they drown us out at sea; any

[Aranea]

it was stupid, really, to come here. of course, aranea realized that in hindsight. her silence was so familiar and comfortable that she had forgotten to think of it as a hindrance - for years it had been her only companion. but as his greeting fell on her ears and she could give him no response except for a small tip of her nose she was aware of her mistake. what a fool she was. the others came - faces more familiar to him - and she might as well have melted in to the shadows. except that, though she wore said shadows like a second skin, she was not the type to disappear. (okay, okay, you know what i mean!) the mare stood by in silence and watched them come. her attention was snagged by the CHAMBER, her eyes instinctively drawn to the mare that represented them. oh the chamber, would they remember her name? if she could speak it for them, would they know who she was? once upon a time she had led them to greatness; she would be remiss to say that her fairy-tale did not have a happy ending. he wanted something, but she was not LOUD. she could not drown out whatever screaming plagued him. instead she could offer him silence and reprieve and possibly escape from the demons that haunted him. the change of hands that she knew SO well - ah, no, nation, she has not forgotten you or the lady in red. aranea could not throw a spiel his way. she could not try to lure him to where the grasses were greener. HAH. instead she could do her best to muster an expression of empathy and welcome, jerking her head towards the valley (could he smell it on her, the shadows and the fur?) without the words to accompany. fool, fool, fool. the shame burned her cheeks and she ACHED to speak to him. ARANEA (immortal, mute, infrared vision)from dust, she returned the dream, an enigma... silent