Felina had been out riding for about twenty minutes passing through the dark, leafless trees, so dark in the wet wood, like black skeletal hands reaching up to the sky with their bare branches. It was nearing dusk under a grey sky as a bitter, chilling, wind blew hard along the pampas; which was as vast and wide as the hole in her heart. Now Felina thought of herself on this, her last ride on her family's estate. She knew she was well educated, articulate, charming and elegant but she also realized, in her 47 years of living, she had never developed the aptitude for graciousness, understanding, patience, or love. For though she desired greatly to love and be loved, she never actually had the capacity, in her cruel, little, bitter heart, to do so. For loving is an art and she lacked any talent for it.
Felina had been the first child to come into this world of her family. It was she who was treated like a tiny queen, given the best of everything, with a sparkle in her dark eyes as if to say 'I am above doing all wrong and cannot be blamed for my actions.' Adored by her parents and the staff, until a usurper came to steal her crown, in the form of her little brother Xation. Now she loved that boy with all her heart, and he was the only person in her life that she had ever truly loved; in such a way she would have gladly taken his place when Charles came to bring an end to Xation's life that terrible Spring day. But such was not the case, for she was taught that the Lord is a jealous God and his children should have no other god before him. So, she was a jealous sister and she would not have her brother love any woman above her. Now Xation did love and care for Felina with a loving, gracious and patient heart and when he was a little boy he would tell her. "You are my dearest sister and I have been sent by our Heavenly Father to make sure no harm shall come your way."
Felina would laugh at this always as he was her tiny protector. She had taught him to ride when he was around seven and when she was around ten. He had taken to the saddle and was a fine rider. Now as she rode down to the old polo grounds, now long covered with thick weeds. Her family had let the field go to seed after Xation's murder. No longer would there be the games, and friends, and food, and fine champagne toasts to the victors. Felina dismounted here sitting herself down on the old rotting wooden bleachers as Iguazu grazed on the dead dried plants. Felina took in a deep cold breath as she relived in her mind the various scenes from summers past of fun and admires that flattered her at every turn, the young lovelies come to enchant and charm her handsome teenage brother. Many thoughts raced through her mind as she sat there. Then Felina recalled a poem she would tell her brother when they were young and bored on a rainy day "With you my child I wish to play. I'll give you gifts if you will stay. I'll pick you flowers and presents bring and dress you like a noble king." here Felina began to cry as bitter tears of pain, loss and remorse welled up in her black eyes. She was angry and sad, filled with such a violent rage, but she was now bound and determined to direct all the hostility she felt towards herself. She raised her voice cursing at the sky, her horse becoming nervous as she cried out like a wounded animal. Felina sprang up, climbing up into the saddle, she kicked sharply, digging into Iguazu's ribs with the heels of her riding boots as she brought the old horse to a full gallop, flying along the ground at a quickening speed, the wind in her hair and death in her heart as the sky grew dark and the cold winds howled.
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