The copper mare seemed lost in thought as Aquaria approached her, eyes cast out to sea as though she were seeing something miles past it. It felt almost rude to interupt, but she had and Lilli didn't seem upset about it.
And for a moment, all was light hearted as they exchanged greetings and pleasantries, kisses and grins. Where the sea mare's sons were now well on their way to self sufficiency, the pair romping in the water seemed very young, babies from the current year. With a gentle push, she reached for the water, stilling it in a little hoop like a looking glass. There. Now the boys could see what lay beneath the normally restless waves. That should buy she and their mother a few minutes at least.
Her eyes swept between Lilliana and the playing colt's, reflexively aware of them after a three years raising her own boys. They'd been so sweet at that age, so open to every new thing the world had to show them. A soft sigh exhaled, wistful. "Nothing terribly exciting. We're only recently back, actually. I have two boys of my own now, did you know? We spent a year in Loess, on accident more or less." She shrugged, knowing that really didn't even begin to cover the reality of that situation. What else could she say, though?
When her companion's demeanor took its own downturn, it became clear that more had passed in the time since their last meeting than one conversation could say. In her unwitting way, she'd cut straight to the heart of things and now she had to deal with it. Chagrined, she found herself relating more than she would have liked to her friend's brief story.
When Lilli's own unguarded question came, it was all too easy to answer. With false breeziness, she laughed, fractured sound. "Oh, well, that's simple." She shrugged, eyes bright. "I pretend he's coming back. I used to pretend he loved me when I knew better and now I pretend that he's coming back. For his sons, if not for me. But-" the words that had spilled out like blood from an artery cut off on a sharp hiccuping breath. "I know. I know he's not. Not for me, not for them."
Feelings tight in her chest, words she'd barely allowed herself to think, let alone speak poured out. A deep, shuddering breath rattled her from head to hoof as she looked back to her friend with a pained smile. "Your turn." And she meant it. If she could spill her guts, then so could Lilli. Then maybe, finally, the island could begin it's healing work.
@[lilliana]