Posted on February 3, 2020 at 08:06:47 PM by TAVAS & Vita Nova
And the cold lonely air. On the rock restless seas. Tavas watched as her mother's expression changed. It hardened. She looked at her daughter quizzically. "I don't need help, Tavas." She said sternly, which shocked the younger palomino mare. Tavas' golden ears swiveled forward and back in confusion. "I chose this life. I chose Warsaw because love him. I just worry for Shamwari sometimes. I carry the guilt from my own decisions with me." Tavas cocked her chiseled head to one side as she listened to her mother, whose emotions seemed to be all over the place. "I think it's just the pregnancy hormones... they're getting to me." The sooty-colored mare said with a snort and then a laugh, in an attempt to lighten the mood. But internally, Vita Nova knew she at least owed her brother an apology. It felt like a pressing issue lately, givien the looming threat of battle. One day, she showed up on his shore, heavily pregnant with Tavas, with nowhere else to go. He welcomed her in, as he'd always done, and fought Warsaw when he came for her, just as he'd fought Koray for her in the past. Then she just up and left without a word. She hadn't seen him since. Vita Nova thought about Brunhild, as her gaze fell onto the filly at her side, and her boys, Letavice and Ironclad. They deserved to know their lineage, she thought. They deserved to know the other side of their family But Vita Nova wasn't sure how to rectify that. Especially now, on the eve of this grand war. Tavas offered her mother a weak and quickly fading smirk, and nickered softly to her. "I know, mom. I know you love him. I love Warsaw too." She said, her gaze flicking to the young filly - her sister - standing next to her dam. "Isn't there a way for you to have both? Warsaw and your family on Luthien? That's all I'm saying." But before the two could discuss this further, a twig snaps in the distance, and then another. Tavas watches as Vita Nova's blue eyes shift to look over her head, and the golden mare cranes her neck to follow her mother's gaze. In the distance, they both spy the looming grey frame of Warsaw coming near them. A bright smile covered Tavas' whiskered lips and she turns quickly on her haunches to face the great grey stallion. She whinnied to him gleefully as he approached, tossing her head in excitement. She prances toward him as he halts, and presses her muzzle to his cheek, his neck and his withers, breathing him. "I've missed you so much." She said tearfully, emotions getting the best of her, before she retreats to stand back next to her dam. "I've missed all of you, and the Inlet, so much." She wanted to express to both Vita Nova and Warsaw that she was okay in the Ridge, and that life there wasn't half bad. But she held her tongue, knowing the tension which existed between Warsaw and Bjorn now. It caused her gut to churn nervously. She felt so conflicted these days over where her loyalty lied. She loved her parents - and considered Warsaw as her father. And she loved Tinuvel - she had the island royalty blood coursing through her veins, even if she didn't know it. But she was growing quite fond of the Ridge, of Bjorn and of the herd she lived with. Warsaw, too, looked weathered. He seemed tired. Seeing her family in this kind of condition tugged at Tavas' heart strings. She retreated a few steps to give Warsaw and Vita Nova some space as they talked. Vita Nova nickered kindly to him, happy to have him near. She took a shaky step forward and planted her face into his chest for a long moment. "Please, hurry home to me." She said softly, not wanting to pull away. Finally, the Queen of the Inlet breathed a heavy sigh, and stepped back. Tavas watched this tender exchange with tears still welling in her deep eyes. She only blinked them away when Warsaw addressed her again, reminding her of her new siblings here. It wasn't just Brunhild, she had two brothers in the Inlet. "I'll stay here until you come back." She said firmly to Warsaw. "I'll keep an eye on her, and make sure those brothers of mine stay in line." She said cheerfully, with a short sly smile. "Please be safe, Warsaw." She added, the words falling deftly from her lips. They felt foolish to say in the aftermath, given what they all knew lied ahead for the stallion. "We need you to come back to us." "I love you." Vita Nova offered, before the stallion turned tail and trudged away. Vita Nova and Tavas remained silent for a long moment after he left, the weight of what was to come hanging like a dark storm cloud over their heads. The two mares only stirred when the familiar form of Neon appeared within the trees. Vita Nova nickered to her kind friend and offered her a warm smile. Tavas followed suit, bobbing her head in acknowledgement when the mare addressed her. "Yes, hi Neon." She said softly. "It's nice to see you again." But Tavas' mind was elsewhere. Despite her mother's quick dismissal of an idea she had not yet explained, Tavas was convinced she could change her mind. But it would take Neon's help. "Let's go to Luthien." She blurted out loud. "Let's see Shamwari. Make your peace mom, before it's too late. We can go right now. Requiem will help us." Tavas rambled, her eyes trained onto her dam now, willing her to accept. "Maybe Neon can watch Brunhild. We can leave tonight, so no one will see us. And we'll come back in the morning. Like nothing ever happened." T A V A S Palomino | Mare | Vita Nova x Nephilim | 15h | Photo © Carina Mailwald |©Vinyl |
