gaeistis-fields of red (Original)

garden of blooming flowers

The faint sound of chirping birds louded, the morning sun shone through the partially see-through blinds with a slight breeze flowing inward. Luxia slowly opened her eyes. Slowly adjusting to the light while she rubbed her eye. She yawned, stretching her arms out before she grunted in relief. Observing her room. Outside, she could hear the faint sounds of children talking and laughing.. "Good Morning" she said quietly before standing up,

For a second she felt light headed. Putting her hand on her forehead. As the feeling dissipated, she walked over to the closet and grabbed a pair of fresh clothes. She smiled slightly. Glancing at the patterns of roses on the clothes.. The sounds of pairs of feet running became more audible as she opened the door of the room she was in. She glanced over towards Xena's room which was still closed. Biting her lip, she walked towards the stairs leading down to the main hall. Acheilla ran out from the corner before she noticed Luxia standing there. She almost lost her footing as she slid across the polished floor before standing right up and saying. "Good morning! May you have great amounts of fun!" she said excitedly. Luxia bowed before clapping politely. "That's great! You can almost become one of my royal maids" luxia said jokingly as she smiled towards the ambitious little girl. "I will not bother you any further. Excuse me" acheilla said again before running towards the stairs and into her room. Luxia could not help but smile as she admired her great effort of imitating the maids. "Oh luxie i was just about to go wake you up.. But I see you were already awake before I could." the woman said. Carrying a tea cup on her left hand. Her smile gave a luxia a warm feeling inside. She could feel that the woman was becoming more comfortable and open ever since they met at the palace.

As she kindly smiled, she glanced towards the left out of an open window in the living room. Behind the swaying see through curtains, in between the lush garden, filled with lilies and chrysanthemums sat a little girl, swinging on a wooden swing. Her hair swayed back and forth as she swayed gently in each direction. The woman leaned in. curious to what luxia was looking towards, when she realized that it was xena who she was looking at, she smiled. "She loves to swing on that swing. She once told me that before her home was torn to shreds. Her father used to have a wooden swing in the backyard of her house. Neatly strapped onto one of the branches of an old oak tree." the woman said. Resting her palms on her lap. Luxia smiled. "It is always a pleasure seeing children do what they long for, as time passes by. You don't really get that opportunity anymore... the more responsibility that gets laid upon you, it takes you in so much.. That you lose touch with reality itself." luxia said. Still staring at the girl who looked like she was in a paradise full of prosperity and peace. The woman nodded as she looked down to her old wrinkled hands. "When I was younger... I used to be so occupied by things that right now don't even matter anymore.. I used to overthink every little situation that happened to me, my mistakes.. My success... I did not realize that the longer I worked on teaching morals and ethics. The more people I lost. Only due to my lack of care for the people close to me." the woman said in a disappointed tone. Luxia listened attentively while still looking towards xena. She could feel a slight breeze flowing into the living room in front of her. Gently brushing against the slightly see through curtains. "Go talk to her. I'm sure you two would fit together." the woman said. smiling as she put her hand on luxia's shoulder. Luxia nodded and thanked the woman before walking towards the front door and walking towards the garden next to the mansion. Xena was still swaying back and forth, the sounds of screeching metal echoed through the leaves of the lush forest around them. The flowers seemed to emit a bright glow as the wind picked up even more. Brushing against luxia's long white hair as she approached xena. "You seem to really enjoy the swing don't you?" luxia said curiously, trying to spark a conversation. Xena only nodded slightly. Completely trying to avoid eye contact. Luxia sighed as she sat down on her knees. "Xena..is there something the matter?" luxia said, her soft and calming voice gave shivers down xena's spine as she did not expect luxia's voice to be that calming. "I..i" she tried to speak. Yet when she tried to speak what was in her head. All the memories, the horrors of that fateful day came back in a flash. Tears dropped down onto her white gown as her grief grew even more. Luxia's eyes widened. She did not realize that it hurt her that much. "Hey.. hey.. Come dear child" luxia said. Wrapping her arms around Xena's head as she tried to comfort her. Gently patting her head. "I'm sorry.. I should not have asked that." luxia said apologetically. "It's ok.. I know you meant no harm" xena's soft almost unhearable voice made luxia more empathetic as she put her hands on xena's chin and said. "I will protect you.. Even if I am a really terrible guardian who always drops his swords when engaged in a fight." luxia said. Trying to make xena laugh.. But she realized that she did not understand the joke so she said "and a terrible joker" she sighed. "Here... want to see something cool?" xena nodded. As Luxia held out her palm in front of Xena's eyes. A faint green glow appeared on her palm. Completely illuminating it despite it being day. "Now comes the best part."