03-11-2018, 05:15 PM
She said nothing, at first. Silence became them as she reached forward. They touched, briefly, and even in her fear Saedís was resplendent. She always had been, with her sylph-like build and sea-song eyes. Now, she was the same and yet time had not left her unchanged- there was sorrow in that gaze, diffidence in the downward tilt of her muzzle and in her voice as she said, simply, softly, ”Who are you?”
Somewhere in the darkness, a dove cries; it is not the coo of the morning, the soft greeting for new day and beginnings which cannot be contained. No, it is a soft, mourning sound – a weeping twitter against the cool fall breeze; the wind carries it to her, sequestered as she is at the side of Faulkor, and she betrays nothing more than the slow, purposeful blink of her deep, star-spun eyes. She does not know of that which the dove mourns this morning: perhaps child, perhaps mate, perhaps the forest-self which she is forced from with the coming of winter, which she return to with joy in her breast each spring?
But Saedís does not know of this bird; she knows that the soil has turned cool and curdled, the rivers have become sluggish, and that winter is fast approaching at the dancing heels of fall – but she loves winter, as she loves each season unquestionably. Oh, but tonight; with dove-song in her ears and starlight in her eyes and a strangers’ lament before her – Saedís aches for both bird and horse – this wild-eyed stallion who smells of mountain-depths and darkness. The longing between his words overwhelms her, but she stands where she is, swaying and lost and wistful. She does not know why this stranger provokes this reaction from her, or why she feels her vulnerability is warranted – she has lost, too, but it seemed his dreams were returning.
And now she must be the one to shatter them; oh woe. In her sorrow; the stars she wields flicker and fade on her skin – shrouding her in star-sprinkle and moon-tears.
”I am sorry, stranger, but I am not her.”
It is a sinking feeling that accompanies her words; and oh, how she wishes she could have been the one his soul yearns for – if only to undo the hurt she knows must follow her words.
@[Faulkor] poor Faulkor! She feels so sorry for him haha