I hear the birds calling out in their love language during their twisting dances but for once, clear eyes do not turn excitedly to them. All my life winged creatures have fascinated me but the idea of uncovering previously hidden wings on this chimera intrigues me more than even the birds…the birds whom the majority of my life I have conversed with. His brusque, perhaps harsh, words reach out to me and to my shame I flinch a hairsbreadth away and ignore the question. Fear that his pride may chafe the way this horrible cord does imprisons my tongue as focus is forced to the task. As the cord begins to fray my excitement over his status as a pegasus  begins to grow and obsessively ordered thoughts begin to fall to the floor of my brain. Just one touch…a single feather.

Cerulean eyes gleam in ardent desire to stroke newfound feathers with darkened lips.

I begin to scramble as lips tempt all known reason and stretch over the cord stopping millimeters from a freed feather. Lids slide closed even as my mouth is dragged back to its task and ivories resume gnawing until as last I feel it give and slide down. Indolently hooves carry my slender frame a few steps away to the lost girl’s bitter disappointment. I can see her face, a younger version of mine, as she chokes back a sob and never before have I felt so thoroughly broken. Chest tightens uncomfortably for the first time in too long to measure; charcoal feet slide further away. Eyes turn to Hildegunn in barely concealed uncertainty but she appears to be so intent on her examination of the now ruined binding I doubt she notices. Thankfully the stallion’s eyes seem to remain closed while curtains are drawn over the room where the broken girl cries.

Auds prick forward as the lilting language flows into a tattered brain.

Pitch-black head dips down in agreement, features carefully masked in the life-saving neutrality I wear so frequently. I watch as he moves from our group to stretch out those gloriously bird-like wings and as he does so my feet slide forward a fraction involuntarily; a slight spark returning to now clouded eyes. He calls out announcing his name Sean and posing a question. Before I respond to his jumbled pronunciation of Helovia I look at Hildegunn and speak, “Hildegunn” to draw her attention. Gesturing with a half-socked leg I continue, “This is Sean” and lips curl upward in a slight smile enjoying the sound of his name on my tongue. The nameless is now named. Cerulean gaze returns to Sean and the barely formed smile grows at the thought of saying his name a second time. “It is nice to finally know your name. As for this land, it is called Helovia.” I stop here for a breath and to sort through the files in my mind of all the locations I have been to or at least heard of. “I have not heard of it. Is that where you are from, Sean?” A small mental thrill at the name rolling off a pink tongue.

Charcoal hooves step toward him as sparked eyes peer markedly at three-hued wings and the sobs of a broken girl ease into silent admiration.

Just one touch…a single feather…


"speech"

OOC: