enough.  I’m so sorry… your mother is… complicated.”

It was, of course, a question he had asked himself many times.  Why wasn’t he good enough?  Why hadn’t Melody chosen to stay with him?  One night?  That’s all they got?  But he had dearly hoped his daughter had not wondered the same.

He drew her closer to the tree, under the protection and shelter of its branches, and held her close until her sobs subsided into sniffles.

“You know,” he said as she blinked the last teardrops from her eyes.  “It’s good that this happened now.  We’re in a good place for it.”

“We are…?”  She sniffled.

“Yes,” he nodded.  “We make wishes on the tree every year, right?  That’s our tradition.”

“But that… that’s not real…” 

“Mmh.  Maybe.  And yet… I’ve heard some say it can be.  Some say they’ve wished for certain items here, and they appeared.  Some wished to meet someone new, and made a new friend.”  He nuzzled her cheek gently.  “Why don’t we make a wish?  We’ll wish for her.”

Nimrime’s ruby eyes brightened and she stared at her father with a kind of wary hope.  “Can we do that…?”

“We can,” he said.  “And maybe - just maybe! - she’ll find us.”  He brushed a little forelock out of her eyes and marvelled at the tiny nub of horn beginning to twist free on her brow.  “Do you want to try?”

“Yes!”  Nimrime nodded emphatically.  “I want to see her again!”

“Close your eyes then, love,” Khairo said, and closed his own as well.  “And think of her.”

Perhaps it was a silly thing to do, to put the hope of such a reunion in his daughter’s head.  Gods knew Melody had enchanted him twice so she could run away before he could even try to persuade her, but if there was even the slightest chance to give his girl the closure she needed - closure he could never give to his other children! - then he had to try.

“I wish for my mother,” Nimrime whispered.  “Please… please let me see my mother…!”

*****

One of these days I'll figure out how to draw pine trees without wanting to jump out a window... Everyone has a kryptonite, I guess. xD;

Dear ForEver Green Tree: Khairo and Nimrime would very much like an encounter with Melody, to try to draw her in for good. <3