Kahlua

It was easy enough for the queen, once Maat had decided to come with her, to fall into a routine. Memories of Mauja still swam in her head, but at least she focus her addled mind elsewhere. Thoughts of death still whispered from the shadows, but at least she could give attention to words she and Maat exchanged. Streams of blood still trickled in the distance, but at least she could walk away from them. Distractions- they were the only way she survived all of her miseries and her depression.

“Not at all,” she replied, regarding debts and payments. “I was given a similar kindness several years ago.” Indeed, she had dreamed of a better life than where she had originally come from when she had arrived in this forest several years younger. In some ways, she did have a better life. Duchenar had brought her to the Edge, where Lace had welcomed her as one of his own. She had nothing to offer them except her body and her dedication- no special skills or talents, no magic, no horns or wings, no knowledge- and yet they had taken her in to give her a home when they didn’t have to. She had never forgotten that kindness, and she spread it now as often as she could.

“That’s what I hear,” she said with a sigh, regarding running from her troubles. Ophelia had told her the same. Was it that she was too dumb or too stubborn to listen? “You must be brave to run towards yours.” She added, the beginnings of a smile raising the corners of her lips.

---

The walk from the Threshold to Edge was not especially long, but it seemed frustratingly slow to the paint mare today. She wanted away from the wilds, away from the possibility that Mauja might find her wandering alone. Still, she tried her best to keep a cheery attitude while she walked with Maat, explaining along the way what she could of the herd- That they strived for peace, of the different jobs that horses took up (warrior, sleuth, crafter, philosopher, or mender), that there were three other herds in Helovia (Throat, Falls, and Basin), and of which they were on peaceful terms with (Falls and Basin). She spoke of the lands as they walked through them, and of tidbits that she could offer on good locations to visit. Of course, she was careful to leave room for Maat to interject, speak, and ask questions as she wished.

Finally, though, the queen saw a glittering in the distance. “Careful,” she mused as the glittering grew closer. “We used to have a glass wall around our borders, but it got broken. Just watch your step.” True, it was getting clearer and clearer, but there were still shards here or there, daring to poke the frogs of any otherwise distracted horse. Stepping over the border into her home, the queen’s eyes did dare to twinkle a little brighter as she turned back towards Maat. “Welcome home… What do you think?”

@[Maat]