“Taryn” her father yelled “Get down here”

Taryn carefully made her way outside, counting her paces; she had been blind since the day she was born.

She was often told she was beautiful, and if she were not blind, she would be perfect, but they were just words. Her father told her she was ugly, and that he’d never find her anyone decent to marry. Her father was a cruel man, delighting in the fear of others, beating his sheep, his wife, and his daughter; he was also quite fat.

Her mother was a frail woman, who usually did nothing to stop her father from beating her, too scared that his wrath would fall next on her.

“Yes father?” she said tentatively.

She didn’t see the fist, but she felt it, “This is all your fault! You could have been married to that lord if you weren’t blind” Her father mimicked the lord, “’She’s beautiful, but I’d prefer a wife that can see’” Taryn blinked back tears, it wasn’t her fault that she was blind; she’d been born that way. “I don’t want to see your ugly face anymore” he growled.

She climbed to her feet, and stumbled, she was disoriented, she didn’t know where she was. She didn’t want to be here anymore, there was no way to tell what other grievance her father might find. So she ran.

She didn’t know where she was going; all she knew was that she wanted to get away. She was tired of the abuse, the you’re-not-good-enough’s. She was perfect the way she was.

---

Venus watched her with sad eyes, who would’ve known that the man chosen to be her father would be so beastly. He had been fine before, kind, courteous, loving. Even gods couldn’t see the future though, as tragedy struck: his business seized by royal hands, and himself forced to become a Shepard. He had turned to drink for comfort.

Than Taryn, lost, it was too perfect; the fates must to be on her side. She waved a hand, and watched as a path appeared, smiling, she quickly changed herself into an old woman.

vvvvvvvvvv

Branches scratched her face, rocks tore at her feet, and finally, she stopped. She was completely lost. Cursing, she tried to catch her bearings.

“Are you lost, dear?” an old voice came from her right

“Why yes I am, could you tell me how to get back to the Hillcrest village?” once she was back at the village, people there would help her, they were wonderfully nice, and sympathetic to her plight.

“Oh just take that path to your left, it will lead you right back to that village of yours”

“Thank you, you’re too kind” she whispered

“Glad to be of service”

Turning, she felt her way along until she found an opening in the rock. Finding it, she felt her way along, careful not to run into anything. She guessed she was in an open tunnel carved into a rock, for she could feel the sun beating down on her; she was so hot.

Finally, she ran out of rock to hold onto, so carefully, she walked straight ahead.

“Hey” a definite male voice called from behind her. She jumped, startled, whirling “Don’t move, or you’ll walk right off a cliff”

She stiffened what? Had that old lady tried to kill her?

The voice called again “Just follow my voice, okay, and you’ll be fine”

Tentatively, she took a step forward, than another, until she all but ran, arms stretched out. Finally she reached a rather warm piece of rock. She breathed roughly, that was close

“Thank you” she said

“No problem” she froze, the voice came from right above her, and the rock she was clutching had just rumbled

Leaping away, she rapidly apologized

“Its fine” the voice said, amused “how did you get here anyway? This place is hidden”

“An old lady pointed me in this direction; I was trying to find my village”

“Did this old lady have three moles on her cheek?”

“Oh, uh, I wouldn’t know, I’m, uh, blind”

The man was silent, silent for a long time. She worried that he might have left; she was lost without him.

Finally, he said “I know how to get to your village, you can actually see it, uhm, well, uhm-”

He sounded awkward, embarrassed, she decided to save him.

“Its okay, I’m used to it, just treat me like you would treat anyone else” I said

“Uh, can I ask how it happened?”

She smiled sadly, “I’ve been like this since I was born”

She could feel his gaze on her, and it was starting to really bother her

“If you could tell me how to get back to my village, I would be very thankful”

“Wait, uh, could you stay with me and talk a while? Just until sunset, please, I’m so lonely”

“Uh, I don’t know, I should be getting back” she said, hesitantly

“Please” His voice had such a note of desperation, of pleading “please, just one hour”

“Okay” she said, something told her to stay, to wait, it couldn’t hurt could it

---

Prometheus looked at the sky sadly, dusk was falling, and she would have to leave soon. Looking down at the girl leaning against the rock, he smiled.

It was nice to smile; he hadn’t smiled since he was chained to this goddamn rock. It was even better that she was blind, although not necessarily a good thing, it prevented her from seeing who he really was

“Dusk is coming, you better go home” he said reluctantly

“Oh, thank you, you’re right, it was nice meeting you, uh, and how do I get back to my village”

“Just go back through the path, and take a right, if you stay on the path, you should be back in a half an hour”

“Thank you” she said, smiling up at him

“No, no thank you for keeping me company, could I see you again?” I looked at her hopefully

“Of course, I’d be happy to come again, how about every second day, I’ll come around noon”

“That would be wonderful” he didn’t say how he would rather have her come every single day

“Bye”

“Bye”

He watched her go sadly, she was so nice, and so beautiful. He was so lonely, and in so much pain.

He watched the sun slowly sink, until a spot appeared, he watched the spot slowly grow bigger, until it became distinguishable as a bird. Dejectedly, he prepared himself to not scream; he didn’t want Taryn to hear.