He finds it isn’t so hard, talking one on one with a complete stranger.
Not that this particular stranger should be, as young and open to meeting new faces as she is. Not that he doesn’t have experience with her type, either. She reminds him so much of Graveling and Lirren in different ways that he finds her rather easy to converse with. It’s a start, at least.
She surprises him when she tells him that her mother had called the Dale home as well. His shock likely shows in the widening of his eyes and the tilt of his head. Who could her mother have been? And more importantly, what could possibly cause anyone to leave the rugged wild of the Dale? Granted, he’s not visited many of the other kingdoms. He doesn’t know the splendor of the Deserts at night, star-strewn as the sky is. He can’t see the aptly named Heaven’s Gates in the soft light of morning. To him, the jagged peaks and the climbing pines of the Dale will always be the most beautiful. And even if aesthetic isn’t enough to hold one in place, the generosity and kindness of its people should see to that task.
Ramiel can’t help but ask, even knowing that he might be prying. “Why did she leave? If you don’t mind me asking.” Surely it was before he was born, at least. He makes it a point to know every face within the kingdom. He only hopes Jhene’s mother hadn’t left for too terrible of reasons. Especially, he hopes she hadn’t left with a bad impression of the Dale. The horned pegasus expounds on her origins and his curiosity is further piqued. “I’ve never seen the sea, but I’d like to.” He says it neutrally, but some amount of regret lingers on his tongue. It’s not likely that he will, not in the foreseeable future – not while he leads his home, anyway. But best not burden the young with his troubles. She seems happy enough to have made it here, and he won’t dull the moment for her in any way.
He is rather impressed that she’d flown all the way across it. Not that he knows how large or wide it is, really, but it sounds impressive all the same. Not to mention the fact that the spotted girl had left her parents in order to set off for their once-home, not knowing of the conditions that awaited her. Not knowing about the bitter chill of a dying winter, at least. It cuts around them now, that last bit of cold wind. But it also brings a new face to join their little group. Ramiel smiles encouragingly at a slender black mare that hovers at the edge of their circle.
“Hello. Not at all.” The grey stallion looks at the appaloosa when she explains and introduces him. He figures he might as well do the same and turns back to Exemplary. “This is Jhene, from over the sea.” His lips stretch even further in a grin. He and Jhene hardly know each other, but here they are already speaking for one another. Ramiel already knows what Exemplary’s answer will be. And unless she’s looking for a place still, he knows the Dale isn’t her home. But he lets her answer for herself. If anything, the black mare seems almost as nervous as he was in this situation. Was, but not any longer. The two young mares are easy company, and he no longer regrets his decision to come to the meadow today. There is always something to be learned in any situation, after all.
Ramiel
ghost king of the dale