Characters: Eliana and Wynter
Book: This story does not take place in any of my fanfictions.
It is set two years after the short story Love Conquers. Eliana is about ten years old.
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Eliana blinked her eyes open and frowned, snuggling deeper into her blankets. Moonlight glittered through the glass panes of her windows and she could see stars shining brightly between the sparse clouds. No snow was falling tonight. The only snowflakes in the air were ones that had been blown off of buildings by a gentle breeze.
Eliana sighed and slid out of bed, crossing over to a window on silent feet. She jumped onto the cushioned bench beneath the window and rested her hands on the sill as she peered out. The grounds of the townhouse were still, save for the guards who were on duty. She turned to look at the stable, then knit her brows.
Only one horse was picketed outside now. Both Bruma and Donner had been left out when she went to bed. Her father said they would be all right outside of the stable tonight, since it was warmer than usual. Eliana pursed her lips, studying the footprints that accompanied a set of large hoof prints.
Daddy must've changed his mind about Bruma, Eliana thought. I don't want Donner to get lonely though. Maybe I should go check on him.
She turned away from the window and grabbed a pair of boots, as well as her fur-lined cloak. Silently, she let herself out of the room and slunk down the hall. No sounds came from her parents' bedroom and there wasn't a whisper of noise from her little brother. Eliana reached the stairs and leaped onto the railing, gliding all the way down so as to avoid a few creaky steps.
Eliana landed softly and scampered back towards the kitchen, then out a side door. Snow crunched beneath her feet as she approached Donner. The young stallion cocked his head quizzically, his breath frosting in the air. Eliana smiled and held out her hand. Donner closed the distance between them and nuzzled her palm with a snort.
She giggled and stroked his velvety muzzle. "Where is your daddy, Boy?" Eliana asked. Donner merely snorted again. "Of course a big horse of two years doesn't need his daddy. I just want to know where Bruma went," she added, rolling her crystal blue eyes.
Donner swished his silvery tail, brushing off snow that had flaked onto the fluffy, dappled gray fur of his flanks. Eliana pushed herself onto the tips of her toes and patted Donner's neck. "I think you got bigger while I was asleep," Eliana laughed. "You'll be as big as Bruma soon and my daddy will start teaching you to wear a saddle. You'll be good and let him ride you, right?"
A puff of breath misted her face. Eliana wrinkled her nose and swatted loose ivory hair out of her eyes. "Well, you don't really get a choice. We'll give you to someone else if all you're going to do is sit around. Bruma gets to because he's old, but you've got no excuse." Donner stomped a hoof and shook out his mane. Eliana crossed her arms, fixing him with a stern glare. "Don't take that tone with me, Mister."
The stallion nickered quietly and turned away. Eliana rolled her eyes once more as Donner settled on the ground and closed his eyes. She waited a few minutes before sitting down beside him. Eliana shivered slightly and leaned against Donner. Warmth seeped through her cloak, dulling the chill that had overtaken her.
"I didn't really mean that," Eliana murmured. "I'm sorry." She leaned over and kissed the horse's cheek. "But you do have to behave." The horse huffed and Eliana giggled. "I should go inside. It's cold out here." She stood, glancing back at the stable and the tracks leading into it.
After a moment's hesitation, Eliana followed the prints. She pushed open the stable door and headed towards Bruma's stall. She tipped over an empty bucket and hopped on top of it, poking her head over the gate. Bruma lay inside the stall, his large head resting on her father's lap. Wynter was seemingly asleep.
Eliana leaped off her bucket and unlatched the gate. Neither of the stall's occupants stirred when she entered. Eliana noticed Wynter's hand was threaded through Bruma's mane. She sat down beside her father, careful not to disturb him. Her mother had often warned her against doing so.
Eliana wasn't exactly sure why, but she did know that sometimes her father didn't always seem like himself when he woke up, especially if he'd had one of his nightmares, which was why she obeyed her mother's wish. Even though he hadn't had a nightmare in almost two years, Eliana was still careful around him.
Eliana petted Bruma's cheek. A faint rustle caught her attention. Wynter lifted his head and squinted at her, confusion crossing his features. Then, he straightened. "What are you doing out here, Lia?"
"I was checking on Donner. I woke up and saw Bruma was gone, so I didn't want him to feel lonely." Wynter nodded and leaned his head back against the wooden wall. "Why are you out here?"
"I woke up and noticed that Bruma was laying down. I didn't want him lying on the ground all night so I brought him back in here."
"Is he all right?" Eliana asked.
Wynter nodded. "He's just...old and tired."
Eliana scooted closer to her father and leaned into him. He tucked his free arm around her shoulders. "Why did you wake up, Daddy? Was Hollis crying? I didn't hear him."
"No, Hollis wasn't crying." Wynter fell silent and Eliana sensed his hesitation.
"Did you have a nightmare?" She asked. "It's been a long time since you last had one."
Wynter gave a small sigh. "Yes, I did. And you're right. It has been a long time, but sometimes we just remember things. We don't always get to choose when those memories come back."
Eliana looked up at him, worry prickling through her. "Do you have nightmares about whatever gave you these?" She pointed at the four jagged scars slicing through his throat.
"Sometimes."
"What happened?"
A hesitant smile crept onto Wynter's thin lips and she knew she wasn't going to receive an answer. "It was a long time ago, Lia. You don't need to worry about me."
Eliana's mouth curved into a frown. "You know I'll find out someday."
Wynter's smile faded. "I know. But someday isn't now." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You should go back to bed. I'll come in soon."
"Okay." Eliana pushed herself to her feet and opened the gate. She looked back at her father, then continued on her way.
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Wynter remained seated in the stall, weaving his fingers through Bruma's long mane. The stallion hadn't moved at all while Eliana was there. In fact, he hadn't stirred since Wynter coaxed him back into the stable. Only the slow rising and falling of his side told Wynter that the old horse was still breathing.
Wynter swallowed hard, sorrow forming a lump in his throat. "What am I going to do without you?" He whispered.
Bruma had been with him through so much. He'd raised the stallion since he was just a colt. Wynter had trained Bruma himself. The horse had been his sole friend, his sole companion, when he returned to the Winter Court following the War with Melantha.
He'd always been able to pick up on Wynter's emotions. Bruma knew when he was anxious and upset. So many times the horse had been the only one he could rely on. The only one he felt safe around. How often had he slept in this very stall because his horse was the only companion he could stand to be around?
Things had changed for the better since then, but Wynter still needed Bruma. He still had bad days, though they were few and far between. There were nights when he dreamed of what he'd done to Ellie, and upon waking, he barricaded himself in the stables with Bruma.
When he dreamed of Melantha and couldn't bear the thought of another person touching him, he sought out the horse. When he didn't want to be around people, but didn't want to be alone, it was Bruma who kept him company.
Sure, he had Donner, and had already begun training him, but the young stallion already seemed to have a stronger bond with Eliana than with him. There was nothing wrong with that, but it just wasn't the same. Nothing would be the same. Wynter sighed and leaned down, resting his forehead against Bruma's cheek. Tears stung beneath his eyelids, but he refused to let them fall.
Bruma blew out a heavy breath and Wynter opened his eyes. The stallion was awake, his dark gaze, hazy with age, studying him intently. "You're all right, aren't you, Boy?" Wynter whispered. "Just old and..." his voice caught, "...and tired." Bruma didn't move. He just continued to watch him.
Wynter sat up and tilted his head back, fighting the burn of tears. "I can't blame you. You've worked hard all your life." A smile flickered across his lips. "But you're still a spoiled and lazy horse."
Bruma gave a wheezing snort and Wynter stroked his muzzle fondly. "What am I going to do without you?" He asked once more. Bruma shifted his head in Wynter's lap, but didn't lift it. He was beginning to wonder if his horse even had the strength to move.
"We've been through a lot, haven't we?" Wynter rasped. "I've always relied on you, and you know I'm grateful, don't you?" Bruma blinked. There almost seemed to be a question in his eyes.
"But you're old and tired now," Wynter said again. "I know you've kept going for my sake." He drew a deep breath. "You don't have to anymore. If you're ready, I'll be ready too." He smiled sadly. "I've got Ellie, Lia, and Hollis now. I'll be all right."
Bruma attempted to lift his head again. Wynter tenderly smoothed his dappled fur. "I'll be all right," he repeated. "Sad, but all right. You don't have to keep fighting. It's okay." He blinked rapidly, but a few tears managed to drip down his cheeks. They didn't freeze when they touched his skin. "It's okay. If you're ready to go, you can. I'll be fine."
He held up his palm and let an ice cube take form. More tears fell as he held his hand near Bruma's lips and the stallion licked up his favorite treat. Bruma closed his eyes, nostrils flaring with every breath. Wynter ran his hand down the stallion's warm furry neck. He didn't look at Bruma's side. Didn't listen for his breath. There was no longer any need to.
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Wynter wasn't sure how long he sat in the stables. Long enough that his legs were full of pins and needles when he finally tugged them out from beneath Bruma's head. Long enough that the stallion's once warm coat had grown as cold as his own skin. He numbly made his way back to the house, pausing only briefly to make sure Donner's picket line and halter were secure.
He entered the house through a side door and passed through the kitchen, then made his way upstairs. Wynter headed to Eliana's room first. He inched the door open and spotted her little figure buried beneath the bedcovers. Wynter crossed the room and knelt down beside her. Gently, he smoothed hair out of her face and swept a kiss across her forehead.
Lia's eyes fluttered open. "Are you all right, Daddy?" Her words were slurred with drowsiness. Wynter nodded, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "How is Bruma?"
His heart clenched in sorrow, but Wynter managed to keep it from seeping into his voice. "You don't need to worry about him, Sweetheart. We'll talk in the morning."
"Okay." She hooked an arm around his neck and Wynter hugged her tightly.
"Goodnight, my Little Dream," he whispered. "I love you."
"Love you too, Daddy," Eliana drawled, releasing of him.
Wynter left the room quickly and entered his own. He paused on the threshold, smiling at the sight before him. His mate was asleep with their two year old son lying atop her chest. She'd done the same for Lia when she was a baby, and although Hollis usually slept in his nursery, there were still times when Ellie would hold him throughout the night.
The sorrow in Wynter's heart eased and he drew closer to Ellie. She made a small sound as he lifted Hollis and backed away. Hollis remained asleep while Wynter carried him into the nursery, which was adjoined to his and Ellie's room. He touched a kiss to his son's dark head and set him in his crib. Hollis stretched, but didn't wake.
Wynter returned to the bedroom and crawled into bed beside Ellie. A moment later, she rolled onto her side, cracking open her good eye. "Did you put Hollis back in the nursery?" She mumbled.
"Yeah. He didn't wake up even for a moment."
"Mm." Her eyes closed again. Wynter wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, nestling his face in her raven hair. "You smell like the stable," Ellie grunted. She lifted her head, looking more awake now. "What are you doing up, Wyn?" He didn't answer. Ellie cupped his cheek in her palm and he covered her hand with his own, leaning into her touch. "What? What is it?" She urged.
Concern flooded her crystal gaze as tears once more welled up beneath Wynter's lashes. "Bruma is... He's..."
Ellie shushed him softly, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. Wynter buried his face in her neck, drinking in her comforting scent. "I'm so sorry," she breathed, rubbing his back with soothing strokes. "He was a good horse." Wynter didn't reply. He just tightened his arms around her. "Wyn?"
"I'll be all right. It just...hurts."
Ellie met his gaze, her features taut with worry. She kissed his temple, then his cheek. "Is there anything I can do?"
"I don't think so, my Love," he whispered.
He drew a deep, steadying breath as Ellie embraced him once more. Wynter squeezed his eyes shut, and instead of focusing on his sorrow, he let himself take pride in the fact that he was upset and wasn't pushing his mate away because of it. He wasn't trying to freeze himself to death. He wasn't locking himself away from those who cared about him.
He found comfort in Ellie's arms, not fear and self-loathing. He was safe here, unplagued by memories and terror. He would be all right. Bruma had stuck by him until they both knew that, and it was safe for him to go.