I have loved so hard

that it broke my heart—

“I’ve missed you, too,” her soft scent breathed to him; her delicate, velvet muzzle an answer to unknown prayers— he hadn’t known how she felt… he had shattered something between them, could time heal the wounds he had caused? Could he?

With the pain he had inflicted fresh in his mind, he gently leaned into her soft touch; his own, broad muzzle lipping through her silken, cream locks to find the golden skin beneath them. Tenderly, yearningly, his thick lips brushed against the soft satin as his nares took in the smell of lilies. Carefully, slowly, he breathed warm air against her neck, as if his gentleness could undo all the wounds from the Isles’ battle.

But, he knew it couldn’t.

An ear flicked towards her head she spoke again, a melody in harmony with the tinkling bells. Though the Elephant paid little mind to their surroundings— all could be watching or all could have left. It didn’t matter. Promoted to lead of her rank? A smile replaced the surprised ache on his face, lips brushing once more against her before he drew his great head back and away in order to see her face. (Truthfully, it was because such touches, such closeness, with his gilded princess were too much; he could not focus on her words when the warmth of her flesh and sweetness of her scent flooded his senses.)

“Lead of your rank? The Basin would be foolish not to,” bass rumbles quietly from his barrel, though his head cocks ever so slightly as he realizes, “Though I don’t think you’ve ever told me your rank before, my lo— Rexanna.” A pang shoots through him as he quietly corrects his term of endearment to her name… She is ‘his love’ no longer.

Head, dropped to from his great height to be level with hers, moves marginally higher as he thought of how his time away from Rexanna had treated him. The shiny skin of the scars on his shoulder had finally toughened, the bruises of his knees and ribs had finally healed. He had long, lonely nights, gradually growing colder with the change of season. An elephant of molten rage had ripped from his very skin and exploded in fury. He had led a meeting, seen and coveted the hatching of a friend’s companion, and gazed with envy upon the birthing of a friend’s foal. He had touched, and lusted, after the skin of a celestial mare— but thoughts of Rexanna had pushed him away… And he had seen a King dethroned and humiliated by a Goddess.

He sighed quietly to himself, before simply saying, “The Edge has treated me well,” (it would be better with you there, “I am now King.” He let the words, which held more weight than he realized, fall between them. His mouth opens, unbidden, to once again invite (plead) her to join the Edge. But he snaps his lips close, more heaviness growing in his barrel as the more diplomatic and savvy parts of his mind realize that now, with her being a top ranking in the Basin, there is even more reason for her to stay in the snow-capped mountains.

Sapphire eyes, loosing their earlier glow and becoming darker by the minute, leave her beautiful face and fall to the earth. Despite having yearned to see his princess, too much sadness was beginning to swell at seeing her beautiful face, “Rexanna, I…” Low words trail into the silent shadows and now silent night, uncertain as to what they want to say.