this is the road to ruin - Naira

[Kreios]

kreios don't you tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash The journey to the Desert from the Field is not a long one, and I am relieved to see that our companion (if one could call him that) has not followed us. Though he had said that Pevensie had invited him to the Desert, I have trouble believing it; my queen has always seemed more sensible than that, even if she is present infrequently. Fortuntely, the company I travel with now is good, and I glance over toward Naira with a friendly smile. Aziz had been right when he had said she was a ‘fine looking mare’, and while I have no untoward intentions on her I must agree with him. “It’s not too far,” I tell her as we make our way along the edge of the forest that surrounds the Lake of Serenity. “Only a few miles.” Naira has said that she wants to see both of my homes. I had told her a little, back in the Field, but now that we’re on the way, I decide that I may as well elaborate. “We have two queens here – Camrynn and Pevensie. They were chosen to rule after our former queen, Yael, stepped down.” I do not say that part of the reason that Yael had finally handed over the crown was that the death of my father, her King, had been hard on her. I mourned Vanquish too, of course, but I had never been his favorite son. “There are plenty of oases there, too.” I added as I feel the earth between our feet begin to shift to sand. There is an area of scrub brush before the true dunes begin. “The Orange Country is that way,” I say, gesturing toward the west with my muzzle. The ground there falls away into canyons, and my herd land is nestled within the crook of one of the largest. “And this is the Desert.” We’ve crested the first dune, and in front of us spreads endless golden sands. Here are there are bright flecks of blue and green, oases that shelter the kingdom. The sky is red and pink, illuminated by a setting sun, and behind us the darkening sky is just beginning to reveal stars. “What do you think?” I ask, turning away from the beautiful view of the kingdom to look at Naire. She is lovely in this light, I think, as golden as the dunes with her mane and tail like the clouds in the sky.

[Naira]

They traveled the first part of their journey in silence, and Naira took the opportunity to study the horse walking beside her. He was tall and broad, with a few chestnut patches sprinkled across his otherwise white body. He had a strong, handsome face, and extremely kind eyes that possessed no malice whatsoever. Although there was a rugged edge to him, there was a beauty about him that inexplicably drew her in. Finished with her musing about the stallion, the mare mulled over the events of the day. It had been an extremely long day for her, and although she was excited to see The Desert, should couldn't wait to venture into The Orange Country to get some sleep. Aside from the short nap she had taken in The Field, she hadnt slept for some time, the fear she felt at someone coming after her prevented her from relaxing enough to catch even five minutes of sleep.

She was grateful that the trip would be a short one, her weary legs betraying her as she stumbled a step, and then righted herself. As they walked along a large lake, Kreios told her more about his homes. It was interesting that they had two queens and no kings. The only thing close to a king she ever had was the man, and he wasn't exactly a fair or kind ruler. The oases sounded nice; a chance to drink and play in the water would be welcome. The ground beneath them morphed from packed dirt to grainy sand, and she struggled a bit to keep her footing, her exhaustion paired with the foreign material that caused her hooves to sink into the ground resulted in her staggering slightly as they trekked across the sand.

She struggled up a seemingly endless mountain of sand, her thin legs sinking as she ascended the dune. As they climbed, Kreios tossed his head towards a series of canyons, telling her that his herd land was situated in that direction. She was slightly nervous that they wouldn't arrive before the sun set, and that she may not make it up the hill, but just as the thought crossed her mind, the stallion next to her announced their arrival. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes opened wide as she caught the first glimpse of the desert. The unending expanse of golden sand was the most awe-inspiring thing she had ever laid eyes on. She could see what she assumed to be the oases dotting the land scape, and the crimson sky completed the picturesque scene before her.

"What do you think?" He asked her hopefully. "Its-it's the most amazing thing I ever seen! It's so beautiful! I've never seen anything like it. It's amazing," she repeated softly. She looked at him with excitement in her eyes, a warmth spreading through her as she saw the affection and admiration in his. " This place is the most magnificent that I have ever seen. It must have been wonderful growing up here. Please, tell me more about it." She couldn't disguise the dreamy glint in her eyes, hungry for the details of what growing up here would be like. It must have been so different from her life, she thought, it seems so wonderful here, what could possibly be displeasing about it?

[Kreios]

kreios don't you tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash As I turn to listen to her response, the realization that I’ve been missing the dozen telltale signs of exhaustion sudden descends. “You’re tired.” I say without preamble, knowing that she’s asked me about growing up here but feeling terrible that I’ve been so negligent as to ignore that she is tired. Of course she’s tired, I berate myself - she’d been sleeping before that rude stallion had gone about trumpeting to wake her up. While part of me wants to just suggest that we head to the Orange Country, I recognize that Naira’s an adult and can make her own choices. She’s asked about the Desert rather than asking about a place to sleep, and though I’m inclined to suggest that she rest, I know better than to try and press someone into something that they don’t want. “I grew up between here and the Forbidden Dale, the neutral mythic kingdom. My father lived here, and my mother there.” I begin, looking out at the dunes as they begin to fade into the horizon with the setting sun. “But I enjoyed my time here the most, and so I stayed.” I also stayed because my father demanded it of me and it never occurred to me to question the iron will of King Vanquish, but it is true that I do love this kingdom more than I had ever loved the Dale. Though it seems that she is eager to hear tales of my happy childhood spent on the dunes, I am sadly lacking in such stories. How can I make the tale of a boy with a broken mouth, tormented by his twin brother and living in a kingdom where his existence reminded the ruling queen of her lover’s betrayal, a good story? It is my story and I am not ashamed of it, but the telling of it would bring up feelings I am not sure I am ready to deal with. “We can always come back and see more of it tomorrow,” I suggest, hoping that I do not seem pushy. “It’s best to not wait too late to go to the Orange Country – some of the trail down is fairly steep.” I combine the trip with my concern. Once there she can rest, and I will have all of tomorrow to show her both places. And hopefully, though I do not say so aloud, she’ll choose one in which to stay permanently.

[Naira]

Naira just nodded slightly at his sudden realization, and waited for Kreios to continue his description of his home. He didn't go into great detail, but the suddenly distant look in his eye warned her not to press for more, at least not now. Maybe growing up here wasn't all that she thought it would be. The golden mare leaned her shoulder against his and pressed her muzzle against the stallion's neck, aiming to comfort and give some solace to the hardships he must have endured in the past. "I understand." Naira said this quietly, hoping to snap him gently out of his reverie. She smiled lightly at the concerned tone in his voice when he suggested that they venture into the Orange Country for the night. She was grateful that she was making the journey with him, of all the other horses it could've been, especially the painted stallion that they had encountered earlier. It seemed that Kreios genuinely cared for her. The hope that appeared in his dark eyes when he finished speaking warmed her inside; it was a nice change from the somewhat wounded look he had given earlier after his brief description of his early years. Though the thought of the supposedly steep trail made her grimace slightly, she knew it was nothing she couldn't handle. She nodded with a sleepy smile, hoping she didn't allow too much exhaustion to creep into her voice and eyes, "That would be wonderful," already thinking of the hopefully dreamless sleep that was so very near in her future.

After agreeing to start making the trip to the Orange Country, she began to explain. "I haven't slept or rested for days," she started  softy. "I was just too scared that..." She shook her head, clearing her mind of the unhappy thoughts. He didn't want to hear about the dark things that were only barely in the past. "It doesn't matter now." She dropped her eyes to the fine sand beneath her hooves. "It's all finished now." She said this with a definitive edge to her voice that she wasn't sure she believed herself. She held her head high, and with a sudden burst of energy that seemed to be gained from the desert itself, or possibly the horse standing tall at her side, she picked her feet up one at a time, ready to begin the second part of their journey. Naira took a few steps towards the canyons and looked back at Kreios. "I'm ready when you are. I would love to come back tomorrow and explore a bit more, it seems that the desert holds many secrets." She trailed of at the last part, a faraway look in her eyes. She admonished her mind for drifting so often, and gestured towards the large stallion. "Lead on."