The Marketplace had recovered from the attack a few weeks before, and most of the damage was repaired.
Except for the Bon Bon.
Two figures approached the ruined bakery, a man cloaked in black and a boy holding his hand. They stopped in front of it, standing there and staring at the destruction for a moment. Finally the boy released his father's hand and took a step forward, then another.
Ebon Ilnaren looked down at his son with a mix of expectation and confusion. "Doran? You said there was one last stop, one last soul who needed to say goodbye. But this is the Bon Bon, it was destroyed; there's nobody here to... oh." He saw his son drop to his knees, shoulders wracking in sobs, and quickly moved to kneel by the boy's side. "This was for you."
"She's not here, Papa!" Tears streamed down Doran's cheeks as he gazed up at the rubble and ruin. "I couldn't feel her with me, but I thought... maybe her spirit stayed here! Maybe I could say goodbye to her! I know I only knew her a little while, but... she was pretty and nice, and she was my friend!" He lifted a crystal that hung upon a black cord around his neck, pale blue with a swirling, darker interior, and stared at it for a moment. Suddenly he scrambled to his feet and charged at the ruined building, beating his fists against a crumbling wall. "I want Katt!" Turning his blue eyes to the sky, Doran screamed out a challenge to all the gods above. "GIVE HER BACK!"
Yet no host of angels came forth bearing his friend back, whole and alive again. His cries were met only by the faint light of the stars, amid the unyielding darkness of the night sky that cared nothing for a young boy who missed his friend.
For several long minutes father and son held the tableau, before Ebon surged forward and swept Doran up into a comforting hug. "I miss her too, son. She's gone, but she'll always be in our hearts as long as we remember her." He stood up and, reaching out, wiped a tear from Doran's cheek. "Right?" When the boy nodded, Ebon smiled and offered his hand once more. "Come on. Let's go home, and remember her together."
As they started to walk away, towards the main Marketplace and beyond to home, Doran looked back over his shoulder and gave one last sniffle. "Goodbye... Pretty Lady."
((cross-posted in Looking For Doran to wrap up that thread))
Except for the Bon Bon.
Two figures approached the ruined bakery, a man cloaked in black and a boy holding his hand. They stopped in front of it, standing there and staring at the destruction for a moment. Finally the boy released his father's hand and took a step forward, then another.
Ebon Ilnaren looked down at his son with a mix of expectation and confusion. "Doran? You said there was one last stop, one last soul who needed to say goodbye. But this is the Bon Bon, it was destroyed; there's nobody here to... oh." He saw his son drop to his knees, shoulders wracking in sobs, and quickly moved to kneel by the boy's side. "This was for you."
"She's not here, Papa!" Tears streamed down Doran's cheeks as he gazed up at the rubble and ruin. "I couldn't feel her with me, but I thought... maybe her spirit stayed here! Maybe I could say goodbye to her! I know I only knew her a little while, but... she was pretty and nice, and she was my friend!" He lifted a crystal that hung upon a black cord around his neck, pale blue with a swirling, darker interior, and stared at it for a moment. Suddenly he scrambled to his feet and charged at the ruined building, beating his fists against a crumbling wall. "I want Katt!" Turning his blue eyes to the sky, Doran screamed out a challenge to all the gods above. "GIVE HER BACK!"
Yet no host of angels came forth bearing his friend back, whole and alive again. His cries were met only by the faint light of the stars, amid the unyielding darkness of the night sky that cared nothing for a young boy who missed his friend.
For several long minutes father and son held the tableau, before Ebon surged forward and swept Doran up into a comforting hug. "I miss her too, son. She's gone, but she'll always be in our hearts as long as we remember her." He stood up and, reaching out, wiped a tear from Doran's cheek. "Right?" When the boy nodded, Ebon smiled and offered his hand once more. "Come on. Let's go home, and remember her together."
As they started to walk away, towards the main Marketplace and beyond to home, Doran looked back over his shoulder and gave one last sniffle. "Goodbye... Pretty Lady."
((cross-posted in Looking For Doran to wrap up that thread))