she's a little explosion of hope

[Elaina]

I can remember a time when I was so afraid when even my shadow wouldn't follow me The golden creature had thought that she had seen many different creatures in her life, but Elaina realizes she may have been incorrect. This new land was going to bring Elaina sights and images that she had only seen in the recesses of her mind and in her nightmares that come to her in the evenings. She has seen the vicious king of Bloodvale, as she watched battles from a hiding place far from the actual hiding place she was intended to remain in. She has seen the Snow Prince so many times in her life and his wicked smile and deadly eyes. And Elaina has seen the king that defied death and all it was supposed to be itself. But, Elaina has not seen someone quite like this mare, and it should frighten her, she should turn away, but Elaina’s heart is too compassionate for her own good at times, so she offers a smile because she isn't quite sure what else to give her. She feels the wriggling in her chest that she recognizes as guilt and shame. She should not have been so quick to step back, not when Elaina can see this stranger is offering her nothing but kindness. "Oh good,” she finds herself almost sighing with relief. The sunflower girl would not have known what to do, where do you take some where here if they are sick? There was no Falls that Elaina knew of. “Not bad today?” She questions, the blonde tilting her head only slightly with some form of wonder of what this girl meant by what she said. “What do you mean? Does this happen often?” She asks, concern evident in those amber eyes as she searches the mare’s face. The mare laughs, but Elaina wonders if there maybe could more behind the happy face she offers. Elaina knows all too well what it is like to sit behind smiles and laughter when really you are in pain. She has to ask. “Are you,” a pause here. “Are you in pain? Constantly?” She asks, amber eyes dancing, looking for any sign the question had made her uncomfortable. “Anhedonia, it is wonderful to meet you and to see a friendly face,” she says, because Elaina has not yet met anyone in this strange land, and she has not spotted the familiar face of her cousin quite yet. But at least she had found someone who was willing to help her, this land was not so cold as to entirely shut her out. She feels her heart sink as the mare tells Elaina that she had not seen her cousin. It was disappointing, but unsurprising. “That’s okay,” she says, offering a smile, even if the way it tips upwards on her lips is unable to look truly happy. “Yeah, you know, it would be worth a shot I think,” she says. “Could you lead the way?” She asks, ready to follow this girl to wherever she could lead her, hopefully leading her to her chestnut cousin. elaina* benjamin and beylani's sunflower-girl