Of course she had offered to go with him. If anyone thought Meg would let her dearest friend face this trial alone after he had already been so broken these past weeks then they could not know her true heart. It had killed her not to go to him when he first arrived at the meeting. Megaera had been trying to be a good sultana, marshaling the healers, settling disputes but all that had seemed so petty and unimportant when Cera, weeping the black tar of this lung infection, had come and stood upon the outskirts. It was the distance that had her heart breaking for him; that he would stand so far from her, so dejected and depressed, and seek no comfort when she was right there had torn her apart. Didn’t he know her heart by now? Didn’t he know that she would never abandon her friend?

Meg did of lot of thinking during their journey to the wild blue landscape of the Veins of the Gods. It shamed her now to remember the anger she had held towards the moon goddess… She did not believe the Moon had been right in her actions but what right did Meg had to be angry when others had known loss and suffered far more that she could ever know. As hard as Megaera’s life had been, she had never lost anyone so dear to her and Cera had, and now the rage over her injured pride seemed so petty and childish compared to his injured heart. Megaera had never been selfish, in fact she had found herself in the discovery of a family to devote her life to, and even her fury would never overcome her love

Every time he stopped, she waited without complaint, in truth she was grateful for the congestion that had started in her lungs was making breathing difficult. Every so often she reached out, sometimes with a wing, sometimes with her muzzle, to press gently into his shoulder. You are not alone. they said Somehow, everything will be alright, though the last one she could not even think with complete confidence. Her friend was placing himself at the mercy of a mysterious and angry goddess, and Meg could not say what shoe thought would happen. She had tried feebly to persuade him against coming here, but it had been clear that he was coming whether his Sultana willed it or no. Still where she could not shield him as a leader, she must support him as a friend.

When they came to the place where the four shrines reached into the sky, Megaera felt a chill run down her spine. Gwaihir joined them from the skies to settle himself on Megs’s back, sending waves of calm to his beloved. The mare watched as her friend approached the stones but remained a respectful distance. He turned back t her, and she smiled, true warmth reaching from her heart toward his eyes and and spoke gently. “I am here. I will not leave you.” She glanced down as little Ilaria curled herself around one of her hooves and then back to Cera. “We will not leave you.” Her voice was steady and strong, even in its most gentle form and she knew that was all she could do for her friend now. As Cera began his prayers the Goddess, Meg bent her head down to give the panda a gentle nuzzle; they were both here for the love of the Golden Prince but could do not more than wait.

And then Goddess came.

Megaera made no movement when the slivery purple form appeared before them, she had been ready, had been waiting for her to come. That didn’t stop the urge to rush forward and throw herself between them, but somehow she mustered the restraint to remain where she was and only stare stone-faced as she watch. What she hadn’t been prepared for was the Goddess’ mockery. Her voice was venom in Meg’s ears, all cruelty and distain, eroding her resolve not to lash out. On her back the felt the sharp pinch of Gwaihir’s talons and herd him whisper in her mind “Focus here. Calm. Protect.” and Meg knew she must listen. The glint in those silvery eyes was dark and dangerous, and Meg knew she could never hope to win against her and to attack now would be her own death sentence but more importantly it could also be Cera’s and Gwaihir’s and Ilaria’s.

Love.

Love.

Love is stronger than hate.

And Megaera remained silent and still. Sun, protect us.