[she doesn't know that the world is turning just for her]

Day 3/7 of the valentines fire’s lingering effects

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It had been quite a while since Euphemia had thought about the last Dawnbreak vote. Considering that she had found it traumatic, this was surprising – the silver woman had a penchant for holding on to experiences and people who had slighted her. At some point, it became an afterthought. She no longer felt as though her twin had turned her back on her.

There were other things to focus on now: namely, Adonis. He was the light that lit up her world, and she experienced bouts of overwhelming gratitude for him often. She could not stop gushing, no matter who was listening at the moment. Anything that had happened before truly felt as though it didn’t matter.

Now that Euphemia had glimpsed the Gods in the face of her multicolored beloved, she was renewed.

Just when the maiden had moved on from her public embarrassment, the same event rolled right around the corner again. Curse living amongst a democracy! Often, Euphemia thought it would be easier to live in a pack with more customary traditions for succession.

Were the requirements for gaining the role to be born into it, or to fight for it, Euphemia would gladly and proudly sit herself out; not because she wanted to, but because she had to. With nothing to prevent her from becoming a Pillar of Dawnbreak (besides her perceived lack of popularity), Euphemia knew she would never feel whole until she had achieved it. Until she had achieved what Father, Mother, Tiberii and Aurelia had.

Dalmatia was getting married, so she had already won by default.

Such a goal had not been feeling so impossible, these days. Although she had neglected to spare a passing thought for the election in recent months, the moment Aurelia had called them forth, Euphemia looked at Adonis and she knew. She suddenly knew that all these things she wanted were within her grasp. Today, of all days, the door had opened and on the other side of the threshold lay her hopes and dreams. She would cross it, hand-in-hand with the wayward storyteller.

There was only the teeny-tiny problem of needing to oust Aurelia, Tiberii or Nottin in order to do so.

The last time Euphemia had moulded herself to fill a void – she had volunteered for the Pillar of Courage, though it was, without a doubt, the one most ill-fitted to the sunny-eyed twin. She did this to put her name forth when no others had, which had cleared the way for Nottin, who was undoubtedly the very definition of courage.

The maiden could see that now.

Nor did the Pillar of Power appeal greatly to Euphemia, for once again it was hard to imagine Tiberii as anything other than the very face of the role. Additionally, Euphemia herself never felt very powerful. Was it powerful to stay home every day and night, tasting herbs and rearranging them on her shelves? Did power come from experiencing loneliness and then rejecting it, opening herself to challenge all sorts of beliefs she had once known as true?

Mayhaps power did not result from these things, but Euphemia had wisdom in droves.

Euphemia sighed, sitting at the back of the voting assembly. Of course, it had to be Wisdom, she thought both hopefully and sourly. Her gaze fell on Aurelia, wondering if this was the final retribution their relationship might never recover from.

I would like to be considered for the Pillar of Wisdom, the woman said, glancing around those gathered. She then positioned herself so that she could lay her gaze upon Adonis, to steady herself and remind her that all things were possible, and she only needed to reach for it. Though the man calmed her, the woman wrested her attention away and laid it upon the one who deserved it most: Aurelia.

I have the most admiration and respect for Aurelia’s achievements, and just as in life, I would aim for my actions to complement those initiatives she has put into motion. Should I have the opportunity to helm Dawnbreak, I would focus on progress and hone our ability to hold many perspectives at once.

She spoke to everyone, but locked eyes with her twin. Perhaps it was too much, but she felt it was of the utmost importance that Aurelia understood it was not because her governance lacked in any way…

It was just a call the woman needed to heed.

It would be my greatest honor, especially for the dark days to come.

Anyways, she might lose the vote, and then it would have all been for naught – and if she did, Euphemia would sleep so easily with Adonis by her side, knowing that she had tried her best.

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