Iscariot held his place at his sibling’s side - pinning the silver bay mare between him and the golden dun - and let their banter flow around him much as a stream to a boulder. But for all that the gentle teasing and warm affection continued to be traded between the two mares, the perlino could sense that something had changed. Rivaini’s sea-blue eyes were solemn beneath the pale curtain of her forelock, and she had moved closer to her feminine companion. And Çiçek’s laughter now seemed a pale imitation of its former self, even as she seemed to embrace the auburn mare’s proximity - brushing the curve of her lips along the white that mapped the tobiano’s withers. Both seemed to have temporarily forgotten his presence here, and Iscariot would have gladly extricated himself to fade into the jungle’s shadows - if he only knew of a graceful way to do so.
Even aside from the matter of granting them the privacy to discuss the contents of their hearts, he knew that he should go. Çiçek was like a sun, all warmth and radiance. And Rivaini was a silver moon - subtle in the light that she cast, but equally dazzling when viewed in darkness. And Iscariot - unexceptional creature as he was - could never belong amongst such company.
Rivaini had not forgotten that her brother was beside her, but the perlino’s presence suddenly faded in significance. From the first gentle press of Çiçek’s lips, her thoughts - and everything else - belonged solely to the golden mare. A gentle sigh escaped her, and she leaned into the contact as a housecat might have arched its back while being petted - abandoning all pretense and wearing her emotions openly in that moment. Only a brief flash of ire interrupted the serenity of her smile, when her companion joked that she might give herself to Solomon next fall. Rivaini did not deign to reply, but she didn’t need to.Despite the dignified silence she maintained, the narrowing of her eyes spoke clearly enough in itself. Don’t be ridiculous, Çi. Right now, there was only one whom she could think of surrendering herself to in such a way. Only one whom she would be happy to demonstrate the depths of her own affection to.
And then, in a moment, it was all broken.
She knew from her experience before the islands that joy such as that which she’d experienced in the mare’s company was fleeting. And so it didn’t hurt - not yet, at least. No, Rivaini was left so numb that she could only lower her head obediently in response to Çiçek’s command, and allow the spotted woman access to easily entangle the feather into the silver length of her forelock. She glimpsed it only dimly, as if it were some unimportant detail in a dream - a detail that her mind had not seen the worth in creating. Here, it was just a brief glimmer of gold not unlike the color of her companion’s coat - and then it was gone, presumably to join the moonlight-washed threads of her bangs. A piece of the sun that would soon turn its light to other shores, and abandon her to darkness.
The pain came quickly, and Rivaini struggled to conceal it - unwilling, unable to share it with one who deserved the happiness she’d found.
Had Çiçek been a stranger, the response would have been simple: to turn and flee, and never be seen by the slender creature again. But to do that to the companion she’d grown to care for would only hurt them both. And so she swallowed her impending tears, and spoke in a voice that barely quavered. “A clever way of blackmailing me with guilt, to ensure I don’t simply remove this as soon as you’re out of sight,” Rivaini responded with a mock-scowl that lacked its usual fire. The warmth she’d been feeling had abandoned her, leaving her feeling chilled, and hollow. She knew her composure could not last much longer in its absence, and backed up a single stride, her eyes sliding towards the welcoming jungle shadows.
“Unfortunately, I can’t linger much longer. As a humble Guardian, it’s my duty to ensure that another handsome stallion doesn’t slip past our borders to steal you away before you can rejoin your chosen.” It was more difficult to turn away than Rivaini had imagined, and so she prolonged the moment - lifting a stray wisp of Çiçek’s mane tenderly and smoothing it back into place. “Thank you for your company, Çiçek. Iscariot.” she breathed, and then tore herself away - not chancing a glance backwards until the darkness of the trees had entirely concealed her.
Iscariot frowned after the silver bay’s retreating flanks, fighting the overwhelming urge to place himself in her path. To force her to turn around, and face what she was determined to deny. But just as he’d been unable to deny Çiçek when she had called on him, so he couldn’t deny his sibling’s need to escape… even if he knew it for a mistake. And so he turned his attention to the dunalino instead, pale eyes rolling to express his frustration. “Rivaini may be my sister, and I love her dearly - but she’s also the most obstinate creature I’ve ever met,” he sighed - and then, with a smirk that might have easily mirrored the silver bay’s, he continued. “I’m really not sure what you see in her - though it’s easy enough to see why she was drawn to you. Don’t let her flair for the dramatic spoil your happiness, Çiçek. I know that she understands your choice - and that she won’t abandon you any more than she could ever abandon me.”
It would have been easier to flee, but Iscariot - gentle, loyal, and loving Iscariot - was not the sort who could leave another to suffer alone. And so he lingered, leaving the decision of whether or not she craved such solitude to Çiçek.
ISCARIOT & RIVAINI
i can see your light |