The ocean mare is somewhere near the medic’s cave when Mesec approaches the Basin’s borders. She ambles between the cave and the greenhouse, sorting through the herbs and sprigs that have been gathered throughout the seasons, discarding of the old ones and making room for their fresh replacements. It is a basic (but important) task, one that she has done countless of times before—and therefore one that doesn’t require a whole lot of thought. As sapphire lips sort through stems of all-heal and pieces of comfrey root, her mind is tangled in recent events, writhing in a mess that refuses to make sense.

The four parallel gouges across her right cheek and down the right side of her neck are lathered with a salve she had mixed earlier that day. Although she possesses the magic to heal the wounds and leave her skin perfectly unblemished, Tiamat finds herself wanting them to heal naturally. It is a much slower process, and pain still sears with every wrong movement, but something about this is important to the blue maiden. Every aching spasm reminds her of how they had been betrayed, and of the anger (so foreign and new to the fragile Mender) that had raged through her shuddering frame. Perhaps her wounds are a self-inflicted punishment for reveling in such a hateful emotion, or perhaps she keeps it as a key to a door she’s just discovered.

Tiamat isn’t sure which possibility scares her more.

Nimue, all the while, hovers close to her bondmate. It is the first time that the little whale has experienced pain since she had hatched, and through their mental connection, Tiamat can tell that Nimue is just as shaken as she is herself. Suddenly their world is changing. Suddenly their glass hearts are pricked by the poisonous needle of bitterness and betrayal and agony—and the ocean mare fears that it is spreading to darken the light she has always held so dear. (Where is the goodness? Where is the mercy?)

When Mesec calls out across the frozen valley, it comes as a welcomed distraction for the oceanic pair. Braiding an extra sprig of mint among the seaweed in her hair, Tiamat pivots on dainty heels towards the borders, wincing only slightly as the motion pulls at her injuries. Nimue, ever concerned with her bonded’s wellbeing, whistles a low and anxious sound, brushing tenderly against the lower part of the mare’s shoulder. Tiamat smiles, returning the affection with a nuzzle of velvety lips.

The stallion’s winged frame is haloed by the distant-setting sun, but it doesn’t take long for the blue maiden to recognize him. “Mesec!” She calls out to him happily, picking up a jog to close the last bit of distance between them. Reaching the black stallion, she goes to wrap her neck around him in an embrace, but wincing from the pain, she opts to bury her face into his shoulder instead, leaning against him. It is an intimate greeting, perhaps even one to make him uncomfortable, but Tiamat is a character with little inhibition. Mesec’s familiarity is a haven—with her world so tragically shaken the past few days, it is something she soaks in.

“My dear friend, what brings you to the Basin? I hope all is well?” There is a smile on her face when she pulls away from him, white eyes looking up beneath her long lashes to read his expression. That is when she notices the tiny fox pup on his head. On his head! How adorable is that?! Tiamat laughs softly, glancing up to the kitsune with eyes as piercing as her bonded’s. “And hello there little one! Aren’t you adorable,” she quirks her head to the side, her smile deepening. Curious about the multi-tailed pup, Nimue eyes the creature, looking around the mare’s shoulder as she emits a low whistle.


“Speech.”