Standing with her front hooves at the edge of the cliff the grey mare watched the assault upon rocks below her mind lost to the wind. The churning of the water was in a way mesmerizing to watch for you could never keep track of anything that lay within. The power of the water could easily sweep away anything that happened to fall beyond the surface leaving it lost for all of eternity. Her thoughts felt as jumbled as the whirlpool vortexes, she was unsure where one started and another ended. Gazing over her shoulder to the two bodies that lay curled by one of the large oaks, she sighed softly wishing that things could have been different. While she would never regret giving life to her twins, she would always regret falling for someone when she should have known better in the first place. The pain would never fade away completely at being used and abandoned but she could only hope that the future might change her outlook on it all.

Watching her boys sleep peacefully helped to soothe her worries about things but she could not push away the feeling that she had somehow failed the two of them. They were being forced to grow up without a father in their life to teach them how to be a gentleman and all the other things that she just couldn't teach them. She was trying her best but she feared that it would never amount to what they needed in these early years. Turning her head back to the sea she allowed the breeze to wash away her thoughts and just try and forget for awhile. A call sounded across the wind causing her to turn her head in the direction of the sound. Why did the voice sound so familiar? Reluctantly she took a step back from the edge before wandering towards the border where the stranger awaited.

Confident that her colts would not wander far should they awake and not find her there with them she was able to focus on the strange familiarity of whoever had called out. Emerging onto the scene the lone stallion stood patiently to await anyone who might show up to answer his call. At first he appeared to be a stranger but as she got closer things clicked into place. "Lace?" It had been numerous months since she had seen or heard from him. What had happened to cause his lengthy absence? Their former leader had always seemed like a dedicated ruler in her eyes, his disappearance had been a shock for many including herself. Surely something had to have happened to draw him away...right?



Brisa talks
Aeolus talks
Levex talks

The queen wandered the lands, replaying her conversation with the Lady Moon in her head over and over again. It was ok. The snake's death was not her fault, it was Aurelia's fault. Aurelia challenged Kahlua. Aurelia never should have brought the young snake into the fray. Aurelia should have known to stop and seek medical attention for her companion instead of continuing her childish fight for leadership. Aurelia, Aurelia, Aurelia. It was her fault, not Kahlua's. The queen just had to keep telling herself that, because the more she said it the more it became the truth, the more she could believe it, the more she could live with herself instead of call herself murderess and sneak into the shadows. Yes... what she had done had been unforgivable, but it had not been her fault. And, when she began to think of what punishments she deserved, she thought of Evangeline. Queens do not lie with dogs.

But she was distracted from her thoughts when a call came from her borders, filling the forest. A sound.... no. She shook her head in disbelief. It wasn't. There was no way. And yet... The queen's curiosity overtook her and she headed towards the border. She arrived just moments after Brisa, the stallion's name falling from the nurse's lips, the name that Kahlua had not dared to think while she had traveled to this place. Lace. She stopped short, just looking at him. He had been her teacher, then her friend, then her king. As she looked at him now, she was a wreck of emotions and she did not know how to sort any of them out.

She was glad- elated, exuberant, enamored- at his return. He had been kind to her, taught her, guided her in her pursuits of crafting. She had enjoyed his company, had gladly called him king when he had risen to the throne and yet... King was not his title now. It belonged to Kaj. Was he here to try to reclaim it? But worse (because she had faith in Kaj's abilities as a warrior), was Mirage back? The dragon queen was... Kahlua shook her head, instantly seeing her demise in the mists that surrounded them all. But Kahlua looked around and she saw no hint of the shadowy mare, none of the darkness that used to follow her like magic, no golden scales glinting in the sunlight. It was only Lace, and so her fears subsided somewhat and she began to smile.

“My friend, we've missed you,” she cooed to him as she closed what distance remained, extending her nose to him, attempting to press it against his neck, to welcome him home without anger at his disappearance. The queen did not mind. Destrier had just returned as well and he had already integrated back into life in the herd. Stepping back, nodding to Brisa in greeting, Kahlua returned her blue gaze to the stallion and willed the wind to blow, to swirl about them, to let Lace know that the Lady Moon still loved him and would welcome him into the herd again. “How are you? What has kept you from us?” And then, softer, because the question still hinted in the back of her mind... “Have you seen Mirage?”

The shock of seeing the highly decorated stallion again left her at a loss for words for a couple moments before another appeared upon the scene to greet Lace home. From the corner of her eye she caught the familiar blur of black and white as her lovable friend and queen came to properly welcome their friend home. She had likely looked more like a deer stuck in headlights than a welcoming sight to be seen. Lace and herself were never really close friends before the darkness had come upon them and she had often wondered if he thought of her as a friend or more of an annoyance. Regardless those times were behind them all now and preferably they would stay there. She for one had lived through enough of the horror story for one lifetime to have the wraiths return again.

Snapping herself out of her shocked stance a friendly smile lifted her expression into a more joyous one to suit the occasion. Wickering her greeting aloud she carried herself forward to be by their former king's side. Mimicking Kahlua's actions she too extended her muzzle towards Lace to touch his neck as she listened him speak. Fajira twisted and turned happily over the stallion's back seeming equally as happy to see them as her bonded making her chuckle before she turned to greet her as well. There had been a time she had not really liked the scaly creatures otherwise known as dragons but they had really begun to grow on her. Turning her back ever so slightly to allow the dragon to perch upon her back if she wished to.

The pain behind the Silverthorn's words was unmistakable and it pained her to hear it so evident as he told of his encounters since he had disappeared. She could only imagine the horror of coming down with the terrible plague, she did not even want to think about it. Maybe it was the mother coming out in her at last or just sympathy for everything he had been though but she wished that she could somehow help him make it all go away. "We are all just glad that you are alright! You had us all worried." Looking over to Kahlua she smiled so glad to see her best friend smiling once again especially after everything that had happened over the last couple months.

The talk of Mirage was a little beyond her but she listened anyway trying to piece together Lace's story as she went along. Mirage had always been around but she had never gotten the chance to know much about their former queen before the dreaded darkness had swallowed the land. It was a huge relief that neither of her colts were alive back then to have to experience such horrible things. Hopefully none of them would ever have to again for that matter!



Brisa talks
Aeolus talks
Levex talks

Pressing against Lace, in some ways, felt like coming home. He had been one of the first to greet her in the herd and every memory of her herd, as a whole, had Lace as a part of them. Even in the times when he had left them, wandered away, questioned whether he belonged in the Edge or elsewhere, Kahlua had understood. She so often felt like a caged bird, trapped, and she too needed freedom. She had never blamed the handsome grullo for his disappearances. Yes, the Edge was characterized as much by Lace as it had been by Mirage.

The exuberant cry from Lace's familiar white companion drew the queen from her thoughts. For a moment, in her surprise, Kahlua winced away from the dragon's approach, memories of her murder of Aurelia's snake still too fresh in her mind to be entirely comfortable. But the withdrawal was quick and brief, and she welcomed the dragon's presence on her back in the end. Still, her look was sad as she turned to watch the joyous creature jump from her back to Brisa's. But she shook the thought away, trying again to remember what Eva and the Moon Goddess had told her. It was just hard sometimes.

But the conversation picked up again, and Kahlua giving a knowing frown to her friend as he retold his story. So he had turned too. “You were stronger than I was, to be able to leave. I attacked poor Luken, and many others... Lena from the Basin saved me. Thank the gods for her song.” And she stopped speaking for a moment to hum the melody that Lena had sang for her, a song that she remembered so well, that had saved her from the pure evil that had invaded her body. She had been nothing more than a beast in those hours and days, a wretched creature not deserving of life. She was as lucky as Lace that their herd was forgiving. Kahlua had endangered them all.

But then it was Lace's turn to remember something he did not want to, a plaque that blackened his heart. Kahlua was sorry to have brought it up at all, since it caused him to inch away, but she had to know. It sickened the queen that she was almost happy to know he knew nothing of Mirage, but she was a jealous creature and she had worked so hard... Still, as much as the Moon Goddess had offered her favor at the Veins, Kahlua was certain that the violet deity loved Mirage more. As for the twins... she felt no ill will towards them. A smile brightened her face again.

“Amaris just returned as well!” She did not know Tandavi, so she could not comment on the child. “Oh Lace... everything has been different, but it seems like things are finally returning to normal. It will be so much better now that you're back. You are staying with us, right?” And though she phrased it as a question, the queen felt that she knew the answer. After all, where else would he go? He belonged here... at least, that is what her heart told her. She turned kindly to Brisa, adding on, “You'll have to meet Brisa's twins with me, I'm afraid I've yet to greet them properly.” She wasn't much for children, but a friend was a friend and she did feel terrible that she hadn't yet made it to see them. Hopefully Brisa would understand.

As the conversation developed between the trio to discuss things that the grey could only faintly understand she was beginning to feel more and more as if Kahlua and Lace might be better without her presence. Much of the herds politics had not been of significance to her back then but it was times like this that she wished she had paid more attention. Then again there was no way for everyone to know everything so her lacking could be seen as normal perhaps? Gahh who was she kidding, normal just wasn't her and she quite liked being the clueless airhead on the odd occasion.

As the tone moved to that of a happier note she was relieved to finally be able to potentially contribute something again to the conversation. It had never really occurred to her that the stallion standing next to her would chose to call anywhere but the Edge home. It had always been the norm for her to see him around and know that he was a part of their extended family. Seeing him with another band just seemed wrong to her in a way, it was just too much of a change that she was unwilling to believe. The tiny parts that resembled their happiness only a few months before seemed to be disappearing before her eyes and she was reluctant to let them go and scared to admit to it. While Lace's answer was reasonable enough she fought back the urge to argue the point and make him stay. Change was hard to accept but she had no place to question his motives for wanting to remain unbound.

"I can't speak for everyone else but things will be strange without you here." She commented gently with a soft smile. Looking over to Kahlua as she once again spoke she felt colour rise in her cheeks at the mention of her and her twins. While she wasn't embarrassed by her babies she still felt the foreign nature of being referred to as a mother catch her off guard. The situation leading up to their surprise arrival was nothing short of embarrassment and betrayal on her behalf but only a few select individuals knew the story of what had happened. Leaving those thoughts locked away she turned back to Kahlua. "You have been busy with everything else there is no worries with not having met them yet. Both of you can come visit them anytime you have a spare minute." Chuckling softly she batted her tail towards Kahlua playfully. She knew all too well how responsibilities took up majority of your spare time, the most important things must come first.

Come to think of it, if Lace was to meet Aeolus and Levex it would be the first time they would have met another stallion. The feeling of regret surfaced knowing somehow it was her fault they did not have a father. It will be good for them to meet another male that is a part of their family to at least know not all stallions are such traitors. Neither of them had mentioned anything about who their father was so for now she could keep the truth from them. She had no idea how she was going to explain that later on to them but that was a worry for another day.


Brisa talks
Aeolus talks
Levex talks

The queen had never considered the alternative to her question, that Lace would not want to stay here in the draconian forest that he belonged in. For it was so clear to her that he did belong here. But it seemed that it was not so clear to lace. He didn't know? She was confused and the sudden frown on her face told the story plainly. What about the Edge was not to love? But his story explanation went on, Kahlua could only sigh? Did he really think them so petty? Did he even know that she was queen now? She wasn't as gracious as Brisa in accepting the news.

“But Lace, Kaj and I, we can find something for you to do, help you stay busy, find you a position on our council. We need another Glazier...” But soon enough she trailed off, sighing, trying to remain composed. She supposed that arguing would not fix anything and Lace appeased her soon enough. She nodded eagerly in response, her childish upset turning into a happy smile. So many had asked to rest just across their borders and had come to stay in the herd for much longer.

“Oh Lace,” she cooed contentedly. “You're always welcome across our borders, no matter what happens. I hope you find what you need,” she added, hoping in her heart that what he needed was right here in the mists. At least the heavy conversation was interrupted by happier notes and talks of Brisa's family. “Well let's walk and find them, then,” she suggested contentedly enough, hoping to bring their conversation into the interior of the Edge. After all, Lace need not stand at the borders like a stranger. She nodded her head inwards and prepared to step off if Lace desired to walk with them.

Anything to take her mind off the idea that he might not stay with them after basically rising from the grave.


@[Brisa]

With the given responses from each of them it was clear that neither of the two mares were particularly happy with Lace's announcement that he may or may not come back home. While she managed to contain her disappointment from years of practice her painted friend voiced her concerns aloud. It was understandable for Kahlua to feel this way but from the sounds of it there were much deeper connections between the pair than what she had first thought. Perhaps something between them in the past before she had arrived and become part of the herd? Shrugging it off she knew that she must accept that she would never know everything about her family, nor was she meant to. Everyone had their own secrets hidden away from the rest of the world whether it be resentments, fear or a combo of many. This was the nature of the world, everyone lies.

Turning to follow Kahlua when she insisted of tracking down her twins she was grateful for the distraction and change of topic. There was only so much that she could take in one day before feeling as if she was going insane. Turning an ear as Lace's voice spoke again this time to her she turned her eyes to him briefly before answering his simple questions. "They are only a couple weeks old now but already quite the handful, two colts makes for a fun time." Chuckling in good humor she let her mothering love for her colts through. As for the father proud wouldn't be the term she would have selected, more like the deadbeat traitorous father who would never know his boys. " I wouldn't say proud considering he left before they were a sure thing and has not been seen since. Their father couldn't care that they existed, but the name you will likely recognize as Note." She replied a little bitterly but not directed towards Lace.

As they walked along in silence for a couple steps she nickered loudly knowing that the twins were nearby, well that is where she had left them at least. Listening she finally heard their anxious replies as they followed her voice to where she was not really liking that she was not there with them. Long legs broke through the bushes as both Aeolus and Levex came bounding over to her eagerly the mist swirling at their feet. Extending her neck as they half collided into her she lipped affectionately at their coats glad to see they had not gotten into any trouble for the few minutes she was away. Turning to Kahlua and Lace she smiled as she watched both boys exchange glances before taking hesitant steps towards their new friends. " This here is Levex and Aeolus, they haven't met too many others yet so they may be a little shy." She introduced touching each colt's rump as she said their names. "Boys I want you to meet Kahlua and Lace, they are part of your family as well."

Pulling their small wings close to their tiny frames both colts each took a few hesitant steps closer with curiosity and big bright inquisitive eyes. Both of them looked completely different, Levex with his dual tone orbs, buckskin coat and shoulder markings while Aeolis was more of a pinky grey tone with white brindling, golden wings, and gold coloured point extremities. Aeolus had inherited her icy blue eyes while Levex had one blue eye and one green eye.





Brisa talks
Aeolus talks
Levex talks

Silly queens and silly hearts do not know what strains they lay upon their friends when they ask of them what cannot be given. But at least Kahlua was at peace now, convinced that Lace would come to stay permanently with them, given enough time to think it over. She did not know how wrong she was, of course, but time had a way of healing all wounds. After all, even the death of Shilva was not just an inkling of a thought that dipped into her conscious mind ever now and again. Over the weeks, months, and years, even Lace’s abandonment of the draconian forest would become less of slight against her, and more of something that she could accept.

And as she passed the wall with Lace, delicately picking her way through the shards that they had yet to clear away, she turned her head away from the thing. Lace had dreamed it in the night and she had made it a reality, but of all the things she had made, she hated this wall the most. The way Lace hated the thought of staying here without Mirage, Kahlua hated the thought of chains and bars and prisons. Had he seen her that day, when he had trapped her within, and she had cried for him to let her out? Had he known what sort of evil he had caused to brew within her heart? But no, perhaps not, he had only been protecting his family. And so she did not blame that day on him, but it haunted her dreams still.

But at least the conversation turned to Brisa, away from thoughts of walls, and Kahlua listened patiently. She knew their age and she knew that there was a question of who the father might be. Had her friend ever figured it out? Her question was answered, but not the way she had hoped it. “Oh, Brisa,” she sighed softly, though she had little to add. She had not seen Note since the battle, a crying shame since they had been intending to promote him. But at least Brisa seemed strong and determined, prepared to raise the foals on her own, and Kahlua softly reprimanded herself for not offering to help more. She was no lover of children, but she should not ignore her friend’s needs either.

And so, as the winged children appeared, Kahlua tried to forget that children were as much chains and prisons as glass walls were. She smiled, lowered her head to their level, and then laughed to see their cautious approach. “Hello friends,” she cooed softly. “How do you like the Edge?”


@[Brisa]- I’m the worst, so sorry for the delay!! After vacation, I was having a hard time getting back into this thread, but I found my muse :D