The young woman beside her is not the first to have expressed surprise at her destructive abilities. Heartfire does not have a terrifying presence or fearsome demeanor. There is nothing to suggest in her rather uninspiring form to suggest that she can wield destruction as easily as she breathes. No way for others to know that their lives could be in peril were it not for the merciless strength of her own control.

And so, in that, perhaps they do have far more understanding of each other than their many differences might suggest. But where Heartfire has learned from a lifetime, Ajatar has only suffered misuse. A misuse that has long guided her path, and would continue to do so if she did not find the strength to wrest free.

She gives Ajatar the time she needs to consolidate her previous knowledge with her new understanding. Time to see the benefits that might be had could far outweigh the fear. She watches as the girl admits to improvement, demonstrating with the death of another hapless flower. She dips her head briefly, blue gaze coming back to rest on the girl. “And it will only improve, the more you practice.”

Her next question gives her pause. She remains silent for what must seem an interminable moment as she considers Ajatar quietly. There are many answers to that question, and any one of them could be the right answer. Belief is the key, always. “I think you are the only who can decide if you can be free,” she concedes in a low tone. “There is a price to freedom, and it is never an easy one.” She hesitates briefly, pale eyes serious as she studies the young mare. “The real question is, are you willing to pay it?” Pause. “Only in the answer to that question will you find the answer to your first.”

And that is not something Heartfire could decide for Ajatar.

i see your sins
and i want to set them free