THEĀ DARKĀ WATER,Ā AĀ THOUSANDĀ EYED,Ā Ā gazingĀ uponĀ theirĀ somberĀ forms,Ā greyĀ asĀ winterāsĀ morning,Ā blackĀ asĀ theĀ solemnĀ hourĀ ofĀ midnight,Ā sheĀ leansĀ forth,Ā armsĀ bracingĀ againstĀ theĀ railsĀ seperatingĀ daughterĀ ofĀ theĀ seaĀ fromĀ itsĀ harsh,Ā frigidĀ depths.Ā bare,Ā crackedĀ lipsĀ lourĀ intoĀ aĀ scowl,Ā blackĀ foamĀ lashesĀ closing,Ā asherahĀ leaningĀ herĀ headĀ ontoĀ herĀ arms,Ā sighingĀ fromĀ theĀ depthsĀ ofĀ herĀ fracturedĀ soul.Ā forĀ theĀ briefestĀ ofĀ moments,Ā sheĀ feignsĀ ignorance,Ā listeningĀ toĀ theĀ crashingĀ watersĀ beneath,Ā hisĀ wordsĀ sinkingĀ deeperĀ andĀ deeperĀ intoĀ anĀ endlessĀ pitĀ withinĀ herĀ mind,Ā liesĀ madeĀ toĀ comfortĀ aĀ womanĀ doomed,Ā damnedĀ fromĀ theĀ beginning.Ā ā Ā andĀ whatĀ doĀ theyĀ notĀ see,Ā stephenĀ ? Ā āĀ sheĀ whispers,Ā voiceĀ drowningĀ beneathĀ theĀ windsĀ andĀ wavesĀ howlingĀ andĀ crashing,Ā wrathĀ blooming,Ā aĀ flowerĀ poisoningĀ eachĀ thoughtĀ andĀ action,Ā sheĀ raisesĀ herself,Ā thrustingĀ aĀ fingerĀ untoĀ hisĀ chest,Ā voiceĀ raising,Ā āĀ tellĀ me,Ā whatĀ doĀ theyĀ notĀ seeĀ ?Ā theyĀ seeĀ aĀ threat,Ā aĀ monsterĀ blossoming,Ā readyĀ toĀ destroyĀ everythingĀ aroundĀ her.Ā doĀ youĀ notĀ seeĀ theĀ sameĀ ?Ā orĀ doĀ youĀ haveĀ theĀ audacityĀ toĀ lieĀ toĀ myĀ faceĀ ?Ā tellĀ meĀ !Ā ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā in an eve of purpleās deepest hue,Ā Ā these secret shades of black a wax melting over the horizon, Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā shifting into the gazing void of the depthsās domain,Ā Ā where it growls its unutterable secrets.Ā Ā fastened over a typical dark coat,Ā Ā the cloak billows with the wind like the waves below,Ā Ā its golden hem catching the moonās gaze,Ā Ā as though it,Ā Ā too,Ā Ā were aware of all of their observers,Ā Ā these thousands of witnesses.Ā Ā angular features contoured by shadows of deep night,Ā Ā the sorcererās grey gaze watches onĀ Ā ;Ā Ā to waters,Ā Ā the cosmos,Ā Ā and beyond,Ā Ā caught in some conduit of thought,Ā Ā like he were entertaining countless realities by the second.Ā Ā hands that had rested against the railing,Ā Ā gloved and shaking,Ā Ā move to rest at his side as he turns to face her,Ā Ā and finds a finger thrust against him in accusation.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā iāve sworn an oath.Ā Ā if,Ā Ā for a moment,Ā Ā i thought you posed a threat to this universe,Ā Ā we would not be having this discussion. Ā Ā āĀ Ā habitual sobriety coats his words,Ā Ā yet the nuance of his voice was lush with concern,Ā Ā replete with consolation.Ā Ā as far as reprimands go,Ā Ā Ā it was far gentler than he should allow.Ā Ā such a leniency spared could cost the cosmos its life,Ā Ā but he knows that he cannot,Ā Ā in good faith,Ā Ā let her face this alone,Ā Ā abandon her to the horrors that crawled here.Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā asherah, Ā Ā āĀ Ā Ā stephen murmurs against her array of demands,Ā Ā with a shortage of any particular sentiment ā whether he's moved by her outburst, Ā Ā heās content not to reveal.Ā Ā he wills a step closer then,Ā Ā hands raising to ghost over her arms,Ā Ā not quite touching,Ā Ā Ā but an act meant to placate nonetheless,Ā Ā Ā Ā āĀ Ā would i lie to you?Ā Ā Ā these doubts and fears that plague youĀ Ā ( . . . )Ā Ā what monster can attest to having their own?Ā Ā ā