TO LET MY HEART BE MOVED, TO LAUGH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,
TO FIND MEANING IN EVERYDAY LIFE...

Nerves engulfed her body like the chill surrounding her petite frame.  Despite the seasons having changed, the grip of winter harshly clutched the northern lands.  Snow covered the steppes in the shadow of great mountains, concealing a great treasure.  The calm spring sunrise in the forest seemed distant, replaced with the quiet stillness of a land cloaked in ice.  With each step, the girl felt as if she were moving back in time.

Never had Zyanya seen so pristine a landscape.

The snows wrapped her body in a cool embrace, but the little lamb did not notice the cold.  The barrage of sensations removed the priority of her skin's complaints.  Instead, the miles of snow barely touched by spring's warmth glimmered in her eyes.  The scent of unfamiliar bodies filled her lungs and caused her heart to beat faster and faster.  Maybe, if her pulsing heart ceased to clatter against her chest, she could feel the cold rising from her dainty cerulean hooves.  Instead, Zyanya noticed the brilliant shades of white and the endless sea of possibilities.  The possibility of new faces, though, terrified the mare.

The encounter with Frost Fyre in the forest surprised the mare, but the benevolent pair meant her no ill.  They accepted her quiet words of sorrow and invited her to join them in their home - the magical land of the Aurora Basin.  Zyanya hoped, like a fool, that everyone in the Basin held strong, kind hearts like the painted mare.  The name sparked wonder filled thoughts in the naive girl, who pictured the lights in the night sky.  Her former home spoke of magic and the Northern Lights as legend - stories to soothe restless children at night.  "We come from a herd in the North called the Aurora Basin. It's well guarded by troops and magic and mountains".  She repeated the words over and over in her mind.

The Aurora Basin - it was magical, guarded, and most importantly safe.

The looming mountains which guarded the herd draw nearer and nearer.  Footsteps small and gentle fall over the rugged landscape of the Steppe.  The arduous journey from the Threshold was coming to an end, with the foot of the great mountains in view.  The long journey did little to settle the nerves of the refugee, who remained jittery throughout the travel time.  Yet, a calm wave began to envelop her as the sun settling below the peaks of the mountain casts a long shadow over her.  The imposing presence of the peaks intimidates the young girl, but her heart jolts with delight at the realization they will protect her.

Once she lived in the Aurora Basin, the security offered by those impenetrable mountains would be hers.  Zyanya embraced this thought, unconsciously quickening her pace.

The paths between the mountain range curve with unpredictable patterns, making the last leg of the journey to the Basin difficult.  The solid peaks allow their limbs to stretch haphazardly, causing navigation to be onerous.  The softhearted girl almost loses hope of breaking free of the mountain's grip when she sees an impossibly large unicorn.

Halting, the pallid girl blinks her lilac eyes many times, her first sight of the Sentinel being one of awe.  Instead of a giant, Zyanya realizes the figure is a statue.  Crafted with beauty and skill, the solemn unicorn mirrors the imposing might of the mountains surrounding it.  Beginning to move once more, a great shudder fills the air as the statue begins to move.

Horror fills the tiny face of the girl as the machine blacks the pathway to the lands which reveal a lush green amid the icy mountains.  The Aurora Basin was guarded, indeed.

So, the small, fragile girl stands below the Sentinel.  The massive machine's lifeless eyes glare, seeing the mare as nothing but an outsider.  Despite being the color of winter, Zyanya remains an outsider.  The invitation extended by Frost Fyre must not have fulfilled the proper requirements for entry into this mystical land.  The girl remains in front of the giant machine.  Her head tilts about in search of someone with authority to allow her passage.  Someone who could perhaps tame the machine like a misbehaving dog.

Zyanya meant no harm.  She only wished to be shielded from the evils of the world as well.

---

ooc;  @prissy
Sorry, I got impatient.  I tried to make it vague so that you could decide whether you wanted Frost Fyre to be here or not. Up to you. ^^

""

TO LET MY HEART BE MOVED, TO LAUGH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,
TO FIND MEANING IN EVERYDAY LIFE...

Golden chains decorate the face of a new arrival, along with bold, dark markings.  For some reason, Zyanya cannot remove her eyes from the face of this stranger.  Unlike the youthful and sweet visage of Frost Fyre, the glint of this mare's crystalline blue eyes speaks of maturity.  This is wholly unknown to the pale maiden, having lived most of her life as a flower in waiting.  Such is typical of the noble mares of her home.  A sort of sly power emanates from the one approaching her now, and the presence of her children only bolsters Zya's image of her as an adult.

For whatever reason, the pale maiden is still thinking herself a child.

Following the mare are her children, or what Zyanya presumes are her children.  The coloration and markings of the boy mimic his mother, while the filly looks much like her brother.  Based on their size, the girl assumes they are twins.  The actions of the boy and girl support this presumption, for they move with a weird unity.  Now, the pallid girl had siblings, but never had she stuck so close to any of them.  Indajani chased after her heels, but she hardly noticed the girl until her absence left a void in her heart.  The twins seemed different, as if the presence of the other comforted them.  Their mother did not seem to note the presence of the children at first, her blue eyes patiently looking at Zya.

The confident voice leaving this mare's lips shakes Zyanya from her daze, causing her lilac visage to shift from the glimmering gold to look more directly at the mare's face.  Wide-eyed, hopeful, she smiles with a bright light.  She nearly opens her mouth to reply, only to snap it shut at the approach of the colt.

Face golden and painted with mirror markings to his mother, the boy carries a haughty air.  Not that this flusters the naive girl; instead, her ears tilt expectantly for the words of so commanding a foal.  “How d’you greet your Prince and Princess?”, he asks, causing the clockwork in Zya's brain to spin rapidly.

"I-," she pauses, looking toward Rexanna for a moment.  Perhaps, in this land, jewelry decorated the royalty.  Calmly, almost like a reflex, the tiny mare draws her body up - poised much like the statue in front of her for a moment.  Lightly, she dips her horn toward the ground in uncertain reverence of... the prince?  Her long mane falls forward, covering the majority of her face.  One lilac eye peers out, trying to determine if this was appropriate in their realm.

Little did she know that she was just part of a joke on the part of the boy, but who would deny one with such a confident tone?

Lifting her head, the petite mare smiles once more.  "I am Zyanya, but you may call me Zya," her gentle voices lilts forward, small and delicate even compared to the child's.   "Frost Fyre spoke of her home in the Threshold, and she invited me to come."

Peering around the family before her, she looks at the menacing machine.  "I stopped when I saw the... metal unicorn?" Realizing her voice had tilted into a question, Zya looks toward the snowy ground in embarrassment.  Never could that be polite.  The first time meeting the prince of her potential home and she is rude.  Glancing over at Rexanna, the pale girl withholds the desire to start quivering where she stood.  Instead, she shyly looks for affirmation in the face of the mare splashed with gold, unable to find her voice for the time being.

""

TO LET MY HEART BE MOVED, TO LAUGH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,
TO FIND MEANING IN EVERYDAY LIFE...

A strange smile graces the face of the boy, which pleases Zyanya.  Unwittingly, she returns a modest smile from behind her forelock.  Despite her playing the role of a fool in this play, the girl is happy to have made a "good" impression on the supposed prince.  Anyone with experience in the world would know the difference between a child's jest and reality.  Thankfully for our pretend prince, Zyanya experienced very little in her life.  Even so, her interactions with others had been plagued by being so dense.  The intents of others eluded the fair maiden, who only knew of her own pure heart.  The idea of darker thoughts never occurred to her; maybe they never would.

That is not how children greet those upon our borders.  Zya's surprise would be evident to anyone looking at her face.  The features of her tiny face look impossibly gaunt as her lavender eyes widen, mouth slacked with confusion.  An ear tilts uneasily atop her head, back hoof lifting slightly as though she would turn and run.  The chiding of Rexanna's children almost felt extended to the pale colored girl, who was already flustered with all the new faces and sights.  It isn't until the soft-toned apology slips from Rexanna's mouth that Zyanya's posture relaxes, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.  Unable to voice her thoughts, she settles for a bright smile, as if to ease the concerns of her company.

The children were forgotten the moment "home" reaches Zya's eyes.  Her lilac eyes, nervous and subdued, brighten suddenly.  Liveliness begins to pour from them, unable to hide her excitement.  After being chased from her former home, how delightful to find shelter.  The ache of loneliness caused by the separation of her family dims, with the possibilities of the future growing with each word from Rexanna's mouth.  Even as Zyanya is being praised for her fear of the ominous machines, the Sentinels, her mind is floating on cloud nine.  A protected home, free from the fears of yesterday.  Somewhere new.

The idea of new was terrifying and exciting.  She would decide later which was more accurate.

Chagrin silently creeps its way back into her dainty face as Rexanna begins speaking of jobs.  As far as Zyanya knew, she had no talents.  The well-mannered girl simply lived quietly, being praised for her demure and easy going nature.  She never learned skills, never even properly understanding the subtilities of socializing.  Her lavender eyes fall to the ground, but ears remain turned toward the golden splashed mare, showing her attention.  Thankfully, Rexanna goes into more detail about jobs.  Frankly, had she not, Zya could only offer blank stares and gentle company, which didn't seem to be on the agenda of the Aurora Basin.  As expected, the mystical land held greater standards than the high houses.

The sharp stomp of a small hoof and defiant whine from the children might as well have been a gunshot, for the shock it caused Zya's nerves forces her to take a step back unintentionally.  This is when the girl notices the small... thing for the first time.  Everyone seemed to have these strange creatures.  This one, much smaller than Altair, was a small, mottled animal.  Never had Zyanya seen such a creature, which the boy referred to by name - Marembo.  More shocking than the weasel was the cooed compliment of the young boy.  Surprised but delighted, Zya looks directly at the boy and smiles gently.  "Thank you," almost a whisper but spoken with sincerity.

Her attention turns back toward Rexanna, completely unaware that the actions of her strong-willed children were embarrassing the mare.  Instead, the girl shyly looks up through glimmering lashes.  "I am afraid I don't really know what it means to have a 'job'," her voice hesitates for a second, thinking back on the list rattled off by the wiser mare.  "I will consider this and try my best to decide."  A small promise, one that Zyanya was sure she would keep.  Hopefully, her sincerity would be enough for the Aurora Basin... for now.

""

TO LET MY HEART BE MOVED, TO LAUGH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,
TO FIND MEANING IN EVERYDAY LIFE...

"A moment of respite would be much appreciated," cordially she speaks, taking in the explanation of Rexanna.  So, they would be willing to teach those who did not have a profession.  Zyanya did not fully understand what that meant, but it sounded promising to her.  Now, she only needed to find a path of interest to pursue.  The opportunity to learn, to grow, was more exciting than she would have guessed.

The pair of foals is addressed, and Zya thought a tour from the twins would be full of quirks and fun.  Much to her dismay, the colt slaps down the idea almost immediately.  The disappointment remains evident on her face, though a smile plasters on top, wanting to maintain a proper appearance of gratitude.  After all, Rexanna had offered the greatest gift of all - a home.  Hungrily, desperately, the pallid little girl clung to the idea of a new haven: somewhere safe, somewhere filled with wonders - the Aurora Basin.

Her lavender eyes travel back to the small colt as he addresses her directly, decisive yet almost whispered.  Perhaps, the boy wanted to avoid the watchful gaze of his mother.  Either way, Zyanya is delighted by the promise of another time.  As the foals skip away mischieviously, she realizes she had never asked their names.  The colt generously proffered the name of his sister - Kia.  Next time, she would remember to ask.  It was only polite.

"Thank you for everything, Rexanna," the girl simply says, a genuine light held in her eyes before she begins to walk easily past the Sentinels and into her new life.
""