05-24-2016, 10:04 PM
A kiss is not a contract
A thought strikes her suddenly when Phaedrus’ wing caresses her, pulls her close. His words disappear into her mane and she smiles gently in response, mind far from the earth. She can’t yet seem to put her finger on it, the entire image unformed and still not concrete. It had begun as a feeling, but now … it was taking shape and beginning to make sense. Besra blinks, gathering her disorganized inclinations as Zara enters the Dale with jubilation at seeing the roan girl. The black mares statement has Besra grinning from ear to ear, body pushing forward to offer her nose in welcome to her herd sister. “I was looking forward to our run too much to stay away for long.” She tells her, airy laugh filling the silence around them.
They were a family now. Small in the beginning stages, but with hopes that perhaps the other mares could feed off of their bond. Besra had never intended to restrict her affections to only Phaedrus, her dream had been to become part of a much larger community of women - and Zara was making that possible. Maybe, just maybe, she’d done the right thing after all when she’d left Archam’s herd. Her duty wasn’t only to protect herself, but her herdmates also. She would risk everything before seeing Zara taken away by someone much less agreeable than Archam had been. When Phaedrus lowers his mouth to her ear, the promise finally brings to life the inkling she’d been toying with earlier, so she pulls away in order to face them.
“Thank you.” She tells them both, blue eyes searching for Phaedrus’ dark ones beneath her colorful forelock. “Your loyalty -” She tells him before turning her gaze to Zara, “- and your friendship mean more to me than all of the heartbreak this world has to offer.” She finishes, inhaling deeply before lowering her eyes. “But I want to protect that loyalty and friendship twice over, so I need to explain what happened while I was at cobblestone creek.” She exhales, sadness creeping into her words. “While I was there I made a deal for my freedom. My firstborn daughter in exchange for the promise that Archam would leave me alone.”
She’s not sure how Phaedrus will react. Most likely anger. It hadn’t been her place to make the decision without him, but she’d been pushed into a corner. She would have withered there - alone in cobblestone. A caged bird is nothing without its freedom. “But Archam is kind, I truly believe that. And if he comes to love my daughter, then that could mean safety for the entire population of Golden Plains. Perhaps we could even shelter one of his own …” She says, head turning to the side in defeat. She’s ready to experience all of Phaedrus’ bitter disappointment. How could he understand? But she’d made the choice and agreed to the pact. There was no turning back now. “I know you may hate me. I’m beginning to hate myself.” She tells them, voice hovering above a whisper. “But my daughter - our daughter will be strong.” The roan girl declares, eyes filling with a determined fire. Her head lifts, lips setting into a hard line before she stomps a single hoof for emphasis. “And I would do it again knowing what I know now. You can’t be everywhere all the time, Phaedrus, and I want to help in any way I can in order to protect what new life you’ve given me. For now, and for future generations to come.”
They were a family now. Small in the beginning stages, but with hopes that perhaps the other mares could feed off of their bond. Besra had never intended to restrict her affections to only Phaedrus, her dream had been to become part of a much larger community of women - and Zara was making that possible. Maybe, just maybe, she’d done the right thing after all when she’d left Archam’s herd. Her duty wasn’t only to protect herself, but her herdmates also. She would risk everything before seeing Zara taken away by someone much less agreeable than Archam had been. When Phaedrus lowers his mouth to her ear, the promise finally brings to life the inkling she’d been toying with earlier, so she pulls away in order to face them.
“Thank you.” She tells them both, blue eyes searching for Phaedrus’ dark ones beneath her colorful forelock. “Your loyalty -” She tells him before turning her gaze to Zara, “- and your friendship mean more to me than all of the heartbreak this world has to offer.” She finishes, inhaling deeply before lowering her eyes. “But I want to protect that loyalty and friendship twice over, so I need to explain what happened while I was at cobblestone creek.” She exhales, sadness creeping into her words. “While I was there I made a deal for my freedom. My firstborn daughter in exchange for the promise that Archam would leave me alone.”
She’s not sure how Phaedrus will react. Most likely anger. It hadn’t been her place to make the decision without him, but she’d been pushed into a corner. She would have withered there - alone in cobblestone. A caged bird is nothing without its freedom. “But Archam is kind, I truly believe that. And if he comes to love my daughter, then that could mean safety for the entire population of Golden Plains. Perhaps we could even shelter one of his own …” She says, head turning to the side in defeat. She’s ready to experience all of Phaedrus’ bitter disappointment. How could he understand? But she’d made the choice and agreed to the pact. There was no turning back now. “I know you may hate me. I’m beginning to hate myself.” She tells them, voice hovering above a whisper. “But my daughter - our daughter will be strong.” The roan girl declares, eyes filling with a determined fire. Her head lifts, lips setting into a hard line before she stomps a single hoof for emphasis. “And I would do it again knowing what I know now. You can’t be everywhere all the time, Phaedrus, and I want to help in any way I can in order to protect what new life you’ve given me. For now, and for future generations to come.”