Leaves swirl around her. She becomes the centre of the eddying wind, the sudden focus of the world.
No longer just a passing stranger, she is transformed:
A hidden princess – no, too old, too lined: a queen – discovering the truth and power of her ancient, Elven lineage. A web of invisible arcana reaches out from her, pushing at reality.
She is transformed:
Her dabblings in arch-diablerie catch up with her and the demons she thought contained dance about her, stirring up the leaves, cackling, unseen by everyone else.
The wind shifts again, she walks on, once more just another passerby.
This is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diandra. =)
ReplyDeleteVery darkly poetic. I love the term "Arch-diablerie"
ReplyDeleteI was sitting at a critique group the other (discussing Flannery O'Connor) we spent about an hour trying to find a definition of 'grace' that included the majority; it was a nightmare! I think this story would have explained a great bit. Finding is all about reaching (and embracing) that moment or moments, when you know exactly who you are.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written ;-)
Thanks Steve, I'm pretty sure diablerie came from my 2nd-hand bookshop find... a 1925 thesaurus. I dip into it from time to time and it can throw up some quality words. =)
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you, Magaly, I knew you would get it. ;)
I like the moment of finding and losing. Great words and descriptions in this place. Too bad most of us can stand in the center of our whirlwinds for but a moment.
ReplyDeleteToo true, Aidan. Thank you. =)
ReplyDelete