The tap tap tapping of a metal cane fills Violet’s otherwise silent bedroom. It’s been several summers since Violet lost her eyesight and she’s adjusted, with misery that transformed over time into begrudging acceptance. Her family has had illegal magic done since she laid in her bedroom in writhing agony, and while the pain has subsided, she still suffered from occasional migraines– a side effect of many of the sufferers’ of the sudden solar eclipse.

Knock knock knock.

“Come in.”

Emerging into the room is the smell of salt (life) mixed in with vanilla and caramel. Violet immediately identifies the scent of her maid, Zuri, who’s just turned thirteen.

“Your new dress is here!” she exclaims with high-pitched delight, voice ringing out like a delicate bell. “And I made sure it was silk this time, thank the Lord. It’s purple, in case you were wondering. The closest I could get to violet, but it’s a few shades darker than that old dress you wanted it modeled after. It’s very pretty and I made it a little bigger than the measurements so that it’s not suffocatingly tight. So, I think we’re in business for a really perfect, perfect outfit.”

Zuri and her used to play dolls together, back before her mother started segregating the servants and the royals after Valeria picked up “too many curses for her own good”. Violet knows Zuri thinks of her as a life-sized dress-up game, to which she never really minded. She used to lash out and weep herself to sleep, but upon becoming disabled, she realized something. A person could fight the hand that helps them, tooth and nail, or simply swallow their pride, accepting and appreciating the aid given.

“Do you ever think about love?” she asks, blunt and out-of-the-blue.

“Huh?”

Violet feels her vanity’s counter (Which is never used other than to place items on), eventually locating a glass of water. She gulps it down thirstily, then begins to tap her way back to her queen-sized bed. “Love. Like in a fairy tale.”

“Um, perhaps a walk would be more suitable for this conversation?”

But there are too many smells in the garden. Violet’s unusual gift would be rendered useless and overwhelmed. She wants to “see” her companions emotions.

“No. Here,” she says, hopping up onto the bed. She listens to the footsteps of Zuri and feels the bed creak as she sits beside her. “I feel a migraine coming on and would like to be indoors,” she lies.

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“Oh, okay. Yes yes, of course.”

“Mom and Dad are struggling to find me a suitor,” she says with a sigh. “I’ve been told that because of my handicap, I need to take whatever I can get. But I like to think about meeting someone, I don’t care who, who can love me. Not an ‘I’m your family’ sort of love, you know?’ One free from obligation.”

“You’ve been reading a lot, haven’t you?”

Violet gives a dry laugh. “Unfortunately, yes. I mean, don’t you imagine it?”

The bitter scent of fear appears before the words leave her mouth. “I have a terrible, terrible secret, I’m afraid.” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “I’m… not normal”

“What?”

“They call it a homosexual. Do you know what that means?”

Violet shakes her head no, curious.

“It means when I get older, I’ll never be happy with a boy, because… well, I really want to be with a girl. But please don’t tell anyone, even if you’re cross with me. Oh, you must promise!” She clasps her hand tight.

“How do you know?”

“I just do. I think I was born a boy in a girl’s body. I mean, I love lace and gardening and sewing, but I also think girls are much, much prettier than boys and dream about kissing them. You’re being very, very calm about this. You’re not going to tell on me, are you? Because–”

“Do you like me, like that?”

“I mean, you’re very beautiful, but I would never, ever try. We’re much too different and I would never consider–”

“Kiss me,” she orders.

“Pardon?”

Violet smirks. “Kiss me and see if you feel something. Unless you don’t want to kiss?”

“No, I–I do! Um…” She closes the distance between them in a gentle peck, her lips touching Violet’s and then retreating, fear still sour in the air.

“Oh, I shouldn't have done that!”

“It was…nice.”

“Violet, I would be put to death if–”

“I will protect you. Love who you want to love, and I’ll use my power to keep them away.”

“You forget how ugly I am, with my dark skin and–”

“Dark skin is pretty. And I know a lot about darkness,” she says in a matter-of-fact voice. “I live in it, now. And it can be peaceful–like the night. And if my memory serves me right, you’ve always been pretty.” She reaches out and touches her face, smells and feels the tears running down her cheeks. “I’ll change things, so you don’t have to hide anymore.”

~~~~~

The next morning, an unfamiliar voice rings out, “Wake up, Ms. Richardson! Wake up!”

“Who are you?” she demands at the scent of salt of cigarettes.

“Ms. West is being sponsored by the kingdom to go to school. She wants to be a tutor, you see.”

Violet throws back her comforter. “You mean she’s gone?” she cries out.

“Don’t be so dramatic, love.”

“Get out.”

“Excuse me–”

Violet throws a pillow in her direction. “Leave! Bring her back here!” She grabs another pillow and hugs it close, lying back down and hoping this is nothing but a bad dream.

Unbeknownst to her, this was just the beginning of a week so full of terrible emotional pain, that Zuri’s absence would soon be buried deep beneath an ocean of loss.