It was interesting to look at Tephra through the eyes of a newcomer. From the beginning, he had viewed it as a tool: to keep those he loved safe. He had only recently begun to view it for its natural beauty, to appreciate the rich vegetation that crawled over the land and the brilliance of the hues of flowers tucked away in its curves. The volcano was dangerous and imposing but grand, cutting a distinctive line against the horizon, the smoke creeping down every so often, fog curling around its base. They were an island, although perhaps not as distinctively one as Ischia, and the air carried a unique blend of sulfur and salt.
Standing next to her, he was silent as he looked around them, appreciating Tephra for what it was, before he shook his head lightly and glanced back down at the slight mare by his side. “Indeed, it is rather beautiful, is it not?” He nudged her neck lightly at her apology and laughed, the sound warm in his throat. “You don’t need to apologize, at all. It is easy to lose track of time. I am just glad to have you here.”
In truth, he had not been sure that she would arrive at all. The meeting in the field had been tense, and he had been uncertain where he had stood when he had finally left. It could have easily been that she had chosen to follow Celeana alone, and he would not have faulted her the choice. There was a certain allure to the life of the once-Amazonians. “Would you like to explore the land a little?” His eyes sparked playfully as he stepped away and further down the path. “I would be happy to show you around a little.”
There was enough time to explain the formalities of Tephra, of which there was little.
It was better to simply soak in the beauty and see if she could envision herself living here.
magnus
![[Image: gqYjsHr.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/KjqNDKxc/gqYjsHr.png)