 Flynn had woken in the middle of the night to the sound of his sister's tears. They were muffled, as if her face were buried deep in a feather pillow, but audible in the silence of early morning. He felt Denahi stir on the mattress beside him and soon Flynn felt his familiar licking at his finger tips in offered comfort. He wanted to go to her, to take her in his arms and stroke her hair until she fell asleep. She looked peaceful when she slept. Flynn knew however that his comfort wouldn't help either of them in the end. The only person who could really help Renn was Renn herself. He knew she would have argued; she would have said that the only person she needed was Henry. Everything would be all right if Henry came home. On the mattress, staring up at the ceiling Flynn sighed and dragged his hand across his face. If only it were that simple.
Rolling over Flynn draped an arm around Denahi, buried his face in the dog's thick fur and tried to go back to sleep. He didn't know how long he lay there. Sometimes he thought his sister had finally quietened and found solace for her pain in dreams, but then he would strain to hear just a little too much and catch the unmistakable sound of crying through the walls. After what felt like hours he couldn't take it anymore. Flynn pushed back his blankets as Denahi leapt off the bed and onto the floor, his claws clicking against the floorboards. Groping for his clothes in the darkness Flynn dressed in his civilian attire and stuffed his uniform into his leather rucksack. He left his room and wandered into the living quarters, circumnavigating the sofa to reach his desk. In the top draw he found him telescope and tucked it under his arm.
He carried a lantern before him through the stillness of the castle, weaving his way along the corridors until he came to the staircase which lead to the top of the east tower. It was a long climb, and the stairs twisted, circling back on themselves in a spiral. Flynn found something comforting about the muscle ache which developed in his lower legs and shoulder and he kept the lantern aloft to stop from tripping. Finally he made it out onto the ramparts and the cold night time air slapped mercilessly against his cheek. Flynn pulled on his gloves, approached the nearest gutter and pulled himself up onto the sloping roof with his arms. Denahi watched him from the flat of the guard tower, unable to join him. The husky gave a sad little whine before curling up on the cold tiles to guard his master's vigil.
In the bottom of his bag Flynn found his star-chart. He spread it out across the roof, pinning his down by placing his foot on either side. Sucking on his pen he studied it for a while, pulling his coat more closely about himself with his spare hand. He was forced to abandon the effort as he raised his telescope towards the sky. Flynn had always loved the stars, but he rarely found time to just sit and watch them. Tonight they offered him solace and escape.
---
Flynn awoke with the sun. He sat up and rubbed his eyes before stretching as he yawned. It was another day just like the one before it; the same old routine of guard-work, carer and playing father two his younger brothers. It took everything he had not to sigh. Hoisting his bag onto one shoulder Flynn climbed off the roof and crouched down beside the sleeping Denahi . He stroked the dog's head gently and smiled as the blue eyes snapped open and the husky's tail began to wag.
"C'mon, Den," Flynn said quietly, tipping his head back down the staircase, "let's go."
Flynn entered the office looking tired and windswept. Birch was so still in the corner that he didn't register her presence as he trudged behind the changing screen on the opposite side of the room to pull on his uniform. Denahi however did notice. He trotted up to their friend and, ducking his head down beneath the desk pushed his nose into her lap. It was his little 'uff' sound that made Flynn look out from behind the screen. He didn't know what was amiss but he could tell that something had upset his friend.
"Birch?" Flynn said, taking a seat at the table beside her, "is everything all right? Is Torram okay?"
F L Y N N
ghosts running through my nights |
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