Through orangemoon leaves she used to kick her way, the lights of auburn hue once so wondrous to her gaze, the glistening hardships of suns volatile burn and the breath of winter trailing upon the difference, yet the winter winds seemed so much colder now, now he was not here. She opened her pale orbs, lifting her head as she joined the painful exodus of confusion as she trotted forth on weary foot. She had come so very far, father than she had ever come before, the tongues of fire and destruction a faint ring upon her ears as she knew that never could she drag such vision of death from her mind, its vocals still singing to her, screaming.

A septet of massacre and ruin and amidst it she staggered, the roots seemed so much more constricting to her, the winds bitter embrace to helplessly tossing her forth and upon her despair the heavens wept, a soft rain collapsing amongst the winter taint as it fell, glistening upon the last of the dying light as nights wings unfurled. She remembered him. Through the madness that seemed to be this unfamiliar land she still remembered the times so faintly that ushered away on the single breath of wind, although the event in question died so long ago it still burned, raged against her memories and she in turn sobbed. Bitter tears of denial and hate cascaded forth and baring her teeth she pushed forth. The dead would not return, yet like the sun through the gnarled branches of decay she had come to show such tender affection to the other in question, it seemed so hard to believe that like autumn leaves he disappeared as quickly as he had come. Death in its refined form.

And amongst all that she had lost she still thought only of a ruptured heart, which to her surprise still selfishly beat to the steady thrum of nature’s algorithm, winter, Frostfall. It was so harsh to her snow-stained corpse as she dauntlessly fell beneath the lone sentinel of an oak, the tree whom seemed so frostbitten only further reflected the fae’s morning, her mane collapsed in its form, shrouding her in ice’s bitter embrace and her form almost glittered upon the snow’s sudden taint. The only image in breaking to her reign of alabaster being the shadowed horn upon her head that so valiantly stood tall, its figure a tower, spiralling, collapsing amidst her voluminous features of serenities thrall.
She shifted ebony hooves amidst her shelter, the rains form heavy as it fell in merciless pursuit, hemming her in. “Once there was a time that I believed without hesitation…” she uttered forth, her breath no more than draconic smoke, ruptured by the imperishable frost as the siren of ivory curled her head like the creep of a serpent beneath her tails shroud. “That the power of love and truth would conquer all in the name of salvation…..” her gaze grew swollen with misery as her song collapsed to no more than a low rasp. “Oh how wrong I was sweet winter.” She then fell silent. The fae no longer wishing to sing out her protests, she saw no light. Not anymore.

Yet she wondered upon these mists of fading light if any would ever find her, if she would become no more than a portrait of ivory upon the snow licked lands. ‘No…not like this…steadfast silly fae..steadfast…’ her conscience rang to her with tones of such stern hue and in turn she descended once more to her hooves, her bodice hanging so precarious upon her so dreamlike form as if all she could see was no more than an essence of a lucid collapse of frost breathed surrealism.

‘one hoof before the other silly fae. Gather your burdens and tread forth.’ Yet she stood fast, her head turning to face the shaded way she had come ‘There is no life for you there silly fae…steadfast…’ she felt upon such moment that she was no more than a gypsy’s creation trapped upon the fates of a crystal ball, existence, although meaningless to the siren upon her current state was not an essence she wished to give up so quickly, and so she turned her steady grace onwards and took her steps forth before she fell upon the creation of a pattern that thrummed once more with the gentle beat of her bitter heart ‘steadfast silly fae…steadfast.’ And so she turned to confront the daunting expanse of the unknown, a galaxy of forbidden knowledge at its refined essence and yet she welcomed it.

***

Sekhmet stared upon the femme as she spoke, a gaze of blistered light narrowing as her orbs rose to study the face of the other. Of whom would dare speak to a woman and her misfortunes was a question that only seemed more pressing upon the haze of the moment as the alabaster of the others pelt felt almost picturesque amidst the glinting whitewashed scenery of frosts hallowed breath. The only rupture being the brush strikes of vermillion as they fell upon the ends of the others snow hued mane. The snake of a woman blinked her colourless gaze before locking its burning forge upon the others heterochromatic being. ‘Of whom could this mare of winter and crimson breath be?’ a simple ponder hit Sekhmet’s mind so briefly before her thoughts where answered by the other.

"Greetings to you, steadfast," The fae took a step back, and so forth was her song heard? Of whom else could have heard such things, the woman needed not know what to speak off, her voice silenced as she hardened her glare in patience to the others speech. "My name is Ophelia, Lady of the Aurora Basin," raising a brow the woman dipped her head so briefly in a mark of greeting before descending a gaze skyward yet the other creatures tone ushered warmth to the siren and in turn she muttered forth on floral tainted vocal “Of how lovely it is to be acquaintance with you dearest.” Her voice fell to a low purr as the tastefully tossed forth her response before returning her look of expectancy.

"You have found yourself in the land of Helovia, and you may follow me to my home or I would gladly answer your questions. What is your name?" Sekhmet lifted a slender vessel closer to her form, alabaster hoof glistening midst the haze of gathering storm. “Helovia…” The siren so carefully traced other each word as if savoring each lettering. She took a tender step forth, “Your home?...tell me of this ‘home’” her vocals stuck out, harsh midst the rains cascade. Her voice wavering upon her finally word for home was such a fragile concept to a vagabond such as herself “My name?....” her voice fell forth into silence before casting a mournful usher towards her ebony hoof. “My name is Sekhmet and I could not be more grateful dear fae that it was you whom hath found me upon this realm unknown.” The woman of course found it only within her nature not the trust the other being so sparingly, despite her hearts willing cry and from where there was trust, only grew further the essence of hatred and jealous as it seemed to writhe deep within her ivory bodice.

In fact the siren felt somewhat dubious about the situation in general, although she assumed the other would bear her no harm, she could not help the small essence of despise, a trait the woman hated so much yet it adorned her with the caution that ensured her survival so far. And so she gathered her bearings, she would follow forth the once whom named herself Ophelia, make her mind up for herself. Yet upon the moment it seemed to the serpent that so much was still so unclear to her.

***

"Helovia is the entire land from coast to coast north, west and south. You have arrived from the east, which is the only method of leaving or coming into the territory. The four gods have created this land, as far as I am aware, and rule it in a rather involved way." And so spoke forth the other fae, uttering forth a galaxy of history from which the siren nodded with respect and dignity upon her motion, glutinously lapping forth the information with bright eyes and willing expression. Her lips so lightly curled into a course yet well-meant smile and although seemed so forced her expression the siren did offer a look of genuine interest to back up her quick flung gesture that fluttered forth yet after the other had finished her speech the siren paused in fragile contemplation of her words before uttering forth on melody’s sweet vocal “How fascinating, blessed be the hooves whom guided me to this realm.” Flicking her ear she finished on a saccharine taint to her voice’s hue and with a narrow shake of her head to remove the dusting of snow’s blanked she once more returned her frosty gaze upon the others so lovely two-toned orbs. ‘For how long has it been since pleasant conversation arose.’ Her mind faintly ushered, smothering her thoughts with forgotten memories so melancholy to her minds wake. Yet her thoughts whom burrowed so deep like a matrix of infinite rabbit holes dispersed as quickly as they fell upon her as the fae spoke to her once more.
"Sekhmet," she had said.

With a light flutter of lashes the siren returned to realities hallowed grasp, and with a light slice of ebony hoof upon the frost she replied with no more than a simple, yet in her opinion effective “Why yes dearest fae?” her tone seemed to almost crackle forth upon frost fallen skies and ice tainted septets. "I live in the Aurora Basin, a land ultimately sponsored by the God of Time, but 'tis I and Deimos who organize the herd. The land is to the north, a fortress in the mountains with caves to shelter us from the cold. A lake which never freezes sits at the center." The other spoke once more and the woman paused to drink in each word the other tossed forth, words of wonder, of a land far to the northern reaches and a light smirk adorned the sirens face.“What a sophisticated place you speak of dearest.” She purred forth, a look of warmth and gratitude navigating the slender frame of her face before dispersing with the cries of wind. “And how intriguing~” Sekhmet could most certainly without a lie in her mind be positive of her words, she was so curious about this realm, the lands this Ophelia spoke of, the gods whom seemed to hold such mighty reign upon the tides of fate. Oh how she wished to see it all through eyes of pigment-less wonder.

And then the blood streaked fae uttered forth words she so wanted to hear cast forth."I can take you there, if you wish to be a part of our land." Sekhmet suppressed a narrow grin before turning her attentions in shock to the other, as if surprised by the gesture the other cast. “A part of your land?....” raising a fragile beam she returned her gaze to the blanked of glistening terrain in its alabaster brilliance. She seemed lost in thought for so much more than a delicate heartbeat, as if truly contemplating the other before on vocals of a summer dream she replied to the other with exalted smile “Oh dear fae…why I would be honoured to be welcomed among your ranks.” And of course it would only be truths will that the serpent of course meant it.

***