I am many things

Oh! How the words filled her with such joy! This was just like how fairy tales began, wasn't it? Sure it was! Shrouded in mist and mystery, the queen appears to the young prince and princess...She didn't know what a Weyrleader was, but certainly she knew queen; just as she thought! And how could she not have immediately known the dark mare to be a queen? Her beauty was indescribable, and her voice! No, her name! It was all too much, simply too perfect, that Raeden thought she must be dreaming. But if she was, let her die in her sleep, for this moment was perfect.

As Mirage extended her muzzle to the pale child, Rae held her breath, silently ever so thankful that Ru had forced her to bathe this morning. She supposed she smelled of pine and water, of the Woods were she lived. Would the Queen be able to identify the smell? Would she cast her out, knowing that she was of mixed-blood, living in some common forest? She breathed in the Queen's own scent, as her soft muzzle brushed against Rae. With her sea-green eyes cast downwards, Rae watched with great curiosity as the dragon perched near Mirage's feet. Blinking, for she had never seen a dragon before this day, Rae exhaled a breath of awestruck wonder.

As the dark mare spoke again, Rae's silver-flecked gaze rose to fall with adoring sincerity upon Mirage. As the DragonHeart referred to her as a princess, she felt as though she might swoon. The words seemed to inflate her little heart within her chest, causing her to feel a level of happiness and excitement that never before had she experienced in her short life. A princess! Then, all at once, the facade came crashing down around her. The bright light of youthful jubilant dulled from her gaze, as she lowered her muzzle towards the ground. Her small ears folded back, as if ashamed or embarrassed, and the little would-be princess huffed a staggered sigh. "I am Raeden my Queen. But I am not princess...I..." With a quick inhalation, as if she might start to cry, the little dove's lower lip puckered out as she frowned sadly. "I live in the Woods." Ashamed, Rae lowered her muzzle more. Surely it wouldn't do to lie to a Queen, especially so close to the cliffs, and yet the words tore at Rae's heart to speak them. Surely the little prince she had only moments ago danced with, would never speak to her again, and the queen? Would she tel Rae to leave and never come back?

Or maybe...

As the idea struck her mind, Rae's small crown rose sharply, her opalescent horn glinting with a rainbow sheen in the moonlight. "But maybe I could stay here? With you?" She asked, her gaze wide with youthful wonder and innocence. "I..I.." Frowning, she tried to think what possibly she could offer the Queen which might allow her to stay. "I have magic?" She offered hesitantly, frowning again. Softly, her eyes lowered back to the ground, and to Akaith. "Don't make me go back to the Woods.." Rae whispered softly.