we need love, but all we want is danger; birthing, any

[Kreios]

kreios don't you tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash It has taken six months in a foregin kingdom, but I finally feel ready to return to the Deserts. It will be a short trip, I tell myself, just long enough to see my father. We have things to discuss, he and I, and I know that I’ve put them off for far too long. I do not wait at the border of the kingdom (I am unaware of the rumors of war), but rather press into the heart of the place, feeling the familiar slide of sand beneath my feet. These are the dunes that I grew up on, the dunes that I had slid down with Dorne and Kratos while our parents looked on, smiling. The thought of my mother hurts, and I push it aside, focusing instead on the oasis in the distance. There will be horses, gathered there, I know, it is the best place to seek shelter from the midday sun. A hot breeze suddenly brings the coppery tang of blood to me. I freeze, and instinctive reaction, and look for the source. A second gust of air tells more of the story though, and I resume my journey toward the oasis, knowing that somewhere nearby a mare has just given birth. When I reach the oasis and see exactly which mare it is – and the spotted child at her side – I freeze again. “Lucrezia?” I say, but my eyes remain on the catlike child beside her.