the more people you love
the weaker you are

Romina has come to anticipate countless reactions to her appearance - bodily or otherwise. Shock, snickering, taunting, outright hatefulness. Yet no matter what she prepares herself for, this sort of tremulous, shaken response to her words is...unexpected, to say the least, and her scientific mind trembles with hunger for the reason why. But the child side of her, the beautiful, timorous girl that she generally preserves for family is both wounded and frightened by the intense reaction her words illicit. Did she say something wrong? Was this yet another mare who despised the mere existence of foals? A violent, potentially unhinged mentalist who wished her ill? And suddenly Romina is longing for her brother, for his size and bulk and intimidating aura because she is nothing compared to him. Feels her weakness and fragility keenly as the mare shudders like the quaking earth, revealing things to Romina the child had never anticipated learning when she'd set out that morning.

Still, the woman cries, her salted tears darkening her face into shades of bronze. And Romina cannot stop the pull of her heart that overrides - foolishly, her medical mind hisses at the surge of dopamine and oxytocin that floods through her brain, numbing the logic until she is only capable of being alert and empathetic. Split hooves draw her tentatively nearer, and she drops her antlered head to peer at the woman's face where it lingers by the water. And when the lass jerks her head up, eyes like a wild thing set in a familiar face, Romina backpedals nervously and nearly smacks into the newcomer that comes walking onto the scene.

"Are...are you okay?" the words fumble uncertainly across her tongue, not sure what to ask when the goldenrod mare is displaying such profound distress. The likes of which Romina has never been privy to, having been raised around a mother whose mask is impenetrable, a brother who caters only to her, and a herd that cherishes its secrets too deeply to wear them on their sleeves.

An autumn-colored glance is sent Lyanna's way, and she edges slightly towards the older mare, her logical mind telling her a healer was safer territory. That aligning herself with the painted maiden would grant her safety in numbers and a shield against any potential violence. Because the child she cannot outgrow yet is frightened by Yael's passionate emotions, even as she strives to make it better somehow, simply because she's never encountered someone in such distress. "Do you need something? My herd is up north, the Aurora Basin. Maybe my mom can help you? She's the Lady." It normally comes out far more aristocratic, or her mother would have her head, but she's unsure and out of her element here without Kiada or Ru'in at her side.

Romina