Work Text:
The sky was just beginning to change, blue giving way to dusky-pink, shot through with strands of gold. Swifts wheeled high above the abbey’s broken walls, chasing their prey on hidden air currents, and the seagulls were finally beginning to fall quiet. The quiet thud of hoofbeats on grass sounded behind them, and Viv stiffened.
“I thought I might find you here,” Anne said quietly. There was the squeak of harness as she dismounted and came to sit by Viv. “Penny for them?
“What?” Viv’s voice was thick, but their gaze was fixed resolutely on the hills opposite the abbey.
“Your thoughts. And this is for your tears.” A tissue was shoved into their hands. “Can’t have you spoiling your eyeliner.”
Viv snorted. “It’s a bit late for that.” They wiped their eyes roughly. “Thanks.”
“Look at me,” Anne instructed. Viv sighed and raised their head finally, their bloodshot eyes meeting Anne’s. She flicked away a bit of errant makeup. “You’re fine.”
“Am I?”
“I don’t know,” Anne said, settling down properly on the stones. “Are you?”
Viv was silent for a moment. “I had my first mission today,” they said finally. “Not like I've done before. My first solo one.”
“I know,” said Anne. “I just saw Rhiannon. She said it went well. Very well, in fact. The Pandorians were helped back to their realm and the rift was closed.”
“The mission was fine,” Viv agreed. “I-I enjoyed it. Is that weird?”
“If you didn’t enjoy it, being a Soul Rider probably isn’t right for you,” Anne said.
“Yeah. Yeah, I guess so.” Viv smiled. “But after the mission, when Rhiannon congratulated me, my first thought was ‘I can’t wait to tell Elizabeth’.”
Anne stilled. “Oh.”
“I was halfway down the slope before I realised,” Viv said quietly. “And you know the stupid part? I still went down there. I rode past her house, and the door was locked, and there were no candles in the windows, and I knew, I knew there weren’t going to be. That there won’t be again. But it was like- I don’t know. Like-“
“Like you had to make sure,” Anne said softly.
Viv nodded. “Yeah.” For a moment, it was silent, the only sound the wind rustling the trees. “Do you miss her?”
“Do I miss her?” Anne’s voice was hard. “Do I miss my mentor, the leader of my Circle, my-“ She took a breath. “Like a piece out of my side. I-I knew Concorde was dead, like half my soul had been snuffed out, but I thought ‘well, Elizabeth will be there. She’ll know what to do. She always does.’ Did, I mean.” She shook her head. “This Concorde is not the one I knew. The world isn’t what I knew. And I don’t know what I’m supposed to do about that.”
“I-I’m sorry,” Viv said. “I was- You’ve lost so much. Complaining to you was thoughtless.”
“No,” Anne said, picking at the moss between the stones. “I shouldn’t have snapped. And it’s good to talk about her. Aideen knows Alex won’t.”
“Alex can barely look at me,” Viv said softly. “I thought we’d celebrate my first victory together but-“ They swallowed the lump in their throat. “She needs time.”
“She’ll come back to you,” Anne said, taking Viv’s hand. “To all of us. In time. You’ll be a good Soul Rider, Viv.”
“I have a good horse,” they said with a soft laugh, and Stormsong nickered gently before returning to graze with Ganymede, Concorde gambolling in the late sun.
“It’s probably not what you intended,” Anne said, watching the horses, “but we could go for a ride. To celebrate. Along the beach, maybe, or the forest.”
“That-that would be nice,” Viv said. “Can I catch you up? I just- I need a few minutes.”
“No problem.” Anne stood, brushing the moss from her jodhpurs. “Join us when you’re ready.” She mounted Ganymede and ambled off down the hill, Concorde running circles around her.
Viv took a deep, shuddering breath, and took the candle from their pocket. They set it on the windowsill, overlooking the Thorn Rocks, and the beach, all the way to Firgrove. They lit it, and leant their head against the cool stone of the windowsill.
“I did it, Elizabeth,” they said softly. “I’m a Soul Rider, just like you wanted. I’m doing my best, I promise, but we need you. I need you. Please. Find a way back to us.” Nothing. No blazing light, no sudden knowledge. Not the slightest sound.
Viv sighed and swung up into Stormsong’s saddle, heading down the hill after Anne. In the window, the flame remained, a bright point in the golden evening light. And just for a moment, it flickered. Nothing significant. It could have been the wind.
And beyond the light, you could just make out two riders on the sand, side-by-side under the purpling sky.