<i><b><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">The City of Light</span></b></i><br/><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"><i>Or so they called it.<br/>
<br/>
It was beautiful, wide window panes of blues, of reds, of purples and royal dapples. Stories played out panel by panel, and emblazoned in stained glass. Gods, Lords, and symbols, both fierce and majestic, lined buildings the best they could. As if the world had been transformed with the single word of 'art' upon its tongue, that single thought had wings over the pallets chosen by builders. Almost every wall, every part of the city they could fit in, held such painted or stained glimmers of glass. <br/>
<br/>
Soft sea breeze pushed through the city, tinting the air with salt, and the sun glinted off copper roof tops with blinding gleams. Palm trees were planted in rows beside sun bleached stone streets. People in colorful and graceful clothing passed by, their lips parting, tongues raddling off in a language that was not spoken here, and the thin fabric dancing in the lazy push from the wind.<br/>
<br/>
A clock, a rare thing that had grown less so in the years, stood at the center of town. Stretching far above the other buildings, it pushed towards the sun, and even its face was covered in stories. The bell within its towering form wasn't thunderous or raucous, but a low hum of single strike that sounded almost respectful of a city bearing such materials. Perhaps even made of glass itself, the single low note shivered through the world, the people, the buildings, and even the sky.<br/>
<br/>
It was almost as if the city as one stopped, turned, and stilled their chests with anticipation. The sea birds silenced their cawing for food. The breeze itself seemed to take a rest, pausing upon a park bench beside the couple which held hands. Even the word took a moment...<br/>
<br/>
In the silence of held breaths, the world ignited.<br/>
<br/>
Reds danced along walls as fickle as flames. <br/>
Yellows painted people, roadworks, and the children of the city with golden rod smiles.<br/>
Oranges hung at the edges of window frames, old smoldering coals waiting to once more relite.<br/>
Purples hushed along beside peoples feet, allowing each and everyone to tread upon such a royal path.<br/>
Every color...<br/>
Every hue...<br/>
Every story...<br/>
Reached out to the people of the city as the sun tilted just right to dance rays of illumination through a thousand upon thousand panes of glass.<br/>
<br/>
It only lasted half a minute every day, but that moment that the bell rung...<br/>
The entire world seemed to be engulfed in Fairy Tales.<br/>
<br/>
Was it such an odd thing to see a boy in that memory?</i></span><br/><i><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"> A boy... that one might be rightfully reminded, grew into a man that surrounds himself with those deserving of Fables.</span></i><br/><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Bad Script', 'cursive'">Threat. Not Us. Hunger. Possessive. <b>Other.</b></span><br/>The thing inside barked with almost vulpine attitude.<br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Contact between them was a sparse thing. Even in the meeting before, in a demonstration of a new order to the world, not a single touch upon her had been spent. Yes, there had been the dance, the passing, but that wasn't pointed. That wasn't distinct. That was merely playful banter. This time though the contact was purposeful even if that fact was washed away by the gentle placement of his hand upon Vivian's shoulder.<br/>
<br/>
The horror of William would like to think the contact was full of dried cracked leather like skin that bore the weight of scales. The madness of William would like to think the contact was a thousand teeth set in a hundred mouths gnawing on bone. <br/>
<br/>
Yet, here, upon the edge of the world to which Vivian had known...<br/>
There was just a gentle hand set carefully upon her shoulder in guidance of balance. No external motive. No force. Just the reassurance that he was nearby if need be. Just that William and his sea blue eyes that never stayed still was there, beside her in this moment... in this conversation... in this world that seemed just so pale in comparison to those lights as a child. <br/>
<br/>
If only she had seen them.<br/>
If only she had danced with reds and yellows upon her face.<br/>
If only she had been somber with blues and oranges heavy upon tears.<br/>
<br/>
If only Vivian had seen the City of Light, <b>she might understand</b>.<br/>
<br/>
Inside the colors it was beautiful. Peaceful. A man could be a King. A woman could be a Queen. It was magic without magic, being swept away into a place that <i>didn't </i>and <i>did </i>exist for all of thirty seconds. A place that so many junkies, drunkards, and religious cults attempt to reach towards at the bottom of their particular faiths.<br/>
<br/>
Yet, for William, and even the city, that moment had long ago faded.<br/>
For Vivian though? She had lost herself in those lights. That moment of peace was twisted, turned into a cage, and she was kept.<br/>
<br/>
William was <i><b>forced</b></i> out of his heaven, every day with only a half a minutes taste lingering upon lips like honey.<br/>
Vivian was left behind in that moment. Forced to exist in only an aspect of the world, while the rest drifted by.<br/>
<br/>
In the long run, it made sense.<br/>
After all, what better way to keep someone from knowing the truth.<br/>
<br/>
"Before my Father came to claim me, I lived in a place very far from here. It was beautiful at times, horrible at times, but it was home. Never once thought about leaving. Not in a childish fit or rage, or even just because. My world was those walls that surrounded the city. I know the feeling that you don't belong any farther then already you've walked. I know it well. "<br/>
<br/>
Once she stated that she was fine, the hand removed itself, the pair of them that William was in possession of once more tucked themselves behind the small of his back.<br/>
<br/>
"The question though, is do you play the same song? Or do you try to find something new to listen to?"</span><br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center"><div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/untitled-png.94474/" title="untitled.png">
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