The Wings of Aries
(An unfinished story that I'm posting here. It is currently in bits and pieces. One note: Aries has wings. No one else does.)

Once, in a land long since forgotten by time, there was a young girl named Virgo. Virgo had a traditional upbringing. Her mother was a farmer and her father worked as a tailor in the nearby town. Her family never had much money, but no one that lived around her did — which left Virgo totally unaware of her own poverty. Also, living in the country, she grew up sheltered and stayed rather naiive even into adulthood.
Although her parents often suggested she play with the children that lived near her, Virgo found that none of them were interesting enough to bother with. Many of them simply wanted to run around in the nearby fields and splash in the river behind Virgo’s house. Even when she was very young, Virgo found that she required more from her life than simpy mindless pleasure and thus set out to learn more about the world around her.
Virgo read obsessively.

**************

"We must depend on each other," Aries leaned against the balcony and stared at the stars, "it’s
stupid to only rely on yourself

**********

"Love goes on,
No matter where you leave to find it,
Love goes on."
Taken aback by the familiar song, Virgo turned around and saw Gemini, standing at the top of the hill behind her, holding a single feather in his hands.
"Gemini!" Virgo called out, "what are you doing here? Where is Aries?"
Gemini said nothing, but continued singing.
"Even when I am gone
And my bones have turned to sand,
You’ll have my song, sing it and you’ll find me
Anywhere in this land."
"Gemini!" Virgo’s voice cracked with worry, "Is Aries—Is she—?" she trailed off, as she noticed shadows rising from behind Gemini. Eight figures stood behind him and began to move closer. Gemini looked sombrely towards the ground and began to walk towards Virgo’s place on the beach, still clutching the delicate white feather in his hands. She noticed the shapes behind him slowly take form as they moved out of the shade. Cancer, Aries’ old teacher, moved down the hill to stand behind Gemini, also clutching a feather. He said nothing, but instead joined with Gemini’s singing,
"My wings will carry me, but they’re not that strong
It’s you that made my fly
It was you all along,"
One by one, the shadows stepped down from the hill and joined Gemini and Cancer in singing. Even Leo, who had once vied for Virgo’s affection, nodded with a knowing smile, revealed a single white feather from his opened palms and began to sing.
"Love goes on,
No matter where you leave to find it,
Love goes on."
As each of the others chimed in, Virgo felt more tears forming in her eyes. It was not until Libra, who was the only one not singing, finally opened his mouth and began singing in a beautifully melodic tenor that she began to weep. She was wracked with sobs and fell to the ground at the sight of this absurd makeshift choir. As she fell, she noticed that each person was lying a feather beside her, forming a circle with them.
"My wings will carry me, but they’re not that strong
It’s you that made me fly
It was you all along,"
And with those words, the choir lifted Virgo to her feet and the feathers drifted away on the cool breeze that had risen. She watched Aries’ feathers disappear into the blue sky, then turned to the group, warm tears blurring her vision. She turned towards them, and began to sing,
"Love goes on,
No matter where you leave to find it,
Love goes on.
My wings will carry me, but they’re not that strong
It’s you that made me fly
It was you all along,
Even when I am gone
And my bones have turned to sand,
You have my song, sing it and you’ll find me
Anywhere in this land
Love goes on,
No matter where you leave to find it,
Love goes on."

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-KB.