@Kiri --

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The story the girl describes is an unfortunate one, my stomach sinking at the idea of losing your entire family without realizing, a sudden and swift punch to the gut upon the realization that you are completely alone— trapped in a foreign land you have never heard of, in a place far, far away from anything familiar to you. I furrow my brows in tandem with her tale, ears sliding back and stomach twisting at the idea. How was she so held together? Had I been in her place, I would have found myself a pitiful disaster, a sensitive body falling apart, collapsing as my world came crashing down before me. How do you go on after that?

And I stiffen then, realizing that I had lost my entire family, not so suddenly, not swept out from under me— but gradually. It was a grueling process, starting with the disappearance of my sister, I have almost forgotten her completely, but some part of me clings to the faintest memories of her in hope that some day I will see her again. And following that, my mother, Aurelia, who I have such a faint grasp of, who almost never existed to me at all but in the hushed moans of Momma on late nights when she could only sob. And then Momma herself, gone because her will to carry the burden of another life when her own was just too heavy, faded and was washed away by her sorrows— her leaving was the most painful, it was a gradual process, where she began to move away from me little by little, reject me and turn away from my needs. Then, she left— and with her went every bit of hope and love and joy in my life, every beaming smile and awe inspiring description of the world she saw. She left behind an emptiness nothing could not fill.

The sympathy washes over me, the knowing how it feels to be utterly alone, I yearn to comfort her and tell her that perhaps there is still hope for her yet— but how could I say that, when I have let go of hope long ago?

“Magic, perhaps?” It is the only plausible explanation, that she was brought here on a whim by some unseen force, by a higher power whisking her away and into a whole new world filled with a new language and culture (how terrifying). “I wouldn't know why, but I'm sure it's possible. There's surely a way to get you home.” It's all I have to offer, as far as I can go to comfort the foreign mare, because despite my desperate need for knowledge, I have little to offer. My elusiveness is paying the price, with my withdrawal from society costing me, spending a moment wishing I'd ventured out of the Throat and gathered whatever I could rather than pitying myself endlessly. I could not console this stranger any more, frustrated that I cannot offer her anything more.

I shake my head, although flattered that she believes I am some deity, it is wrong. I am far from such, no spectacular powers to showcase or vast wisdom to display for the lost woman. “No, I am not any god either. Just a boy.” A useless one at that. It would be no surprise if the foreigner chose to pursue Manon in the Edge than follow me back to the Throat. I'm nothing of a social butterfly or friendly face, nor a charmer or really anything special at all. Huh.

I clear my throat, swallowing the self pity and feelings of worthlessness (they'll come back later). “As Manon said, it is best to first start with a name before deciding what path to walk.” For there are many, and we only represent two of the infinite numbers she could choose to follow.
“talk talk talk.”