Common

The Cove Queen's feathered hooves sank slightly into the yielding sand. Cool ocean water swirled around her ankles, a constant tug and pull of the tide against the shore. Her ragged ears, framed by dark red, tangled hair, twitched in the breeze. A distant gull's cry echoed as it wheeled in the bright sky, soon joined by others that winged their way towards a rocky outcrop at the edge of the sandbar. Her single seeing eye followed their graceful movements, captivated. What marvels did they experience, lifted by the winds? What did the world look like through their sharp, dark eyes, soaring high above the treetops?

A faint smile touched her whiskered lips as she turned from the ocean, crossing the sand towards the verdant grasses beyond. A sprawling meadow stretched before her, vast and inviting. Shaking out her long hair, she focused on her purpose: the Cove needed more strong horses, protectors to guard their home and watch their borders. Her gaze swept the meadow, past the many horses grazing peacefully, finally settling on a large, onyx-colored horse in the distance. They would be perfect.

She moved swiftly across the Commons, knowing urgency was key. As she approached, her discerning eye assessed the stallion's broad shoulders, noting the powerful muscles rippling beneath his dark coat. She cleared her throat, hoping to rouse him from his slumber, her tattered ears now pricked forward. She tried to project a less intimidating image, despite the milky white of her blind eye and the jagged scars that crisscrossed her face. Stories best left untold for now.

"I am Daciana, Queen of the Cove," she announced. "I seek protectors for my home. Would you be interested?" It was direct, she knew, but there was no time for pretense where they could be interrupted at any moment.