It seemed that more than just the trees grew to great sizes in this strange new place. Thor was the largest equine she had ever set her eyes on. But if experience had taught Najya anything, it was to reserve judgment. The outcome of her life would have been far different if she were as quick to judge as some of the others in her herd had been. She would have met her end along with them on the edge of the desert. She never would have gotten the opportunity to meet the true Shahan – the one who was so veiled in cruelty and rumor that the whole of the kingdom had grown to fear him. No, Najya knew better than to judge. There was simply too much to lose. And regardless of how things ended up, she could not regret any moment of her life.

She often found herself wishing that the course of events had unfolded differently. Wishing that she had more time to spend with her family and the stallion she had come to love. But the past was something concrete and untouchable. The future was uncertain, but also undetermined. All that she had was the present. And paying too much attention to the past or to the future would rob her of that present moment. So with this in mind, she kept her thoughts from straying.

“Thor,” It was the first time she had heard her own voice in many months. The sound of it was unfamiliar in her own ears – somewhat horse and scratchy after such an extended period of disuse. She offered a small smile to the large bay stallion and she cleared her throat before continuing. “It is good to meet you. I am Najya.” It was only then that such a profound sense of relief washed over the little mare that it nearly stole the breath from her lungs. She had done it.

She wasn’t alone any more.

“Helovia,” she mused, aloud, testing the name of this place she had stumbled into. It was not a name that had come up in any of the stories passed between her people, nor had it come up in any of the legends told by the elders. A new place. A fresh start. Out of reach of those that who would wish her harm.

And it was only the span of a heartbeat before another echoed the name. Najya turned to find a tall, pale mare with mismatched eyes and hair that looked like it was dipped in blood. The little desert mare had never met a unicorn before, though she knew very well that such creatures existed. However seeing and believing were two very different things.

Najya dipped her head in greeting. “Ophelia – I am Najya. It is very good to meet you as well.” The desert mare was happy to find that her two new companions seemed to be acquainted with each other. Having fled from a place of war, she was eager to leave behind the conflict and the bloodshed if at all possible.

Something that Ophelia mentioned, the name of her home, stuck out to Najya. Aurora Basin. Was this the place where the lights in the sky touched the earth like in the legends? Were other legends born here? Was that why she had found this place? It was more than enough to pique her curiosity. However, she decided to hold her tongue for the time being. There were more pressing questions to address, and perhaps Thor and Ophelia could assist her with them.

“If you live in the north, Ophelia – where is it that you live, Thor? Forgive me, all I know of this place is what’s visible from where we stand and I’m very curious to learn more. I know nothing Helovia, yet I intend to stay here.” Her gaze flicked between the two, hazel eyes alight with something for the first time in many moons.

She had forgotten how it felt to live.

Najya

oh the desert dreams of a river that will run down to the sea,
like my heart longs for an ocean to wash down over me