Ramiel felt relief when she accepted his company and only smiled kindly when she admitted she wasn’t sure where she was going. “That’s fine,” he assured with his smile growing more warm, “we can just walk aimlessly together.” Sometimes he knew when Raziel was upset he found it easier to walk through his frustrations before he could finally sort himself out enough to talk. Their quiet walks might’ve unnerved a different horse, but not Ramiel. He only waited patiently for his brother to untangle his thoughts and speak, and found other ways to entertain his mind as they went. If that is what she needed or wanted, he would be more than happy to do that. Especially if it meant keeping her safe. Ramiel knew his father trusted the queen they’d just met, Persephone, but there was no telling if there were others on Luthien with ill-intent on their mind that’d see this mare in distress and take advantage for themselves.
Ramiel listened as she explained who Roheryn was. She used to live with him? Where was he now? Who did she live with? The Badlands… the Badlands… Ramiel mentally stumbled around, placing the names of all the territories with their islands as taught to him by his father. The Badlands were a part of Salem! That’s right. Why had Roheryn sent her here to Luthien? That couldn’t be more removed from Salem unless he’d sent her to Tinuvel.
“I never saw the Badlands,” he said carefully, wondering if she’d prefer him to open the conversation to himself rather than continuing to press her in her emotional state. If she wanted to tell him why Roheryn sent her here, she would. If she didn’t, it wasn’t for Ramiel to know. He accepted that without a second thought. “I only went to Salem once, though. To the Dunes with my brother.”
Ramiel took a step closer to her, then another, and gestured with his muzzle toward the hoof-worn path ahead. “Shall we?” He asked softly, giving her an encouraging smile. “We can even do a big loop and find our way back here, if you decide you want to come back.” He wanted to tell her they could go anywhere together, back to Salem, into the sea and to a further island, whatever or wherever would make her happy and keep that sadness from her eyes that’d struck him deep in his heart.
|
