Eight Intertwined

2 - Ophilia

The morning sun broke through the snow-filled clouds that resided above Flamesgrace, coating the arctic town in a thin veil of pristine white illumination. Within the chapel of Flamesgrace, curtains were drawn open by thin, delicate hands, and Ophilia Clement stood in front of the glass with a gentle smile spreading across her lips. 

Ophilia brushed a strand of golden hair away from her face as she allowed the light to fill her soft cerulean eyes. Ophilia's white dress and matching cloak seemed to glow in the sunshine, and her sleek black gloves reflected the glimmer in a way that seemed almost ethereal. She let out a dreamy sigh. Morning had always been Ophilia's favorite time of day. There was nothing quite like greeting the sun and enjoying the scarce beams that made their way through the skies of the Frostlands to touch the ground below. 

A pair of telltale knocks came to Ophilia's door, and she turned around to face the entryway of her room. She knew who was behind the sound without even needing to ask. "Come in," Ophilia's dignified voice instructed kindly. She chose not to shut the curtains, giving a heavenly glow to her soft and sweet features. 

The newcomer was a girl with light brown hair tied into a simple ponytail. A few loose strands framed her face and brought attention to her deep and soulful eyes. A headband sat atop her head, crowning her presence with something perfectly fitting and elegant. She was wearing a similar dress to Ophilia, and her cloak and gloves matched as well. They were different at a first glance, but everything about them seemed to come together like perfectly matched pieces of a puzzle. 

"May the Sacred Flame light your path on this fine day," Lianna Clement told Ophilia as she bowed her head and clasped her hands in a prayer formation. Her eyes slipped shut, and she waited patiently for Ophilia to return the favor. 

It only took a moment for the blonde woman to follow suit, her hands pressed together firmly in front of her chest. "And may it ever shine its warmth upon you," Ophilia finished, offering the second half of the greeting that had come to be known as traditional in the town of Flamesgrace. 

For a few long seconds, the two girls were silent. Lianna was the first one to show signs of slipping, and she bit down on her lip to unsuccessfully try and halt the laughter that was already starting to rattle in her lungs. It didn't take long for Ophilia to join in, and less than a minute later, the two were openly giggling as if they had partaken in the most amazing inside joke to ever be created. 

After Ophilia had managed to calm her laughter, she shook her head and spoke. "How many times have we said those words? And yet, they seem to take on a whole new meaning now," she said to Lianna, resisting the urge to gesture back and forth between them. It had been tradition for them to exchange the words for as long as Ophilia could remember, but times had changed since the idea was first placed in motion. 

Lianna nodded, and a newfound resolve formed in her posture. "Each day is one day closer to my departure. Perhaps I'm more nervous than I thought I was..." she commented, releasing a nervous laugh despite her body putting on a show of confidence. 

Ophilia took a small step closer, one hand reaching out to grace the other woman's shoulder. She ultimately retreated before the contact could be established, and she swallowed dryly, her anxiety manifesting itself in the back of her throat. "Lianna?" she managed to whisper. 

Lianna shook her head to dismiss the thought. "You needn't worry about me. I was born to make the pilgrimage," she said a moment later, her demeanor shifting once again into a display of assurance regardless of her true opinions. Lianna turned and took a step towards the window, allowing the morning sun to spread across her pale skin. "My father did the same twenty years ago. As his daughter, I cannot let him down."