| Aurora Basin Phantom atk: 7.5 | def: 10 | dam: 2.5 |
| Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16 hh :: 8 yrs HP: 60.0 | Buff: NOVICE |
| Glo |
There was something oddly cathartic about splashing in the stream like a child. Roland let the tensions in his mind float away as he focused on the water, catching the auburn flash of his own face against the reflection of green lights rolling across the surface. Lena sent a wave of ripples against his side as she brushed past him, dancing weightlessly against the current. The water felt cool against Roland’s side, washing away the mildew that clung to his skin and lingered in the air. Her voice cut through the silence as she drew up beside him, brushing her shoulder against his, and he quieted to listen to her speak over the lilting cadence of the stream.
Her question caught him off guard. For a moment, he’d been so caught up in watching the water that he’d forgotten completely about their earlier conversation. He curved his neck, looking down upon her face and the water droplets running from her hair, jewels flickering in the weak green light. She had found him, wandering in the darkness and for all purposes, lost; had cast a radiant light upon the shadowed walls and sewn the threads of misery and desperation into hope, belief, faith- some prospect of optimism wound into the midst of their stagnation. He shifted against the force of the water and the brush of her shoulder, nervous for some reason that he couldn’t place. Was there anything she could do for him? Did she not realize she’d done enough?
Without her, he would have merely stood upon the bank and cast weary glances at his reflection, falling into the pitfall of his own melancholy, his tedious thoughts, his apprehensions and doubts, and let the sadness sweep him away with the stream’s current, pressing now against his chest and legs. He didn’t mind being alone from time to time, but being lonely was an entirely different matter. It was no surprise, given his swindling, his habit of distancing himself from others in order to find their weaknesses and exploit them. In forging charisma from his lack of integrity, he often felt utterly, profoundly alone.
But he had done what he could for her, to distract from the wraiths, the corruption, and the loss of their home. It was gratifying to see her smile. He could lie and manipulate and deceive, but with the knowledge required to do those things also came the ability to soothe, to play into what little confidence he had and reassure her, with the same certainty he adopted when being dishonest. It felt a little false, but in encouraging her to hope for the best, he found himself believing his own words. Still, there was no need for her to be in his debt, to feel she must return the favour. His care was not something that required payment, but something given freely. He needed nothing more from her than her company, her laughter, her contagious joy. “Nothing you haven’t already done,” he replied somberly, searching for her dark gaze with a fond smile. No sooner had the words left his mouth then Lena had returned to her playfulness, rising upwards through the water and colliding with its surface with a formidable splash.
Roland braced himself as the waves sent forth from her hooves rolled against his side, water splashing into his face and rolling down the length of his nose in a steady stream. He blinked it out of his eyes and tossed the droplets from his mane with a laugh, churning the rocks beneath his hooves in a halfhearted attempt to escape from her reach. He drifted towards the bank, brushing his flank against the earth and grass before turning to face her and pawing at the water in a poorly aimed, half hearted attack. “Thank you,” he added belatedly, hoping it wasn’t out of place to say. She had done more for him already than she seemed to think.
@[Lena]
Push your luck if it makes you a promise
that turns con men honest.
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Image Credit
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