Meadow

Zevulun had anticipated spending his time back to Luthien completely alone, unlikely to respond to anyone who tried to step into his path. The normally charismatic and social stallion was not there today; he was sullen and quiet, and there were wet streaks down his cheeks that glistened beneath the moon’s blue-white light. One ear had flicked as he heard the rustle of another’s hooves stepping across the meadow grasses, but he hadn’t yet glanced toward them to see who it was.

Until…

What has made you so sad tonight, my love?

Zevulun sucked in a sudden, hard breath, much like one would do when they gasped as they awoke from a nightmare. Every inch of his body tensed, suddenly alive, and his sad blue eyes were almost wild as they whipped to the creature beside him. “Frond…” He barely managed to squeeze her name out of his throat, and it was said desperately and as needy as he felt. He was past the point of worrying why he should have the comfort of a loved one while Riesling remained abandoned in the Badlands, Zevulun only turned his face toward Frond (would she allow it) with the intention to hide himself against her neck. He wanted every breath he took to smell of her; he wanted the sensation of her hair scratching and tickling his face.

He couldn’t even begin to ask her where she had been or what had happened to her after all this time or why she was here or if she was safe. Zevulun couldn’t focus on anything, so caught by surprise followed immediately by the choking grief that’d had him by the throat since he left the Badlands.

The great stallion, leader of the Prairie, trembled as he sobbed suddenly against the black freckled mare, leaving a piece of her neck slick with his tears. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he was whispering over and over through his crying. Was he apologizing for not being able to keep control of himself? Or was he apologizing for having failed her? Maybe it was for however long she had been alone and without him.

It was more likely it was all of it and even the things he’d done wrong that he didn’t yet know, but would one day be horribly revealed to him.

“I only ever wanted to love you,” he managed to whisper with an emotion-raw voice, “But I failed you. I’ve failed all of you, and I don’t know how to make it right again.”