She was lost. No, not actually. A damsel in distress she once had been, that she still is, but Katerina refused for such pitied fates to weave into her story. For somewhere out there, Katerina Stella, the constellation that meant defining who she was, defining her victories, her milestones, herself was still being molded by the workings of Helovia. Her story hadn't ended with the disturbances of interstellar travel, it was still being recorded, still being watched and remembered. The writer of her successes and failures, holds a pen that's inky paint and nebula light sings with the stories that strive to be leaked upon the parchment of the sky. How disappointing it would be for her story to be the one that is only quickly peered at, not dived into. Katerina will write a story worth the time of those who looked to the skies, of those who listened, and she couldn't settle for anything less than being victorious. Where she was at currently, well it was only some sort of writer's block, and like all those that wanted to prevail, Katerina would. Even in her impatience, she understood that what she was feeling, well it was going to take time. She of all knew best what that very treatment meant, timed healed all. Or at least she gripped on the false hope for that was all she had. Time healed somethings, but the strongest remedy was simply, but tragically, forgetting it all.

Her hips swing as she wanders through the edge, it always seemed that the mare was most active when the night rolled in on ebonite chariots with the hollering silence of it's sparkling horses. Tonight though, the silence was not balanced with the stories of her ancestors, no stars glittered or shined. Nor did her sister glimmer in the sky, the only light was the faint glow of highlighted black clouds. Her face was set in tight, sharp lines. Despite the lack of light, the glow that surrounded the wooded edge placed the maiden in a type of ethereal beauty. Her diamonds sparkled, her hair fell in soft, illuminated waves, and perhaps the most piercing of them all was her eyes. The melted silver orbs held a certain light, a certain wise innocence. A cursed fairy she was, just trying to beat her wings once more.



OCC: yay yay yay I've missed them <3


"Talk."

And so her wings beat

There was a sound, a voice, a name, hers. The way that it rumbled off his lips and drifted into the soft winds captivated her, drawing her in. Oh Tembovu, why must our fates be so far apart? She wondered this as she allowed his aroma to lure her to him. She hesitated when the low light lit him before her eyes. He was all rough skin, all rippling muscle, he looked so powerful, so strong. But yet, she had seen the softest sides of him, and the roughest, had felt them too. Something inside her squeezed and clenched at those memories, she didn't realize it quite yet, but Katerina missed his touch, missed him.

So she appeared from the shadows, a silver fairy in a dark forest. Her eyes softly caressed his body before she dared to reach into those endless oceans. In doing that, the woman saw the rubbery thing at his feet, her hesitance kicked in as she took a few steps back, wary of the thing. It looked young and tired, and she allowed herself to relax a bit. Tembovu wouldn't befriend one of threat, she didn't have anything to fear. Regaining her graceful stature, she regarded the creature with a soft, honey accent, "Bonjour, little one."
She spoke in French, the underlacings of her true accent leaking out more in the beautiful French language.

Katerina eyed the creature, still not trusting it, but she allowed her attention to focus him instead. Her silver's clashed with those bottomless blues, and she stared within those much longer then necessary. Realizing what she was doing, Katerina turned her eyes down, trying to find words. There had never been someone who had such an affect on her, time had passed many years, and very rarely was she at a loss for words. Finding the strength within herself, she glanced back up at him. "I'm-" sorry? sorry for leaving you, sorry for vanishing when all I wanted was to stay, all I wanted was you. "I've-" missed you.

"How are you?" She said then, her forelock covering some of her eyes as she tried to hide her unspoken thoughts away from him. A physical wall that worked as a mental one too. Here she was, acting like Tembovu was a mere drifted friend that she needed to catch up with. What if that was all this was? Katerina was crumbling, falling away, leaking back into the skies, and why? Why! She didn't know.

Hating this feeling, the silver pushed it away. She was a fierce, strong, independent woman, and no man could control how she felt even though it completely was. With an exasperated sigh, she gave in, raising her crowned head to him, a certain desire underlying her words, a need. "I've missed you."




OCC: um messy kat


"Talk."

The leathery creature that's sleepy, cute eyes begun to grow on her. She thought it was adorable, all ears and big eyes. Tembovu called her Mwebene, a soft and lovely sounding name, the silver approved, a soft smile slipping on her onyx lips. Perhaps one day she would be able to have a companion, or bond as Elsa had explained it. Katerina had always wanted something that she could call hers, something that was loyal and that she could love and that loved her. There was a tinge of jealously that hit her, but she quickly scorned herself, Tembovu deserved the creature, Katerina, did not.

He answered her, and she is glad to hear that he is fine, even better. It was with unfortunate circumstance that words blurted out from both parties, both so opposite, so different. Here she was, confessing herself, or at least some of herself to him, and his level is so beyond hers. Katerina could not hide the hurt, the shock, the surprise that those words brought to her. She wanted to be happy for him, needed to be happy for him, after all it was his child that they were talking about. She was happy too, but the subject of children was too sore, so sore for the silver, and her heart broke every time. For as much as she had always wanted, for all the tears she had shed, all the desperate cries to the gods to heal her, Katerina could not have a child of her own. It couldn't just be that either, for Katerina was too late, and the King had slipped from her star traveled hooves, gone. Were her eyes watering? Indeed, the silver windows were brimmed with water, a single tear slipped from the ledge and spilt down her face along with the sorrows of a cursed body and a late arrival.

She shook her head, smiling the best of smiles she could, "Tears of joy! I am so happy for you! Congratulations, I have always- Yay!" She said with the most convincing tones she could manage, her words beginning to mention her desire for a child of her own but she quickly shut herself down and stayed along with the jubilance that she should show. He was a father, shouldn't she be happy?

Their conversation took a more serious note as he asked the questions he deserved to know the answer to. She was the one who left, the one who stayed hidden. She did not try to hide away her eyes this time, she wouldn't stumble on her words. Although she didn't really know the answer herself, she would give him her best guess. "Tembovu, tell me it's not too late. I'm here, I'm here now." She whispered, her soft but heavy words carried by the winds. His second question hit her hard and she thought of her brother, the only person who knew her for who she really was, the only person who cared about her, the only one that believed in her. Royalty was just a title printed on rich purple robes, it gained her nothing. Her eyes shift away from azure, focusing on the moon anything bright enough to steal away the sorrows and tears that bubbled over. Katerina had already shed one too many tonight. Glancing back, the mare sagged beneath the invisible burdens she was carrying, head dropping slightly as she answered. "I don't know--I was scared. Scared of myself. Scared of seeing another one whom I deeply care for expire at the fault of me."

"I'm sorry, Tembovu. I shouldn't have gone." She said lastly, her heart raw and vulnerable in the black, dark night. Never had she exposed herself like this, left her heart out in the open, exposed to the elements and their harshes. She was scared for what that meant.








OCC: 


"Talk."

Onyx brows knit as he sees the shocked hurt fly across her star-kissed face. He did not know what to expect at his sudden, impulsive admission, but he hadn’t intended to wound the celestial beauty. A frown creases his muzzle, ivory hooves moving once again to bring him closer to her, allowing him to see the over bright eyes through her forelock— allowing him to see the tear slipping out of her silver eyes and down delicate black skin, before disappearing in her grey coat.

“Katerina,” his murmur was low, quiet, and sad, meaning more to console than anything else. Even as he saw the smile plaster across her muzzle, even as he heard the bright words of congratulations, there was nothing that could mask the track beneath her eye. Gently, drawn in by her sorrow, his muzzle reaches out to brush aside the silken, ivory strands of her forelock.

“No, Kat, it is not too late,” his murmur continues, appeasing and gentle. Though he wasn’t sure what she afraid she was too late for, the tears brimming on her silver eyes drew the comforting words from him. Carefully, cautiously, and tenderly, he takes another step closer to the broken, star-graced mare. Softly, his muzzle traces the underside of her neck, gently lifting it slightly before slipping along her shoulder and crossing over her withers to take her into his broad chest in a deep embrace.

“Do not apologize,” his quiet rumble paused, pale chin resting against her back, “But what were you scared of?” Her silken skin brushes his lips as he speaks— but he reins in any thoughts aside from restoring the light to the starborne.

Her ears twitched at the sound of his name on her lips, the sorrow and sympathy that they held behind those rich, masculine chords. She hated that, hated to be sad, to desire the sympathetic comfort of another, of Tembovu. She didn't want to be weak, or however she felt right now, but she did and she felt it hard. There was no hiding from the emotion that had welled up inside her, begging to be freed of it's iced cages. She was hopelessly lost and it seemed only the man draped in creams and chiseled of hard stone could lead it her out. 

No Kat. It's not to late. A breath escaped her, but what was she doing? He was a father, she couldn't have him. Her dreams, her hopes, they couldn't be selfishly cast onto him. He wasn't responsible for making those dreams that wouldn't, couldn't happen. Did she even really know the man of great height, of great power, and great words? Why--why was she so drawn to him as so many others are. 

Her mind settled as his warmth enveloped her, his slick skin brushed up against her silver. He was so warm, so comforting, so strong, she allowed a moment to pass as she rubbed her head on his barrel. Those answers would ruin this--whatever this was. She didn't want to pull away from his embrace, his head upon her back, the aroma of the edge on his skin, him. But slowly, the silver slipped away from Tembovu and allowed her mind to let go of him too, a silent goodbye.

Katerina didn't fear heartbreak, because she feared love so much more. Heartbreak wouldn't have the chance to strike her, not again. It was true, she thought love was so beautiful, so pure, but the silver had never loved another not of blood, never loved in a way that is more then siblings caring for each other. She had read stories, heard them, but even in all of her age, all of her time, she had never loved. 

Shaking her head, she smiled softly, "My pities are my own, my story shall not travel with me from home to Helovia." Katerina whispered softly, "Fear isn't easily unraveled."

She wondered if she should admit to him now, the news that she had found out. She owed him that at least, with all of his comforts, with all of his care that she had reflected and hidden from. Her mouth opened to speak, opened to tell him that she would be returning to Isisi leaving him and all they could ever be,  but it was much harder then she originally had thought. With a final sigh, she forced the words out of her mouth. "Goodbye Tembovu, I wish you and your child the best."

Her muzzle reached out for his, wanting to share the air with him one last time, wanting to remember the perfectly placed cheekbones and inky lines, him and all he was. For once, Katerina felt a real ache, she would miss the King of the World's Edge. Here she was, teetering on the literal edge of the world, choosing to fall into it's clutches, her body slipping further and further into the darkness until she was only a afterthought, a could have been. 



OCC: bye bye temb and the WE :( Kat is gonna go home 


"Talk."

Ears, which had tilted back as he held the celestial beauty, swing forward when she withdrew from him. He felt the loss of her silken skin acutely, but even more so did he feel the melancholic and soft whispers of her lilting, accented voice.

Confusion clouded him— her pities? Her fear? She had spoke of her brother, of his death— but what of this traveling from Helovia? His brow creases, what was she talking about? He goes to move towards her, because the confusion makes him seek the comfort and solidity of her warm skin.

But his movements are halted. “Goodby Tembovu.” His creased brow deepens to a frown, “Katerina, what are you—” but she reaches out to him and, instead of asking his question, his teeth reach out past her outstretched muzzle and try to snag her mane and pull her back.

“Katerina, no— stop— what— what are you doing?” his sputtering words come haltingly, but in a rush, slowly growing more confused and panicked as she begins to slip away before his very eyes. He snorts, action roaring in his veins as surges forward to where she was standing.

“Kat, come back. The Edge needs you—“ his muzzle searched empty air, navy eyes wide and probing the darkness, before flicking star-studded to the sky as guilt suddenly bloomed, dark and ugly in his barrel— “I need you.” Though it was entirely selfish of him, it was true. Perhaps he could be what she needed, perhaps not. But he did need her, for moments like these; moments of intimacy they shared cloaked in night and draped in starlight.

His navy gaze probes the heavens.