15.3hh - Gypsy Vanner - Lead of the Inlet


As he watched the expressions change over the blind mare’s face a flicker of panic ignited in the stallion’s heart. He was no stranger to the look of sorrow and despair that crossed the broken hearts of mares. Nor was he ignorant to the support that such a heart needed. As quiet as he had always been when this happened he stood by their side, his presence either a solid comfort they could use to lean on, or an unobtrusive bystander easily ignored. Whatever they needed from him, even it was nothing at all, he would be able to give.

He led the way, his posture pleasant, letting the younger mare tend to her mother in the way she knew best. His attention was always trained on them as well as their surrounding area, careful to be on alert for outside dangers while the daughter consoled her mother through the dangers that lurked within. Once they reached the hot stream he stood beside Sirena and tried not to let his own mind wander to times when his role had been different. While he watched the mare take advantage of the steaming water he could see his memory change the scene before him to a river of fire and the steamy wisps into suffocating smoke.

The cries of wolves and Sirena’s voice pulled him out of his mind. He shifted to study the mare, a smile coming over his face in surprise. This mare moment ago gave him such a withering look in the night that he had thought he was going to spend sleepless night arguing with her if she became trapped on the island for the winter. Not that he would have minded. Tinuvel was a place where your spirit had to be as hot as your body to challenge the elements that few could survive.

Now they were in a safer place than on the shore the vanner visibly relaxed. He chuckled, his voice a low rumble akin to water trying to move heavy rocks. “Fateful indeed.” He answered good naturedly, though he was hardly surprised. It seemed as though Braylen had the talent of gathering and attracting those he protected back to wherever he was. “Fate and destiny does, at times, have a tendency to do strange things.” The smile and laugh he spoke with lightened his words, hopefully making them at least a little less cryptic. He pieced the bit of information she had given him together well enough. Glancing back at the blind mare he studied her for a moment before returning to Sirena with a flick of his thick tail. “Your father is a great man. Both you and your mother are safe here with him, and with me. Your mother is lucky to have a daughter such as you. I was just about your age when I had to do the same for someone just as dear.” Before him was a young lady who he could see had taken the weight of her mother’s grief on her shoulders. In the fire that had torn his own mother from him another had lost her child. They had filled the holes fate had ripped in them. Possibly not to the best of their abilities, but they had given each other what they needed at the time. A life, and something to live for.

PAGAN