"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
“There is not much that can be said. Certainly nothing that can fix Loess' suffering.” Oceane's gilded eyes fall on any who have gathered before her with an uncharacteristic emptiness; she reserves a sad smile for Soran and Altum before returning her gaze to the remainder of the Loessians. She tries not to look at the scorched earth behind them - despite the growth of spring, it's still blatant where the flames had traveled through their home.
“Today, we mourn the loss of Lepis.” Weeks have passed since she had discovered the blue-and-dun woman's charred wings in the aftermath of the land's destruction. Weeks since she had confided in her best friend and ruling partner. This is the first she has been able to gather that string of words together and present them as clearly as she could muster to the residents who call the foothills home.
“And tomorrow we will rebuild.”
She sighs and rustles the opaline wings at her side anxiously before shifting her weight against the hard-packed earth beneath her. She is at a loss now, finding no other words to comfort the collective before her. When finally she clears her throat once more, the lavender and turquoise woman raises her head a bit higher and speaks to them with kindness and confidence.
“I am here to serve you to the best of my abilities. Open communication will be our greatest asset. Please find me if you need me. And if any would like to accompany me to Sylva and the Pampas, please let me know before you depart this meeting today.”
A lucky coincidence; a fortunate fluke—those are the things he and Altum's trek to the Pampas had been. But any premade plans had soon been altered.
For when Loess began to suffer and burn, so had Oceane.
Still, after it all, everything continues to move forward. The foothills are doing their best to recover and Soran knows that Loess' new Queen is doing her best to grow back alongside them. But he knows the loss of Lepis is not an easy one on her, can see it in the brief, sorrowful smile she aims at him and her youngest who is now a young man.
It pains Soran in ways familiar and old. Just as it pains him to watch her grasp for words she has trouble finding, pains him to see her have to shoulder weight after unimaginable weight. It is a duty the now lone ruler of the foothills believes she must carry, though, and Soran is hardly one to tell her otherwise.
For his duty is to merely support and nothing more. Support and help the opalescent pegasus breathe in the air her lungs deserve to be filled with. Beyond that, when it comes to duties that consist of advising or lending soft suggestions, Soran has none. His duty is only to care and mend.
So, while Oceane helps rebuild the foothills, Soran will help rebuild her.
He sorely hopes, however, that there are others willing to help the sole leader of Loess restore what was lost.
There is a somber blue-eyed stallion who stands at the edge of the group of gathered horses. The pale pegasus keeps his wings tucked neatly against his sides and watches as the opalescent Queen - the Lady Loess he had yet to formally meet - address those massed together.
Oceane, he reminds himself of the name that Lepis had mentioned. Oceane, Queen of the Southern Empire and now, Loess. She carries weight and wisdom in her words. She gives no elaborate speech; she speaks a simple and straightforward truth that inclines Tarian to nod his head in agreement.
There are no words to describe or undo the damage that scorched Loess.
Today, they would mourn, and tomorrow they would rebuild. Tarian intended, if the Southern lands and her now only ruler would allow, to help. When the meeting adjourns, the gray stallion seeks out the blue-and-purple Oceane. He dips his head in a terse gesture and the greeting he gives the Queen is a low but firm: "My Lady, I am Tarian.” He falters for a moment, well aware that today she - that Loess - was grieving.
"I will not be here tomorrow, so forgive me for speaking of rebuilding today.”
He intended to leave at dawn for the Plains as a contender in the Alliance, the sole representative of his newly-adopted home.
"If… if I might, my abilities are limited. What knowledge I have comes from a few years as a soldier of fortune.” He nearly grimaces at the mention of it but Tarian has no ability or desire to rewrite his past. Those years had been a blur, more of a means to an end. What else does a former heir do when the kingdom he had been raised for vanishes? His was the last generation of an Empire and when it had fallen, what then?
For Tarian, those years had been about avenging. If he could not fight those who had wronged his bloodline - those who had caused Paraiso to veil itself behind a wall of Magic - then he would just fight.
"But if Loess has some need of it, I offer whatever assistance I can provide.” His blue eyes spy the form of another gray stallion nearby and a younger colt. The silver pegasus has no desire to detain Oceane and the expression he wears when he glances back at her says as much. Taking a step back and dipping his head again, he motions to leave. Perhaps they would speak again when he returned.
Before he departs, Tarian looks back at Oceane over a broad, winged shoulder. "You have my deepest sympathies over the loss of Queen Lepis," he finally says and then vanishes into the crowd of the few who horses who still remain.
Though much is taken, much abides; and though we are not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are.
so I take off my face, because it reminds me how it all went wrong
but I leave in my heart because I don't want to stay in the dark
The news of Lepis’ death had surprised Mesec and he truly would mourn the scar-dappled mare. She had been the first to greet him here, to welcome him with her own unique brand of humour, and the first to make him laugh in this new land. He wasn’t altogether certain that he would want to stay in Loess now, but it was as good of a home-base as any and, until he met more of the horses around Beqanna he simply did not know whether there was somewhere better suited.
He comes to the meeting, standing among the crowd, feeling the weight of the grief.
How odd that he could have been gone exploring for a few days and missed so much.
Oceane, the remaining queen, speaks of mourning and rebuilding, of communication. It is his first impression of the colourful mare and he thinks she’s handling this situation about as well as anyone might. There are a few other faces, though Mesec doesn’t immediately find Malone, and hopes the kind stallion is doing well.
Mesec might have waited to introduce himself, but another stallion speaks up and it makes him think that it might be okay. So when there is a chance he moves, dipping his head in acknowledgement before speaking. "I'm Mesec, I've newly arrived and though I surely did not know Lepis as well as some I grieve for the loss of her. I could accompany you to one of the other lands. I don't know them well either but whatever assistance I can give, even if it's just an extra body and set of eyes, you'll have it."
The reception is humbling, and sparse. But she must remind herself that the foothills have engaged in an uphill battle since the Isle's razing and the fiery spiral of Castile. Loess had been bustling when she had arrived to call it home nearly six years prior to this very day. Much has happened since then, and most of which has required rebuilding in the aftermath.
This will be no different.
Most of the diminutive crowd disperses, leaving behind the opalescent Queen with four others ─ two, her companion and son, remain close for support (for which she is thankful, but Oceane refrains from addressing that when others from the Loessian collective remain near), while the other two come forward to introduce themselves.
First, the cloud grey pegasi. Tarian. She recognizes his name immediately and offers a low dip of her turquoise head in return. Oceane listens quietly to the man speak, her ears fluttering instinctively in acknowledgement as he mentions his upcoming leave and the support he intends to offer upon his return.
Despite her sadness, when the grey stallion peers back at her over a winged shoulder, she offers a small smile. “Tarian,” she calls just as he is about to leave, “Loess is with you. Come back a legend.”
Once he has departed, Oceane turns her attention to the ebony and silver unipeg who has also decided to linger behind. He's soft-spoken and kind, giving the calming sense that he does not offer out of obligation but of desire to help his home. “We are lucky to have you, Mesec.” She pauses, briefly considers the two journeys she has planned for the coming days, and the addresses the silver-eyed man once more. “I will be leaving for the Pampas in a few days. I will seek you out before I go and we can depart together.”
Though much is taken, much abides; and though we are not now that strength
