#ʜᴏᴍᴇ ɪꜱ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ... ( a thread )

[ljosalir]

home is where...

     White rose stems cut into her hand, yet every prick from a thorn is easy to ignore. Sharena sets them into her basket, gently, afraid that even the slightest tilt or pinch would shatter the flower she holds. It’s not possible but the fact can’t settle the anxiety in her mind. Except, among the flickers of unease, there’s a sense of serenity. Peace. A sense that makes her smile and her face flush ever so faintly in joy. 

     She’s happy here. Of course she is.

     Alfonse is here. And although Anna and Fjorm and a multitude of their heroes aren’t here as well, she’s still able to thrive and prosper simply in the presence of her brother. Kiran is here, too, so the chances of Fodlan feeling comfortable is increased. Kind of.

     The last white rose is set in her basket and Sharena sighs, her thumb massaging into the dip of her opposite palm--it wasn’t a good idea to take off her gloves while she went flower gathering but she couldn’t help it. She wanted to feel the flowers; their message and their petals. Also, her gloves were getting a bit worn so she should probably get a new pair soon...

     It’s when she rises from where she first sat in the meadow, that Sharena realizes that she isn’t alone.

     “Mercedes?” Her smiles widens as she waves to her classmate, “Hey, Mercedes! You’re here for white roses, right?” Although garlands didn’t just have to be formed out of white roses, they symbolled a certain feeling that even she simply had to grasp. Sharena walks over to her friend with a tilt of her head. “If you need some, I can share mine with you. I’m trying to make garlands for my family and friends back at home, but I should have enough just in case you’re missing a few.”

     Truthfully, she already made many for everyone back at home ( not all of them contained white roses ). The one she had in mind to make though, wasn’t for... well, friends. Saying that it would be one made for a lover would be incorrect, but there wasn’t much to title the lady she had in mind. To be fair, love is difficult. So are labels but they don’t depend on each other, technically.

               OK. Thinking about it isn’t going to get her anywhere.

     “Actually,” Sharena pauses, “would you happen to know anything about...” but the intensity of her thought pushes it away just as quickly. She, instead, shakes her head. “Nevermind. Do you want to make garlands together?”

starter for @lalamines