Username: Chanceuxcat
Name: Royals' Glimpse of Sunlight 'Baily'
Gender: DFAB (they/them)
Name Meaning: Baily (pronounced like Bailey) is named for the astronomical effect called Baily's Beads. This effect occurs during a solar eclipse, where a few beads of sunlight can still be seen in an arc around the moon. Although most light is blocked out, even in a total solar eclipse there is still some sunlight to be seen. Much like Baily themselves, for although they are blind, they still try to see the brighter side of life.
Prompt:Note: TW mentions of death and grief/loss
It couldn't have lasted forever. They knew this, really. They never expected to leave now though. Not like this.
They couldn't see, but could tell it was night as their owner - no, disgruntled breeder - led them out of the house. The young collie had been a failure to them, from the moment the puppies eyes opened and Baily's had not widened more than a squint. At least the breeder's elderly collie had taken a liking to Baily, and even though this house had never really felt like home, it became one with her. But a week ago now (had it really only been a week?), she had passed away. It didn't feel like she was really gone though, as Baily laid alone in their shared bed all day and night. This way, they could just pretend she had gone to the bathroom or was getting a bite to eat. She wasn't gone. She couldn't be. The loneliness took everything out of them. All Baily wished was for her to come back. Come back to bed, come back into their life.
She didn't.
It didn't come as a surprise that the breeder was getting rid of them. Their purpose, in the breeder's mind, was to keep the older collie company. And now that she was gone, well, what was the point of having this dog that needed extra care around? The chill, the cold autumn crispness only felt at night, made their leaving all that more bitter. As if they were trying to hide their mistake from the world under the cover of the night.
She hadn't seen them as a mistake. She had named them Baily, after the eclipse she had been able to witness in her younger days. The sky had been dark, but there were beads of light even in the shadow. Baily was her light, she said. And she had been Baily's.
The car stopped after an hour. They were tugged out of the car and placed into much more gentle hands. Into another car, and they were stroked on the drive to their new house. It wouldn't be home. It couldn't be home without her.
[359/400 words]
Things were different here, but their wish remained as strong as ever. Baily so desperately wanted their light back. A body plopped down next to them.
"Do you want to talk about them?" a voice asked gently.
Baily turned toward it. They hesitated. But the voice was so warm, like sunlight.
"I... yes. Yes please."
They paused, a comfortable silence urging them on.
"She was... amazing," they began, talking about her until the sun warmed their back. It didn't fulfill their wish. But somehow, it's as if, just for the moment, their light is there with them.
[97 words, hopefully this short enough for the blurb! Image featuring my boy
Vesper with Baily]
