The island unfolded around them in all of its verdant wonder. Beautiful, any time of year. It was dependable that way. White as sea foam, white as pearls, Aquaria fell back into the ebb and flow of island life, a watchful eye and guiding presence to those who wished for one.
The luminous violet depths of her eyes swept the shorelines daily, and if she bothered to examine herself more closely she might have realized that her time in Loess had left lasting marks on her psyche. The hyper-vigilence, the increased patrols, her desire for Halcyon to follow in the path that Pteron had set him on. She wanted to feel safe again, in the place she'd always felt safe before. Watching her friend's son, and then her friend herself be snatched so unwittingly from their home. It shook her. It made her question the security of her own home, the safety of her own children. So she swam in circles everyday, watching and waiting, unwilling to put her guard down.
Hypocritical, really.
Here she touted peace and serenity, and felt anything but in her own heart. Old habits die hard though. 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. Her boys though (Aquaria could only assume the pair of colts splashing in three waves belonged to the Taigan mare), they looked as happy as clams at high tide with sand in their tufted manes and salt crusting to a sparkly white where three water dried on them. Wild, carefree little boys, as all little ones should be.
The seamare emerged from the jungle depths with a smile on her finely-scaled lips. "Lilliana!" She greeted in her lilting tone, hooves sinking into the hot sand with every step as she drew close. "I'm glad you haven't forgotten about us here on our little island. Is it business or pleasure today?" She pressed a welcoming kiss to the lady's bronze-bright cheek.
Nodding to the long legged foals dashing in the surf, she let one hip hitch in a relaxed pose. Cormorant would love them, she could already tell. "When did that happen?" She asked with a cheeky toss of her head. They were beautifully made children, a credit to the mare Aquaria was conversing with.
@[lilliana]