The softening rays of spring warped the hard shadows of winter’s remains. They fell in an out of the treeline as you wandered again into territories unbeknownst to you. When you were much younger, your mother had seen to your safety, but now that you had grown old enough, you were your own guardian. You made your own decisions, exacted your own ills, and delighted in what little success your fruits scarcely afforded. However, that freedom was meaningful to your cause. It kept you moving forward when the bleak umbrella of doubt started to shield your view of divine hope.

But what had a child to worry her darling head about? It seemed a silly notion in lieu of your age, yet you had witnessed shame and embarrassment at the hands of your mother, who had suffered a similar fate at the hands of her own.

At some point in your young life, you had stopped trying to explain her absences to those who asked, and instead found that hiding from the many questions was an easier feat than facing them. In doing so, you had discovered your first task: become courageous. Your newfound courage had led you on quite the adventure into the unknown, but none of your fears were to be seen outside the vast borders of Helovia. In fact, your return had been more difficult than you could ever care to admit to anyone… even yourself.

Yet, as you floundered through the violet thistle of the meadow aptly named for the sparse nettle, you we plagued by an ever-growing sense of guilt. Where was your mother now? Where did you plan to go?

In the depths of your contemplation you failed to notice the muted shadows of the colt up above. In fact, it wasn’t until the boy had landed in a flurry of feathers and gangly limbs that you were of mind enough to pay him any attention. Of course, at that point, you couldn’t quite ignore his surprised crash landing or the deep auburn halo of his hair.

Though you were not yet close enough to address him, you faltered in your intentions, fearful that you would startle him or simply humiliate him after such a blustery entrance. Instead, you watched him from afar, clearing your throat until it had become painfully parched, before roughly calling to him, “Are you- are you alright?” Your voice broke mid sentence (betraying your normally sanguine nature), but you pursued an obvious approach thereafter. You had decided to break the barrier between passerby and curious onlooker before plunging headfirst into his narrowed universe. For the first time in a while you had decided to submerge yourself in someone else. "Looks like you came in a little hot there..." you spared laughingly. You hadn't seen another creature so unabashed as Vastra until now and it was something of a relief after so much dread and worry.

Gyda