The silence of the forest, ever since the arrival of the floating sky island, was overwhelming on some days. Kahlua thrived on hustle and bustle, positively lived on being in contact with others. Solitude was not good for her mental health by any means, and she had taken to pressing her nose into bushes periodically, just to rouse the birds and create a clatter. Truth be told, she’d rather be back on the island herself; it was only her duties as queen that found her drifting back towards the draconian forest. It wouldn’t do to have some vagabonds move into her land while she was busy having fun.

At least she had a different type of company this day. In her mouth, she carried the glass basket that she had made for herself so many seasons ago. Sitting within it was a small, mechanical box. It was not pretty, by any means, but the Sunshower found beauty in everything. Besides, the box played music, and there was nothing more beautiful on this earth than music. Pressing the button on the box, so that it might begin to play the tune that Ulrik had designed it to play, Kahlua hummed along to the song she had already begun to know well. Soon she might put words to the notes, but for now her soprano voice simply followed the tones that were provided. The clicks and whirrs of her metal scorpion, which rode along in her forelock, overlaid the music to create a strange harmony indeed, but Kahlua found it to be charming.

Besides, the music helped drive away the nightmares. She had risen early, roused from sleep by the painful reminder of Shilva’s death, followed by Antheia’s death, her mother’s death, her father’s death… There was evil everywhere, and it haunted her in her dreams. But at least the rising sun and its rosy hues could chase some of those nightmares away. The day was her savior, though she still bowed before the Lady Moon’s shrine. But as she was awake, it was time to continue her work.

Traveling to the wall, which she was more than ready to see torn down, the queen began her track from west and headed east. It was a path she knew well, one she had trodden many times, and she did not imagine she would find anything different today. Imagine her surprise then, upon finding Murduck just yards away from where she had stopped to press the button on her music box once more. So she walked up to him, still humming, her box still tinkling, her scorpion still whirring, and she smiled kindly to the pegasus who had crossed their borders without fear.

“Hello friend, I’m Kahlua,” she called to him as she approached, her blue eyes taking in the majesty of his black and green frame. He was a handsome creature, to be certain. “How can I help you? I’m afraid most of our herd is gone to the island,” she followed up with, certain that he was on a mission from another herd. What he wanted from the Edge was beyond her guess, but she could be patient until he responded. So she stood with a silly grin on her face, just happy to see another body in the forest.

Kahlua