Summer Garden

Summer

Summer sighed heavily, looking at the teacup, and the peppermint leaves lying on the saucer. Usually she'd find them tempting, and struggle not to down them in a manner that didn't belong in a dignified person. Not today, today the tea was untouched and she hadn't bitten a single leaf.

The woman across from her looked around, "Your garden flourishes. I've always been jealous of how easy you make it look, Summer."

She smiled sadly, looking up at the silver-haired woman. She was dressed in an elegant black dress that sparkled in the sunlight, and a silver bracelet around one wrist. The only Fae who dared to wear the poisonous metal.

The woman sighed, "You sent everyone away, Summer. I'm trying to compliment you. I'm worried."

"So am I." She replied, "I'm terrified. Janus is waiting for a mistake. I may have already made it. I don't think I can get out of this one unscathed."

The silver-haired woman nodded slowly, "I... I have visions about this mortal, sister."

"Luna?" She asked, and the woman shrugged, "I know. I'm not much of a prophet. My prophecies and visions are of every future, not the one that fate has chosen. But... When I look at the future... The ones where the mortal is... It terrifies me."

Summer turned, "I see them, whenever I touch him... They're... Filled with things that don't make any sense."

"A child." Luna said slowly, "I see a child. A newborn Fae. The first since we were created... But... I also see war. Destruction. In so many of these futures, I see your death. My death. The destruction and genocide of all Fae."

Summer swallowed nervously, "Yes."

Luna shivered, "What is it about this mortal that he distorts every timeline? Wasn't your resurrection of him just an accident?"

"I thought it was." Summer shrugged, "But... I can't..."

Luna smiled at her sister slowly, "You imprinted on him. Didn't you?"

Summer felt her cheeks get hot and looked down at her tea in embarrassment. Imprinting wasn't the same as love. It was more than that. There was only a half dozen cases in the entirety of Faen history. It was the permanent binding of two souls. Once imprinted, a person would never be whole without the other, ever again. For the entirety of their immortal lives... How do you explain to a toddler why they feel depressed and empty, waiting for the rebirth of the one to whom they now belonged?

Imprinting was a taboo. Not explicitly forbidden, but looked down upon because of the social implications and the long-term impossibility.

And now... She'd gone and imprinted on a soul that was only fleetingly alive. Soon enough he'd lose his grip on his body, and his soul would be claimed by a god. He'd be gone, forever... And she would live without him... Forever.

"I hate myself." Summer whispered.

Luna grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly, "Don't. You couldn't control this. You're not to blame... And frankly, I don't know if it is a bad thing. The Fae have been so tense for so long. Janus has been amassing power for three centuries. More and more people feel like they can't fight him. Maybe it's time we change things. Maybe that change begins with hope. You're our hope. The hope... For a child... You and I spent seven lifetimes searching for Sumner's spell, trying to create a new generation of Fae, and we failed. We found the spell, and found that it can't be repeated... But maybe Sumner gave us another way forward. Maybe the mortal is our future."

Summer wished she could believe her.