Elegy for a Star

Miri could spot what Mairaela was about to do, reaching over and winding up to slap Tess on the butt.

She couldn’t resist!

Miri herself wound up her arm and clapped Tess on the opposite cheek at the same time as the Fey did. The squeak from the blonde woman—her better half in some respects—made her share a laugh with Mairaela. Of course, no one else would be able to hear it since Miri was both unseen and unheard even to Tess right now. That didn't mean she was unfelt though.

As she saw Tess and Gwen descending the stairs to the dance floor, Miri found herself amazed that the blonde could walk straight. Even Miri’s hand was stinging! The horned one floated behind Tess and Gwen as they rushed to the dance floor, observing the goings-on of her two allies. Actually, were Tess and Gwen still her allies? Understandably, even if it wasn't Miri's fault, Tess had been pretty angry last time, and she couldn’t imagine anyone angrier than Gwen. Maybe she shouldn’t get so close to either of them. What if she slipped and they saw her?

It was a pretty insignificant chance, but it was one that nipped at the heels of Miri’s mind. She knew she’d messed things up with Tess by lying, but there'd been no alternative. She just wished that it’d gone over more smoothly. Maybe there had been a better way of handling it—a better way of handling the Crow Lord. If she never went with him, none of this would have happened. She would’ve been able to protect Tess from the event in the Void. But now it was all too late.

Still, today was a day of celebration. Things were about to blow up, but for now she just wanted to let Tess be happy.

And gods, she looked so happy. When was the last time Miri saw her like this? Dancing, smiling, laughing, utterly and hopelessly in love. Maybe it had been since Henry,  but that never went as far as this. They never admitted their feelings for one another. Probably for the best, though. It wouldn't have worked. Both Miri and Tess preferred women anyway. She and Henry just shared so much; faced so many trials. Was it coping and camaraderie, or was it love? Who knows? Does it matter now?

Tess was dancing with Gwen in circles, both girls beaming such big smiles, embracing and blushing. Miri was happy for both of them. She had always wanted Tess to be happy like this, but it just never happened until that moment. Maybe it was happening in that moment because Miri took a step back this time. She hated to think that she was the problem. Hopefully it was something else.

Gwen and Tess bumped into another couple, but they seemed to be handling it alright. More concerning was this dark-haired, antlered woman that was sneering at Tess. Morena; that miserable bitch that haunted Tess during her classes.

The woman spoke through her smug, cocky look, “Look at that ugly cow stumbling about. That fucking dimwit. She was taking sorcery lessons when she should’ve taken dance lessons.”

Miri wanted to slap her then and there, hard enough to crack her neck. Morena had been cruel to Tess for weeks during their class. Tess kept telling Miri not to intervene; not to hurt Morena. Well, Tess wasn’t stopping her now.

But, no. Tess wouldn’t want her to. She needed to be good; She needed to earn Tess’ trust again.

“She dances just as well as she casts,” Morena laughed, still under the impression that Tess was no Wyrden. Okay, fuck that.

Morena turned around to laugh at others in the crowd, just in time for Miri to fly to her and slam a fist into her nose. She could feel Morena’s nose pop beneath her knuckles, spilling blood as the shifter fell onto the ballroom floor. This drew the attention of everyone around, including Tess and Gwen, and even though she was invisible, Miri decided to make herself scarce, floating away from this encounter.

As though she were running from a pursuer, Miri shifted through the walls and into the night sky above. Were she palpable, the air here would have been chilling to the bone, but Miri ignored it until she chose not to. She waited for a time, looking down at Kravana and pondering her place there.

“Maybe I should leave,” Miri thought to herself, “Would Eventide still come after her if I wasn’t around?” Unfortunately, he probably would, and Miri wanted to be sure to be here when he did. To protect Tess. To...

There was a chill on the back of Miri’s neck. She shouldn’t have felt that. Miri let out a sigh and groaned, “I know you’re here. You’ve made that plain enough. Just what do you want?”

Yna cackled, appearing beside her, “Liked my pants prank?”

“Oh yes,” Miri nodded, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “I’ve also loved it every time you’ve done it for the past four centuries. It’s been great. Every. Time.”

“You must like it,” Yna chuckled, “Every time I see you, you’ve got a sexier body. You must like showing it off, huh?”

Miri rolled her eyes, “It’s for Tess.” Even she didn’t totally believe it, “Tess likes me like this.”

“Uh huh,” Yna replied dubiously, narrowing her eyes at Miri, “Is that why when the two of you were together, you looked like a little stringbean?”

“You know we had no control over that,” Miri grunted, “Look, are you just here to ride my ass-...”

Yna giggled.

“...Or was there something you actually came here to say?”

“Well, I just wanted to let you know that I’m keeping you safe for now. Some gratitude would be nice,” Yna huffed, crossing her arms petulantly.

Miri looked over and asked, “How?”

“Because I’m a fucking goddess!” Yna replied with a humored howl.

Miri narrowed her eyes and replied with a dull tone, “No you aren’t.”

Yna chuckled, “Yeah, I know, but you know what I meant. I’m real fuckin’ powerful. What good is that if I don’t use it now and then?”

“So how are you doing it, then?”

“Well, being a trickster goddess-...” Yna started.

“Not a goddess,” Miri interrupted.

“...I’m keeping you hidden, like a lie. I love lies. Anyway, Eventide doesn’t see things the same way you mortals do.”

“Right, I know that. I know him pretty well, after all,” Miri sighed, rubbing her forehead, “Are you just turning us off in his sight, or something?”

“Well, I would hope that I’m turning you on, baby.”

“Get to the point!” Miri shouted, glaring at Yna, “Tess is in danger, so what is your ‘protection’ actually doing?”

Yna rolled her eyes, “Well, he tracks with those little aura signatures everyone has, so I just made a ton of other peoples’ signatures look like yours and Tessie’s. Pretty genius, huh?”

“It’s okay,” Miri replied.

Yna groaned.

“He’ll still find us eventually,” Miri said, “But thank you. You’ve given us a lot more time.”

“What’s your plan?” Yna asked.

Miri shrugged, shaking her head, “I wish I had one.” She let out a groan, rocking her head back and whining to the sky, “I wish I hadn’t been holding her back. I wish we’d never done that stupid ritual. I should’ve told her ‘no,’ but she was so unhappy, Yna. She was so unhappy.”

“I know,” Yna replied, sounding sincere for once.

“And now look at her. She's... she's joyous. She has friends. Great ones. She isn't burdened by all of this shit. I guess we just need to work our way back up to it,” Miri said, pushing some hair from her face, “Practice, practice, practice. Practice at combat. Practice at magic. Practice at being happy. It’s how we got where we were in the first place.”

Yna nodded, “Well, you’ve got my gifts. The gloves, I mean. The amulet is shit, I just made it look magical, because, you know... whole thing about loving lies. I’m working on a couple more presents for her, but, you know, I’m also working on holding the illusion on a fuck ton of aura signatures, so don’t expect anything to come quick-...”

Miri chuckled at the wording.

“Oh, grow up,” Yna said with a smirk, as though she hadn’t been doing the same thing. She nudged Miri on the arm and said, “Just keep doing what you’re doing. Practice in the Void. That’s where a fight would be. ‘Course, if you die in there, Eventide isn’t cutting anymore deals after all of that shit Tess did to fuck with the past. So long as you’re closing pockets, you’re safe, but if you get lost? You’re his.

“So, y’know, sucks either way. But at least this way you’d have a chance.”

"I won't let her be taken," Miri nodded her head and let out a soft sigh, “I love her so much, Yna.”

“I know you do,” Yna nodded, “You’ve always been so hopeless, just like your namesake. What was her name again? Mary, Mirthabelle? Are you going to start playing the violin too?"

Yna knew exactly what her name was.

Miri frowned. “It was Meriele,” she replied, "And I am to Tess what she was to Maeros, so you know I won't abandon her. I would give my life for her, Yna."

"After what you put her through? Yeah, you owe her," Yna said with an almost chiding tone, "Stole her fucking life, you did."

"Leave me the fuck alone, fox!" Miri snapped, and just as quickly as she had said it, Yna had vanished, leaving Miri alone with her tears.