"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
It had been too long since she had sought out the fire mare, Vastra knew this and hoped that today she would rectify it. Help ease the guilt that has been gnawing at her. Her mind had been preoccupied lately, raising her youngest children - waiting to see if Svedka would return. Plotting his death if he did and he did not have a good excuse.
But now, as she wanders the meadow at dusk - hoping to catch sight of a familiar fiery glow - Vastra does not think these reasons are good enough. She remembers the time when Brunhilde had been wasting away, remembers how fierce and beautiful she became as she started to become stronger. It is silly now to reflect and have Tephra consume her days when she had a promise left unkept.
That she would protect Brunhilde and Chel for as long as she lived.
Dusk is nearly night by the time Vastra sees her, feels relief and uncertainty all at once. She does not hesitate in the approach though she will hesitate in much to come. And her voice is softer than it usually is when she calls out with a smile, still enjoying the rough taste of the other mare's name on her tongue.
“Brunhilde.”
Though every inch of her wants to close the gap between them, Vastra refrains - time has always been so strange for her. She is steady and unchanging with her emotions and feelings throughout the years but she is learning not to assume the same of others. So while she would not blame the beautiful, fiery mare for any hard feelings she is selfishly hoping that they will not be so strong that they cannot be soothed away. Because Vastra is, right down to her core, very happy to see her again and the sparkling that overtakes her coat and wings becomes a visible testament to that.
Khal, keeping a steady pace ahead of Brunhilde, huffs to himself. He glances behind him, heavy lion's head swinging as if it is the size it once was. It had been at least a year since he had last seen the walking wildfire; and it is not often he feels the need to be near her. The weight of carrying her waxing and waning mind is clear in the slope of his shoulders and darkness in his eyes. As much as he hates seeing her like this, he longed for a clear way to bring her back to herself.
The guardian returned to his charge when he felt she needed him again, the pattern he has kept ever since Brun grew to adulthood. He felt she needed him again and partially, he needed her. The magic in Beqanna shifted once more. The sun returned and his body changed. No longer was he some fierce predator and his only communication was through other companions. Khal was lonely and confused; and the bits and pieces of Brun's thoughts he picked up on were hardly coherent.
So, here he was, traveling one hundred feet ahead of his charge. Every now and again Brunhilde will ask him if he's okay and he'll respond with a gentle, I'm fine. Do you need to stop and rest? And she'll refuse, even if exhaustion is clear in her heavy step.
We should stop soon, Brun projects, finally admitting she is tired as dusk begins to settle. Go find somewhere to rest, I'm hungry. When Khal expresses his dissent with that plan, Brun reassures him with a quiet I won't go far.
She doesn't go far, because it doesn't take far to find the smoky woman Brun finds herself in looping thoughts about. Her gemstone eyes grow wide with surprise and wonder, glittering with a resurgence of clarity she hasn't felt since before the Eclipse.
"You're literally sparkling," Brun says at first, still too dumbfounded and unsure to express her excitement. "Vastra," comes next, a reverent whisper. "You look so beautiful. I missed you so much." And before she can second-guess it, Brun steps forward and wraps the shapeshifter in a quiet, meaningful embrace.
"I'm so glad to see you made it through the Eclipse okay," she murmurs; and for the first time since she can remember, her vision doesn't waver with bad memories.
Vastra had been prepared to fight her way back into the good graces of the fiery mare if needed, but she is delighted to discover such actions are not needed. Not right away, anyways. It's a pleasure to hear her name spoken in such a way, and though being called beautiful was not one of her favourite descriptors - she likes hearing it all the same.
Brunhilde closes the gap between them and Vastra could not be happier for it, wrapping her neck around the beautiful fire mare and holding her close. The damn sparkling increases with the contact, with the scent that she had missed so terribly as she inhales it greedily. She replies to the comment about her sparkling first, explaining as best as she can. “It seems to happen when I’m happy.” Vastra grumbles and the sparkling fades a little but not for long, not now that she’s enjoying another reunion. Her voice is quiet when she continues but warm with a low laugh. “It’s annoying but accurate. Chel nearly fell over laughing when she first saw it.”
Vastra couldn’t blame their daughter one bit - she would have happily mocked anyone she saw who sparkled like this.
But she cannot stay mad at her ridiculous skin for long. Not when someone she cares for is in her grasp, not when Brunhilde is saying that she missed her.
When she pulls back so she can look at the other mare, it is a slow, lingering affair and she tugs gently on a dark strand of hair as she does. She is grateful for the fact that words are easier for her now than when they had first met, that time and practice have given her the ability to say what she means. Though she's still certainly a fan of acting on her thoughts as well, especially with a pretty partner.
Vastra's not sure when the last time she apologized to anyone was, but the words flow from her with sincerity. “I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner. But I am glad to see you now.” And then a smile softens this rough mare’s face when she adds “I missed you too.”
06-27-2021, 04:54 PM (This post was last modified: 06-27-2021, 04:55 PM by brunhilde.)
If only Vastra knew how little fight Brunhilde had to give her. It has been proven time and again that she will argue with a stranger, serve some undeserved (if delusional) attitude to them, but to one of her most treasured creatures - Vastra could call her an obtuse asshole for being gone for so long and Brun would still smile and murmur, "That's the Vastra I know." She opened up immediately, a well-worn, loved book that her once-lover has read countless times.
A musical, easy laugh rolls out of Brun's lips: "I'm sure she did, our Chel. It would be you that glitters when you're happy." She practically purrs as she says this, lipping lazily at Vastra's neck. "I think it quite suits you. Maybe we can compete to see who shines more at night," she adds with a murmur, the smile on her face never fading.
The little mare pulls back as her companion does, eyes so mercifully free of the visions. The smile, the shining, glistening smile: it stays, so proud and strong. So happy to find a part of her life that felt so wonderfully exciting and normal. This little reunion has a flare of what all the other creatures do: love and be loved with no loss of time, no wild inhibitions.
"Oh," Brun says, eyes widening with a softness she hasn't felt in years. She peers at Vastra in sincere dismay, wondering how she could ever apologize. "Vastra," she whispers, then presses her cheek firmly to the other woman's. "You have nothing to apologize for. I . . . I've been gone. You wouldn't have been able to find me anyway, and - and -" Brun pauses, pulls away and looks in any other direction. "I couldn't come looking for you, so," she stops again, gulps. Brun drags the smile back to her face and looks back up, toward hope (hope that shines in her eyes even through her sadness, her confusion).
"But I am so thrilled to see you, now. Where have you been? What have you been doing?" The two questions come out rushed, excited, and she almost adds, Can I come with you? The thought of escaping her father and brother sounds nice; but she hesitates. She is terribly unsure of the life Vastra has built outside of her.
@Vastra i wrote this reply in a bar while drinking a pbr and wondering if people were gonna see the horse art on my computer so...........lmao
When Brunhilde murmurs mention of a competition over who would shine more at night, Vastra’s glittering skin brightens a moment before she brushes her muzzle against fire-bright skin and whispers back in her rough, delight-filled voice. “I’d like that.”
Her apologies are soothed away, their cheeks pressed together for a too-short moment. And then a frown darkens Vastra’s expression when Brunhilde says that she couldn’t come looking for her. Worry causes the sparkling on her skin to fade and she only delays asking what the other mare means by that statement because of the questions that come rushing out of the fire-winged mare.
Had she been sick again? Or had someone been keeping her where she did not want to be?
Vastra, who has finally learned some social graces, does not fight against the change in topic but she keeps those words held fast in her mind and does not intend to forget them. “I’ve been in Tephra.” Although Vastra feels no shame about having multiple lovers, she cannot remember if Brunhilde is of a similar mind. It is a new and uncomfortable feeling, this worry, and it frustrates her. Her explanation is vague as a result, but still true. “I have two other children, and that is where their family is.” Her mouth finds Brunhilde’s mane and she toys with it, attempting to say with actions what she does not know how to say with words - how the presence of anyone else in her life doesn’t negate what she feels with the fire mare.
Some words do come more easily and she asks in a curious voice - inspired both by this enjoyable closeness and the concern and fury that still curl in her stomach at Brunhilde’s earlier words. “Do you like the heat? You could come stay with me.” A brush of her sparkling muzzle against orange skin as she adds thoughtfully “The jungle would suit you, I think.” Vastra would like to see it - the vivid Brunhilde framed with the lush Tephran foliage, how she’d make even the brightest of the animals seem dull in comparison.
Tephra. Brunhilde can't remember if she's ever been, but in her newfound clarity she is certain she could have been in all her lost meandering. It seems a pity, a shame, that she cannot remember the hot jungle and its lovely beaches. That Vastra has been tucked away behind lush, large leaves perhaps seconds away and Brun would have never known; but she won't get lost in the what-ifs and forgotten memories this time, no--the little flame is determined to remain here.
A taste of happiness, a slice of life. Vastra has been out experiencing it all and while it might have been easy to feel jealousy, Brunhilde only feels longing and excitement. She watches her companion with gemstone eyes that sparkle with a new emotion on each facet: sorrow, elation, apprehension, confusion.
Brun leans her fire-bright skin into Vastra's mouth tangling in her mane and offers a soft, quiet smile. She doesn't say anything about her children, not initially. While she feels no betrayal--and immediately longs to meet this family, this extension of Vastra--she does not mean to invite herself where she could not be welcome. There is no doom in her thinking but these eggshells she walks on are typical and trained: secrets and vicious boundaries are almost all she's ever known.
"I love the heat," she answers with a musical laugh. She doesn't hesitate even a split second after the offer: "I would love nothing more than to stay with you." Brun doesn't mean to sound too eager--and typically that kind of vulnerability would leave her swallowing shame--but there has never been judgement nor shame between this pair.
The soft smile turns into a blinding one. She nods resolutely.
The sparkling doesn’t fade and Vastra forgets to care about it or be annoyed - especially when Brunhilde leans into her. Her happiness quickly increases upon hearing that musical laugh and the way the butterfly-adorned mare does not hesitate to say yes. It is the perfect answer and Vastra finds that she is looking forward to having another excuse to linger in Tephra and enjoy everything the jungle offers.
Words come a little easier for Vastra now that she is beginning to forget the time she spent lost in the mountains, living wild as a cougar, but even still one skill she hasn’t picked up is that of a silver tongue. So while she thinks she’d prefer to stand here a little longer, just enjoying the sound of Brunhilde’s laugh, familiarizing herself with each strand of hair, what she says is “How about right now?"
Because she wants Brunhilde to know there needs to be no delay, not if she does not want there to be. Vastra will not waste a single moment now that they are together again. She’s realistic and knows they won’t spend every second together but it is enough to know that Brunhilde will be somewhere safe, that they can easily find one another. And maybe the fire-mare can grow to forget her nightmares, whatever they may be.
VASTRA
@brunhilde you don't have to reply again I just wanted to get a little post up to officially have Vastra tell her to move in <3
