Every second spent in her company only made her more and more alluring. Zevulun normally held back from flirting with mares who already lived on various islands, knowing it was a dangerous game he played. Yet Calypso felt and seemed different and the more time he spent in her company, the more he knew he could never forget her. Even when she returned to Paradise and he to the Bay, he’d find moments in his day to think about the pretty girl with the lovely smile and the intriguing bi-colored eyes.
Zevulun was confident she felt somewhat along the same, as he caught her watching him admiringly out of the corner of his eye. Subtly, he arched his neck, flexing the developing muscles beneath his winter-hair covered cream coat, his blue eyes flashing bright with mirth. A bit of a grin stole over his mouth, pleased she would look at him with the same interest he looked at her. Before he could fully capitalize on the moment, Calypso began to answer his question and speak of Paradise.
If he’d found her attractive before she spoke of her home, he thought her breathtakingly gorgeous then. The love and passion for her home was vivid in her expression and on her tone. Zevulun almost felt as if he could picture it, though he’d never once seen anything like it. The way she spoke, as if she could hardly catch her breath with excitement, intoxicated him. He knew now he had to see Atlantis, he had to visit Paradise and see Calypso in her home, regardless if she lived there with a different stallion or no. If she appeared so beautiful just speaking here, in the wintery Falls, he could hardly imagine how she might steal away his breath to see her there. With firm resolution, Zevulun decided come spring he would travel to Paradise to visit her.
But the mood of the conversation shifted suddenly, and Zevulun let his mind refocus on her and away from how absolutely smitten he was becoming. With concern in his eyes he looked over her crestfallen expression. Her question was unexpected, but Zevulun did not pause before he answered. “Yes,” he said, “I live with my two older sisters, Mariael and Maziel.” Then, he said with a smile, “my sister Mariael actually leads the Bay.” But it was only them of his family he lived with and normally, Zevulun didn’t open conversation regarding his mother or his father. Normally, Zevulun let those truths sit wayside while he focused on what positives a new day could bring.
But it was Calypso’s appearance which caused him to admit, quietly, that things weren’t exactly perfect for him. “My mother left when I was barely old enough to eat,” he didn’t sound angry, only sad. Now it was Zevulun’s turn to glance toward the waterfall. “She took my twin sister with her.” She’d left without saying goodbye. Zevulun tried not to think about it that often. “My father went out into a blizzard to chase wolves away from our cavern. We never found him again. It’s been almost two years now.”
Zevulun lifted his gaze, heavy now, to Calypso’s lovely face. “Do you live in Paradise with your family?” He worried, for a moment, she’d say she lived with her stallion. But… he didn’t care. Stallion or no, Zevulun felt there was a connection here and he’d be damned if he let anything come between that.
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