Inherently Innocent

Ancient Winter Melts

Thyme was asleep on Golshan's leg. Just the one. Meanwhile, his right leg, or rather the tightly bandaged stump that remained of it, was anxiously moving. It would take days for the swelling to improve enough for an artificial limb, the ishine doctor had said. It hadn't been Aloe who had said it; they had not returned yet. Still, the boys held on to hope that they were out there. Golshan insisted they must have gone searching for Juniper, and there was no way Aloe would let themselves die without finding her first. Thyme didn't think of that as comforting, but it was the best they could hold on to.

They were back at Byeol's home, where all the doors were open and the hurt were being brought in. Thyme had carried Liliac in his arms with the help of his mother and another nymph. She was unconscious and impossibly paler, but the doctor insisted she would make it.

The words made no sense. What other option was there?

Thyme wanted to be awake by her side when she woke up, but the effort had taken such a toll on him that as soon as Lee was on the makeshift bed, he fell asleep over Golshan.

Thyme was then resting intermittently. At every sound, he twitched. He wanted to be asleep and forget everything for a while, and no matter how many times he failed, he tried again to go blank. He held Golshan's hand. Golshan held Thyme's shoulder. That could be enough white noise for his thoughts. Thyme counted each beat of Golshan's heart and tried to breathe at its slow rhythm.

The sky was completely grey outside, and the warmth was suffocating. A great summer storm would come anytime soon, and when its tears landed on the ground, it would be cathartic.

Byeol was staring at the storm. She was alive and well, or as well as a mother could be while her daughter was unconscious and undergoing improvised surgery in the next room. Her feet hurried back and forth, her lips mumbled by themselves. People would approach her and ask what she thought of the inner circle's situation, ask if she would meet the Front for their meeting, or if she'd like to send a message. The woman would always shake her head and continue to wander, stopping every now and then to look out the window and scratch the graffitied edges of what had once been her family's home.

Byeol's eyes ghastly traced the insults her house was adorned with, paying no mind to the weight behind the words. She was entranced by the colours and textures.

When a high pitched moan suddenly escaped her weeping throat, Thyme sat up with heartache.

"What happened?"
Byeol stared at him, "She looked so lovely on her first day of school. I had done her hair into braids. Lovely braids."

Thyme's heart sank. The woman was grieving.

"She's going to be fine," Golshan noticed Thyme's face turn pale, so he traced a circular motion on his hand.

Thyme gently let himself back down again into his chest. "How do you know that?"

"Aloe healed me and I'm fine. An ishine is taking care of Liliac, and she will be fine."
"I'd like to have your confidence right now, but I can't see past my next word."

Thyme thus thought it would be wiser to remain quiet. However, the impulses in his head were stronger than him. The words were leaking through nervous pants and leaking tears.

"What was Juniper's plan with all of this? You once said you trusted her because of her ideas," he asked.
"I still do," Golshan stopped his caress, "She put the uncertain future into ideal words. Her idea was to build a democratic triumvirate, with ishine, human, and nymph representatives elected by both the settlement and those outside of it. It felt like a utopian dream, but now that Cove's gone, it might become a flawed reality. When the dust is settled, we can choose what future we want for ourselves. I'm not sure who would even run for representative at this point. It's not up to us though, but I believe anything can be better than what we've had. There's only going up from here."
"I can't believe you guys still have the brainpower to think of those things. I don't want to think about elections when I can't even think past my next,"
"Word," Golshan interrupted. "Hush it, then," he placed a cold hand under Thyme's neck. Every hair stood up, letting the cold in, and a rush of energy flowed down his back. "Close your eyes and think of nothing."
"I don't think I can keep a blank mind now, sun," Thyme recklessly grabbed the first positive word he could think of, "I can only think of words I would have wanted to tell my dad. I don't want to have more words I'd like to tell... to tell her."
"Hush it, hush it. Think of something else. What's your favourite colour?"
Thyme raised an eyebrow.