i am a leaf on the wind

Movement pulls Alysanne’s attention away, and Lyanna’s as well. She recognizes the elephant not far off, and she wonders just when exactly Mbwene started listening to their conversation. And how much of it the young elephant really understood. Did she note the way Lyanna’s voice cracked, the way she nearly fell to pieces at the mere mention of home. She hopes not, and decides for her own sanity, to assume the elephant is too young to care about such intricacies.

 
But then again, as Tembovu comes out of his hiding place in the trees, she can’t help but wonder what he now knows. Not that her past is something to be ashamed of. Not that sorrow is even something to be ashamed of. She simply doesn’t want to be seen as weak. The teary, lost little girl. That was not who she was raised to be, and that was not who she wanted to be remembered as.
 
Even if she had become that teary, lost little girl. She kept the tears at bay, at least.
 
She is, if nothing else, still observant though (what else do you do as the ignored, middle-child, besides watch after all?). There’s a brief flicker on Alysanne’s face, an obvious hesitation to Tembovu’s greeting (you don’t even have to be observant to figure that one out). The smile he gives Lyanna is easy and friendly though, so different than his greeting to the Moon Doctor. She’s always wondered if something was amiss between the two, but now, she’s quite certain.
 
Not that she has any idea what. But it makes her wonder. Tembovu seems fine, though in truth, it’s not like she knows the King well. Though if she ever had to make a choice between the two, her choice would be obvious enough. But then again, at this point she’d probably jump off a cliff for Aly. A life for a life, right? Besides, it’s not like she’d actually die. She’d fly away.
 
“Thank you,” she says to Tembovu, dipping her head in greeting, her face a mask of calm and a friendly smile on her face. She is still thankful for her upbringing, and her ability to play diplomat with ease. Show nothing, watch everything. It’s a useful skill, sometimes. “I’m glad that I’m able to help the Edge.” And her words are genuine. This place is the closest thing to home she’s likely to ever have. She might as well give back to the place that let her in when she had nowhere else to go.
 
Alysanne chimes in as well, and their conversation is all business now. Which is fine. It’s not like Lyanna is going to spill her life story with Tembovu standing right there. She doesn’t have any reason to dislike him, but she’ll hardly tell anyone, let alone a perfect stranger. Well actually, that’s not true. She tells when asked, it’s just a matter of how much she’s willing to tell. “I would love to,” she says, eyes lighting up a bit at the thought of actually learning something. It would give her something to do in her spare time – maybe collect a few herbs if she can find some she’s familiar with, certainly tend to the garden as needed. Busy was good, after all. It kept her mind occupied, and her thoughts firmly grounded in the present.
 
She turns her attention to Tembovu, curious if he’ll accept the invitation from Alysanne as well, or take his leave. And making a mental note to keep an eye out for little elephants in the future. 

watch how i soar.

lyanna