Free

Misty · Post by **Misty** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:50 pm

Free.

Her form walked, one leg kicking out, pushing her forward as the other drew forward. Yet she did not walk, she floated forward. She looked down, her form no longer alien. Her legs returned to the shape she knew them best, her hips, her fine, not-too-delicate hands. If she held color, she would be grey again. A tight hand squeezed her heart, pushing tears out of her eyes. They dissipated before landing on her hands. She pushed once-white hair back, breathing deep of unneeded air. Old habits, she almost smiled.

Free.

It was better than the other time she was here. Though more solid than many others, the shifting greys emanated warmth and comfort. She walked the distorted mirror of the Prime, wide eyes searching the other shadows. What were their stories? How did they end? So many seemed familiar, yet were not. Tricks of the shadows, she smiled.

Free.

She continued to float-walk, looking for familiar faces among the Prime. There! She found one, watching him walk his forest. His hair as wild as the fire it resembled, the green eyes searching. A smile sometimes in his eyes, but never touching his lips. She touched his ear, his head snapped to look through her. She drew back, too mortal fright rising before she remembered he would not see her. Yes, she loved this one in the end. She watched him return to his search, rubbing his ear.

Free.

She slipped into the bowels of Undermountain. She knew his fate, but had to see him again. The shadows here were unkind, but she posed no threat. The silent grey child stood before the great book, studying the words just as when she would read to him. He would be like his father. Sadness dampened her escape from that place.

Free.

She moved through the landscape, twirling in a dance only she knew. Timelessness as seductive as the lack of pain. She stopped short at another familiar face. A different breed of elf, neither sun nor moon nor wood nor wild, he was a shadow elf through and through and could see her now if she were not careful. She had aspired to that, after her change. They turned her to a false elf, she knew, but maybe she could be a shadow elf, too. She loved this one, at a time when she felt it best to hide that affection. For his sake, she bore the pain of longing. For his sake, she spared him her poisoned touch. And it worked. He yet lived. She smiled.

Free.

She spun away before the shadow elf would see her. Another joined her in the dance, his feet as sure as hers. She laughed, her nonvoice dropped to the rich contralto she once had. They separated on the Prime, each to a different task, yet died at the same time. He was right, it was fate that brought them together at the right time. They had finally found their match. Though he promised not to die on her, she forgave him the oversight. Dancing and laughing, in the comfort of the dark. Never to find out if their children would be grey or white, but it no longer mattered.

Free.

Burt · Post by **Burt** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:03 pm

Very nice.

psycho_leo · Post by **psycho_leo** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:12 pm

Cool stuff Misty.

Nyarlathotep · Post by **Nyarlathotep** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:24 pm

Nice.

darrenhfx · Post by **darrenhfx** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:29 pm

I'm not sure whether I should feel joy or sorrow...

Lasterx · Post by **Lasterx** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:34 pm

Very nice ending, to a very long story.. Good job Misty..

epetrow · Post by **epetrow** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 3:36 pm

Well done.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:10 pm

darrenhfx wrote:I'm not sure whether I should feel joy or sorrow...

I think perhaps sorrow.

Farewell our darkest flower, even if you did wilt on us in the end, it was not our hand that pruned you from the garden.

We watched you fall and we were not there to catch you.
We saw you broken and it was not us that fixed you.
For this i am sorry.

And when you were betrayed it was not our weapons that struck into your back.
It might as well have been.

Enjoy your freedom, it came at much cost. You deserved more.
The rest of us shall never be free.

Mikayla · Post by **Mikayla** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:32 pm

Cynon:

Farewell our darkest flower…

While I am sure your sentiments are appreciated, I am afraid that the name “Dark Flower” and all possible derivations, including but not limited to “darkest flower”, are trademarked, copyrighted, patented and otherwise wholly owned in this country, worldwide, in this and in all other worlds throughout the known and unknown universe, in any and all dimensions, throughout each and every prime (and not-prime) material planes, inner planes, outer planes, elemental planes, quasi-elemental planes, transient planes and planes not otherwise defined, in this existence, or any other existence or any non-existence or quasi-existence, including life, unlife, death, undeath, damnation, salvation, or lack thereof, including but not limited to limbo, purgatory, and Kelemvor’s wall of the faithless, at this time, now and forever more, in perpetuity, and in times past, present and future, by “Sheyreiza Auvryndar”, licensee of E-Valsharess Inc., Licensor (EVIL) a wholly owned subsidiary of the “Mikayla Universal Dominion” (MUD). Therefore please cease and desist in the use of the aforementioned appellation or the rightful owning party will take all appropriate and available measures to secure their rights and punish the transgressors of same. Thank you and have a nice day.

Vendrin · Post by **Vendrin** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:38 pm

Nice story Misty.

And Mik...

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:41 pm

The Dark Flower was written by John Glasworthy in 1913. As he got there first, Sheyreiza Auvryndar is in violation of copyright and must cease and desist existing immediately.

Joos · Post by **Joos** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:45 pm

Very nice Missy, as ususal.

Mikayla · Post by **Mikayla** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:46 pm

John Glasworthy is dead - and thats how it goes for those who would dispute the trademarks etc. of the EVIL MUD!

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:55 pm

Our legal researchers can find no reference to the existance of the drow in their current incarnation prior to 1978. While records going back that far are murky at best, they have deduced that the existance of the aforementioned Mikayla in any incarnation was only formed around about the late 1960s/early 1970s. As John Glasworthy died in 1933 of some kind of brain thingy, we find your implications to be unviable.

[Insert scary legal looking document here.]

Mikayla · Post by **Mikayla** » Thu Jul 06, 2006 11:03 pm

Time is a but a petty thing and is certainly no obstacle to us drow in achieving our vengenance. As for the drow, well, the roots go deep and with the aids of the seer called "Google" and the sage called "Wikipedia" I am sure that even you can learn that the roots go back to Dokkalfar (dokkalvar) of Norse Mythology. As for me, I can (and have) traced my genealogy all the way back to Odin himself (and oddly enough, I am not entirely joking...thats what the genealogies actually say...but then, who really believes genealogies written prior to the 1500s by nobles seeking authority for their 'divine right'?) Regardless, your protestations are in vain! Defy us and reap the whirlwind of death like John Glasworthy did!