i am a leaf on the wind

He steps back, and the sound of his hooves against the dirt draws her gaze from the landscape back to him. His initial response is murmured, and she’s afraid for a moment she’s struck some nerve, or that her words came off too much like a trained princess rather than in the genuine way she had meant them.  But he continues, and she pushes her concerns aside, letting that little bit drop from both the conversation and her mind. Too late too take the words back, and no reason to worry herself about it now. The best she could do was move on. And besides, perhaps he meant nothing at all by the murmur. It’s entirely possible (and perhaps likely), that she’s overthinking the matter.
 
That’s been a trend with her lately. Overthinking. She understood life in Morham. Knew the customs and manners and expectations. And in truth, she had the distinct advantage of being royalty. She could have run around yelling, and at least half the population would have matched her simply because they had to. Here though she was nothing and no one (something, don’t get her wrong, that was extremely freeing), but it constantly left her wondering if she was doing everything all wrong.
 
Her teal eyes watch him with interest, ears pricked in his direction, as he talks of his history as a healer for the Earth God. There are questions that roll around in her mind, wondering how long he’s been here, what places he’s lived if he’s now back in the Hidden Falls. But she doesn’t want to pry either, knowing that she’s likely to come off as rude if the questions start tumbling out of her mouth. His story is his alone, and she wanted to hear only what he wanted to share.
 
“You aren’t rude at all. I’m enjoying the story. So am I right in assuming that the members of the Hidden Falls all serve the Earth God?” She really is that new. Morham had no gods, and she’s only managed to pick up that Helovia has some. She knows that the members of the Throat serve the Sun God – she learned that from Narseen in the Threshold. And the Goddess of the Moon made an appearance in the Edge. But everything has come to her in piecemeal, and she doesn’t have the whole picture yet. Not even close.
 
“I’m living in World’s Edge. Elsa was kind enough to offer me a place to stay while I figure it all out, but everyone seems very kind there, and the land is beautiful.” She had been greeted by a forest there, after all, and she had taking a liking to that part instantly. Perhaps that did make her an old soul, often preferring the quiet of a forest to the company of others. Perhaps the overthrow and death of her family had aged her considerably. It’s been so long since she’s laughed, really.
 
This is perhaps the happiest she’s been in months. This is perhaps the lightest her heart has felt in even longer. It is certainly the first time she’s started to believe that Helovia might be home, and she could thank Apollo for that. If it were up to her, she would stay here forever, and simply live in this moment. But she knows that not possible, so instead, she can only hope that when this time does end, it won’t be the last meeting they have.

watch how i soar.

lyanna