Lirael was sat on a tree, she recognized it perfectly, it was in the tree that was in the courtyard, a big gigantic Oak tree, and Lirael was sat on a branch, with her feet dangling and swaying in the air. The breeze ruffled her hair and she was dressed in her usual slacks that she'd use when sneaking out since dresses were never good for climbing trees.
Looking next to her there was a woman, who seemed only a few years older than her, who was she? She did know her, she knew all of the aristocracy by names and their banners, along with their colors and their banners and coats of arms, after all, she had to know them, and she recognized each member of each family more or less, but this woman, she couldn't pinpoint it.
Suddenly another person, another woman, but she recognized this woman: it was Rowen. She waved towards Rowen smiling and laughing trying to get Rowen to climb up and join her, maybe even discreetly whisper who the woman who was next to her was. Yet Rowens face was one of worry, something that was clearly etched in her face, yet Lirael simply thought that it was because she had climbed up the tree and she was quite high up, probably too high for Rowen's taste.
Still laughing she turned towards the woman to at least make small talk, maybe discreetly find out who she was, yet before she could open her mouth the woman had kissed her, the woman's arms having grabbed Lirael's shirt by the neck and was slowly pushing Lirael backwards.
Lirael's hands grappled the air; hands wide and scared, trying to hold on to anything, anything to stop her fall and help her regain her balance or even break the kiss, yet she could do neither.
When the woman finally broke the kiss and leaned back, Lirael's back was parallel to the ground, she was defenseless now, in the woman's hands, literally. The woman's eyes were now empty like tunnels, the gleam that had been in them at the beginning had long been engulfed by the vacuum.
Just like that, the woman's hands let go of her shirt, Lirael's body started to fall, her limbs grappling thin air, not gaining any footing. The tree branch that she had feel from was small in the horizon, yet why hadn't she hit the ground yet? Surely she was supposed to have hit the grass now, but why wasn't she?
Lirael scrunched her eyes shut, waiting for impact, but alas nothing came, why did the ground not hit her? Tentavely she opened one eye. Her surroundings were not pitch black, she couldn't see anything, except every now a glimmer of light. If se looked up and squinted she could see a small circle of light, but that was all. I must have fell from there.. And now I'm falling down the hole, she thought idly, just like that story books... What was it called again..?
There was only one thing she could be bothered to remember now, who was the woman who had kissed her and pushed her of the branch?... |