[open] a house with no mirrors

[Nashua]

stars when you shine, you know how i feel
oh freedom is mine

Nashua had come to Ischia for a few reasons. Noel's swelling sides had given him plenty to think about. Nash had pledged his allegiance to Leilan and the Isle shortly before his second birthday and the young pegasus had never minded taking up residence there. There were warmer, easier places in Beqanna where life wasn't as barren or harsh but Nashua hadn't minded.

But it was one thing for an adolescent colt to scrape out a living there. It was an entirely different one to ask the mother of his children to endure it.  And the chestnut pegasus couldn't see any foal thriving in that place (except for those who carried the ice and snow in their veins, perhaps the blood kin of the Freyr). Duty kept him bound to the Isle (and loyalty, he owes much to the King of the North); family moored him to the mainland.

He hopes he never has to choose but the thought of how he will maintain his responsibilities as Hersir and his impending fatherhood leaves him troubled. Nash hopes to forge them both into the same thing one day. Perhaps, one of his children will follow him to the Land of the Dancing Lights.

Thoughts for another day, he supposes as he stares down at fin-tailed Torrent.

The colt peers up at Nashua and the Hersir takes a small step back, allowing the yearling a better glance. The smile on his face softens and turns a touch rueful. He doubts his 'top-secret' information will be anything that will interest the dunskin. But before he can answer, the boy is rising on four legs and Nashua looks unabashedly impressed at the youth. (Shifters often leave him uneasy but this is Aquaria's son, a brother to Cormorant.) Nash had blinked and the tail was replaced with hindlegs, a change that came as swift as any wave along this shore.

Lifting his blazed head and turning it slightly to look behind him, Nashua sees the striped pegasus. Da, Torrent called him. If Nash had any doubts of who the older stallion was, his olive-green eyes answer any question still lingering in the back of his mind. It's a shade of green that Nashua hasn't seen in years and yet looking at Pteron, he is struck by how vividly he still remembers it. It makes him realize that both horses are probably waiting for him to reply.

Giving his brother a swift nod, he makes a motion to sidestep to better see him and @[Torrent].

"@[Pteron]?" Nash asks, because he and Tiercel are the only brothers that he hasn't met yet. Tiercel, he had been told by Gale, had wandered off some years ago. Glancing down to the yearling again, Nashua explains: "There are some changes taking place in the North and we thought your mother would like to hear of them." His bright green eyes look up to glance at Pteron, "and the Freyr would like news of Ischia. How it's been faring," Nash states.

"And I'd like a drink of fresh water," he finally finishes, realizing how dry his mouth had become. His mouth twitches in a playful grin, "please."

NASHUA

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