10-25-2019, 02:38 PM
There is just enough surprise – or perhaps Lepis is so busy holding in her own emotion that she is less sensitive to those of others – in Starsin’s voice that the dun mare takes her question to be innocent. Though she has heard of the mare’s ability, it does not ever occur to her that Starsin might not know the answer, or might not have already plucked it from Lepis’ mind.
“I’m not sure.” Lepis answers. “He says he’s coming back, but I’m not sure he means to stay.” He might, she thinks, but if he does than surely Lepis will be the one to go. Sharing a land, but not a family? No, Lepis thinks; she could not stand that. She would go home, to her true home, back to Loess. That line of thought is bittersweet, and Lepis shakes her navy head as if to rid herself of the thoughts. Starsin is speaking again anyway, and the dun mare’s ears flick forward, eager for a distraction.
She’d seen him, Starsin says, and brow furrows. Where, she wonders? He’s been gone only a few hours; had he really chosen to visit Sylva of all places? Lepis puzzles over it for a moment, her head shaking slightly as Starsin watches her for a reaction. Starsin then asks who Lilli is, and Lepis smiles. Oh, she realizes, he’s taken Lilli on a diplomatic trip. The copper mare had done well on her visit to Ischia, and Bane has chosen to go to the land he knows Lepis never will, and must have taken the new diplomat with him.
“Oh,” She says, and there is a breathless sort of relief in her voice when she answers. “Oh, that’s Lilliana. She’s new to Taiga, training to be a diplomat.” Wolfbane had taken her to the Brilliant Pampas as well, Lepis knows, and Lepis wonders if perhaps the two of them had formed a friendship. Perhaps if he is spending time with a Taigan friend, he will not stay so long away. Maybe he will even come back sooner, maybe being so close to home will make it easier to forgive the unforgiveable. These thoughts – and other, more pathetically hopeful ones – flicker through her mind, just before speaks.
“They came to Sylva on a diplomatic trip?” She asks the question rhetorically, hiding a sniff in a cough (or attempting too, anyway). Perhaps she has mourned the loss of her marriage too early, she lets herself think. Starsin is smiling, after all, and it’s second nature for Lepis to mimic it, and even to feel the soft sparks of happiness, of hopefulness.
@[Starsin]
“I’m not sure.” Lepis answers. “He says he’s coming back, but I’m not sure he means to stay.” He might, she thinks, but if he does than surely Lepis will be the one to go. Sharing a land, but not a family? No, Lepis thinks; she could not stand that. She would go home, to her true home, back to Loess. That line of thought is bittersweet, and Lepis shakes her navy head as if to rid herself of the thoughts. Starsin is speaking again anyway, and the dun mare’s ears flick forward, eager for a distraction.
She’d seen him, Starsin says, and brow furrows. Where, she wonders? He’s been gone only a few hours; had he really chosen to visit Sylva of all places? Lepis puzzles over it for a moment, her head shaking slightly as Starsin watches her for a reaction. Starsin then asks who Lilli is, and Lepis smiles. Oh, she realizes, he’s taken Lilli on a diplomatic trip. The copper mare had done well on her visit to Ischia, and Bane has chosen to go to the land he knows Lepis never will, and must have taken the new diplomat with him.
“Oh,” She says, and there is a breathless sort of relief in her voice when she answers. “Oh, that’s Lilliana. She’s new to Taiga, training to be a diplomat.” Wolfbane had taken her to the Brilliant Pampas as well, Lepis knows, and Lepis wonders if perhaps the two of them had formed a friendship. Perhaps if he is spending time with a Taigan friend, he will not stay so long away. Maybe he will even come back sooner, maybe being so close to home will make it easier to forgive the unforgiveable. These thoughts – and other, more pathetically hopeful ones – flicker through her mind, just before speaks.
“They came to Sylva on a diplomatic trip?” She asks the question rhetorically, hiding a sniff in a cough (or attempting too, anyway). Perhaps she has mourned the loss of her marriage too early, she lets herself think. Starsin is smiling, after all, and it’s second nature for Lepis to mimic it, and even to feel the soft sparks of happiness, of hopefulness.
@[Starsin]
