Intertwined Souls ✧

⟡ Chapter 1 - The Silvermist

Aurah sat at the edge of a small hill overlooking Heavenly Creek, watching the water glitter beneath the light. Her silky white hair flew behind her as the breeze hit. She had always loved it here.

There was an old story about the creek - one she had heard so many times as a child that she could no longer remember who had first told it to her. When two angels who had loved each other in life were both gone, their souls were said to find one another again beneath these waters. They remained there, intertwined for eternity, and on particularly bright days, their resting souls were what made the surface sparkle.

Aurah didn't know if she believed it. She liked looking for them anyway. A shimmer caught against the water, disappearing almost as quickly as it appeared. She smiled and drew her knees closer to her chest. Her mother would have hated knowing how far she had wandered today. Not that Aurah was particularly far from home. Odessa simply had a generous definition of far.

If it were up to her, Aurah suspected they would spend the rest of their lives tucked safely into their little corner of the Kingdom of Solareth, surrounded by herbs, injured creatures, and the white columns of The Silvermist. Her mother was comfortable there. Aurah was too, mostly. But lately, it hadn't felt like enough.

Beyond Heavenly Creek, the land stretched farther than Aurah could see. Somewhere beyond it was places she had only ever heard about; borders she had never crossed and creatures she would probably never meet. She wondered what it would feel like to simply keep walking. The thought would have terrified Odessa. That alone made Aurah smile.

-- At The Silvermist --

The inside of The Silvermist always carried the strong scent of herbs mixed with the soft incense Odessa burned throughout the day. Small candles flickered around the little partially open cottage, their flames reflecting against the rows of glass jars that were lined across the wooden shelves. Some were filled with dried leaves and crushed flowers, while others held roots, seeds, powders and ingredients.

A large wooden table sat around the centre of the room, usually covered with half filled jars, small potion bottles, glass bowls and stone tools Odessa used to crush ingredients by hand. Nothing inside The Silvermist was ever perfectly organized, although Odessa somehow knew exactly where everything was.

"Please take these ginger mixed herbs. They would do wonders for your mother's throat", said Odessa handing a small potion bottle with limey yellow liquid to a little angel girl. Her wings were just beginning to sprout from her back. Her hair was tied in little pigtails, and she had small freckles across her face. She took the bottle while nodding obediently. "Mother said the herbs are the best from here, Miss Odessa", she said while bowing low as a sign of leaving with respect.

Odessa returned a sweet smile while opening the door for her when Aurah barged in at the same time.

"Oh greetings, little Petunia", she said waving at the little girl. Upon seeing her, the girl dropped the ginger herb bottle onto the floor with a CRASH and kept looking at Aurah, bewilderment in her eyes. The bottle broke followed by numerous glass shards scattering on the floor along with the ginger mix potion lying like a useless puddle on the ground.

"OH MY", muttered Odessa bending to clean up the mess quickly before someone got hurt.

Aurah was not surprised at all. This has occurred way too many times that she has finally lost count.

"Your eyes!", she yelped, slowly backing inside The Silvermist.

"What about them?"

"Why are they empty?"

"Well, I can still see you. So, does it matter?", Aurah walked a little closer towards her.

"Stop! You're a scary monster!", she yelled and ran past Aurah quickly through the door. Her sapling wings were fluttering against her back rapidly trying to force her to fly but unable to, as they were so little.

"No! Petunia, come back!", cried Odessa but it was too late. The little girl was long gone.

Aurah sighed with a little annoyance, "Seriously, why do you never let them know you have a crazy daughter at The Silvermist?"

"Silence, Aurah! You're not crazy but you scared that poor child", replied Odessa, closing the door, "You need to learn to be more understanding of how others perceive you".

"That kid needed some scaring. I always see her at Heavenly Creek. She's always smiling and playing around. But suddenly when she sees me, I turn into a monster apparently", said Aurah.

"Aurah, I told you not to go to Heavenly Creek! Angels' sake, please try to understand that those white empty eyes of yours is not something everyone here views as normal"

"But it's not like no angel knows. They all knew who I was when I received that invitation to work as the Royal Celestial Healer at the Royal Palace", she replied, pointedly.

Odessa nodded disapprovingly, "I really don't know what you were thinking by accepting that. All I can tell you is that they see you as an asset. Especially with those lifeless eyes of yours and your unusually strong powers. They might even kill you if they need to", she pulled her grey - white hair to a bun, short fine strands escaping, "I already warned you. There is nothing good for you there, Aurah".

Aurah looked at her mother frustratingly. Anger was slowly boiling through her. She had a short temper for such things. Usually, angels were more patient and calmer with the way they handled their emotions. But Aurah always felt a deep anger in her. Probably of the way the whole angel society of Solareth viewed her differently. But, also of the way her own mother viewed her as an alien as well.

"What am I to you exactly?", muttered Aurah in a defeated tone.

Her mother thought silently for a few seconds before replying quietly, "Aurah, my dear, you're my angel. But I'm the only one who can protect you from the rest of the world. You must stay hidden. It's for your own good", she said.

Aurah closed her fists tightly, resting them on her eyes irritatingly. Her angel wings appeared for a moment before disappearing again as her whole body was tensing, "I'm leaving to the palace, no matter what you say", she said in finality.