A picture is worth a thousand words (2)

Holding the brush lightly, Lucy stares at the canvas.

Beneath the shade of an oak tree, a blonde woman in her thirties lay in a hammock, a teasing look, her brown eyes mischievous as she held out her hand in invitation.

    If only I could take her hand again. Lucy closes her eyes. Feeling the breeze, she tried to pretend, but the chill in the air defeated her.

    "Aunt Thea," Lucy whispers. Would you be proud of me? Would you hate my choices? I gave up so fast once you left me. I could barely breathe in that city full of strangers. What's the point of life, of dreams when one is alone?

    Lucy opens her eyes, gaze latching onto where Mom was embroidering a small pair of slippers. Warmth slipped into her chest, Lucy exhales. "Selena, look" Lucy gestures to her painting. Selena frowns, "Why did you draw a slave, little mistress?" Selena asks.

    Lucy drops her paintbrush. "She's not a slave!" Lucy says, her eyes chilling. Selena coughs. "Excuse me, little mistress. I mistook her due to the lack of veil, loose, hair and attire" Selena says. "What do you mean?" Lucy asks, carefully restraining herself.

    Selena glances at the painting, "According to Imperial law, female slaves are forbidden to wear veils or coil their hair. Well, not law it's common to see slaves in such indecent attire." Selena explains. Lucy eyes Aunt Thea's shorts, and a tank top. She hadn't thought about it, that's how Aunt Thea always dressed at home. But. Lucy bites her lip. It's different here.

"Take it to dry. Don't let anyone see it, or let it get damaged." Lucy orders. It would anger her if others made the same mistake, but Lucy longed to keep the painting chained to her side.

After takes it away. Lucy begins another. Her paintbrush. gliding across the canvas. An image familiar as herself though she never saw it with her own eyes.

A black sky. Twinkling white framing a blue ball floating in the dark. Splashing of green on the ball.

In the corner, Lucy adds a silver disk to finish it off.

Watching it absently Lucy sets her brush down. Unaware of Selena swiftly cleaning it. Oblivious as a breeze blew a leave into her hair.

Lucy's lips part. "Earth"