The Smallest Gesture

Back in the days of when I was turned women wore their hair in elaborate updos. But with these unruly curls, mine refused to behave. Growing up my mother kept my hair in braids. Braids that I despised.

You see we did not have straighteners back then. If my hair needed to be put up, my mother would have to spend almost an entire day placing the iron in the fire, heating it and then ironing my hair straight. I, being the impatient person that I am, could not sit still for long periods of time and often would hide when my mother wanted my hair up. I came to hate my curls.

The night I went to that party, where I met Killian and my life changed, my mother had spent hours putting my hair in this upswept style, with a few tendrils falling around my face. However, by the time I met Kills, my curls had escaped, as usual. I was a frightful mess I'm sure.

I'd just pulled all of the pins out and pulled my hair back from my eyes using about ninety of the damn things when I met him.

A few nights after I rose, I was trying desperately to keep the curls under control and sat crying silently in my room when Killian came in to see what had me upset.

Looking back on it now, I feel foolish to have such concerns over something as simple as my hair, but as you know, when turned we stay the way we were the second we died. That meant I was stuck with these curls for an eternity. I explained to Killian how I had left behind my hair combs and that my grandmother had given them to me. They weren't much and not worth a dime, but without them, I felt lost.

The next night I rose to find a black box tied in green ribbon on my vanity. Opening it I was shocked to find the emerald encrusted hair combs. I lovingly caressed each one and then quickly pulled the hair from my eyes and tucked the combs into place.

I turned to find Killian watching me with a smile. I flew into his arms and kissed him. It was in that moment that I realized how much I felt for him. Even though we'd only been together a few nights, I knew in my heart that I belonged with him. That he was everything I'd ever wanted. I'll never forget his words that night.

~My Sunshine, how I love those curls of yours. So free and wild. So much like you. Promise me to never underestimate how powerful your natural beauty is Baby Doll.~

We made love that night, all night, for the first time. Killian was loving and gentle with me, and I was happier than I'd ever been as human. From that second on, I loved the wildness of my untamable curls and those emerald hair combs became priceless for me.

In such a small gesture, Killian had given me more than I could ever have hoped for. Those combs came to symbolize the love I felt for him, the happiness we shared that night, and a man that understood that sometimes the smallest things mean everything.