Faces began to gather though everyone seemed keen to keep their own personal space. Young Hera, who bounded out of the meeting just as quickly as she had arrived, Lourdes, Mauja, Ravel, Nyx all slowly filed in. It wasn’t until Dacianna arrived that Aly was no longer left alone and she returned the roan mare’s smile with one of her own. Iona soon joined her on her other side and the smile she used to greet her twin quickly turned into laughter at Iona’s question about the canopy - the chuckles coming out stifled as she tried to keep them under control. “Don’t worry sister, I’ll protect you.”

She turned to nicker a greeting to Petyr as he landed on her withers before looking around and ah, yes, there was her daughter, and as she was twisted to see Naerys she also caught sight of Tandavi. It was good to see the copper mare and to see that she had more connections with the present day Edge than she might have realized when she first arrived.

As Lyanna joined them and Tallis landed on her back as well, Alysanne felt overwhelmed with love for her friends and for (what she perceived as) their love for her. Those first few despairing moments as she had stood on her own were nothing more than ghosts now and she felt her heart swell with joy.

She was wrong to despair for the ? Edge. Changes brought her new friends, new family.

Hemlock, of course, was delighted to have the company of not one but two companions in his domain on Alysanne’s back. Two companions that he actually liked! He hooted a greeting to Petyr as he clamoured out from the shady hiding and sleeping spot beneath his bonded’s soft white feathers. When Tallis joined them with snacks, Hemlock hopped excitedly until part of the rabbit was offered to him. They were far too big for the owl to hunt on his own so this was a special treat.

Seeing Tallis too only enhanced the sense of family for Alysanne - Evangeline was here too, lingering somewhere. But before her green eyes could find the chestnut mare, Elsa shifted and cleared her throat - demanding the attention of all those present. It was surprising enough hearing her speak first instead of Tembovu but the actual words that she spoke brought the most surprise of all. Stepping down? And then quick on the heels of the shock was concern. For the herd (who would be lead now?) but for Elsa. She did not know the icy mare well (when did that ever stop her from caring?) and she wondered if she’d be able to seek her out after the meeting and make sure that she was okay.

She wasn’t the only one who was surprised about this announcement from the look on Tembovu’s face. So this hadn’t been something they had planned beforehand. How annoying she found the pity that rose in her - having to deal with an abdication while having the whole herd present.

Alysanne was still wondering how he would handle it, whether he would confer with his favourites about what was to be done, when her name was spoken.

Wait.

“Did he say my name just now?” Alysanne whispered to Iona, possibly just loud enough for Lyanna and Dacianna to hear as well as the menagerie of companions that she had on her back. He had said it right? Spoken to her and offered her the position of queen? While she was standing here with a dead rabbit being eaten by a dragon and owl on her back?

She barely remembered nodding, her heart consenting while her mind still reeled. Of course she would accept this - she’d give the Edge anything it asked for. Even if it was Tembovu doing the asking. She wanted to ask him if he was sure he wanted her but the words stuck in her throat. This wasn’t the time to cast about her doubts out freely - she’d try to get the chance later. Besides, if she thought about it, who else would he pick? Mauja, perhaps, but while her head was still ringing with her own promotion she had missed that he had been given a special honour as well.

There had always been someone else ready to take the throne and Alysanne, ever the Moon Doctor, never thought that would change.

Well, she had been right about Tembovu removing her from her position. But it was to offer her something else, something much bigger.

Was she supposed to go up there? It didn’t seem right, not with Elsa still standing with Tembovu, and though she looked to them for guidance the announcement concerning her was glided over quickly and she was left to figure it out in her own as more names and changes were spoken.

‘With Alysanne as Queen…’ sent her mind into another flurry until another name was spoken and she realized what was happening. He was giving Lyanna her abdicated position of Moon Doctor. This snapped her out of the fog in her head enough to smile brightly as she looked to Lyanna nearby. “Congratulations!” She whispered so as to not interrupt the steady stream of announcements that were still coming from Tembovu.

Still stunned, Alysanne listened carefully to the rest of the news - about the crafts that their Glaziers had been working hard on, about the quest that they had been granted by the Moon Goddess. Just a flick of her ear betrayed what may later grow into annoyance at the idea of glass spikes - but at least it was better than the wall. Better than a glass cage.