#brightwindsbarony

The Chimerical Hourglass in the far dreaming appears...

and backlflips.... sand spilling out...

and unwinding....

we look back, back before Christmas, back on what Changelings would call Yule.

And a family of three out in the park of Fort Davis.

Including one Vanesa, who needs to humor her dad's desire to see this conjunction as a family outing.

"Honey, I could have gotten an extra shift tonight" Vanessa's mother reminds

"You work too darn hard anyway" He says "if anyone needs to be job hunting, it's me" A slight frown but he snaps the smile back on. Bussiness has not been good

Vanessa pats her Dad on the arm, and smiles to her Mom. "It's nice to have you both here. Things will pick up, I'm sure." Softly encouraging, though she is sure of no such thing. "As long as we have each other, we'll be okay." Now that she says with confidence.

"Thanks, Honey" Her dad says , "This is why you're our favorite daughter"

"Helps thats she's got no competition" Her motheer says a bit more wryly

But she too looks fondly at their daughter and admits "I guess it won't hurt to enjoy this as a family"

The telescope is old, hardly top of the line, but it will let them have an even better view so it's set up, along with the picnic blankets and food

A grin, and she searches the dry grass around the edges of the blanket, and fills an empty soda bottle with a few wildflowers she finds. "A centerpiece, now it's just like fine dining."

"Very nice" Her mother says

"Here go..." the sun is setting, the stars are rising

She moves in, settling comfortably between the two, and admiring the spread of the night sky while waiting her turn at the telescope. "It's so lovely out here. I don't miss staying in town at all."

Ross Philips looks at his wife and his daughter "it is, isn't it? I wish there were more demands for tours. Not just for the bank account either"

Rosalind "Rose" Phillips smiles, then moves to lounge a bit.. she's not a natuaral lounger. Wants to do things, get things done at times, Probably why she's actually taking a chance tonight ato unwind, and it makes Ross happy.

"Once people start getting the vaccine, it will pick up." She says, encouraging. "Horseback tours can spread out a bit, too... and people are getting stir crazy. ...me though? I like it out here. It's quiet, and peaceful... I'll take this over a club or party any day."

"I don't know" Her dad ssays "Sometimes I think you should have fun more often, a few parties, a few dates..."

"You SO would not be saying this if she were more extroverted and doing that" Rose teases her husband

"Well, yeah I'd disapprove of her boyfriends - it's traditional" He counters

But her father seems to appreciate the effort to assure him all will be well, his mood improved despite the light teasing going on and he does say "Yeah, it might just have a rush once it does"

Vanessa leans against the solid, comfortable form of her mom and relaxes. "Maybe I'll look into nursing school again when things are back to normal..." And then she winces a little and quickly adds, "I mean, maybe. I'll see if I can find job to cover it, and I can do part time... it's just an idea."

"It's a great idea" Her dad says. /"We can make it happen" Rose nods.

"Hey.. there it is..." The night has gone to darker and darker purple, and the stars are out, and none brighter than the Yule star

She sits up, marveling at the warm glow. Her hands seek out her dad and mom's... "It's so pretty... we don't even need a telescope." Voice hushed, as though looking at something lovely and sacred, at a museum or a church.

"That's brighter than I expected, " Ross says "You're right, Vanessa, we don't even need the telescope after all. Huh. Well, i was going to sell it anyway"

Rose smiles at something, proudly. They aren't about to tell their daughter they're going to sell it and put it in the attempts to get her to college. Though more likely it will go to payments on their humble abode.

Then she too looks up "is it me? or is it.. golden?"

It is gold, and Vanessa feels ... she sees figures moving along the spokes, the twinkle of that star

She blinks, and gives her eyes a rub. It's not so bright to make her see spots like looking into the sun...

As she closes her eyes, she almost sees them, powerful, athletic, and.. inhuman. She does see them, like olympic athletes from the waist up, and below, wild and pouding equine.. she hears hooves

"Did one of you turn on a radio?" She asks, unsure. Her heart pounding in sync with the rhythm of hooves.

"No..." Rose says her eyes wide, and her lips parted as if breathing in extra heavy after a sprint

and her own father says "I.. think I'm hallucinating"

Aghast. "I swear, I know the honeysuckle and persimmons and sassafras were good! I double-checked them by a foraging guide!" Worried about the tea she had made....

Then their world goes golden! Centaurs race out, glorious, triumphant,.. she'd say like ghosts, but she feels like the ghost. One female centaur, bows and arrows and looks at her, but then Rose stands up gasping, torn between fascination and an urge to shield her daughter, and the warrioress instead heads towards Rose. Another female though, actually extends a hand towards Vanessa , as if fascinated by HER.

Vanessa stares. This is something out of a story book, or myths, or a fantasy TV show. Maybe she did pick the wrong herb? Torn between worrying about that... but she doesn't feel sick, instead this is almost a euphoria. Tentatively, she stretches out fingers towards the one that approached her, touching fingertips...

And a strange euphoria fills her, visions of tending wounded Myrmidons while a wiser Centaur nods approval at her good work, worthy apprentice; visions of racing the wind and feeling like she could beat it - hair fluttering behind her head like a silken banner; visions of lifting a large bowl full of wine and bringing it to her lips as chairs are kicked over by alarmed looking creatures both natural and supernatural- wild winks to comely folk; and visions of bridges shattering, and a great black undoing everything... until a star broke open and...

Her head spins as she takes this all in! Maybe it's a trip or hallucination, a little frightened, but she doesn't want it to end...

Though she gasps and backs away at the black nothingness...

Her hooves stamp below her, as she backs away, the nothingness is gone, good. Her tail swishes

She tosses her head, her hair... her mane flowing down her shoulders and back. "Mom? D-dad?" She calls in a quavering voice, looking for them as she blinks eyes still spinning from visions.

"Vanessa?" Her mom says "Oh my" And she sees her mother, she's..magnificent, a centauress warrioress, fierce and beauitful, she's.. part horse, but nothing feels wrong about that. Nothing at all.

A step towards her, wondering... and she stumbles, catching herself on her legs... so many legs. "What happened? I remember..." A hand going to her forehead. "Maybe I did pick the wrong herbs..."

"It's okay, , whatever has happened to us, it's okay " Ross declares. He has a walking stick that's..well, big enough for a centaur so there for huge

She looks over to her dad - UP at her dad a bit, taller than her normally, and more so on his rugged hooved body. She can juuuust see his jeans, and hiking boots if she looks hard enough, but it's like crossing her eyes to see a Magic Eye Image, and it makes her head throb a little, so she lets it go, and takes in his new form... reaching down to touch her own waist, a hand running over the soft velvety pelt there, in awe. "We're okay...." She repeats.

"But what ARE we?" Almost afraid to say what she thinks, as though the lovely feeling, the visions might flee if named.