The Missing Stone

Guilty Conscience

Green.

Her mind is buzzing, a lulling rhythm as she drifts into the unknown. That color...

The scent of fresh grass fills her nose, and she sighs softly. Her head feels like the flowing of water; clear and fluid. Her body is loose, light like she's floating.

Where am I?

Her eyes open to a bright and clear sky. Blades of grass softly tickle her ears and she sits up. She's in a field, flat and extending as far as the eye can see. The buzzing in her mind dims, allowing the wind to sing its song in her ears.

"Milly!"

She turns, facing a young girl around her age with cobalt hair and sapphire eyes. A tail wags behind her excitedly, the same color as her hair. On the sides of her head, floppy ears perk up in attention. Mildred feels her breath hitch.

"You're like me," she blurts, and the girl giggles.

"Of course, I am silly," she flicks Mildred in the forehead before standing, brushing herself off. Her ensemble isn't that different from Mildred's; a tunic and leggings, light leather armor dyed a navy blue covering her shoulders and the sides of her hips. On her back a silver bow with a gem encrusted on the handle, the same sapphire as her eyes.

Mildred feels her head get lighter, and she takes the proffered hand and stands. "What's your name?"

The girl whirls around, hands on her hips and frowning. "How rude. You know if I had my water skin you wouldn't be as dry as you are right now." Mildred's brows furrowed in confusion. The girl scoffs.

"Anyway," she continues, "if you need reminding it's not like I'm not used to your forgetfulness." She bows, her tail wagging low. "My name is Aelura."

The name rings in her head like a bell. Aelura. The buzzing returns, clouding her senses and causing her thoughts to jumble into chaotic masses.

The next she opens her eyes she's lying down again, a ceiling of straw above her head. She sits up, feeling straw stick to her back. She brushes them out of her hair, noticing the ragged fabric covering the cot, and pushes aside the flap of the hut and steps outside.

The same endless verdant field. A flash of dark violet in the corner of her eye. She turns, another girl with shoulder length violet hair, a pair of majestic wings and tall ears. They twitch at Mildred's approach. The girl turns, glancing out of the corner of her eye, smiling.

"It's been a while, Mildred." Mildred feels something lodge itself in her throat, her eyes stinging, stomach dropping. Her breath hitches and she falls to her knees, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," she says suddenly, anguish tightening its cold hands around her throat, choking her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She doesn't know why she is apologizing, just the feeling of immense guilt and failure caving a hole in her stomach.

The girl kneels in front of her, brushing her tears away. "It's not your fault," she admonishes, voice forgiving and kind, nothing that Mildred feels she deserves. Her shimmering eyes remind Mildred of the night sky. The feeling of falling overtakes her senses, but she feels nothing but lingering regret.

Falling, falling, endlessly, eternally. Mildred wonders what that girl's name was.

-

Her head hurts. A lot. It's like her skull is full of rocks and someone is shaking it. She can't feel her limbs, her chest aches and burns, and there's something wet on her face. Her eyes refuse to open, but she can distantly hear someone yelling.

Someone...familiar.

She feels herself about to slip away into unconsciousness once more, sweeping over her like a wave. The voices grow more distant until there's nothing at all.