There was no time to enjoy his victory. Practically as soon as the dust had settled and the metaphorical crown had been placed upon his head, he had departed for Atlantis. Çiçek had been missing for a few days before Valka had challenged, which Solomon had initially attributed to her wandering nature… but as the days stretched on with no sight of her, his concern had deepened into a near panic only further fueled by Şevket's unease.

He had gone first to the Crossing, but there was, as predicted, no sign of her there. Left with no other recourse, he turned his attention to the land she had once inhabited. He couldn't imagine that she would have gone back to Rivaini and Faolain without warning him, or without letting her son know of what was going on, but he had nowhere else to turn. At a stretch, he could perhaps imagine that something had befallen her in the thick jungle depths of the Ridge, forcing her to stay longer than a day's visit.

As his hooves found purchase on the shore of the Ridge, he immediately calls out for his flower girl, letting her name bellow over the beautiful beach. There is no trace of her scent on the beach, no remainder of her presence here apart from his vivid memories of racing her down this very beach, but he does not give up hope yet. He knows that it is rude of him to barge in like this, and that such conduct is not befitting a stallion of his new station, but he hardly cares. He needed to know that she was safe, even if she had made the decision to leave him behind.

Nothing replies.

The birds return to their cries, and the world continues revolving, but no Çiçek appears from the depths. His face draws tight with worry and he swallows the rising panic attack to instead switch his call for Rivaini or Faolain. Perhaps they could still shed some light on the fate of the pretty golden mare that had so ensnared his heart.

Solomon