"Your dance is beautiful. What does Soder mean?

For a second, Nereid freezes before spinning in place. Her eyes widen when they land upon Bahadir and a panicked look briefly kisses her face. "Bahadir!" She had not heard him approach, too lost in the magic of the moment. Soter was a word she had intended to keep close to her heart and away from prying ears. Naz had already been bequeathed the knowledge of its origin but for Bahadir to find out? She couldn't fathom his rejection.

Nereid was not stupid to believe that her affections were returned. She and Bahadir had but one moment together. A meeting that allowed cultures to mix and a home to be found. She had felt his touch upon her body, felt his strength as they swam across the ocean and his protection when they were found by the golden queen. Since then he was but a ghost upon the wind. Greeting others, bringing lost souls to his oasis and finding love in the shadows. Who was she to try and ruin that? How could she open her heart to one who had so many to care for? It would only end in tragedy.

Sooty lashes lowered as Nereid hid her expression from him. A once carefree demeanour turned guarded and shy, her body turning away from him in an instinctive urge to protect herself. She allowed a small smile to play upon her lips and humour to dance in her honeyed eyes as she finally decides to respond, "That is a secret I cannot share with you. Soter is a word I do not use lightly." She hoped he would respect her need for privacy in this regard. If he found out the meaning then he would know how much he meant to her.

Nereid turned to scan the beach, desperate for something to distract him from his line of questioning. A smattering of tide pools in the distance brings a true grin to her face and lightens her expression. "Oh! I didn't know there were tide pools here. Have you ever seen them before?" She didn't wait for a response, instead choosing to trot in the direction of the aforementioned pools.

She needed space. Not too much but enough to gather her bearings. If she played her cards right, Bahadir would never know how she felt and there would be no problems caused between the mares. It was the right thing to do...no matter how much her heart wept within her chest.

"Look at them. I haven't seen a tide pool in awhile. They were always my favourite."

SPEECH
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