Nice to meet you Aerek, uh, Aeros.
His ever-shifting green-gold eyes turned to her quite suddenly and stayed there for several long moments. "Aerek," he corrected her gently. He considered explaining his greeting, which had evidently confused the young mare, but after opening his mouth and hesitating, he did not. It did not matter, after all. He was tired, and he had more pressing things to worry about.
He only half-listened as Vita Nova began to explain where he was, letting his gaze drift out to gaze across the water as though it held all the answers. When the word 'islands' left her lips, he stiffened. Images flashed in his brain. Quite suddenly he knew where he was, and why he had come here.
His mother was dead.
The ball of dread and grief that tightened in his chest at this realization was as powerful as it had been the first time he'd found out. In that moment it did not matter what his young companion was saying. Nothing mattered. He had gone cold all over.
"I'm sorry. Excuse me," he muttered, and without a second glance at Vita Nova, the stallion turned and retreated into the trees to grieve all over again.
AEREK
8; flaxen liver chestnut sabino; 15.1hh |