THE YEARS THAT CAME BEFORE (Beyond, circa 200-204)

"Aletta lays on her side, not rushing to look at her lastborn. She waits. And then she feels it, the child moving, head raised and nostrils flaring as she stares out wildly to this new world. Her child is alive. A burden she hasn’t shared, something she has carried all alone, lifts off her and the gray mare lifts her head to look back at her newest baby. A little chestnut, a perfect front stocking visible from her prostrated body. The filly looks at her mother with December sky eyes and Aletta feels her heart stop. There they are. Valerio’s eyes." -- Aletta, you are my light in the dark

"Something catches her vivid gaze. A black and white colt approaches with a smile that makes her think of Malachi - like he has a joke waiting on the tip of his tongue. She watches him, her ears perked and curiosity lighting the features on her face, a perfect mixture of her desert-blooded mother and Spanish father. I won’t hurt you, he says and Lilli’s head tilts. It never occurred to her that he might hurt her. Why would he? She has done nothing and he has done nothing. What purpose do they have to harm one another? So she smiles." -- Lilliana, all that matters is the love and the laughter

"He takes only a moment to look upon the children, and it is when depths of glacier blue meet find their reflection staring in wordless wonderment up to him that he realizes the crimson girl is his daughter, the child he had never been given the chance to see, the child whose life he has not been a part of until today." -- Valerio, honor. love. valor.

"Gothika smiles too easily, she realizes. And it isn’t the way her brother or nephew smiles easily, with amiable charm and good humor. This is a smile that seems brittle, like breaking ice, so glaringly devoid of the warmth that Lilli is accustomed to. The mare addresses her again, speaking in way that Lilli knows she wasn’t believed. Of course she wasn’t. Lilli has always been as transparent as glass – what you see is what you get." -- Lilliana, in fields of gold

"As she stepped before him, his eyes followed every moment, unashamed of the way he watched her slender form as it moved. When she called out mischievously he found himself emitting a jovial snort at her words. "Ah, lass, I dare say anah stallion would be wise tae fear ye. Ah'd bae willin' tae beht a smile could brighten his day but a slahnt from those blue eyes ed have his heart aht his hooves afore he knew wha' hit him." -- Broch, je suis pres

"She could let Underworld attempt to scare her, to let his words mock her for the innocent that she is. But when his cold gaze goes to Elena, she feels that indignation rear its ugly head, unable to be kept down. She takes a confident step in front of her cousin and those blue eyes narrow at Underworld, turning icy as they look up at him. “And what brings you out into the daylight? I thought a creature such as yourself would prefer the dark and the shadows so you could slither back to wherever it was you came from.” -- Lilliana, don't let those butterflies out

"Those silver eyes look into the eyes of Lilli and Orani cannot bring herself to break the girl, she cannot burden her with her troubles because if she tells what has happened, she will have to tell her about Cernunnos, and she will have to tell her about the sick addiction she has for him and her reluctancy to let him go. Silver eyes blink once before that raven head falls sideways, gaze averted. “I dont want you to know.” -- Orani, it was your heart on the line

"He wanted nothing more than to curl down at her side and let the dawn pass unnoticed. If that had been an option he would have chosen it without hesitation. He lowered his head an brushed his red muzzle softly along one fine boned cheek. "Och, lass, if ah'd known this would happen ah'd have done somethin' about ye' already." He whispered quietly, hoping she would hear his words. He doubted she would wake to them, but he hoped she had some idea of his feelings toward her. "Let's hope ah'll have thae chance tae come back an' make up for tha', Lilli." -- Broch, since when do Scots fret over wolves?

"Could she do that? Could she bear another home that wasn’t a home? Another place that came and went like a changing season? She had thought of Murmuring Rivers and Paraiso and Culloden. She had thought of her father with his scars and her mother, still so fresh in grief for Brynn. She thought of Broch and all those moments.. all those wasted moments. And suddenly starting again, starting over in another herd felt like she was betraying all of them. And there was something in Lilli that didn’t want to try again." -- Lilliana, don't let those butterflies out




THE YEARS THAT CAME AFTER (Beqanna, circa 204 - present)

"This whole thing might have been a mistake. Perhaps this land will offer her nothing more than hardship and trouble. She might even now be sauntering into a mess of her own making. But that is Lilli – to her, this place (and this moment) are beautiful. And the most beautiful thing of all to her is that even if this is a mistake, it is entirely hers to make. Her own beautiful disaster." -- Lilliana, don't let those butterflies out

“I have not met anyone who talks to trees and hasn't been kicked in the head. What can a tree have to say? For one hundred years, I’ve watched 10 million generations of squirrels bury their acorns, have their children, and die?” -- Neverwhere, all things want to open

"And, as though reciting a prayer (though by the end of this all she will be convinced of my humanity), she makes promises. Not explicitly, but their presence is implicit in her tone, in the loyalty that exudes from her porous aura, in the way her blue eyes grapple with mine: in search of connection. With sleep-heavy eyes, I accept her, once again settling that weightedness on to her shoulders. It's going to be okay, I impress upon her. We are both going to be okay again." -- Kagerus, oh me, oh my i thought it was a dream

"She would always find Lilli. Her chestnut cousin should know this, should remember this from all those days of hide and seek in the deep valley of Paraiso. When Elaina would find her with quickness and ease, able to locate her in the strangest of place. Elaina will always find you, Lilli, you never have to worry or fear." -- Elena, in the dark you burn brighter

“We’re here.” Bane spoke louder than he’d been speaking, hesitating for a second longer before turning away and plodding onward, as if he hadn’t been contemplating much more devious things a moment before. That was it, he promised himself, she’s just a girl and you’re… you. That’s all." -- Wolfbane, bloodfeather

"Between the noble Aten and the kind Lethy, Lilli can’t help but feel they are another gift sent her direction by the morning breeze. As far as first encounters and introductions go, they have been nothing but compassionate and considerate to her. It has made some of her first memories and impressions of Taiga’s inhabitants pleasant." -- Lilliana, and i heard your voice ringing in my head

“Woah, you’re a fire,” is what Ruthless can gather from the new visitor. She is completely engulfed by the red mare, a colour she hasn’t yet seen. Her wings flicker in excitement." -- Brine/Ruthless, and breathe

"If this place was the sole destination of all of Taiga's visitors, it would be ruined. I think you love it because it's ignored and forgotten." It would be so like the chestnut to fall in love with the neglected grey beach because nobody else could be bothered to appreciate the hushed hug of solitude. You never felt alone with trees, an empty beach was something else." -- Neverwhere, to crooked eyes truth may wear a wry face

"My gaze doesn’t linger, though, because I would much rather look at Lilliana and her kind blue eyes instead - and my smile begins to grow into something brighter once I’ve turned around. “Taiga looks pretty good on me, don’t you think?” -- Velkan, nice trees you got here

"Do you know how you make me feel?" asks a silver voice in the dark, the steadiness in it vanishing with each syllable, a challenge. "You left," she admits quietly, something that she has long been familiar with in life. So many have left and Lilliana has always forgiven their departures, accepted it and kept moving forward. "And I kept wanting just a glance of you." -- Lilliana, bloodfeather

"For such a curious mare - curious in the way that she seems different from most, but equally curious in the way she keeps asking, not with words alone but with her eyes as well - for such a curious mare, she is remarkably good at pretending she is not. A pretender trying not to ask the questions she really wants to; all for diplomacy and pleasantness - things he could care less about. He’d have told her if she asked, but he doubts that she ever will. " -- Leilan, must have been the wind

"Brine shifts her focus back to the chestnut mare, her kind eyes and honest face. The kind of look that makes males swoon at her presence, and females curl into her shadow for protection and guidance. A natural leader, as if hope oozes from her pores. Even Brine could not help but feel slightly better knowing Lilliana had somehow managed to fit Brine into her comforting shadow, too." -- Brine, visions of dazzling rooms I'll never get into

"She doesn’t know what Lilliana has seen, or even who the mare is, though Lilliana has seen some of the worst parts of her, parts Craft pretends don’t exist." -- Craft, most nights i don't know anymore

"Instead she laughs, Lilli’s teasing words loosing the amusement even as she tries to forget the darkness of her own thoughts. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t know anything,” she quips, eyes crinkling as her lips stretch into a too easy grin. “But at least we’re stuck here together. If it had to be someone, I’m glad it’s you.” -- Brazen, and the bible didn't mention us

"It only takes her a moment to realize that the threat is not to the child. And Lilliana, who still dreams of the Deserts and remembers the life leaving Craft's eyes, who can still hear the break of bones and has felt the fading of a pulse against a dying sun, turns to look up at Wolfbane who has suddenly become so close. Who smiles at her and says his name like she could have ever forgotten it." -- Lilliana, everything about me seems to have changed

"Concern for Lilliana’s safety is not her priority. Lepis would not mourn her, and surely no soul could blame her for it. Taiga though, remains important, remains worth protecting so long as her family remains there. The duality of it is uncomfortable – Lilli the traitor deserves nothing and Lilli the Taigan deserves protection." -- Lepis, i feel a bad moon rising

"Her smile was as brilliant as ever when she came across the copper coated mare shining on a golden beach. She looked too elegant against the island background, refined where Ischia was careless." -- Aquaria, got a wildcard up my sleeve

"It is burned onto your skin just as it is mine,” she says, sharing her heart with Lilli as she so often does. “Those stories are ours Lilli, but it doesn't mean we cant share them." -- Elena, guess that's why we stay the same