10-20-2019, 07:21 PM
The light grows thinner as the year draws to its close, and so far north, the landscape shows signs of winter earlier than in other parts of the continent. The sea-mist brings with it the threat of frost overnight, but while the sun is still out, the air is warm enough. She is built to withstand these cooler temperatures and her coat grows more dense each day, keeping out the cutting winds that billow across the cliff-tops and twist her mane and tail into knots. Her eyes still water - Heartfire's magic is not a healing one, after all - and her cheeks are pink and chapped, the wind stinging wet skin.
She has paused to look curiously out at the sparkling ocean when the other mare's footsteps approach from behind, and Neverwhere turns, catching the silhouette of Heartfire as she nears. One ear twists back as the roan comes up beside her to look out at the water spread beneath and before them. Time has not built a greater love in her for the Nerinian queen, and she can feel the the acid bite of sarcasm on her tongue before even one word splits the crashing silence of their wind-tossed home. Heartfire extends a bland greeting and Neverwhere tosses her head as if at flies.
"That was a funny trick with the eyes, Heartfire."
Is that Heartfire's idea of a joke, buried deep in pleasantries?
She cuts past the greeting. Of course the vision would be the first thing to discuss, and the dappled mare could easily grasp the point of it because it does bring her back, as much as she claims to dislike and avoid magic. She is not ashamed of her hypocrisy, though. What she is, is unsure of the point of keeping her here, Heartfire's motives have always been unclear but this seems to make little sense. Neither of them are exceptionally good company - in particular to one another - and Neverwhere is neither well suited nor inclined to defend or play diplomat and advance the kingdom's interests. The wind yanks the words from her mouth, she lets them fly away without further comment, and she does not expect anything like an apology, or even an explanation. What was done that day is done, she had not asked for it, but had given her permission all the same, consenting without all the information. It had been an interesting way to pass the time, though, and not entirely regrettable.
I didn't even know dolphins existed, she thinks, remembering how in the summer the pods would often leap and breach the water's surface. They seem to have disappeared now in winter's approach, migrating like birds to follow the warmer water and the fish that move with it. It seems like such a small thing, twisting shapes well out of reach, but everything she sees here is amplified by everything she cannot see where-ever else she goes.
"And what is on your mind today?"
@[Heartfire]
She has paused to look curiously out at the sparkling ocean when the other mare's footsteps approach from behind, and Neverwhere turns, catching the silhouette of Heartfire as she nears. One ear twists back as the roan comes up beside her to look out at the water spread beneath and before them. Time has not built a greater love in her for the Nerinian queen, and she can feel the the acid bite of sarcasm on her tongue before even one word splits the crashing silence of their wind-tossed home. Heartfire extends a bland greeting and Neverwhere tosses her head as if at flies.
"That was a funny trick with the eyes, Heartfire."
Is that Heartfire's idea of a joke, buried deep in pleasantries?
She cuts past the greeting. Of course the vision would be the first thing to discuss, and the dappled mare could easily grasp the point of it because it does bring her back, as much as she claims to dislike and avoid magic. She is not ashamed of her hypocrisy, though. What she is, is unsure of the point of keeping her here, Heartfire's motives have always been unclear but this seems to make little sense. Neither of them are exceptionally good company - in particular to one another - and Neverwhere is neither well suited nor inclined to defend or play diplomat and advance the kingdom's interests. The wind yanks the words from her mouth, she lets them fly away without further comment, and she does not expect anything like an apology, or even an explanation. What was done that day is done, she had not asked for it, but had given her permission all the same, consenting without all the information. It had been an interesting way to pass the time, though, and not entirely regrettable.
I didn't even know dolphins existed, she thinks, remembering how in the summer the pods would often leap and breach the water's surface. They seem to have disappeared now in winter's approach, migrating like birds to follow the warmer water and the fish that move with it. It seems like such a small thing, twisting shapes well out of reach, but everything she sees here is amplified by everything she cannot see where-ever else she goes.
"And what is on your mind today?"
@[Heartfire]
