ghosts with just voices; aranea, longear, any

[magnus]

— find what you love and let it kill you —

Magnus did not know Aranea’s story, but he could feel her discomfort. He could only imagine how difficult situations like this would be with words screaming at her throat and no way for her to voice them. Compassionate to her plight, he glanced toward her, reaching over to press his muzzle to her neck in a brief movement. He appreciated her presence, even though he could only imagine her frustration.

His attention, however, was diverted to the child, watching them with the cheerful deposition of youth and the gravity of a future diplomat. There was an intelligence to her eyes, and he found himself indulging in a quick smile to her, unable to shake the familiarity to her gaze. It would haunt him in the coming days.

Of course, the majority of his attention was drawn to Reagan who seemed the matriarch and center of gravity for the kingdom. While Ruan certainly held his own, he seemed to defer to the gray mare for the formalities of the meeting. “The name stuck,” was all he offered at first, mulling over her words. “I would not say necessarily that they have fallen apart though. The initial purpose of our alliance had been met: we had found a home for our respective loved ones. Once we had reached some semblance of stability, they stepped down from the council to lead a quieter life. They are still very much residents of Tephra.”

He did not seek Offspring out often, content to let the behemoth lead out his days in the quiet of the land with the company of his love, but it warmed his heart to know he was there should he need him.

“You and I both know that such peace is not guaranteed.” His gaze grew more somber. “I simply want to ensure its continuity. I do not think formal kingdom alliances are necessary, but it would be nice to have some form of understanding hammered out between us.” He rolled his scarred shoulders.

“Plus it is always nice to touch base with old relations.”

magnus

[berber, sorry for jumping longear. <3 i just know you're swamped and didn't want the thread to die.]