by TS Thornton
father left that night never to see his son again.
That same night Solin left home, his mother’s home. He did see her once more, he needed her to see him, the true him.
He cried out late in the night after he packed things he needed. When she opened his door she was shocked at the creature that stood the height of her son with the same color eyes.
No longer a handsome son, no longer her child he showed her who he really was. She was this creature who soon jumped out of a two story window with a backpack and duffle. And he was off to start, and then to start again. It had become a repetitive in his life.
Now that boy was a man, a monster. He chose to hide he chose to live that life. Now he stared into this olive eyed human woman and would like more than anything to spend her life with her.
“You’re so quiet.” Winter breaks the silence as she turned another corner.
“I have a lot on my mind.” As he followed he had resolved to discuss all he knew of what may happen to her. Or should he wait. The thought occurred to him briefly. He didn’t want to scare her. “Are we close,” He asked. “You are starting to look weak.” Her skin was paler now her steps staggered.
“I do feel a little tired.” Swaying on her two feet but she was correcting herself before she would take another step. “We are really close.” He turned around to survey the area. They were the only ones out this early in the early dawn. He calculated this walk and couldn’t understand how she still went through with if after such a long time to think it through, or was that all the time she needed to make the decision to let go.
“You walked all that way.” He didn’t add the rest of his thought. He wouldn’t have gone through with that after such a long time to think.
“I was defeated. I work to keep busy but I no longer want that. It just…” She points ahead of them to the right. “That’s my building, do you wanna come up?” He smiled and nodded when she stopped to look at his face.
Once inside the building on the fifth floor she pulled a key from a hanging plant outside her door. It was quiet throughout the building. Solin did glamour himself as they entered the building. She hadn’t noticed but when she turned to welcome him inside she got a quick glance at human form before he let it fall away.
“Wow.” She smiled.
“I’m half human, that was glamour of what I believe I look like from a boy to a man. It’s not a form I can revert to.” She nodded.
“Well it’s not bad looking for a human.” She smiled as she said it seeming to understand his feelings for humans. “Any more magic stuff you wanna tell me, I’m all ears.”
“I will tell you the truth anytime you ask me a question.” At that she nodded while trying to hide her smile.
“How old are you Solin?”
“539 years old.”
“539 Years?” She gulped down. The number was too large to fathom
“Yes” He gestured towards a seat.
“Yes make yourself at home.”
He never understood that phrase. Home was a term he never used, he has never had one but seeing her changed that. She was his home his island. The only thing he needed in this world to survive.
“Do you have any family?” She asked, something lining her face he didn’t recognize.
“My mother lives but I do not see her. I am alone all of my days.” Well his days past. He would no longer be alone per se. He would always have her to protect if she refused him.
“Not anymore. I am your friend. This can be a second home for you. I owe you so much. Whatever you need I will do my best to get it, if I don’t already have it. But whatever it is it’s yours.”
She uttered the words willingly. She would do whatever it took to please him. The one thing he wanted was her heart. He would slowly make his way inside.
“Thank you my friend.” The very first friend he had was one he already loved.
Over the next two weeks he would cover himself in the human façade to spend her working day with her. She was a full time bartender at a bar not too far from home. Winter wanted conversation so badly she took a job that required her to be spoken to. She enjoyed the hustle and bustle, the music the noise of bar life, night life. Her boss was her boss. They never shared confidences even though she hoped they would have developed that type of relationship.
Solin held a half empty glass of beer that he kept cool on this night. He wasn’t much of a human beer drinker but it was something to do to pass the time. The sea was his addiction, she was intoxicating enough. When Solin did drink it would be elfin drink, but he and the elves haven’t ran into each other in years. He missed the sounds the forests would make during their festivals. In his passing he would stop in to see this side of the world but leave quickly. He doesn’t know anyone person. He just mingled with a very peaceful race.
As he watched Winter work he noticed a glow about her that no one else seemed to notice. She was happy again and smiling more and more since they met. To see her smile was enough for him. Solin loved this girl with the olive green eyes more and more each time he sees her face. His heart would grow inside his chest. He also saw how his magic was slowly changing her.
After her shift was over he helped with the seating area while she did her bar close. They were outside locking the door when she spoke.
“Solin,” She spoke unsurely and softly. “Would you take me for a swim?” He was pleased that she would ask for he missed his sea. He wouldn’t have left her if it wasn’t for Winter.
“I would love to.” He couldn’t wait to drop his human façade and enjoy the water against his skin. She smiled this bright smile of care, relief. He tugged at her hooded jacket teasing.
She out the keys in her pack excited he had agreed to take her. She didn’t know what to expect. She missed swimming and needed to move past their tragic meet. She began to ramble on about the night, her conversations with her regulars.
“Sern said that she had been cheating with his friend, how long he didn’t know. But the truth came out before he said “I Do”. It’s not nice to break someone’s heart that way.” He nodded.
Solin didn’t understand human relationships when it came to being in love. He didn’t understand half of what she had said to him. What she said didn’t matter hearing her voice was like the music of the sea. He kept his face neutral until something about her shifted. She kept talking as the two of them walked on towards the waiting sea. The scent of the sea grabbed him, he let lead him. But before he went to the expanse of water that called to him, he picked up his heart. As he ran she only let out a squeak of protest from her.
“In a hurry are we?” She giggles as he ran full on to the beach. He was enjoying the sounds coming from her while he ran. He wanted a happy Winter. “Wow that was pretty fast. I didn’t know you could do that. Ha, I don’t really know what you can’t do?”
“There are lots of things I can do. I will show you.” When his feet hit the san he let his glamour fall.
“I was starting to miss the tusks.” He was frozen as he watched her. She said she missed his tusks. Could she love him? He knew it would take a lot of time for which he was ready and willing to wait for her to accept him. She had truly become his friend. “Come on silly. The water won’t get any warmer.” She wasn’t too far out just yet. He believed she could stand in deeper water if she so chose. He was in the water before he knew it. He smiled at her then went under. The sea was wrapped around him welcoming him back to her. He was held in the chill that only that she, the sea could provide. He accepted it and thanked her. He was beaming with magic he could feel it right down to his bones.
His sea began to whisper to him.
It has been far too long. He agreed with his sea, with every spark of magic in his body.
Introduce us.
Once again he agreed. A beacon of light the color of the sea under glass, headed towards winter. She felt the presence approach she had never felt before surround her. Solin was sort of floating in front
of her. Calm as she had ever seen him.
“You are so… bright.”
“So are you.” He told her the story of her rescue, he told her he didn’t know what would happen since he gave his magic essence to fuel her flicker of life, it was more faint then he had wished for.
“I didn’t notice. Is it odd looking?”
“No, you are beautiful green eyes.” She blushed and a voice she felt more than heard talked to her.
If your so called beauty was stolen from you, what would you do? The beauty of the voice captured her in the silent night. Winter didn’t understand what it was she was hearing or being asked. She looked to Solin to see his beaming smile. He nodded at her to answer and she did so unsurely.
“I don’t care of beauty. What is beauty? Is it the color of your skin, the length or color of your hair, if you are slim or thick? Beauty is who you are within, the true you. When no matter what you know you are living in truth, happiness or pain.” The tears welled in her eyes finding its place in the ocean with her next blink.
“Solin was at a loss for words.”
“I have lost all the beauty in my life,” Winter finished. “I have no beauty left.”
My daughter of the sea, never try and harm oneself again. The world needs you, Solin needs you. Silly girl, the world needs you.
“Don’t speak out of turn my lady.” There was a swirl of laughter that
