Twin shadows regard the other pair. One shadow is resolute, it bears the strongest likeness of the fourth figure, in complete order and neatness. Not a hair is out of place, nothing creases or stains her grayed-blue robes. She was once the strongest of them, now she merely shadows hope. This is not the only thing changed in all these moments you have looked upon this place.
In front of her, all but super-imposed, stands the second shadow. She too mirrors the original twins, but she is far less defined. Neither chaotic or ordered, she stands as a silent, unblinking guardian. Her expression is impassive, watchful, and her movements thus far have seemed impartial at best. Having not been present from the beginning, she offers nothing to the ongoing arguments that wrap this place more thoroughly than the constant winter.
It is clear though, that the shadows watch with rapt interest. Something has changed in this place, something that has unknown impact. For now you see that the fourth is not huddled against the wrath that seems to be falling on her… no… Instead she ignores it. In fact she ignores everything save for the small clutch of green chutes standing bravely amid a damp patch of blackened earth and ringed by snows.
She carefully tends the plant, which is entirely out of place, an impossibility in a place full of such. The gray feline paces the very fringes of the snow. She watches curiously as felines are want to do. The moments pass in near silence. Her tending done she stands to admire the work. Truly she has done what she is able to do, now she need only give it room to grow. The occasional noises and remarks of disgust are all that there is to mark the moments ticking by. Are they minutes? Hours? Days? Longer still?
The change is so very subtle everything seeming to hold its breath and watch what is unfolding. At first it is not clear until the contrast of color demands attention. After all the waiting, a single, pale, pink hue makes its presence known against the dark green of the plant that bears it. The snow still gently falling, now all but stopped, cannot seem to gain a foothold around the delicate plant. It begins to blossom as no one speaks. Vanna has long since gone silent, though her rage boils beneath the surface, churning in her green eyes as she paces behind Eliania. The shadows watch, the feline amuses herself nearby. Eliania focuses intently on the soft petals that unfold, her silvery blue eyes unblinking.
At last the single rosbud stands in full bloom, triumphant and hopeful in a place such as this. There are still no words. At last the snow surrenders to the change and has paused, for the first time in many years it is not a brief pause but a genuine cessation to the snows. The clouds loom, but seem somehow lighter. Not drawing her gaze from the rose, Eliania smiles.
It is in that instant the storm that had been building in the figure behind her breaks with a shriek of hate and violence. She moves sweepingly toward the fragile bloom, intent on destroying it. There is a brief cry from Eliania who looks on in utter terror, and in what can only be described as a blink… Vanna’s outstretched hand pauses just out of reach of its target.
Held fast and still by twin hands of twin shadows who move together as one… Vanna flails against them with little success. She emits a sound of defeat and anger as she glares at them. When she speaks she barely sounds herself, but rather the voice of sheer loathing.
“Let go!”
“No.”
They speak in simple unison, voices nearly perfectly matched, but in absolute harmony. Eliania blinks. In that moment the sun that breaks through the clouds is blinding, if only brief. Vanna staggers back as she jerks away and is released… this causes her to topple indignantly into the snow She glares up at the others.
“There will be no more death upon the snow.”
As the shadows speak, Eliania moves between the shadows who now stand guard over the newest addition to the snowy landscape, and Vanna. She outstretches a hand to Vanna. Vanna is quick to swat it away in her pride, but she does not move to stand.
“This is getting you nowhere, Vanna. After all this time, for all this … work… you are gaining nothing. When will it end? Are we always to fight like this? Me in my struggle to overcome, you in your adamant need to destroy? And if you do destroy me… us… how long until you are destroyed? Truly? You shall fade as I was meant to, as we were meant to… I would like to remember you fondly, not for the injury you have caused… but as the sister you were.”
“You would have me the mild and useless failure in your shadow then? A backdrop to your budding life?”
“I would have you happy, Vanna. At peace. I'd let you take whatever role you wished to hold in it. I cannot let you hurt others anymore, you're only hurting yourself. I truly just want you happy.”
“Then wither, Eliania… Wither away and leave me to my own. All of you. I will not be your afterthought. I will see you suffer, that I am never forgotten! You will fear me, they all will fear me, and I will -never- fade. You on the other hand will simply be a memory of a love lost, and a voice that fell silence.”
Eliania finally drops her hand, her eyes regard the woman before her in sadness before she turns her gaze back to the rose. The pair of shadows move aside as she sits so she may see Vanna. The rose stands between Vanna and Eliania, Vanna only a few quick strides from a second attempt. She remains where she is, glaring at Eliania. She sneers and shakes her head.
“Poor, broken Eliania. Have your moment of happiness then! It shall make my triumph sweeter in the wake of your suffering.”
“And what of Broken Vanna? How hollow your words have become, sister. I was blind to your suffering, even if it was perceived. Even if your fears and jealousies were truly unfounded… I was blind to the fact that you were hurting. All I can ever do is beg forgiveness and try to set it right. You have shattered me, shown me your pain--”
“I do not want your -Pity-, Eliania!”
The scream she emits causes the shadows to move slightly, fearing another assault on the rose. She does not move however, so they remain still. Eliania regards Vanna with the first measure of understanding in nearly two centuries.
“I do not pity you. I only grieve what I lost in you. I mean to make up for my failing in that… If I can find closure and healing… then perhaps there is hope for you.”
Vanna starts to speak again, but she is stopped by something that lands on her cheek. It is not snow, but the first of many rain drops that begin to fall in a steady pace. After a time the rain is blinding as it pours down in sheets, blanketing the world in gray. The last thing you notice is the wind… Not the wind. Weeping… Not one voice… But two.
~~
Look past all I've been before
I'm longing, pleading for so much more.
Do you see me on this cliff afraid?
Waiting, praying, come and take away the pain?
Chorus:
Locked away in these chains I need to find myself.
Trust today I will fade if I don't find myself.
Without you I've morphed into a lesser me.
Don't you see, all I need is You to find myself!
Set back clocks of wounded times.
I'm grasping, begging for one more try.
Do you see the possibilities?
Take me, break me, mold this new found me.
Locked away?
Come and free me?
Locked away?
Come and free me.
Come and free me!