Common

Life had become rather… odd for Oswin. As much as she didn’t wish to admit it, the fact that her sisters remained silent had knocked her down far more than a few pegs. The disappearance of Bane and Oswin’s now turbulent relationship with Róisín didn’t help matters either. The fight that had been ignited within Oswin when she returned to the islands had been all but sniffed out. She no longer felt like herself or knew who she was. She’d tried to change the Peak’s tactics, but felt it was too little and too late.

Not only had she abandoned her sisters to war and not been there to fight by Macabre’s side, she had further failed the Peak by leading them astray.

Initially, Oswin had clung rather closely to Tyr. But after she hadn’t been chosen to remain Prime Minister, she’d begun to doubt herself and hid away from the Lagoon instead. Every piece of her ached for him, especially throughout autumn, but Oswin resisted.

Now that the early signs of winter had come, Oswin ventured a bit further from the foothills of the Peak, meandering idly through the Falls as she looked for things to eat. She thought she had no set destination in mind, thinking she’d just circle around the Falls and Meadow before she made her way back to the Peak… but subconsciously she realized she must’ve had other ideas.

Oswin lifted her slightly dished face, glancing around and noticing she’d traveled further south than she’d intended and was now in the Commons. She was pointed to continue southward, as though her heart had taken control of her limbs and was trying to push her down to the Lagoon. She’d be safe from temptation now, but… embarrassment made her hesitate. Had news reached him that when he was chosen to become the new Boss, Oswin had lost support among the Peak and stepped down from Prime Minister?

“My name is Nyimara…”

Despite having never once seen the mare who’d just named herself a small distance from where Oswin stood, it still brought a chill to her gut. Her blue eyes whipped to take in the sight of the silver-haired mare, then glanced at who she was speaking with and felt doubly stunned.

He's good at pretending to give you what you want. Just like you went to talk to him right after you were elected, and suddenly we were just supposed to be okay with the fact that they were holding the roan mare captive that fall?

Though they were just the memory of Róisín’s words, they still brought shame with them. Oswin’s ears flicked out.

She had this enemy - the one Rade mentioned, Nyimara - that has done everything in her power to make her life terrible. She allies herself with anyone willing to make my mother's life a living hell. She's imprisoned her and tortured her under different accomplices over and over and over again for something my father did nearly six years ago.

And the last stallion she allied herself with was Cullen. Who ruled the Lagoon with Tyr right there by his side, his righthand man, johnny jump up.

For the very first time in her life, Oswin found herself wanting to step away from a situation before she was noticed. While the two mares talked among themselves she felt anxiety creep in, making her want to step away and turn back for the Peak.

However, at the last moment, Oswin considered that wasn’t the sort of mare she was, regardless of how unlike herself she currently felt. Plus, she had a feeling neither of these mares knew just how much of them Oswin knew. It seemed very odd to see them both meeting here now, when both of them had been brought up by Róisín during their argument.

Oswin snorted and started toward the pair, nickering a little to make certain they were aware of her approach. As much as there were conflicting emotions crashing around inside her, Oswin did her best to offer a polite smile and give a slight nod of her head. “I hope you both don’t mind the intrusion,” she glanced at Nyimara, then at the roan mare. “I’m Oswin,” this was her first time introducing herself without following it up with her title. She swallowed back against the disappointment that lodged like a stone in her throat. “I live in the Peak.”

oswin
this is as brave as I know how to be.
I know it’s gonna hurt you, but please… be a little proud of me.