Common

it took her a moment to recognize the clench in her throat and the frost climbing her spine: fear. a visceral and forbidding sensation anchored her steps, allowing the verdure of her eyes take in the pair in spite of the growing impulse to flee. the honey on their lips rode on the shadows of a bite; and she knew, even lofty kings weren't always to be trusted. the battle cry echoed in the deep well of her heart, and guided a step away from the two. the second one to arrive presented something meant to be hope and opportunity, though driven by skepticism she was unsure. too unsure.

only moments before she had languished at the reality of her lonesomeness, yet their brazen approaches and the thickened implications of their gathering drove the spear of grief through her. leonid was no little dove, and she was a far cry from the simpering warmth of sordid passions. she was cast from the heavens; leonid was cold steel. not a bed-warmer. her chin lifted as she took in the stallions. and it grew all the more apparent both were in want of her company. perhaps to be praised, perhaps to be admired like an adornment, a token.

her expression fell from the dismay of their hasty approaches and set itself in something less becoming of a gilded lily. the time of exasperation and anxiety had passed, and grew firm. reminded then of the cunning passed generation to generation, the weighted pride and thick armor of self-reliance. she turned towards Rougaru with a ghost of a smirk touching the soft coral of her lips.

"are you suggesting there is a choice?" she would not be kept in a cage of her own making; the fear was shirked in place of bravado. their machismo erected for them an arena. and though leonid was alone, she would be seated in that independence, taking it up as a Valkyrie would a shield. an audible breath filled her lungs, assessing each as though she'd had her choice between them, before giving her name. "leonid."