[open] the deflation of our dreaming

[Casimira]

CASIMIRA

i’m only whatever you make me

Everywhere that she has loved is gone.

She had not realized how many places had taken root inside of her, not until they were forcefully ripped away and she was left with nothing.

Tephra — where her and Cassian had been born, the place where she had fought her first battle, and where she eventually wore its crown.

Nerine, the cold shores she had disappeared to when she had felt as though she let Tephra down, where Heartfire had let her stay as long as she needed until she felt capable of moving on.

And Hyaline, the land that had finally allowed her the safety to learn her dragon shifting, the place she had fought on behalf of in the Alliance and earned the red ‘V’ that now marks her front leg.

In one fell swoop she had been left with nothing, and for someone that had long suffered with a sense of not belonging this had been more difficult than she had realized. It was not until the prospect of Tephra returning came to fruition that the ashes of her hope even began to stir, but there is a part of her that is still afraid to let it catch fire. Things could change, and Beqanna was known for being fickle; until she was standing in the shadow of the volcano she was not letting herself think that far ahead.

Instead she has come to the meadow.

Even though it was typically one of the busier places — even when the land was experiencing times of quiet — there was always a certain kind of peace to be found in the way that this particular place had always remained steadfast. Through every flooding and other disasters, the meadow remained largely unchanged, and the quiet hum of conversation and the wind rustling the tall grasses put her at ease. Staring out across the expanse of land, this could have been a snapshot from any moment in time. The faces and the conversations may be different, but the idea is always the same.

She stands not far from the heart of it, observing from the swell of a gentle knoll, and in a sea of so many colors and unique personal magics the plain white mare goes largely unnoticed in the fading autumn sunlight.

[Lourde]

Lourde was no stranger to loss. 

She had lost her family when she was just a foal. A summer storm gone awry separated her from anyone who ever cared for her. She learned to fend for herself, until she found Stellar. They were inseparable for most of her life - the little bat helped keep her out of harms way, and she protected him from predators and the elements. However, when she reached this new land, she lost her faithful companion too. Lourde was utterly alone, in a place she hardly knew anything about. Perhaps, that is why she found herself vulnerable in ways she had never been before. Perhaps, that is why nightmares found her often nowadays. 

She sees the creature every night now - her skeletal appearance; her sharp-toothed grin; the remnants of tissue hanging from her horn; crimson blood dripping between her eyes and onto the snow. Lourde can hear her raspy, strange voice echo through her mind; she listens to her thinly veiled threats. Then, the creature points her horn towards Lourde's chest. It runs towards her, too quick for her to escape from this time. 

And then, she wakes. 

Lourde is covered in sweat. Her heart beats rapidly within her chest, which at the very least is a sign she is alive. It takes her a moment to catch her breath, and she looks around her. She hadn't been to the forest since the encounter - instead, she stands on the meadow's outskirts, where she is able to see everything for miles. She hears the soft hum of voices scattered throughout the meeting ground. She is safe, for now.

Lourde stretches her legs, deciding now is as good a time as any to make her way to the heart of the field. She hasn't talked to many people here, not since her woodland misadventures. She's angry that the encounter frightened her so much. She had been in countless battles, suffered endless heartache...why was this so hard for her to shake? She lets out an annoyed sigh, weaving through trees, bushes, and groups of grazing horses until she stands at the base of a small knoll. She glances up, taking notice of a snowy mare who stands at its peak, seemingly taking it all in. 



@Casimira my writers block is writers blocking currently so sorry for the crappy post