the silence in-between
what i thought and what i said

Merete watched Jetta carefully for her reaction, apprehensive of how this information might go down. For a minute, the young mare seemed frozen in shock, then suddenly she came to life with warmth and excitement. Merete stiffened for a moment as Jetta rushed towards her, not expecting the sudden physical contact, but after a second she relaxed and pressed against her all the same.

She had never greeted a family member so affectionately before, let alone one she was meeting for the first time, but the change was not altogether unpleasant.

Aunt Merete. She had never been called that before either. She wondered how many nieces and nephews she had, wandering these islands or others – she wondered if Rook had any children, and where they might be now.

“It seems strange to hear,” she agreed. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, though it remained hesitant as she contemplated the details of Jetta’s next question.

“I was visiting Tinuvel – I wanted to see the Arch, where I was born, again – and I ran into Diamant on my way.” She paused, trying to decide how much she should share with Jetta and wondering how much she already knew. She did not want to tarnish Inka’s memory for her daughter, but if anyone knew about her it seemed sure to be Jetta.

“As it turns out we were looking for the same place… I understand your mother let slip that was where his birth parents came from?”

MERETE

(het vuur x sterre)