The Legend of Fanaura : Cursed

Chapter 8 - Home (Eireen)

It was strange, being at home again after so long. Despite how long she'd been away, she still remembered everything about the place. The pink chameleon lavender that was planted in the front yard. The soft tinkling of wind chimes that reminded her of those peaceful summer afternoons. Eireen sighed and took a sip of sweet blue ginger ale her mom made for her. Her eyes roamed the front yard emptily until it stopped at a swing that hung under the Oaku tree. She glanced at the old, worn swing. Years ago, she had swung there, alone. She had always been a strange child, quiet and private. Until she entered the Academy, that swing had been her only friend.

Putting down the mug on the table on the porch, she made her way over to the abandoned swing, her roseate eyes taking in the peeled yellow coat and rough wooden seat. Her fingers tiptoed the old swing's rope, carefully she took hold on it, twisting the swing's lone rope; round and round; till the poor weathered tether was taut with tension, the binds creaking with pleas for relief. She sat on the dried out seat -the wood complaining noisily under her weight-, and had the frayed cord securely between her legs, did she finally release all the strain she had caused the worn-out, but deeply love elder swing. The girl closed her eyes, enjoying the almost floating sensation as the world blended together and spun around faster and faster.

"I will miss you," she breathed tenderly holding the coarse rope close to her forehead, the frayed, severed threads playfully tickling her nose.

"I will remember you when all else has failed."

Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed with emotion and tears trickled down her cheeks. Alarmed, she wiped them. Her fuschia eyes once more roamed the fast horizon in front of her.

"Eireen!" a melodic voice call her out from the porch. She turned her head to find her sweet loving mom stood there waving at her.

"Come now, lunch is ready."

She hesitated to reply to her, but she stood up nonetheless and making her way back to the house. Her mom watched her and smiled; the crow's feet around her eyes deepened as she smiled.

They strolled to the kitchen without words shared; both with their own thoughts. Eireen sat on the stool, head slumped onto her hands watching her mother prepared her meal.

Then she put her head on the table, her brows creased and face tensed. When her mom sat -with 2 bowls on her hands- she asked worriedly, "What's up?"

"... Do I really need to go back?" she muttered more to herself than to her mother. Today was her fourth day since she got back home. She must return to the palace in three days. Something she wished she could avoid, but to be a deserter could cause harm, not only to herself but also to her mom and tainted her dad's family name.

Her mother hand softly caressing her rosy hair; comforting her, "What's wrong dear? Is there something troubling you?"

Eireen sat up and gazed at her mom. Her mother was not overly old, but her body had aged passed her years, the occasional strand of her once red hair could still be seen through the lifeless grey mane that limply framed her ageing tired face. Her forehead wrinkled by many peaks and trenches, but her beautiful dark ebony eyes cover all the flaws. Eireen hated to make her worry, her lips opened and closed, unsure of how to bring up the topic about the 'kiss'. The heat started to grow in her cheeks as the memory of the kiss crawling out her mind.

She decided to go home on her 'time off', a gift granted by Princess Amierra instead of his royal highness king Jace. That night Amierra dismissed her on the spot, she didn't request or even order an explanation on why her fiancé kissing a commoner. But if a stare could kill, the way she looked at her that night was enough for Eireen. She would lose her head on the spot if the one who kissed her not the king himself. The only reason she was still alive, was because Jace out ranked Amierra.