11-07-2018, 09:15 PM
To say that Nalia was very tired was quite an understatement, but given all she was going through lately made sense. Ever since Beqanna became stricken with 'the Plague' as many called it, the filly had been busy going out to try and offer solace to those in need of a safe home, where they could potentially be safe from the Plague. Their home was not immune, not foolproof, but the promise of a force to protect them and a kingdom that was safe and hadn't become fully stricken seemed like music to the ears of some. Sadly, a good number of them needed help getting to Isicle Isle, as they believed getting off the mainland fully would solve their problem.
And so, Nalia had busied herself with not only helping in Nerine however she could, but also traveling to the Isle and lending a helping hoof to those there who needed it. She willingly offered the Queen and Champion her assistance how she could, following them without hesitation if she was not busy doing anything else. Moments of peace were quite rare nowadays, but whenever they came along, Nalia took advantage of them wholeheartedly, assuming she was tired. If she had even a sliver of energy left, Nalia was off to help again, barely taking time to care for her own self.
As it was, the filly had lost a small bit of weight due to all her traveling. She didn't look any different since she had a bit more muscle on her body to begin with, and her wings helped to conceal any effect on her belly that would expose her ribs. Last time she checked, they still weren't noticeable, but should one poke her in the side, they were more easily felt than before all this craziness started. Still, despite her fatigue and lack of self-care, Nalia looked normal, save for a slightly dull coat that came with how tired she was.
Nalia had found a quiet hollow to rest in, laying down on the soft grass and folding her legs under her, laying her head down and allowing sleep to claim her. Her rest was disturbed an hour or so later by Ardashir's call, and though Nalia wished to continue resting, she got up and prepared to her out to see him for two reasons.
One, she liked his company, and two, given what was going on at the time, if Nalia didn't respond to his call in some way, he might end up assuming the worst. That she'd become a victim of the Plague outside Nerine, and had stayed away to avoid infecting others.
Deciding to save her strength, Nalia resorted to walking to meet Ardashir, eventually picking up her pace to a trot when she saw how high the sun already was and determining it'd take too long to get there. After a good hour or so of traveling, Nalia arrived at the coastline, finding Ardashir after a short while, seeing him standing on an outcrop that looked out over Isicle Isle.
The painted filly smiled bright at seeing her friend, a small butterfly bubbling in her belly at recalling one of the more recent times they were together. The time they'd explored the caves was wonderful, enjoying a swim in the pool before heading out to explore a couple other smaller ones. But one thing Nalia wouldn't forget was what Ardashir had said to her, surprising the filly to the point that she had difficulty finding the right words to respond.
Ardashir had used that four-letter-word, one that Nalia was familiar with in terms of family and friends. She loved her dam, the one who'd raised her. She loved her sire, despite not knowing him. She loved her friends from her time as an adolescent, knowing she would have done anything to keep them safe. They'd gone from friends to a makeshift family, looking out for and helping take care of one another before and after they'd lost the older stallion that joined their band.
But this love was a foreign subject for her. Nalia wouldn't lie and say there weren't stallions she'd been attracted to, but again, it wasn't necessarily 'love'. She'd thought some were handsome, some were attractive for having a good personality, and some had both. Ardashir was included in that last category, and in time, Nalia would possibly have grown to understand that her feelings were developing into something more than friendship.
But then he'd surprised her, and the filly was effectively caught off guard, something she did not like one bit.
"Ardashir," she called in a gentle voice, approaching the taller stallion and reaching out to nuzzle his neck with her tapered nose. She pulled back to look up at him, her eyes calm but slightly concerned, "It is good to see you. Is everything all right? Has there been another development?"
@[Ardashir]
And so, Nalia had busied herself with not only helping in Nerine however she could, but also traveling to the Isle and lending a helping hoof to those there who needed it. She willingly offered the Queen and Champion her assistance how she could, following them without hesitation if she was not busy doing anything else. Moments of peace were quite rare nowadays, but whenever they came along, Nalia took advantage of them wholeheartedly, assuming she was tired. If she had even a sliver of energy left, Nalia was off to help again, barely taking time to care for her own self.
As it was, the filly had lost a small bit of weight due to all her traveling. She didn't look any different since she had a bit more muscle on her body to begin with, and her wings helped to conceal any effect on her belly that would expose her ribs. Last time she checked, they still weren't noticeable, but should one poke her in the side, they were more easily felt than before all this craziness started. Still, despite her fatigue and lack of self-care, Nalia looked normal, save for a slightly dull coat that came with how tired she was.
Nalia had found a quiet hollow to rest in, laying down on the soft grass and folding her legs under her, laying her head down and allowing sleep to claim her. Her rest was disturbed an hour or so later by Ardashir's call, and though Nalia wished to continue resting, she got up and prepared to her out to see him for two reasons.
One, she liked his company, and two, given what was going on at the time, if Nalia didn't respond to his call in some way, he might end up assuming the worst. That she'd become a victim of the Plague outside Nerine, and had stayed away to avoid infecting others.
Deciding to save her strength, Nalia resorted to walking to meet Ardashir, eventually picking up her pace to a trot when she saw how high the sun already was and determining it'd take too long to get there. After a good hour or so of traveling, Nalia arrived at the coastline, finding Ardashir after a short while, seeing him standing on an outcrop that looked out over Isicle Isle.
The painted filly smiled bright at seeing her friend, a small butterfly bubbling in her belly at recalling one of the more recent times they were together. The time they'd explored the caves was wonderful, enjoying a swim in the pool before heading out to explore a couple other smaller ones. But one thing Nalia wouldn't forget was what Ardashir had said to her, surprising the filly to the point that she had difficulty finding the right words to respond.
Ardashir had used that four-letter-word, one that Nalia was familiar with in terms of family and friends. She loved her dam, the one who'd raised her. She loved her sire, despite not knowing him. She loved her friends from her time as an adolescent, knowing she would have done anything to keep them safe. They'd gone from friends to a makeshift family, looking out for and helping take care of one another before and after they'd lost the older stallion that joined their band.
But this love was a foreign subject for her. Nalia wouldn't lie and say there weren't stallions she'd been attracted to, but again, it wasn't necessarily 'love'. She'd thought some were handsome, some were attractive for having a good personality, and some had both. Ardashir was included in that last category, and in time, Nalia would possibly have grown to understand that her feelings were developing into something more than friendship.
But then he'd surprised her, and the filly was effectively caught off guard, something she did not like one bit.
"Ardashir," she called in a gentle voice, approaching the taller stallion and reaching out to nuzzle his neck with her tapered nose. She pulled back to look up at him, her eyes calm but slightly concerned, "It is good to see you. Is everything all right? Has there been another development?"
@[Ardashir]