and so it goes, we found our sweet disaster

The Thief had visited the Rotunda throughout her stay in Helovia, through various points in her life. For some reason, she was always drawn to the beautiful marble columns and the way the stained glass cascaded colored light upon the ground and the world around her. So many things had happened here for her, each one vivid and just as bright as the stained glass’ creations. From when she first came across Rohan and he admired her in her naïve state of uncertainty to when she fought with the Prince of the Basin – a spar that inevitably left her in pain for many days and nights afterward, remembering how hard her shoulder had collided with the stone that made up the very building she loved; to when she met Alysanne and Ampere and they bickered and spoke of lost love. Oh, if only she knew how stupid and naïve she was all this time. To think that Tembovu didn’t love her was wrong, and despite how many arguments, harsh words and punishments, the Thief would always be drawn to the Elephant King like a moth was to flame.

And so she continued on, ashen dipped hooves carrying her ivory and gold body along the marble. Her hide twitching as it came in contact with the surprisingly cool feeling of the building as she sought out the steps. Her hooves clicked with the stone as she made her way into the very building that felt more like a recollection of her heart – something so beautiful, so strong, and yet so easily breakable. A soft sigh slipped past Rexanna as her oceanic gaze looked up to the colored fragments of glass, feeling the heat of Tallsun as it slipped across her back and glinted off the golden chains that lined her body from head to toe. It was times like these that she felt as though she was alone, her children off on their own way refusing to stay confined to the icy fortress of her home, nothing demanding her attention back home. It was a never ending cycle of wanted to be wanted, but never actually being needed. And the gilded mare was growing sick of it.

She flicked her dual toned tail against her ashen hocks as she lowered her head. Ears flickering as she heard the little pitter patter of paws as they skirted across the stone. Her companion Marembo had been out searching for food, returning ever so diligently to his bonded. She passed him a soft smile as he squeaked and skipped his way over to her, his stomach full and his eyes bright and blue with content. The polecat was much like his bonded, perhaps a bit inverted. The creature was much like a ferret, black with golden dapples and a white mask along his tiny weasel-like face. Rexanna thought she knew what unconditional love was before coming across the tiny egg the creature had hatched from – but she had been wrong all her life. Never did she experience so much love like the one her companion always gave her, and it was something that was at least worth living for. He made her happy when she was having her darkest days, and despite his small size he often did his best to protect her. He’d do anything for her, and likewise, she would for him. The Thief only hoped it never came to that point. "What did you get for lunch, Remy?" She asked him quietly, lowering her head to the floor of the structure so the polecat could climb his way up her face and onto her neck. In response, the polecat squeaked and sent flashes of the lizards he had caught nearby the Rotunda.

"Talk."

in a river of champagne—

swimming through the morning after.

Rexanna