Nightspun (#ONC_2020)

Epilogue

30 years ago...

Siara smiled as her young daughter fell asleep.

With a quick flick of her Sunspell, she turned out the numerous lights Sybil had conjured and looked around for any more burns peeking out of the woodwork. Sybil had fallen asleep just as she spun the last words of the Astral Three faded, the images of glowing sandy bright dragons enveloped the room in a haze of warmth. 

"Typical Nightspun. Never sticking around to hear the applause." She said, chuckling at her young daughter's first ever retelling of her Grandmamma's favourite tale. 

She pulled the curtains closed, careful not to wake her and caught the gaze of the weather outside. The storm was still going long into the night and Siara could feel the telltale frostbite singeing her arms. She pulled at her sleeves to hide the first signs of the Chilling and that's when she heard it. 

The distinct sound of someone clapping.

"Am I too late for the encore?" 

A familiar voice called from the doorway, his quiet, casual tone sending chills down her spine far more than the Chilling ever could. 

"You're too late, period." Siara announced, bristling at the thought of him barging into her life again.

She cared for him. She truly did but there's only so many times her heart could be broken that not even stitching it back together with Sunspell would help. Tugging at her topknot she snagged the top loose and swept her silvery hair behind her back as best she could, concealing the three Astral needles by her side in case things went wrong. Who was she kidding? Things always went wrong when he was around.

He had stolen them once before, she would not let him do so again.

"Come now, Sika. You know why I-" he began but Siara was having none of it.

"Of course I know! But Sybil…she needs you. I needed you, Kirai." 

She could see the tell tale lines of guilt marring his face in more ways than one. A thin scar cut across his cheek from the last time he had tried to convince her mother, Sybil's beloved Grandmamma to join the fight. He had almost lost an eye that day but Sybil had lost so much more. 

She lost her family.

Sighing, Siara turned her attention to the dwindling hearth nearest him, hooking the small package within her sleeve before conjuring up her Sunspell. It was then that he came out from the gloom of the doorway and stood beside her.

"Allow me, your royal Sunstress."

Before she could even decline he lit the flame with a single click of his fingers and bathed in the warm glow. There wasn't a drop of moisture on him from the rain despite him being out in the harshest storm in decades. Despite the heat, Siara couldn't help but feel cold.

"Don't. Just don't. Just...tell me what you want and then you can leave. Same as always." Siara said, still unable to look him in the eyes.

"Siara…" 

She turned away from the fire and suddenly she couldn't look away anymore. She saw the heartbreak in his eyes and felt his hand rest against her cheek, longing to hold on to what they once had. Sybil moaned in her sleep, stifled by the sudden dream that came over her and Siara felt the need to step away to aid in her troubles.

Despite her desires, her daughter came first. Always.

Clad in his usual black overcoat Kirai kept one arm neatly by his side, respectfully keeping his distance until Siara was done tucking her back in.