She'd been staring into it for hours when the dark, placid surface of the Eluvian suddenly shimmered at Merrill's touch. Her pulse sharply quickened as her heart leapt up into her throat, a fresh sense of hope cutting through the heavy shroud of frustration that had settled over her. Everyone told her it was broken. It was tainted, ruined. Dead.
But she hadn't given up. And here it was, flickering now, rippling with life just beneath her fingertips.
The mirror's surface was cloudy, unclear. A silhouette formed beneath the murkiness, coming into focus as if rising slowly through a deep, dense fog.
Merrill leaned in, her eyes wide, blood rushing hard and fast to her cheeks. She pressed her palms flat against the glass, flush against the mist and the shadows, her face only inches from its surface.
A face lifted out of the fog as it swirled and parted and cleared. Merrill's breath was hot and hollow as it brushed against the face -- a woman's face -- but it left no mark on the glass, as though it had passed completely through.
As she brushed her thumb against the outline of the figure's smooth, dusky cheek, Merrill's heart skipped a beat inside her chest.
Who are you?
The figure's dark hair flashed into focus, her light-colored eyes locking on Merrill's.
Can you see me, too?
Suddenly, the image flickered. Merrill's heart dropped from her throat, like a ball of lead slamming into her chest. She caught just a flash of pale eyes, a tiny glimpse of a subtle, enigmatic smile before the silhouette began to fade.
"No!" she cried out loud, gripping the sides of the frame with her hands, her fingernails chipping she clawed desperately at the Eluvian.
Trembling with apprehension, Merrill lurched forward, pressing her mouth against the fading lips of the dwindling silhouette, lips she had seen turning up at the corner with the tiniest hint of a mysterious, knowing smirk only moments earlier.
For an instant, Merrill felt warmth; She sighed at the subtle, inviting heat of a reciprocated kiss.
Then the mirror turned cold, and she was alone, once again.
Broken - Merrill/Morrigan (G)
But she hadn't given up. And here it was, flickering now, rippling with life just beneath her fingertips.
The mirror's surface was cloudy, unclear. A silhouette formed beneath the murkiness, coming into focus as if rising slowly through a deep, dense fog.
Merrill leaned in, her eyes wide, blood rushing hard and fast to her cheeks. She pressed her palms flat against the glass, flush against the mist and the shadows, her face only inches from its surface.
A face lifted out of the fog as it swirled and parted and cleared. Merrill's breath was hot and hollow as it brushed against the face -- a woman's face -- but it left no mark on the glass, as though it had passed completely through.
As she brushed her thumb against the outline of the figure's smooth, dusky cheek, Merrill's heart skipped a beat inside her chest.
Who are you?
The figure's dark hair flashed into focus, her light-colored eyes locking on Merrill's.
Can you see me, too?
Suddenly, the image flickered. Merrill's heart dropped from her throat, like a ball of lead slamming into her chest. She caught just a flash of pale eyes, a tiny glimpse of a subtle, enigmatic smile before the silhouette began to fade.
"No!" she cried out loud, gripping the sides of the frame with her hands, her fingernails chipping she clawed desperately at the Eluvian.
Trembling with apprehension, Merrill lurched forward, pressing her mouth against the fading lips of the dwindling silhouette, lips she had seen turning up at the corner with the tiniest hint of a mysterious, knowing smirk only moments earlier.
For an instant, Merrill felt warmth; She sighed at the subtle, inviting heat of a reciprocated kiss.
Then the mirror turned cold, and she was alone, once again.