For the first five years of her life, her emotions had ruled her. Every almost-lover had overtaken her mind for weeks. But they had a habit of disappearing, this chain of men in her life before Kagerus, and it did little for they young Solace's self-esteem. It had taken her until the ripe-old-age of six to realize that their lack of interest in sticking around had nothing to do with her value as an individual.
But that doesn't mean her heart hadn't hurt, that she hadn't wondered if one could die of loneliness in those years, or that her soul still doesn't ache from time-to-time for other reasons. And the sight of Dawn suffering from a similar sort of sadness is something Solace can't ignore.
Luckily, Dawn is easy to find after their journey, and the gold-splashed pegasus comes alongside the girl with a low nicker as the moon begins to rise in the north. The mother of six is tempted to drape a wing over the young diplomat, but she resists, for now, settling for a closeness that is just near enough to allow their sides to exchange warmth on this winter night. Solace wears none of her business-like formality now, the lines of her are softer if not a little older.
"There is no need to apologize," She says sincerely after Dawn speaks,"you were perfect. I'm sure the knowledge of Cress will be very valuable to Magnus." a pause, a breath, "I did little more than listen on my first diplomatic trip with Hyaline's first king," she adds with a light laugh. "I trailed behind and played with the daughter of the ruler we were visiting. So you are already a few steps ahead of three-year-old me."
The moment stretches as Solace observes the damp trails on her young face, the lingering signs a hurt that she wants so badly to sooth. Tenderly, motherly, Solace reaches out to brush Dawn's forelock away from where it rests over her near eye. "Do you want to tell me about it," she asks quietly with no expectations in her voice, simply a wish to be a friend, "or maybe just some company tonight?"
we are the ever-living ghost of what once was
