Sunshine pours down from the sky, and the damsel revels in it, soaking up every stray bit of warmth, though they are not hard to seek out. The Sun Lord has returned with a vengeance, and made up for his absence with the scorching temper he was renowned for, spreading it physically over the expanse of the Helovian territories with little favoritism. Luckily she was of lighter paint than those with darker canvases, and she wore her colors proudly as finally, at long last, they could be seen. Pale roseate bodice glowed light in the slowly fading summer colors overhead, healthy emerald blooms shuddering and dancing in reverence of the return of their supporting patrons, sending shadows dancing in varying shades of dark jade across her frame. Aureate ribboned legs stretch out leisurely ahead of her, brilliant fuchsia hooves shocking against the sunny patches that play in the fading light of the afternoon. Quad wings flutter gently, the sound resonating as a dove's in the quiet forest, accompanied only by the sound of her breathing and light passage, and various creatures prancing and darting about. Songbirds relay her passage in sweet, harmonious notes to their fellows, swooping down around her as if they somehow know she is kin.

The day is waning, but it is still summer and so the process is slow, and the jaded princess closes her eyes and lets her pace slow to a standstill. Concentrating, she feels every nuance of the wind, every shift of the world around her, and it's exhilarating. For so long, since foalhood, she'd been chasing hopelessly after Leliel. How much had she missed, transfixed as she was by that moody, mysterious colt? How much of Janet had she failed to experience because of her all-consuming love for him? She regretted not taking her youth more seriously, not discovering more of life all because Leliel had capture her heart; a butterfly fresh from her cocoon, one that spread gossamer wings in a cage built from her memories of him.

Everything is silent. And then...the most curious of sounds. It's a cacophony of sound, disastrous and piercing in her ears. Crashing, banging, shuffling and thudding. Her peace is shattered like a vase thrown in anger at a wall, and worry and fear shudder simultaneously down her spine. After all she's on her own now, and when did she ever grow out of her naive, innocent heart? Now, she doesn't have guardians to cry for to save her. Now, nobody would miss her if she were killed. But even so she cannot ignore a soul in distress, it's against her nature, and even if she's scared she steels her nerves and turns to follow the trail of destruction to the source of the horrible sounds.

She doesn't recognize who lies before her when she happens across them, crumpled and broken like a stranded sparrow, blood covering the electric azure markings she'd know anywhere. The blood makes her feel sick, the prone form pulling at her heartstrings like a child with the strings of a violin. Quivering pathetically, they're a sight to behold, and she can't control the gasp that rips from her throat like a dagger. Muriel almost cries out to ask them if they're alright, dark coral hooves striking out to run for them and help, when vocals she hasn't heard in seemingly forever smash her in the face with recognition. It's her name.

"Muriel."

And all at once she realizes- that's not some random aggrieved stranger. That is her beloved- or was he, anymore?- sprawled bleeding on the ground like a crumpled doll, and suddenly she feels sick. "Leliel," she whimpers, as if he has beckoned her from across the world in an instant merely by uttering her name. When had she last heard him speak it without annoyance or anger in his tone? She can't recall, and it only increases the bitterness inside of her, filed neatly under a tab just for him. But she remembers that distrusting, angsty colt from her childhood, recalls the staggering emotions she felt for him, and cannot leave him. "Oh Lele...it's going to be okay, I'm here, you're safe," she crooned, shamelessly dirtying her skin by kneeling beside him, choking and giving a soft whimper as tears began to flow easily down her cheeks upon seeing the state of his face. "Oh Leliel...what have they done to you..." she chokes, because god she loves him but he hurt her so badly...

"It's going to be alright, love, I know a healer, you remember her don't you? Her name is Onni, we met her once," despite the shake in her voice she drapes two of her wings across his back slowly, gently, pressing to his wounds with her flesh as she lays at his side to try and slow the bleeding. Her words are meant to calm and distract, bring his mind away from the pain, and all the while her heart rages on in a tempest of epic proportions. "I'm here, Leliel, everything is going to be okay...I'll make this better, I'll take care of you, trust me." Gods give her the strength to keep that silent promise.