i am a leaf on the wind

She doesn’t know what she expected this meeting, but it certainly wasn’t whatever just happened. In a whirlwind, Elsa steps down and Tembovu asks Alysanne to step up. Lyanna can’t help the grin that spreads across her face, and she slides just a little further up so she can flick Alysanne with her tail and give her a rather giant smile that pretty much screams “CONGRAULATIONS”. She’d have opted for a more friendly, shoulder bump than the tail flick, but there were plenty of people around and at least she could pretend that she was just swatting away a fly. Not that she was being subtle, really. But she was going to pretend she was, anyway.

And then, having almost missed it in her excitement for Aly, she hears her name and flicks a black ear forward in time to catch her own promotion to Moon Doctor. Oh. It’s not the overwhelming excitement that she felt for Alysanne that finds her now. It’s that familiar weight of responsibility that settles on her shoulders. Something, in truth, she had never entirely expected to feel again. Once, her job had been to keep the peace with her allies through pretty words and pretty eyes and pretty dances. Now, her job was to keep everyone healthy. Somehow, it seemed endlessly more weighty than being a princess.

“Of course,” she says, only just loud enough for Tembovu to hear from where she stands, offering him a nod. Aly offers her own congratulations (far more appropriately than Lyanna had), and Lyanna returns to her slight disbelief. Was she really ready for so much responsibility, when there was still so much for her to learn? But of course, it’s Corbin’s voice in her head that answers the question, his voice that reminds her she can do anything when she tries. Practice makes perfect, little sister.

Mauja ask for information about the The Unbound.  She hasn’t run in to the little mare that he speaks of, but she’s run into Ashamin so many times. Others are talking still, so she moves closer to Mauja, figuring she can give him the little information she knows without interrupting everything else going on. “I see one of their ranks in the field quite often. Ashamin. He says they are seekers are knowledge, and I know he serves as a warrior. He’s there a lot, and those in the field often go with him, so I suspect their numbers are rising. If I learn anything more, I’ll let you know.” Not that Ashamin has ever given anything of real interest away in those short meetings, but she’d offer what little, inconsequential information she gleaned. Perhaps one day it would prove useful.

And then, thinking that all the excitement might actually be done, there’s an outburst from a mare she can’t name. Someone freaking out about a healer as Queen. Since when are all monarchs required to be battle hardened? Since when is it not good to have both peace and war represented? Ying and yang. That had always been  how Morham operated, and most of their allies. To her, it is strange to have monarchs so heavily leaning toward one side alone. One side is never enough.

She’s nearly tempted to say as much, but the mare is already trying to flee, Elsa is already offering her congratulations and stepping away.  Glasglow calls out the mare throwing the trantrum anyway, and Lyanna figures that’s enough. In truth, there’s no real need to add fuel to the fire at this point. So she keeps her mouth shut and an eye on Alysanne.

And then another mare speaks up. Orithia, if Lyanna recalls correctly. Lyanna searches the crowd for the pale Pegasus, before finally finding her, eyes drawn almost immediately to the blood that stains her coat. That was her job now. Only she didn’t know how. So, like the near child she is in this world, she nudges Alysanne slightly and nods in Orithia’s direction, the silent question obvious enough. Perhaps Evangeline or Tilney would get to her sooner, but still, Lyanna would at least make sure someone did.

More keep talking, throwing out their own two cents and Lyanna is quite certain that keeping her mouth shut was the best option. She mostly doesn’t listen, in truth, because all the words accomplish nothing. Instead, she stays near her friend, ear flicked toward their King and Queen, waiting for them to take control. Waiting to let the rest of it pan out, eyes kept on the mare who seemed so uncomfortable at the beginning of the meeting, and Orithia. That’s her job now, after all, and she’d like to make sure they survive the meeting and get the help they need. Whatever it might be.

watch how i soar.

lyanna