I've heard there was a secret chord
that David played and it pleased the Lord
but you don't really care for music do you?
Sometimes, when his mind was empty and calm, he could still smell remnants of smoke. Sometimes, he could still hear the screams in the forest. Sometimes, he couldn’t forgive himself for having not done more. Not that he could have done anymore than what he did of course, but the pangs of guilt still nipped at the back of his mind. And now here they stood, staring off the brink and into a oncoming war. It wasn’t necessarily what the gray king wanted, but he was smart enough to know it was unavoidable. They would prepare accordingly, and this time not be left to ebb in the wake of the ship. Their kingdom was growing, they had at least one ally at their back, and most of all they had heart.
The day was so pleasant he almost forgot himself. He almost forgot the stress the weight of a crown could bring, the stress of raising a wild daughter…all of it, almost. It was impossible to block it out completely, but he didn’t mind trying. It wasn’t hard, with the sun shining on his back and his belly full of pears. The sound of hooves caught his attention, and he raised his head sharply. His deer instincts were much easier to startle than those of his true, equine self. Fortunately, it was not danger that approached. A small smile crossed his mouth before he shifted back, replacing the whitetail with his normal, gray form. “Magnus, the pleasure is mine.” he said, dipping his head in a return greeting. He followed the buckskins gaze, his own eyes sweeping over their magic garden. Even as king he didn’t know all of its secrets, nor would he pretend to. Some things were better left a mystery, after all. “Indeed. The darkness can only remain so long as there is no light. The Chamber will never understand these things.” The gray king shook his head, his voice soft. “To answer your question though, I’m well I suppose. An invisible crown is surprisingly heavy though.” he said, though it ended in a laugh. Before he could continue a new face emerged, and he smiled as he watched her approach. “The lovely Wichita. How are you on this lovely day?” he asked, his eyes bright. With a contented sigh he cocked a hind leg, relaxing beneath the sunshine and in the company of two of his most valued kingdom mates.
M A S T