i dream in phosphorescence Posted on March 2, 2024 at 06:56:29 AM by Helios
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Just as he'd hoped, it hadn't taken long for someone to respond to the early summons. A shape of golden brown crested the hill before Helios and the border, crested and trilled their own reply. He noticed their white hair then and observed the stranger on their approach. It was a mare, silver bay with striking eyes. Everything about her was striking. The chestnut had to take a breath to still himself and not get distracted by the beauty he found in her form. While he attempted to remain true to the objective, Helios' dark eyes still lingered on her, albeit with a flicker of something more.
She speaks of Antares and guessed as to his departure easily enough. Perhaps in her time being a neighbor, the mare had known the former ruler of the Dunes well enough for such candor. His dark eyes take in the differently tilted angles her head moves in to observe him. The purr in her voice allowed the flickering something in his eyes to remain, drawn in by her mere presence. The stallion nodded simply in response to her voiced question.
"He has, indeed, moved on." Helios shared this openly and without reservation. Nothing about the departure of Antares and the bulk of his family had been made secret to those inside the Dunes; so nothing would be secret to those outside the Dunes either. The stallion went on to elaborate. "My name is Helios. I was his second, and Antares chose me to rule on in his stead." This was said without grandeur or zealous overtones of pride -- not that he wasn't proud of the appointment -- but with a humble acceptance.