No one ever slipped her notice once they crossed the border to Nerine. With her eyes trained to the miles of landscape separating them from Pangea, Nayl has often taken note of outsiders slipping into her home, but she simply takes notes and goes about her business, settling on finding them a different day if they are to stay.
The fact that the stallion arrived with Djinni, however, prolonged their meeting.
Comfortable and trusting in her Mage’s decisions, Nayl didn’t rush herself to find him. Nerine has distracted her, embraced her, as her mind reeled relentlessly with emotions and memories. Her entire life has been spent distanced from emotion and any manner of attachment. There was comfort in that, and there was security in knowing she would never crumble to nothing as Myrina had. Mother weakened herself by letting her heart blindly grope for the affections of a man. That’s what had fueled her, built her. She had been nothing like grandmother, and so she fell. The life she led was meaningless except to procreate in hopes of remedying her sins. Fortunately, in her desperation to find love, Nayl was conceived.
She watched her mother flail and dig her own grave, and so she had promised herself not to follow in Myrina’s footsteps.
But oh, how precariously close she got.
The wall around her mind is more heavily fortified now and her heart is forced into an iron casket. The hard lines of her face contrast with the vibrant colors of her eyes. They burn with curiosity even as her expression is stoic upon finding him alone, finally away from Djinni. ”Hello,” she greets as the roar of the ocean waves form a backdrop for their conversation, ”I’m Nayl.” Her name rings with pride, with a coy power that she harnesses with an intrigued tilt of her head, ”I’m surprised to find a stallion deciding to willingly remain in a matriarchal society.” There are only a couple others, one less now that Stillwater has been rooted to the forests of Sylva. Simeon and Bowie have both melted into the shadows, creating a greater wedge that may lead to their expulsion. Time will tell.
”Care to tell why Nerine interests you?” Her voice is icy, her gaze hardened and searching.
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