-Adria-
Once upon a time Clayton had fooled her into believing the white knight fairytale. He had a dark sienna coat and two prong horns that twisted out from his forehead sharply. Adria was so charmed by his demeanor that even now, knowing what she knew about him, the memory of his eager smile made her chest tight. For Jakub’s sake she wishes that she could return to that era in her life, only in order to meet Jakub instead of Clayton, and maybe then the Nereid would’ve relented to the current pressure of Jakub’s advances. But a wish like hers was simply impossible.
Breathing shallow puffs of air, Adria tilted an ear toward the mythical stallion and then caught his eye. She listened while resting, growing increasingly aware of how much his scent permeated the space around them. Not only could she smell the remote wilds of Tephra’s sporadic jungle, but Adria could also sense a heavier odor lingering too. Jakub’s presence reminded her of coming across a particularly feral animal; he looked imposing as well as smelled dangerous.
She saw why he might’ve emulated that wild bull as a young colt. The way he told it brought images of a black beast mangling a tawny yellow wildcat, and Adria shivered. So he went seeking that kind of power, She thought to herself, barely feeling how he pushed against her, and our meeting made him feel like he needed to… protect me? the seahorse stifled an impolite laugh. She was so lost in her own contemplation over what Jakub had told her that when she glanced up and found a massive, black nose hovering there she couldn’t help but look shocked.
“Bon mèt!” Adria exclaimed, and then laughed a silly, airy type of laugh. The kind that smoothed over mistakes and turned them into happy accidents. “Those are three questions! I only asked you two,” She closed her eyes and stuck her nose out with a grand flourish, as if to wave away Jakub’s eagerness. “and just as you have ignored one of mine, I think I will also ignore one of yours.” The little island mare decided, smirking. Inside her chest, a delicate heart fluttered.
Still graceful despite her soon-to-be-born foal, Adria stepped forward gently and began her journey further towards the center of Ischia’s cluttered jungle. “My plans for Ischia right now include securing alliances, of a sort.” The Dame sighed, happy for the change in conversation. “If we want to grow we’ll need friends. A support group.” She explained, nimbly avoiding green roots and ducking low-hanging leaves.
“And for my children… oh!” The twice-over mother laughed wistfully, like a wizened old nursemare instead of the immaculately youthful Nereid she was, “I want to give them the world. Whatever their hearts long for…” And as a mother she quietly prayed that her young ones would desire success.
That left his third question, which Adria politely kept to herself under the lock and key of a tight lip that was still smirking.
Oh my love, don't forsake me; Take what the water gave me
@[Jakub]