Dec.31.25’
The night was high above them, a winter chill shuddering through the hoodie that Azz wore. She stood looking up at the sky, the stars buried beneath the Paris smog. It felt different. Perhaps it was just the change in scenery, the busy lights of Paris streets were a harsh contrast to the quiet hillside she lived in back in Wales.
A bitter winter chill gusted through the air, carrying the faint smell of cigar and car exhaust. It all served to remind Azz how much she missed the early winter mornings back in Wales where the air smelled like dew and seasalt.
Wales... As a child Azzure remembered painting her home–– each time it was a bright green, one with seas below and clear sky above. But now, the word tasted different. This year was different, there was nothing left that Azzure could clutch onto for stability. All she could do was believe that something greater would take its place.
‘Only a few moments before new years.’
She looked at her watch, 11:56. 4 Minutes till her birthday. Azzure sighed, shaking her head.
‘You’re thoughts are loud, again.’ She would remember her mother telling her and perhaps it was true. At least, she would choose to believe that it's true.
A soft lull of footsteps reached Azzure’s ears and before she could turn back,
“Hey Azz, what are you doing out here? It’s chilly.”
Violence’s voice rang from beside her, causing Azzure to jolt ever so slightly. It was unusual to have Vi around so often, but her presence wasn’t unwanted, The Bloodthorns and Duvals were certainly much friendlier than the company she had growing up with in the Solace Manor.
“The gardens are so pretty, I just wish to spend all my time here.”
“Well, good thing I brought a shawl. Here you go.” Azzure’s heart warmed as Violence handed her the source of warmth. A small smile tugged at the corner or her lips.
“You always know just what I need, don’t you? Thank you, honey.” The shawl smelled of vanilla and cinnamon—the same familiar warmth Azzure had woken up to every morning this past week, every time she woke beside Violence.
“11:59. One minute till my birthday… don’t you think it's beautiful, how it's you I’m spending this with?” Azzure asked, her gaze locked above her, waiting for fireworks to explode in the sky.
Was it weird to reminisce when lively chatter was going on behind you? Azz wondered what Violence thought of the whole thing. It's been a long year for them, so to welcome the new year beside her— it was the only thing that felt right at that moment.
“Hey, Vi—” Azzure was cut off as a loud boom cut through the air.
‘12:00. January 1.’
The sky lit up in green and red and yellow, but Azzure's eyes were trailed on Violence, watching the fireworks through the sea of blue in her eyes.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart! And happy new year as well!”
‘Happy birthday,’ the words rang in her mind. amidst the loud roaring of fireworks, the only thing Azzure could hear was that one phrase repeating in her mind. That's right, she was finally 13.
She was 13 and Violence was the first one to greet her. Violence who Azzure thought she lost forever just a month prior. Violence who saw Azzure for her worst and still decided to give her one more chance.
Her Violence.
“So, when I told my parents that you would be spending and celebrating your birthday here, they got a bit too excited, and Dad called his colleague who knew a person in Diagon Alley, and well, we bought you a present.”
Azzure's eyebrows raised at her words— a present? For some reason despite being around Violence’s family for nearly 2 weeks now she still wasn't used to the casual way they would talk about money and wealth. Although admittedly it was a refreshing change of pace from the library worth of lectures her father used to give about wasting money.
To think that a gift meant that they had spent money on her, it felt special. Azzure never received a gift that felt genuine. Not till now.
When Violence instructed her to close her eyes, she found herself obeying in an instant. Azz was sure she was ready for whatever present they could throw at her, but when she reached out and felt soft hair, her confidence did a 180.
“What- what did you get me?” Azzure stammered as she felt around more, gently squeezing her hand around it, feeling warmth and bone along with what Azz now identified as fur.
“Oh. my. God!” a wide smile spread across Azz’s face.
“No way. No way!” Azzure's delicate fingers brushed over pointed ears, making contact with whiskers.
Azzure opened her eyes. Her jaw hanging as she laid eyes on a small kitten. Azz's eyes looked between Violence and the tiny cat.
“You're serious? This is for me?” Azzure asked as she excitedly took the cat from Violence's hands, cradling it in her arms. The tiny thing shrunk in her hold, bunching itself up against her elbow. Azzure had never felt something so fragile before.
“Surprise, surprise!”
Azzure didn't notice when Vi’s family had joined them, but from beside her Sébastien’s voice sounded.
"This is basically everybody’s way of saying welcome to the family. You are now one of our own. Happy birthday, little sis!”
Azzure couldn’t help but smile, feeling tears well up in her eyes. Sitting with Violence that day in the Defence Against the Dark Arts class had to have been the best decision of Azzure’s life. Azzure's gaze locked on the small creature that now explored the expanse of her arm. Its fur was gray and slightly overgrown around the ears, its eyes a stark yellow— her mom's favorite color.
“Wait, when did you get him? Is it a him? What's its gender? and what breed is it? How old is it? I have so many questions. Does it have food ye—”
Azzure was cut off by the steady, calming voice of Violence’s parents, putting every doubt in Azzure's mind to rest.
“Calm down, honey. The cat is actually a girl and it’s a grey mackerel tabby. I think you can see from how small she is that she is a newborn. She was born on 12th October. And, yes, food and a bunch of other things had also been ordered. It has been fed for the night. The only thing she doesn’t have is a name. We wanted you to name it.”
“Me? Name it?”
‘Right, it was hers. She had to name it.’
Names were always hard for Azzure, when she was asked to think of a name for a character for a project or homework, inevitably it would be something like Owen or Alys. Names that were common, ones with no meaning behind choosing them, just something thrown on so that someone can exist.
But this cat… it was different. Azz had hope that this could fill the void of stability her parents left. Every bone in Azzure's body knew that its name was going to be welsh.
Azzure looked deep into the eyes of the cat, the fireworks reflecting on its bright yellow orbs bringing light to even the darkest of night skies.
‘Seren’ Azzure thought, a star she could look to. But the name didn't feel right, it felt too grand, too unreachable. The cat in her arms wasn't that. She carried a purity only found in animals and children, a purity Azz never had the privilage of.
‘How about Gwyn?’ Literally meaning purity.
‘No, too common.’ Azzure thought. Using that name would be no different than calling it ‘Cat’. It was the same thing, there was nothing behind it.
Azzure sighed, she didn't know what to do.
‘Maybe I could find inspiration from what's around me.’ Azzure lifted her head, but when she did the first thing she saw was Violence.
Violence Bloodthorn. The girl that Azzure swore held her future in her arms. A girl Azz needed in her future.
Maybe that was it, she had it all wrong. The cat— Her cat. its name shouldn't be based on the things that have passed, or the versions of herself she never got to live. Its name must be something Azzure ties to a future. A brighter future, one where she can find light in the darkest of times, one where she can be her own person away from the sins of her family. A future with Violence Bloodthorn.
“Blodwyn.” The name flowed out before Azzure could even think. That was it. That was its name. A white flower yet to bloom, one that held potential in every petal, and beauty in every cell.
“Her name's Blodwyn.”
