She could not remember if she had ever been to the Falls. It had been too long ago and her mind had been filled with too much. There was a chance she had come here with her mother and sister, so focused on looking that she did not take the time to see. Now she looked on the falling water with half lidded eyes. There was a sense of beauty there, and she could see it. A feeling of peace licked at her heart, swallowed by a twist and turn of mistrust in her gut. She knew this was a place of truce. There was an unwritten rule that no one would cause harm here. But rules were broken and not all wounds were physical. Just because someone claimed this was a place of happiness, did not mean it did not walk hand in hand with despair.
Black hooves crunched lightly on frosted grass as she stepped calmly through the brushes that dotted the banks of the river’s tributaries. Occasionally her tail swished against her sides. She really had no reason to be here. No reason to be anywhere, really. Yet here she was. She moved away from the falls, turning away from their captivating beauty and back towards the realities of life. She gritted her teeth into a growl. It was very possible coming back here had been a mistake. Little to nothing called to her and as far as she knew her family was gone so nothing was left to pull her back.
With a heavy sigh she pressed on, but paused when she stepped into a clearing. Dark blue eyes fell on another equine and narrowed in consideration. The other was clearly not a stallion. This was the season men were prancing about and acting stupider than usual. No, this was clearly a mare who also seemed more subdued than most during this time and in this place. Adelheid stepped forward with another swish of her thick tail. Her posture was tall, though she actively attempted to come across not as imposing as habit had created her to be. Instead of her black velvet ears pressed firm against her neck, they were merely turned back. Instead of bared, her teeth were clenched.
The attempts were painful.
Greeting. Her tone was flat, dry. She took a deep breath and huffed it out. If had been just a little cooler she would have looked like a shadow demon breathing smoke. A single ear flicked forward in interest. Uncomfortable with the strange position it quickly flicked back. Adelheid shook out her body, visibly trying to relax. Are you alone? The question was innocent enough. It even came out as such. Adelheid was genuinely concerned this mare would be alone and lonely during the coming winter months. It was never ideal.
Adelheid
It’s Your Illusion - A Fatal Contradiction |