| It is not long before another student-to-be joins the pair in the clearing. She introduces herself as Semira and calls the bay by name. Dragomir, as it is, returns her greeting with an air of familiarity that reminds Nasreen that she is still very much an outsider in this herd. Perhaps she should have spent more time meeting her herdmates instead of flying off to explore Helovia, but until this moment, she has never felt a twinge of regret for her decision. But now...it's strange for a princess, used to beng the center of attention, to be the odd one out. So, rather than greeting Semira with a comfortable brushing of muzzles, Nasreen is left to say hello by way of a quiet nicker. “I’m Nasreen,” she murmurs quietly, almost to herself, repeating her introduction from earlier.
Standing next to the others, the princess waits silently for the next few minutes, wondering if they will be approached by others who intend to help with this supposed project of theirs. But the woods are silent, save for the sounds of birds chirping and squirrels chattering, so the bay stallion catches their attention and begins the meeting. He formally introduces himself as Dragomir, and Nasreen nods politely, thankful that he has remembered her. When he says that he called this meeting to discuss the remains of the wall, the mare’s ears prick in interest—does he know about the fires too? She makes a mental note to ask him later, but for now, he continues to speak, explaining that they will be making vine ropes. Her heart sinks slightly—back in Th’orqui, this was the work of commoners—but if this is what following in Kahlua’s footsteps means, then so be it. Rope-making it will be.
It is almost eerie that no sooner has the thought formed in her copper cranium, she hears a rustle in the bushes, and lo and behold, there Kahlua is! In her excitement, Nasreen wants to call out to the first familiar face in this group, but Dragomir is still speaking and to interrupt him would be rude. So the mare settles for darting glances to the brush, smiling and bobbing her head in a gesture of beckoning. She hopes that the black and white mare will join them—she hasn’t seen her friend in weeks, especially since she became queen. Besides, she needs to tell her about the wall and the fire she witnessed earlier.
Dragomir has seen their queen as well, and he calls lightly into the bushes, teasing her that it is not a project she need hide from. Smiling at the joke, Nasreen follows his next instructions and grabs a vine. Watching how he paws at it to separate the fibers, she attempts to do the same, but the vine slides to and fro on the mossy ground. Thoughtfully, she picks it up and carries it to a rocky outcrop on the side of the clearing. Trying again, the mare pins down one end of the plant with one hoof and scrapes at the opposite end with another. Though eager, her first efforts are clumsy, leaving the tip mangled and shredded. “I’m afraid I’m not very good at this,” she admits disappointedly. “How did you manage to separate each strand so delicately?” she asks, turning to her teacher.
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[O] The Bindings That Tie Us [CRAFTER'S MEETING]
