Common

Vanya had forgotten how much cooler the mainland was, and the icy thrill of the autumn breeze made the fur stand up on the back of her finely shaped neck. It had been a long time since she had walked across the open space of the Commons, and a part of her yearned for that old freedom. She was not unhappy with her position as Co-Drappa in Rougaru's herd (quite pleased, if she were honest with herself), but life in a herd certainly lacked the novelty of life on the Crossing.

The slender ballerina had promised herself that this excursion would be brief. After all, it was fall, and there was a war brewing on the horizon. Coming at all was putting herself in possibly needless risk, but she couldn't resist. Vanya would never admit it, but a small part of her had hoped to maybe see her eldest son, although she knew the chances of that were small. He'd been stolen away to the Bay, and Vanya knew that he was likely not allowed to leave but she couldn't fully repress her hope.

Her position in Paradise was made weaker by the absence of her two eldest children and she knew it. Unlike Monster, whose spawn still littered the ranks of Paradise, both of Vanya's older children had been torn from her by events beyond her control. All that remained of Vanya's children were Auryn and Loki, and they were far too young to be of any use to Rougaru. Thus, every move that Vanya made these days had to be carefully calculated and controlled. One wrong move could open the door for one of Rougaru's other mares to try and slip into her position, which would absolutely not be tolerated.

Her gaze landed on the svelte mare ahead of her, and she watched as the pretty thing meandered through the Commons as if unaware of the danger she was in. The familiar pang of jealousy that coursed through Vanya at the sight of another pretty mare that would undoubtedly stir the wolf inside of Rougaru was all the indication she needed to know that claiming this girl was the right move. How could Rougaru dethrone her if she continued to bring him pretty trinkets to collect like Titania and this beauty?

"I do dare," Vanya murmured smoothly as she stepped closer to the tall mare, a smile curling across her pale lips. The overo had never been particularly good at making friendships with other mares, but she was quite adept at manipulating situations to her advantage. She inclined her head in greeting as she settled just inside of a companionable distance from the mare and proffered her muzzle for an exchange of breaths if she was inclined. "After all, it's better if we girl's stick together in the fall. Wouldn't want to come across the Lagoon or Solomon's men alone."

In truth, she wasn't sure if the infamous lover of the Cove had any male allies. From what she had seen and heard, Ironclad's departure from the Islands had left the Tinuvel King with only women at his side. And while she would freely admit that she was curious what he was like given the numbers of women that surrounded him at all times, it was not enough for her to consider abandoning her Wolf King. She'd had a hard enough time carving pieces of his attention for herself as it was, let alone with twenty other mares also grappling for his attention.

"My name is Vanya," she continued, her eyes sparkling as if she was letting the mare in on a joke, just between friends. "I'm one of the Queens in Paradise on Atlantis." Co-drappa, technically, but it would forever be more rewarding to call herself a Queen. Casually, she reached across to brush her pale lips over the dun stripe on the mare's shoulders. To an outside stallion looking in, it ought to be clear enough of her claim of this tall and elegant mare, while hopefully only appearing like a slightly overfamiliar gesture of greeting to said mare."Since we're sticking together for now, what should I call you?"

A gross oversimplification, considering Vanya had already outwardly laid claim to her, but one that she hoped would be an easy enough starting point for the mare's cooperation.