"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
Nayl secluded herself for days (but how it felt like weeks) as her stomach bulged and churned with life. She fled to the dark crevices of Nerine where her scent could be cleansed by the salty breeze. There was only the sound of crashing waves and cawing seagulls as she nestled into a bed of beach grass. Here, she relaxed and drank in both the sights and sounds until a looming storm mustered her into the mouth of a cave. It was in that night, alone with lightning illuminating the sky, that Castile was born. She has been endlessly with him since, their bodies nearly merged into one as he shadows her curiously and observes any and all interactions. He is fascinated by her, his fierce mother, but the world is what also enthralls him. There is an open sky that one day he will soar through, and an ocean that he may explore when he is of age.
Bright-eyed and fascinated, Castile hardly notices where mother is going. His ears – and in turn, his legs – obediently follow her as she saunters nonchalantly along the beach. Damp sand caresses their hooves for a fleeting moment before the evidence is destroyed with another small wave lapping at the shore.
”Heartfire,” suddenly Castile hears his mother’s voice, but she isn’t saying his name. Jerking abruptly to a halt, he first looks at her before his mismatched eyes sweep over to this mare that has captured Nayl’s attention. ”Hello,” he interrupts with a boyish grin, his bottle-length tail sweeping curiously from side-to-side. With a humored sigh, Nayl glances down to her son then levels her attention again on the mare. ”His name is Castile,” their resemblance is uncanny and so there’s no reason to emphasize their relation. Alas, she did not find Heartfire to introduce the boy or to even mention his father. Instead, it’s to commend her, lure her into this life and let it sink its claws into her soul. ”Your efforts haven’t gone unnoticed,” she says coyly, but with obvious praise in her voice. ”I think Nerine suits you,” a grin tugs at the velvet corners of her mouth, her eyes aflame, ”and I can see you quickly gaining rank.” It’s enjoyable to see someone working, to see a passion in their actions; it seems to be a rarity nowadays.
”I’m hoping you could potentially help me in changing some things about Nerine. It would incite some interest, I imagine. It would redefine us and differentiate us from the other lands…” and she trails off thoughtfully, almost not noticing Castile tucking underneath her to nurse.
There is something about motherhood that changes a woman. That brings life into focus in a way it has never been before. Perhaps she had not had plans to become a mother like this, much less a mother to twins, but she cannot regret the decision. Still, it is not something she believes she will be repeating any time soon. She would be content with watching these two grow to adulthood.
She has other plans to see to after all.
As it happens, a part of those plans is approaching her at this very moment. She turns her gaze to the matched pair walking towards her along the sands of the beach. She had been staring at the lapping waves, keeping a watchful eye on her own youngsters (though neither of them are here at this particular moment. She had sent them on to their own adventures, but that does not prevent her from following them in her own way).
”Nayl.” She greets the black and white queen casually before her bright blue eyes turn to survey the young, friendly colt. Her lips quirk in a semblance of a smile as she greets the youngster in the same way. “Castile.”
Tipping her head slightly, she turns to consider Nayl once more as she offers praise for her efforts in the kingdom. She doesn’t respond in any way other than to retain the lingering, enigmatic smile. She appreciates the recognition of course, but she already knows she has been making more effort than most.
After a long moment, she finally says “Yes, I think it does suit me.” Pause. “My grandmother was a queen of the Amazons at one time.” It seems that blood will tell, after all. Perhaps she had always been meant to make her way here.
To say her curiosity is piqued by this encounter would be an understatement. A spark of interest lights the depths of her crystalline gaze. Of course, she has always rather enjoyed being an agent of change, so there is little question that she will agree. Not that she would ever be so foolish as to say so outright. “What did you have in mind?”
heartfire
i filled up my senses with thoughts from the ghosts
