cold in the violence after the war
hope is a fire to keep us warm
It’s so incredibly natural, the friendly companionship that settles between them, that one might believe they had been friends for ages rather than acquaintances of only a few moments. The brightening of Lilli’s features brings an ease to Brazen’s demeanor that has her relaxing in the other woman’s company. Though the bone-armored girl had always been an open and friendly soul, there is something distinctly more comforting in having the sentiment returned, no matter how minor such a thing might seem.
When she turns her gaze back to Lilli to she makes her offer, she cannot help but catch the faint disappointment she expresses over learning Brazen knew little of the old kingdoms. Perhaps she should have paid more attention to her mother when she’d had the chance. Of course, Brazen would never make any claim to being a scholarly sort. The acquisition of facts and information had never interested her terribly much. No, it’s far too easy to get trapped in the endless, tangled spiral of one’s own mind when one lends too much of it to thinking. She’d always much preferred action, finding the ability to lose herself in the burn of exertion and the buzzing hum of exhaustion after the body had been pushed to its limits much more appealing than any exercise of her mind.
If she ever took the time to truly consider it, she might realize she loses herself in training in the same way her mother does in gathering information. But she’s never had the desire to dig that deeply into it before. Never wanted to look that closely at herself.
After all, it can be incredibly difficult to recognize one’s own faults, and even more so to confront them.
But when Lilli realizes Brazen can at least lead her to a possible information source, her features visibly brighten, the excitement almost palpable as it radiates from her. The red and white mare cannot help but feel some of the infectious energy, her own body straightening, pulse quickening, as a mirroring enthusiasm suffuses her own masked face. “Yes, really,” she replies easily, a little laugh escaping with the confirmation. “Whether she’ll mind or not I don’t know. But,” her eyes twinkle with humor as she qualifies the doubtful statement “she’s my mum, so I’m pretty sure I have the right to pester her with whatever I want to.”
Her laugh as she says the last his low and mirthful. With a wink, she straightens and turns towards home, though she does not set the same punishing pace as she had when she’d made the journey here. Turning to peer quizzically at Lilli, she considers her for a moment before asking, “So what brought you here looking for the Dale, of all things?”
Brazen
