Jade's breath catches as her thoughts drift, seeking a darkness she once knew but had long forgotten. She senses his desires—an ever-consuming need that persists. Stepping into the darkness of her mind, she recognizes his presence. It calls to her—the unknown.
"Please..." Jade begs as she awakens in the darkness.
She surveys her room, feeling the emptiness like a gasping hole in her chest, the pain ever-present and unreachable. Despite her actions, she experiences this nothingness—a lack of something that has known her all her life.
Nestled between her small breasts, she held the delicate pendant from her neck. Jade feels her bed slick with sweat from her dream the night before. Her dreams never follow her into her wakeful mind. Despite that, at the edge of her awareness, they taunt her. An emptiness that feels off.
The world holds something she can't explain. She believes she is the property of someone who directs her. Jade is not bound. A princess representing a past life—a time long forgotten where the guiding spirits rule the earth—long since abandoned by those of religious fervor and scientific resolve.
Jade's fingertips trail down her bare skin as she wants to linger on a sense, a wish, a need. Her mind escapes a moment of passionate breath as her fingers move. She is hovering on the edge of a memory. But she understands, perceives the sound as familiar, and hopes. The lingering voice, she hopes, reflects her vision. He's the man she needs.
As she rises from bed, she yearns for greater accomplishments. She wants to be wanted and desired. She lives at the edge of the known world, where the traveler community moves, blends, and disappears. Jade experiences both the blessing and confining caravan life. She is stronger than most of the women she meets. She experiences a sense of liberation, no longer confined, held back, or trailing behind someone.
Desire, structure, and fame continue to trap her in the depths of her soul. Her body isn't her own. She struggles to maintain her glamor, beauty, and name. Everyone desires her, but she haunts their dreams. She longs for more, her fate sealed, imprisoned in a bleak world where hope is scarce.
Moving to the corner of her small caravan, she pulls out a pouch containing a collection of herbs. She grinds the plants into a soft paste with a mortar and pestle. The fragrance fills her while relaxing her mind. She picks up some tonics, mixing splashes, allowing the scent to drift. She then dips a cloth into the mixture, cleansing her body.
The mixture's earthy aroma clings to her skin as the paste washes away the dirt and sweat of her restless night. Her body, now smooth and clean, feels like a fresh canvas ready for the day's demands.
Moving towards her trunk of clothes, she walks forward, pushing away the mixture of dried flowers as she looks for the perfect outfit. The first performance takes place at sunset. At this time of year, with how the sun hangs just above the trees, she needs a glimmer—a reflective surface that captures the hearts and minds. So, as she steps back, she lingers, lingering in her scent, her movement, and the desires of the women she meets. More free, less bound, trapped, crawling behind someone's feet.
The darkest days still loom ahead of her in a world that she is entirely unprepared for. The fears linger, taunting her, as she waits for what comes next. She does not know if she will be enough, or even if she can survive. But she is ready, as always, to face the unknown.