Meadow

”Tyriaan!” she chirps, as her slender legs pick up a quickened pace. Laughing, the pale-faced colt lunged ahead, weaving effortlessly between the throng of gathered horses that, like themselves, had come to the meadow in search of fresh grazing and companionship. For Ayiana, it was a way of admitting weakness to herself. For a long time now, she spent her time alone wandering the main island in search of anyone and no one in particular. The sight of Jabari had been a hard blow to her ego as had his shock at her pregnancy. It had resolved her decision to avoid returning home to mother and Darshan. She could not dare see the same shock on their faces either.

However the birth of Tyriaan had awakened the need in her once more to find solace in companionship, even if it was only for a short while. After Tyr’s appearance on the Ruins and his less than subtle hint of her vulnerability, the golden mare found herself resolved in the decision to take Tyriaan back to the meadow in hopes of at least being able to better protect him from potential dangers. Together, they waited until the tides ran low enough that even the small sabino colt could wade through without much difficulty. His excitement was contagious and Ayiana could not help the small smile that tugged the corners of her own pink lips upwards despite the reprimand in her eyes. Fluted ears tilt backwards in show of apology as the palomino slides between a particularly moody gray mare and her brown companion. The gray creature bared her teeth in warning but Ayiana ignored her and instead focused her gaze on the bounding red colt in front of her. Like a fleet sparrow, the slender colt ducked beneath a tall stallion and laughing rushed towards the far side of the meadow with Ayiana laughing at his heels. For a few moments, she finds herself lost in the joy of the moment, chasing after the child she never imagined she could want. Everything was wonderful in her heart for the first time in so long that even a laugh of amusement slips past her lips as she kicks up her own heels and charges after the boy.

That is, until the ghost of her past comes into view.

Her steps falter as a quick glance beneath the trees reveal the tall pink and white stallion that for so long she searched for. The stallion who promised her refuge in Tinuvel should she ever wish to take it and the same stallion who never appeared when she stood on the shores of the Arch calling his name. Ayiana stumbles to a graceless halt, frozen like a herla frozen with fear. Ash dusted lips quiver and the beat of her heart quickens. ”Gavriel…” she whispers, his name a reverent prayer on her lips as it had been so many days in the past. For a moment, all thoughts of Tyriaan are forgotten, not until the colt bounds back to her with a laugh and bumps against her side, concern coloring his pale blue eyes. Vaguely she is aware of the question in his voice, the tremor of worry for the mother that always focused her attention on him alone. A single fluted lobe tilts towards him as the golden mare dips her head to nudge his soft cheek, never once daring to take her eyes from the illusion before her. Gavriel.

Cautiously, as though afraid that her approach might disintegrate the mirage, Ayiana approaches. Gentle zephyrs buffet her skin, sending a shiver coursing through her veins and lifting the ends of her alabaster mane. ”Gavriel?... Is... Is it really you?” she questions again, this time, the name coming with a bit more confusion and less fear. Dark auburn eyes study the curves and contours of the stallion’s face. So long now, the stallion has been a memory, slowly fading and growing more and more faint as the time goes on. So close now, the swirl of red and white hairs that circle the center of his brow. Once more, she finds herself remembering just how vivid his eyes were, how the green and blue hues had matched the ocean that day they met in the Ruins. It was what had driven her there that day Tyriaan had been born, the need to remember and to feel.