Talmia and Velvet

The Forest of Grimmwood was a confounding place. Heavily dense with trees thicker than oil drums, with leaf-dressed arms reaching up and intertwining with one another in a frozen dance, creating a canopy so thick it blocked out nearly all sky light. The paths were small, and hidden amongst the overgrown roots and fungi of the forest floor. The trails wound in such a way that it was perfectly possible to be traveling in circles, with no cause for suspicion obvious among the trees. Appearing sparsely and almost at random were clearings about a dozen yards or so across at the biggest. Travelers were advised to make use of these clearings when one was found, as it couldn’t be known if or when another would show itself.

In the middle of one of these clearings, a fire performed a lively dance, eating away at the wooden stage hobbled together for its burning performance.

Originally six individuals large, the flames’ audience had since diminished to four, sitting on fallen logs, dead stumps, and lumpy boulders placed in a lazy circle around it.

Salene yawned loudly, stretching her arms up and over her head. Little flecks of embers leaped from her mouth, dying almost immediately against the cold wind. Her fiery hair hung messily around her face.

“Tired?” She jumped at the voice, but turned to the woman sitting next to her, with green hair and deep blue eyes.

Salene nodded, rubbing her eye. She felt a hand gently take hold of hers.

“Let’s get to sleep, okay?”

Salene nodded again, standing up with the woman.
“Turning in, you two?”

Salene looked up at a blue haired boy sitting across the fire. His face was rather childish, but his eyes held the wisdom of countless years of study. Large white wings almost as tall as Salene wrapped around him like a coat, the white plumage gleaming against the fire.

“Yes,” the woman holding Salene’s hand said, “Don’t stay up too late, you two. Goodnight, Velvet. Goodnight, Talmia.”

Upon hearing her name, the girl sitting on a boulder jumped. “Oh, yeah, Goodnight, Zephyr. And Salene, too.”

Turning away, the two girls walked away from the fire, approaching the edge of the forest where two other figures laid at rest: a small penguin-like Demon, and a Zombie girl.
Talmia watched the two walk away, her mind a typhoon of conflicting thoughts and emotions, each fighting for the focus of her attention, until a male voice snapped her back.

“Talmia…”

Again, she jumped. She cursed herself mentally. “Yeah?”

The Angel smiled warmly, “I didn’t get the chance to tell you, but I am impressed with your strategic ability. You’re quite the thinker.”

Talmia looked away, “No, not really… It’s just… I don’t have to sit there and think things over too much… I just look and it comes naturally, for the most part.”

Velvet leaned forward, “All the more impressive, Talmia. If you can think up such things with a calm mind on the spot, well, that’s a trait needed in a leader.”

Little patches of red appeared on Talmia’s cheeks, which she hid by pulling up her jacket’s collar.

“Although…” Velvet began, “There is something that has been concerning me for a bit lately…”

The Ice Demon looked up again. “What are you getting at?”

Velvet sat back, wringing his hands together. He didn’t speak for almost a minute. “You seem… More on edge. Such mundane things as calling your name seem to startle you quite often. I normally wouldn’t concern myself with this had it not been for the fact that our next destination may require a level head.”

“MidWay…” Talmia mumbled, loud enough for Velvet to hear.

“That’s right. And when we arrive, it could be absolute peace, or utter anarchy. I’ve been there once myself, and even in peace, MidWay itself is a place that intimidates all. Those working there either have a strong heart, a cold heart, or no heart at all.”

Talmia nodded weakly. “But what are you getting at now, Angel Boy? Get to the part that concerns you.”

Velvet scratched at his hair, “I first noticed this change in you - the nerves – when we returned from Outer Aetheria. I thought it odd, but I placed the blame with this Zero, and the emotional damage he has caused you… But I found myself doubting even my own assumptions.”

Velvet reached down and picked up a large wooden rod, gnarled and marred with scars and hooked at the end, a green orb floating in the hook. He held the rod toward the fire, and the emerald orb turned ruby, and the dying embers reared back up into a healthy fire. Talmia jumped back involuntarily.

“Sorry, I’ll warn you next time,” Velvet said. He placed the staff back on the weedy grass. “Anyway, back to what I was saying…”

Talmia watched him, but she didn’t say a word to the Angel.

“I’ve taken notice of a few oddities about your actions, Talmia, and before I assume once more, I feel the need to ask you…” He looked at the Demon, eyes locking. “Talmia, you have no interest in men, do you?”

There was a pause. “Why in the hell would you say something like that, you idiot?” But Talmia’s shaky voice and the brief but visible fear that flashed in her eyes for a split second betrayed her words.

“Because like it or not, you just confirmed my suspicions.”

There was another period where neither Talmia nor Velvet said a word. Talmia’s mind too busy racing with question after question, and Velvet waiting for her to settle her mind.

Finally, Talmia pieced together a coherent, measured response. “Why are you asking me this, you stupid jerk? So you can give me some preachy bullcrap about how I’m a horrible person? Well listen up, you feathered freak, because I don’t want to hear what you or your stupid little Angel friends think about me, because I already know that I’m a worthless monster! Why the hell do you think I’m so hell-bent on destroying Zero?”

Talmia stood up, moving her arms animatedly. “I don’t CARE about what you think! I don’t CARE about you Angels! In case you haven’t noticed, Velvet, I’m a Demon, and I couldn’t care less about what you or your so-called-God thinks! Ask me if I care, Velvet! Go ahead, ask me if I give a damn!”

There was a long silence, only broken by the disproportionately joyous crackling of the fire and the wind through the leaves overhead.

Finally, Velvet shook his head, chuckling, “Is that what you really think Angels are like?”

Talmia stepped back. “Huh?”

“My dear, I certainly hope you don’t think us Angels are pure and errorless. Angels are just like Demons and Humans. We have free will. We make mistakes. But that’s fine. The reason I asked was so that I would know for sure. Can you imagine how awkward it would be if I spoke to you about this, and I was yet again incorrect in my assumptions?”

Talmia mumbled an affirmation.

“Talmia, I’m not going to sit here and preach to you about you’re a filthy person, for reasons I can’t even begin to count. But mostly because, I know that you aren’t.”

Velvet gently took Talmia’s hand. “You’re absolutely fine just the way you are. Besides, do you have any idea how hypocritical it would be of me if I treated you in such a poor way just because of how you decide to live your life?”

Talmia found tears sliding their way down her face, soaking the fluffy trim of her coat.

“But… Sure, you don’t care but… What about everyone else…? What if they think I’m some freak?”

Velvet squeezed her hand comfortingly. “Talmia, Talmia, my dear, I know you have a wonderful brain in there, but your emotions aren’t letting you use it straight. Think about it...” Velvet turned to where their four friends rested, and Talmia’s gaze followed. They could see Zephyr sitting against a tree, with Salene but a little lump of orange nestled in her lap. “Vincent, well, I can hardly see him minding. Salene isn’t mature enough yet to understand it, but really, can you see her hating you for anything?”

Talmia slowly shook her head, and sniffled, “But what about Kora and Zephyr?”

Velvet continued, “Kora has been so close to you for how long? I don’t think you could get her to hate you if you tried. As for Zephyr… Remember that she’s actually in a similar situation as you. She said she was run out of her kingdom for being a half-breed, remember?”

“Yeah…” Talmia said, “She’s a Demon and an Angel…”

Velvet nodded. “Exactly. She of all people would understand what it’s like to be reviled for something that, honestly, is so very trivial. I don’t think you have anything to worry about, Talmia. Besides, you have no obligation to say anything until you wish to.”

Talmia sniffled, her collar now soaked. She threw herself toward the Angel and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Velvet… Thank you so much… I’m so sorry for those nasty things I said to you earlier…”

Velvet smiled, patting Talmia’s back, “It’s fine, Talmia, there’s no need for apologies. If anything, I should be sorry for putting you on the spot like that.”

Breaking the embrace, Velvet held Talmia’s hands. “Why don’t you go ahead and get some rest? You deserve it, and it’ll help you sort out your thoughts.”

Talmia nodded. “Right. I’ll see you tomorrow, Velvet.”

Velvet nodded, and the Demon girl stepped away and started for the area her friends were sleeping at.

“Oh, Talmia! One last thing!”

Talmia stopped and turned back.

Velvet smiled widely at her. “I think Zephyr would feel the same way.” He winked at her.

Talmia’s eyes widened and she felt her face flush, her cheeks burning hot. Velvet chuckled.

“Good night, you big jerk!” Talmia said with a smirk.

Velvet laughed, “Good night to you, too, my dear!”

Smiling, Talmia turned away and walked to a thick, mottled tree sitting next to the one Kora rested against. Sitting down, she leaned against the bark. Settling, her eyes wandered over to the sleeping green-haired young woman, cradling the slumbering Dragon girl in her lap motherly.

'Maybe that Angel is right… I shouldn’t feel so afraid. There’s no reason for it.'

Shutting her eyes, Talmia quickly drifted off into the soundest sleep she experienced in a long, long time.